First Presbyterian Church

The First Presbyterian Church
1833-1913
A History of the Oldest Organization in Chicago
With Biographical Sketches of the Ministers and Extracts from the Choir Records
by
Philo Adams Otis
Member of the Commitee on Music Since 1874
FIRST EDITION
Clayton F. Smmy Cop.
Chicago, 1900
Second and Revised Edition
Fleming H. Revell Co.
Chicago, 1913
[continued]

©Transcribed by Kim Torp

PULPIT AND CHOIR

THe foregoing pages are gathered form the Choir Journals which date from 1875, and cover 37 years in the life of this historic Church. Data of this kind are not usually kept by Churches in America. But in the Cathedrals of England it is the duty of an official known as the Succentor to keep such a record and to make an annual report to the Dean and Chapter. In closing these records of "Pulpit and Choir" in the old building at Indiana avenue and 21st Street, the Choirmaster takes this occasion to express his gratitude for hte opportunity he has been afforded to carry out long cherished plans for a higher order of music in our Sunday worship. The sincere thanks of the Music Committee are also conveyed to the men and women of the Congregation who have generously undertaken the cost of the Special Musical Services.

The suggestion for the unusual combination of voices and instruments we have heard in our Church in recent years, comes from the village Choir of my childhood, when three manual-organs were unknown and the only instruments heard in Church, were the tuning fork, flute and bass viol. To reproduce these effects in later years with the aid of hte first artists of the Thomas Orchestra has been one of the pleasures of my life. From the half lights of those simple days with the village choristers, we have passed into the rich glow of the 20th century, with its brilliancy and glory of instrument and song. Those who have heard Tschaikowsky's "Hymn to the Autumn," Glinka's "Russian Folk Songs," Mozart's "Ave Verum Corpus," Handel's "Harp Aria," and "Passion Music," with the rare combination of instruments employed, will accept Dr. Merrill's tribute to the value of Church music:

"You cannot attend the worship of a Church without being brought into contact with two wonderful collections of the expressed thought and feeling of man - the Bible and the hymnal. They are full storehouses of noble aspiration and pure expression.

Beyond the beauty and power of the hymns, what an educational value is in the music of the church. And it is in the Church that we get music at its best. In the simplest worthy setting of hymn or anthem, there is the same essential grace of form that charms us in symphony or sonata." [From "The Continent" January, 1913, by the Rev. William Pierson Merrill, D.D. formerly of the 6th Presbyterian Church, Chicago, now of the Brick Presbyterian Church, N.Y. City.]

The Choirmaster desires further to express to the principal members of the Choir his appreciation of their cordial sympathy and loyal support:

Mrs. Clara Griffith Trimble came to the First Church May 2, 1897 from Plymouth Congregational Church, where she had been engaged for five years. Her home is in Ottawa, Ill., but she spends much of her time in Chicago, in teaching and professional work.

Mrs. Willard S. Bracken has been a member of the Choir since October 16, 1904. She is well known in the concert field, having appeared with the Handel and Haydn Society of Boston, in the "Messiah," with the Apollo Musical Club of Chicago, and with the thomas Orchestra on its tours. Mrs. Bracken is President of the Cosmopolitan School of Music of Chicago, and is a member (1913) of the present Choir of the First Church.

Mr. John B. Miller came to the First Church Choir November 20, 1910. He is well known in concert and oratorio work, having appeared with the Apollo Musical Club and Mendelssohn Club of Chicago, and in the concerts of the Thomas Orchestra. He is a member of the Faculty and one of the Directors of the Chicago Musical College. Mr. Miller is now (1912) with the First Congregational Church of Evanston and is one of the solo quartette of the Sunday Evening Choral Club (Orchestra Hall).

Mr. O. Gordon Erickson has been with the First Church Choir since January 29, 1911. He is a member of the Faculty of the Chicago Musical College. Mr. Erickson is Director (1913) of the Sunday Evening Choral Club (Orchestra Hall)

Mr. O. Gordon Erickson has been with the First Church Choir since January 29, 1911. He is a member of the Faculty of the Chicago Musical College. Mr. Erickson is Director (1913) of the Sunday Evening Choral Club (Orchestra Hall).

