Pipe Organ Database

Schantz firms
The Schantz firm has remained in the same area of Ohio since its founding in 1879, and it is still a privately held company, owned and managed by members of the Schantz family. In its 130 plus year history, it has had three company names:

• A. J. Schantz (1873-1892) - operated by Abraham Schantz


• A. J. Schantz, Sons & Co. (1892-1946) - Operated by Abraham with help from his sons until 1913, when Abraham retired. The sons continued operation through the boom of the 1920s and the Great Depression of the 1930. In 1942, all musical instrument manufacturing was ordered halted by the government, and the factories were diverted to the war effort, Schantz built tool benches during this period.


• Schantz Organ Co. (from 1946) - Victor A. Schantz heads the firm after the war, returning it to being an organbuilding company and transforming it from a regional to national concern. His grandson, Victor Bruce Schantz, is the current president of the firm.

Note from the Organ Database Builders editor Stephen Hall, June 4, 2017. -

The Founder
Abraham Tschanz was the founder of the Schantz Organ firm. He was the father of Victor, Edison F., and Oliver A. Schanz. Schantz established a reed organ business in Kidron, Ohio, in 1873; he relocated to Orrville, Ohio a few years later. He dropped the initial T from the company name early on, but retained the spelling of his own surname until 1899. The firm began building pipe organs as well as reed organs. Succeeded by A. J. Schantz, Sons & Co. 1892. The senior Schantz retired in 1913; he died 1921.

Schantz Family
The names of members of the Schantz family who were or are currently working for the family firm are listed below. This is an indentured list with each generation being indented further to the right.

Abraham John Tschantz (Founder) - 1849-1921 (note: the initial ‘T- was dropped by the family about 1899)

1. Edison Franklin Schantz (Generation II) 1878-1974
2. Oliver Arthur Schantz (Generation II) 1883-1939
   • Paul Stender Schantz (Generation III) 1911-1997
3. Victor Abraham Schantz (Generation II) 1885-1973
   • Bruce Victor Schantz (Generation III) 1913-2007
     • Victor Bruce Schantz (Generation IV) b. 1953 - current President of the firm
       • John Paul Schantz (Generation V) b. 1986 - current Comptroller of the firm
   • John Abraham Schantz (Generation III) 1920-2013