In 2009, after submitting my comment, then archivist Stephen Pinel realized I was likely misreading the cursive capital N in 1860's and 1880's vestry minutes. That makes the initial builder Reuben Nicholls. -- Information received online from Michael Berman on 2024-10-08

Updated through on-line information from Michael Berman. -- According to official church Vestry minutes, this is a major rebuild of an 1871 organ by Reuben Nicholls [ed 2024] of Philadelphia, not a new instrument. Roosevelt reused all existing pipes, adding two pedal ranks, reworking the initial facade to face the Nave. Everything else was new, including the facade facing the choir stalls. The instrument was removed from a cold, damp unheated bell tower into the room, displacing side pews, where it projected and stayed in tune. Pedal compass was initially 27 pipes, foot pedals initially controlled a combination action before the console was moved to the opposite side of the choir stalls, and swell expression was mechanical, even for the remote console. It was technically the initial Nicholls [ed 22024] organ that struggled to fill the expanded nave, not the Roosevelt rebuild.

Updated through on-line information from Michael Berman. -- Original one third of the nave on the east of present church was expanded in 1874 and 1886. The instrument was installed in a chamber in the front left of the room, unable to fill an expanded nave. Replaced by a Möller in 1974, and Buzard installation of a rebuilt Wicks in 2006. The frame of the facade is in storage, the last eleven surviving pipes from the facade are in the posession of Kevin Chun of Philadelphia.

Rebuild of a previous organ ("Thoroughly rebuilt") according to the 1892 Roosevelt opus list.