Mr. Francis S. Moore was brought up in the musical stmosphere of the First Church. His mother, Mrs. Alexander P. Moore (formerlyh Miss Frances Silvey), was a member of the First Church Choir, in the "sixties."

Mr. Moore studied the organ with Mr. Clarence Ddy, when Mr. Eddy was organist of the Church (1879-1895). Later Mr. Moore spent 6 months in Paris, studying with Mr. Alexander Guilmant. He began his duties as an organist of the First Church, May 31, 1896, and is now (1913) organist and director of the Choir of the present church.

The CHoirmaster is greatly indebted to all others who have served in the Choir of the First Church and especially to Mrs. James C. Ames and Mr. Charles T. Atkinson for the interest they have taken in the Special Musical Services.

A Chapter on Choirs

Great advances have been made in the character of Church music in this country during the past 60 years. Prior to 1850, all the support which Church societies could provide for the maintenance of their music, was to furnish the singers with humn and tune books. Salaried Choirs and two-manual organs were almost unknown in the West. The tuning fork, flute and bass viol were the instruments commonly heard in the country districts. The melodeon, forerunner of the present cabinet organ, was just coming into use.

A friend, residing in a country district of a neighboring state, to whom I wrote recently asking about hymn books nad instruments, replied:

"The impressions received of a village Choir in my childhood may give you a fair idea of the character of the music commonly heard at that time in the Churches throughout the western states. My home (1846-1856) was in a farming community, close by a lovely village where the people worked hard, feared God and attended Church regularly. As I look back on that period of my life there are three things which come prominently to mind -- the Sabbath, the village Church and its Choir. The Sabbath was at that time literally a day of rest, when every member of the household must cease all but the necessary farm work, and go to Church. To the young folks of the family, the day was something more. The Sunday services and the meetings of the Choir for practice brought some relief into the hard, dull routine of farm life, and really gave us our only chance for meeting friends and learning something of hte events going on in the great world outside.

"The meeting house was a frame structure, built after the New England style 0 white exterior, green blinds, steeple and bell, the rope hanging in the vestibule.

"'Meeting' invariably began with a prayer by the Minister, followed by the announcement of a humn; then there would be a pause for hte choir leader to find a tune. Sometimes, after long and anxious waiting, the leader would rise from his place in the choir gallery at the opposit end of the Church and gravely request the Minister to change the hymn, as the meter of the humn announced was unfamiliar to the Choir. A tune being found, the singers would take their pitch from the leader's tuning fork, each sounding the note of his or her part, the Do, Re, Me, Sol being heard distinctly throughout the Church. In ??? we did not have the convenient humn and tune book of later years, with the music at the top of the page and the words directly below. Each singer held a small book of humns in the right hand and a cumbrous tune book in the other, and with eyes cast now on the leader, now on the owrds, now on the tune, made the best of this awkward arrangement.

"For a long time, the only instruement used in the Choir was the leader's tuning fork. Some one came to the village after a while who played the flute; he was brought into the Choir. In this way, the bass viol and clarinet were added to the musical forces on the Sabbath. About 1855, we procured a melodeon. These innovations were not entirely regarded with favor by some of the people. The Minister of a neighboring Church occupied our pulpit one Sunday, and, as he arose to give out the first humn, hearing some tuning and scraping in the direction of the choir gallery, asked the Congregation to stand while the Choir 'fiddle and sign the humn!'

"I have a distinct remembrance of the music heard at the funerals of that day. The humns, 'Hark! from the Tombs a Doleful Sound,' "Why Do We Mourn Departing Friends?', 'Sister, Thou Wast Mild and Lovely,' and others, equally mournful in character, were favorites with the village Choir on these occasions. When we secured an organ, 30 years afterward, and the flute, violin, clarinet and bass viol had disappeared from the Choir gallery, the music, to my mind, lost much of its character."

