Vernon Center, New York 
Presbyterian Church

Alvinza Andrews Opus 1, 1837

 

The organ was acquired by S.L. Huntington & Co. from the Vernon Center Presbyterian Church in October, 2007.  
The church closed following services on Christmas Day, 2005, and the church building (ca. 1835) is for sale.
 
The organ, built by Alvinza Andrews of Waterville, NY was installed second hand in 1853. Interior markings 
indicate the organ was "No. 1", originally built for Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church in Vernon, NY, and 
replaced by Andrews with a larger instrument in 1853. 
 
The Vernon Center church was enlarged  and redecorated at least once in the nineteenth century, and the 
placement of the organ in the rear gallery may not have been its original location.  Consequently, and 
perhaps as part of a later redecoration of the church interior in a more modern style, the organ was moved 
to the front right corner in March of 1905.  Originally blown by a foot treadle, at some point a pump handle 
was added extending from the rear of the case, and this handle was moved to the case right at the time of 
the 1905 move, and this pumping system was supplied with a new rope in 1930.  Subsequent to this repair, an 
electric blower was installed in the cellar beneath the organ.  In the late 1950s, the blower was removed, 
its location converted to a bathroom, and the organ was pushed up against the wall where it sat unused until 
its removal in October 2007.  Except for the especially crude post-1930  installation of swell shades, a 
spurious bass GGG# pipe, and the blower, the organ is remarkably preserved and otherwise unaltered. 
 
The case is of pine, exquisitely faux grained in imitation of straight-grain and burl mahogany  with 
gold-leafed wooden dummies.  The rosewood keydesk is recessed behind doors, and never had pedals. The 
small ebony stopknobs have ivory labels lettered in script with square shanks, and are all mounted on 
the right side. The  metal pipes are of common metal.  All pipes longer than 3' f are of pine. The double-
rise reservoir has a single diagonal feeder, and preliminary experiments indicate the pressure is likely 
50 mm or less. The original foot treadle pumping system (found in the church while the organ was being 
dismantled) will be restored, and the later pumping system removed. The instrument is a remarkably well 
preserved example of an early and thriving upstate New York organ trade. 
 
Once carefully conserved by S.L. Huntington & Co., the organ will be placed  in St. Timothy's Episcopal 
Church (1838)  in Westford, New York, the ancestral parish of  Huntington's family, on permanent loan. 
 
Original disposition:
 
Manual:  GGG, AAA-f3, 58 notes
 
O Diapason Treble from f0, 37 pipes, open metal
O Diapason Bafs            21 pipes, stopped pine
Dulciana          from f0, 37 pipes, open metal
Principal                  58 pipes, 9 open wood basses, 49 open metal trebles