Otto Hofmann
1956

This organ is no more. It was removed after the damage from Hurricane Harvey. It was removed by Ken Mowell, who installed the Viscount digital organ. I visited with him as he boxed up the pipes, the chests were in very poor condition. We also have a Hoffman organ and I asked about potentially using some ranks to augment ours but he advised against it. I know that there was a fire in his storage and some of these pipes may have been there. Ken died in 2021.

Updated by Julius Coyle, who has heard or played the organ. Julius Coyle also listed this individual as a source of information: Jack Wilds, music director.

A leaky roof caused the organ to be damaged by heavy rains from the storms associated with Hurricane Harvey (August-September 2017). The church has elected to replace it with an electronic organ.

Updated through online information from Julius Coyle.
The Estey organ at First Presbyterian was rebuilt by Otto Hofmann circa 1956. Hofmann replaced the console, and added some upperwork to the organ - a III Mixtur on the Great, and a 2' Spitz Principal on the Swell. (The Spitz Principal probably replaced an Oboe or Labial Oboe.)

The Great 8' Prinzipal and Pedal 16' Bourdon are now on unit chests, and in side chambers - each rank is divided. The Bourdon was unified to the Pedal at 8' and 4', and the Prinzipal was unified to the Pedal at 5 1/3', 4', 2 2/3' and 2. The Prinzipal may have been part of a speaking facade at some point, as the pipes are longer than their actual speaking length.

In October of 2010, Contemporary & Classic Church Organs of Kansas City, Missouri replaced the blower, replaced the tremulant leather, cleaned the pipework, and revoiced the organ, including reducing the volume on the Great Mixtur.

Updated through online information from Julius Coyle.

This is a rebuild of an existing organ. Identified by Julius Coyle, based on personal knowledge of the organ.