I have another letter from a dear old choir leader, Mr. A.R. Peck, of the First Presbyterian Church, of Beloit, Wis., written in much the same vein, telling of the books and instruments used in his day. Mr. Peck made an address at the Semi-Centennial Celebration of his Church, March 21, 1899, speaking of his Choir recollections, which date from 1841. How he loved his work! The letter will speak for itself:

"I am a farmer living on the farm my father bought 58 years ago, three miles from the city of Beloit. I have traveled that distance day and night in all kinds of weather to gratify my love for music. For years I have never missed a Saturday night rehearsal, nor a Sunday service, morning or evening. It never stormed so hard, nor was the cold ever so severe, that I was kept at home."

The first reference to music in the records of the First Church was in connection with the dedication, January 4, 1834, of the frame meeting house, commonly known as the "Lord's House." A hymn was written for this ocasion by Mr. G.T. Sproat, "A Baptist brother," from which I quote the first verse [omitted]

The Chicago Daily Democrat of January 21, 1834, gives a full account of these services, with the sermon in full of Dr. Porter, and the other verses of the humn.

There was undoubtedly a Choir in those early days, judging from a resolution adopted at a meeting of the Session, December 16, 1834:

"In compliance with a request from the singers, it was voted to advise the Congregation to stand during the singing and incline the head upon the bench before them during prayer in our public worship."

The singing was led in the new Church by Sergeant Richard Burtis, from the garrison, and the prayer meetings were led by the major, known as "good old Major Wilcox." The only other Choir members of this period (1834-35) as far as I can ascertain, were Mr. Bates (vioin) and Mr. James Marshall (flute). We know nothing of hte character of the music at this time; it was probably of the simplest kind. The Chicago Magazine of June, 1857, says:

The Choir in those days was the whole assembly; exclusive singers, with exclusive rights nad exclusive seats, was an innovation on primitive worship reserved for later days."

The frame meeting house, after its removal to the new location on Clark street south of Washington, was called the "Wooden Church," to distinguish it from the "Brick Church," which was erected later.

While services were held in the "Wooden Church" (1837-49) the music was congregational in character, supported by a chorus, of which the first leader was Mr. Seth P. Warner. Mr. Augustus G. Downs succeeded Mr. Warner as leader (1841) and played the bass viol. Mr. Edward C. Cleaver (original footnote: "Mr. Cleaver died April 10, 1904 in Chicago") who joined the Choir in 1845, wrote of his recollections:

"I played the violoncello in the 'Wooden Church' until I purchased a double bass; this instrument I played until I resigned in 1852. At the opening of the new Church, the music was led by Dr. Dunham (original footnote: Dr. Dunham (T) was a member of the Musical Union in 1857, & occasionally conducted its rehearsales. He led the Choir in Calvary Presbyterian Church in 1863 and 1864.), at that time an accomplished singer. Mr. C.B Nelson played the flute, and I the double bass. AMong the ladies of the Choir were: Miss Langdon, Miss Sarah Downs, Miss johnson and Miss Sarah Brookes. Miss Downs was at the time conducting a little school at the northwest corner of Madison and La Salle streets. I think Mr. Whitmarsh sang bass."

Mrs. Lydia E. Downs (original footnote: wife of Mr. Myron Day Downs, died December 11, 1906, in Chicago) says of the Choir at that time:

"Mr. A.G. Downs probably joined the choir of the First Church as early as 1841, and assisted sometimes as a singer and sometimes as a player of the violoncello. Other members of the Choir were: Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Downs, Mrs. William Saltonstall, her mother, Mrs. Aiken, and Mr. and Mrs. Seth P. Warner. I left hte Church in 1849 when the Rev. Flavel Bascom was still pastor."

Mrs. Oliver K. Johnson says:

"My recollection of the choir in the 'Brick Church' is very vague, though Mr. and Mrs. Fassett are strongly associated in my mind among the members. The 'Wooden Church' which stood at the south end of the lot, was entirely before my day, but Mrs. Freer has tried to give me the benefit of her memory. The Choir sat at the north end of the church, facing hte Minister, and when they arose to sing, the people arose at the same time, turning around and facing the singers. The Choir was composed of all members of hte Congregation who could sing, young and old, the young ladies being particularly welcome."

With the completion of the "Brick Church" in 1849, the chorus still continued, accompanied by a few instruments, until 1852, when a melodeon was introduced.

