Better Pipe Organ Database

Wm. B.D. Simmons (1869)

Congregational Church
Appleton, WI

Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)

Images

Unknown - Church interior with organ at front, right (2000 published church history/Database Manager)

Consoles

Main

Organ type: Traditional With Hinged Doors That Enclose Keyboards
Console position: Keydesk Attached, Manuals Set Into Case
2 manuals
13 stops
13 registers
3 divisions
Key action Type: Mechanical (Details Unknown)
Stop action Type: Mechanical
Stop layout Type: Drawknobs in Vertical Rows on Flat Jambs
Manual compass: 54 notes
Pedal compass: 20 notes
Pedal Type: Flat Straight

Notes

2019-03-03 - This entry describes an original installation of a new pipe organ. <br>Identified by James R. Stettner, citing information from this publication: Announcement of Wm. B.D. Simmons organ at Appleton Congregational Church. Printed in the Saturday, May 15, 1869 edition of the Appleton Crescent.<br> -Database Manager

Stoplist

Typed stoplst from James R. Stettner Source: Stoplist copied from the Appleton Crescent, Saturday, May 15, 1869 Date not recorded

Appleton, Wisconsin
Congregational Church

Wm. B.D. SIMMONS, 1869 - Original Specifications


GREAT                                        COUPLERS (Drawknob)
   [8]   Open Diapason              54          Pedal and Great Coupler
   [8]   Melodia                    37
   [8]   Stop Diapason              54          Swell and Great Coupler (? Not listed)
   [4]   Principal                  54
   [3]   Twelfth                    54
   [2]   Fifteenth                  54       PEDAL MOVEMENTS
   [II]  Sesquialtra               108          Swell Expression        (? Not listed)


SWELL (Expressive ?)
   [8]   Stop Diapason              54       ACTION: Mechanical Key & Stop
   [8]   Dulciana                   54
   [4]   Principal                  54       VOICES: 13
   [4]   Flute                      54
   [8]   Hautboy                    37       STOPS: 13

                                             RANKS: 14
PEDAL
   [16]  Pedal and Sub Bass         20       PIPES: 688

   Bellows Signal


NOTES
The organ was free-standing and encased at the front on the right side. The facade was
5-sectional with a large central tower and two end tower, connected by flats between
the towers. The keydesk appears to be recessed inside the case with folding doors. The
announcement of the Simmons organ in the Saturday, May 15, 1869 edition of the Appleton
Crescent lists the case as being dark mahogany with illuminated blue front pipes. The
newspaper announcement states, “During the past week Wm. B De [sic] Simmons & Co., of
Boston have been putting up in the Congregational Church of this City a Pipe Organ of
the capacity of a $2,200 instrument.”  It goes on to say, “For this instrument no
contributions were sought outside the congregation fr whose benefit it is, and with
the exception of about $100, the means for payment have been provided.”  A published
church history from 1850-2000 states, “In 1869 a pipe organ was placed in the Audience
Room at a cost of $1000, raised though subscriptions.”

When the congregation built a new edifice in 1887, the Simmons was sold as part of the
fund-raising for the new organ – a two-manual, Steer & Turner, opus 289. The subsequent
disposition of the Simmons is not known.

Sources: Appleton Crescent, Saturday, May 15, 1869, Church history with photo.


Congregational Church
Appleton, Wisconsin