ca. 1920 - Exterior of 1872 church building (Photograph from an archival source: Courtesy Wellsville Historical Society, submitted by Scot Huntington/Scot Huntington)
2013-01-04 - This is a rebuild of an existing organ. Identified by Scot Huntington, based on personal knowledge of the organ. -- The Hillgreen, Lane & Co. instrument was the second known organ in the large brick building built ca. 1875. Oral history related by the organist present at the time of the of the Hillgreen, Lane installation, thought the former organ was second-hand and was built by Hook & Hastings. This can not now be confirmed. The Hillgreen, Lane & Co. organ reused pipework from this instrument. The building was condemned in 1967 for severe structural deficiencies and torn down with the organ placed in storage. A new, smaller building erected on the same spot was dedicated in 1968, and the Hillgreen, Lane & Co. instrument was downsized and rebuilt as a new 2-manual organ using some old chests and pipes by Bryant Parsons & Sons of Parsons, New York. The immense H,L & Co. horseshoe console was sold to Alfred University to replace the inadequate supply-house console of their amateur-built three-manual teaching organ. With the closure of the Alfred University organ department in the early 1980s, the studio organ and H,L & Co. console were junked. -Database Manager
2013-01-06 - Updated through online information from Scot Huntington. -- The Echo division was not mentioned in the 1925 contract, but was prepared for in the finished console. Subsequent investigation revealed the Echo division was eventually installed by Hillgreen, Lane & Co. in 1940. The register and count reflects the console as built, and the final rank count after 1940 was 25. -- Manual windchests were all 73 notes -Database Manager
2013-01-06 - Updated through online information from Scot Huntington. -- The contract was signed on 4/15/25 for $8,500 and the isntrument was installed and playing by the following September. -Database Manager
2014-07-14 - Updated through online information from Scot Huntington. -- The contract stipulated the builder would take the original smaller blower in trade, and provide a new. larger unit for the enlarged instrument. The prepared Pedal Bourdon was installed in 1940 with the Echo. -Database Manager
2018-05-11 - Information from Hillgreen, Lane & Co. opus list, compiled by Bynum Petty<br> Contract: April 1925 - for 3/21 instrument<br> 73-note manual chests<br> Pipes retained from the previous unidentified organ<br> Detached console<br> Price: $8,500 -Database Manager
Stoplist from factory contract April 15, 1925 Source: Source not recorded Date not recorded
Wellsville, New York
First Congregational Church
Hillgreen, Lane & Co. 1925
Three-manual horseshoe console.
All ranks 73-notes and independent, unless specified.
This organ was a rebuild and enlargement of a two-manual tracker reputed to have been a second-hand Hook & Hastings, aid attribution now in doubt.
The annotations are taken from the factory contract.
New Hillgreen, Lane ventil chests were provided throughout.
GREAT
8 ft. Open Diapason
8 ft. Gamba
8 ft. Doppel Flute (NEW)
8 ft. Dulciana
4 ft. Octave
Great Tremolo
Great to Great 16', 4', Unison Off
Swell to Great 16', 8', 4'
Choir to Great 16', 8', 4'
SWELL
16 ft. Bourdon
8 ft. Open Diapason
8 ft. Salicional
8 ft. Voix Celestes (t.c., present Sw. Octave)
8 ft. Gedeckt
4 ft. Flute Traverso (present Gr. Flute)
2 ft. Flautina (present Gr. Fifteenth)
8 ft. Tuba (NEW)
8 ft. Oboe
Swell Tremolo
Swell to Swell 16', 4', Unison Off
CHOIR
8 ft. Open Diapason (English, NEW)
8 ft. Melodia (present Gr. Melodia)
8 ft. Dulciana (NEW)
8 ft. Unda Maris (t.c., NEW)
4 ft. Flute d'Amour (NEW)
8 ft. Clarinet (NEW)
Chimes (NEW, Deagan Class A, 20 tubes)
Choir Tremolo
Choir to Choir 16', 4', Unison Off
Swell to Choir 16', 8', 4'
ECHO
While not listed in the original contract, the stoprail layout would suggest this was prepared-for in the console at the time of construction.
PEDAL
16 ft. Open Diapason (44 pipes)
16 ft. Cathedral Bourdon ("Mechanicals only" console preparation)
16 ft. Lieblich Gedeckt (Swell Bourdon borrow)
8 ft. Flute (ext. 16 ft. Diapason)
Great to Pedal 8'
Swell to Pedal 8', 4'
Choir to Pedal 8'
Piston combinations: Mechanical cam system, hold and set
1-3 Great/Pedal
1-4 Swell/Pedal
1-3 Choir/Pedal
Couplers Cancel
Toe studs:
Sforzando with indicator
Great to Pedal reversible
Balanced Pedals:
Choir/Great Expression
Swell Expression
Crescendo Pedal with indicator
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