Pipe Organ Database

While the organ was apart for rebuilding, a handwritten statement was discovered inside the bellows. It read ''.James A.Young, Boston, Massachusetts, November 1, 1875 (Monday);' and in the access panel to the bellows, "Built 1875, October." These notations indicate perhaps a stock bellows made earlier, or that the instrument may have already been constructed when it was sold. -- 2001 OHS Handbook

Updated through online information from James R. Stettner. -- I consulted the Andover opus list and files, the booklet "Four Organs of Historical Interest in Danville and Chatham, Virginia," and another booklet "The William B.D. Simmons Organ at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church Danville, Virginia." The date 1877 is generally ascribed to this organ since that is when it was purchased for $1,400.00 by the Unitarian-Universalist Church of South Acton, Massachusetts. The organ may have been built earlier, though, as two dates of October and November 1875 have been found inside the bellows. However, perhaps it was a stock bellows. The organ was removed from the South Acton church in 1971 because of a merger. It was moved to the Andover Organ Co. of Methuen, Massachusetts by the Organ Clearing House where it remained in storage until 1979, when Sacred Heart contracted with Andover to refurbish the organ for them, replacing an Everett "Orgatron." The organ was refurbished for $26,000.00, and was installed in early 1981. Some tonal changes were made. A 2' Fifteenth was added, and the original II Mixture was recomposed around the 2' Fifteenth. The case was altered to allow the Pedal pipes to be moved from the back of the organ to the sides. The pipe fence facade is entirely non-speaking, and appears to be 7-sectional containing 31 pipes arranged: 2-5-7-3-7-5-2. It's dedication was on March 22, 1981 by Earl L. Miller.

The original builder was W. B. D. Simmons (1877).

Status Note: There 2001.

Relocated from the Universalist Church, South Acton, MA. Rebuilt with tonal changes.