New Hope Baptist Church
Waverly, Illinois
ca. 1875 Hamill Tracker Organ
Attributed to Samuel S. Hamill, Cambridge, MA
Documentation and Stabilization 2008 by Buzard Pipe Organ Builders
According to church records, the church paid $1,000 for the organ in 1875. It was shipped from Boston, and when it had gotten as far as Chicago the original buyer changed their mind? The instrument was originally installed in the rear gallery, and was moved down front to its present location in 1881. A 1/3 hp Spencer Orgoblo was added to the organ early in the 20th century. The instrument was reconditioned by a St. Louis firm in the 1950’s.
Although the dates do not match exactly, it might be possible that this organ could have originally been built for Notre Dame Church in Ogdensburg, NY. This church bought a small Hamill organ in 1875. In 1890, they acquired a larger Hamill instrument that had been intended for a client in Peoria, IL, who changed their mind.
Stop List
8′ Open Diapason
8′ Viola
8′ Stopped diapason
8′ Dolce
16′ Bourdon
Open Diapason Bass (front) zinc, in façade
Open Diapason Treble (front) 13-17 zinc with common metal tops
Scroll tuned 1-36, then cone tuned
Viola Bass (rear)
Stop’d Diapason Treble (rear) 13-24 stopped wood
25-58 common metal chimney flutes
59-61 cone tuned common metal
Stop’d Diapason Bass (middle)
Dolce (middle) 13-17 zinc
18-61 sm
One manual and pedal, mechanical action pipe organ
61-27 compass, 8 registers (plus octave coupler)
Double-rise reservoir with 2 sets of direct ribs, intact pumping feeders and handle, projecting from right side of case.
Hitch-down swell pedal.
Metal toe spoon for octave coupler (from C25-C49) – a later addition?
All pipes appear to date from the same general time period. C13 of Open Diapason has written on upper lip “Op No 1 Giant.” CC of Stop’d Diapason has written on it “CC Giant.” CC of Viola Bass has written on it “Giant Bass C.” C13 of Dolce has written on it “Giant,” and F18 has written on it “Dul F.”
Likely builder is S. S. Hamill, whose stock-model instruments were called “Giant.”
