E. & G. G. Hook
Opus 522, 1870

This exquisite medieval-style church building was erected in 1864 by George Tibbits and was initially not connected with the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. The edifice is constructed of unhewn stone with dark brown trimmings, and cost when new some $20,000. The bell tower was the gift of his widow, Sarah B. Tibbits, and was added about 1872. A history of Rensselaer county relates: "The bells are of excellent tone, and the small one in the highest part of the tower is a relic of medieval times, purchased by the Tibbits family while traveling in Europe. It is said to be four hundred [i.e. in 1880] years old." The first rector, Rev. John B. Tibbits, a son of the benefactor, started the Hoosac School, which for many years used the building as a chapel.

The beautiful E. & G. G. Hook organ was also the gift of Sarah B. Tibbits. It sits in a left-hand recess off the chancel, and despite the later addition of an 8' Viol d'Amour stop to the Swell, is almost entirely unaltered. It was carefully restored in 1989 by the Carey Organ Company, of Troy. Their work consisted of "replacing bushings and cloth washers, leather nuts, and broken trnckers; cleaning the pipework; rebushing the manual keyboards; rebushing the pedalboard, replacement of the worn key tops with walnut sharps and maple naturals to match the originals, and replacement of missing stop labels with hand-engraved turned bone discs to match the originals in ivory."
Source: The Tracker, 41:3 (1997) 26.

Status Note: There 1997

In 1864 building. In recess off chancel. Originally chapel of Hossac School. 2nd 8' string added to swell many years ago. Restored 1989 by Carey Organ Co.