When we came to Chicago in February, 1857, the city still retained many features of the small town, though the population numbered nearly 100,000. The music ordinarily heard on Sunday was but little better than that of the village Choir; this was certainly true of the churches we attended during the two years following our arrival. There were not many organs, and the melodeon was the usual instrument ofr accompanying the singers.

The volunteer chorus was, however, gradually giving way to the quartette. The First Presbyterian Church introduced a quartette with the occupation (1857) of the new building on Wabash Avenue. The reasons for abandooning the time-honored chorus, were many. There were always pleenty of good voices, but good leaders and organists who could make the meetings for practice attractive and helpful for hte singers, were scarce. The fact is, moreover, that even in large Congregations it is difficult to find a score of good singers who will bend to the task of regular attendance at rehearsals and services, year in and year out, however attractive and useful the exercises may be. The life of a metopolis is not conducive to such sacrificies. In early days, the Choir meeting was generally a socia gathering, to which everybody came for hte purpose of having a good time. The musical demand was easily satisfied. After the Choir had looked over the humns for the next Sabbath and perhaps an occasional anthem or "set piece," the evening's work was done.

In order to appreciate the character of Church music 60 years ago, we should know something of the Choir literature of that day. As late as 1870, the entire library of the average Choir consisted of tune and anthem books, such as "Carmina Sacra," by Lowell Mason, Boston (1849); "The Shawm," by W.B. Bradbury and George F. Root, New York (1853); "Grace Church Collection," by W.A. King, New York (1852); "Church and Home," by George Leach, New York (1857), etc. In this respect, how richly blessed are the Choirs at the present day! All the owrks of the best Englis and American writers can now be had in cheap octavo form, thus making the work of the Choir room grateful and instructive and adding dignity to the Sabbath services. The first publisher of octavo music at cheap prices was Alfred Novello. In August, 1852, he opened a branch of his London house at No. 389 Broadway, New York City, in order to introduce ceap editions of the standard oratorios and English Church music; but it was at least 20 years afterward before musicians generally realized the worth and convenience of the Novello publications. Choirs in the west for many years relied upon their tune and anthem books and sacred collections for the Sabbath worship.

[the author goes on in this vein for a bit, drifting into the history of church music in London and New York. We'll skip this and pick it up again when he starts talking about Chicago again...]

Regarding organs, as nearly as I can learn, St. James' Episcopal Church was the first in Chicago to have an organ. "The first organ in St. James' Church," Mr. C.R. Larabee (original footnote: Mr. Charles Rollin Larrabee, for nearly 50 years identified with St. James' Episcopal Church, was born at Ticonderoga, N.Y., February 17, 1825; came to Chicago in 1844; died June 3, 1899.) writes to me, "must have been built in 1838, probably by Henry Erben (original footenote: Mr. Henry Erben was born in New York City in 1799, and died there in May 1885. When a young man, he served as a workman in the factory of Mr. Thomas Hall, an English organ builder; in 1824, he began business for himself in New York City. Mr. Erben's son, Rear Admiral Henry Erben, U.S. N., in a letter of October 6, 1899, says: "My father was one of the first to build Church organs in America. These instruments can be found, monuments of his skill, from Montreal to Cuba. My brother followed him in business, but he died and the concern is not now in existence.") In 1857, we contracted with Hall & Labagh of New York, for an organ for our new Church, which was delivered in due time. My recollection is that it had 30 stops and two manuals. Mr. C.B. Nelson, for your society, contracted at the same time for a larger instrument."

The First Unitarian Church, then at the northwest corner of Washington and Dearborn streets, had a one-manual organ with ten speaking stops, built in 1850 by Jardine & Son, of New York. This firm, in 1858, also furnished a two-manual instrument for the Third Presbyterian Church, then on West Washington street.

St. Mary's Catholic Church, at the southwest corner of Wabash avenue and Madison street, had a one-manual organ, built early in the "fifties".

Dr. Patton's Church, the First Congregational, then at the corner of West Washington and Green streets, had a two-manual organ.

Under April 1, 1865, I find in my diary:
"Visited the Second Presbyterian Church this morning. The organ has 46 stops, three banks of keys and two octaves of pedal."
This organ was set up in September, 1854, by Andrews & Son, Utica, N.Y., in the Second of "Spotted Church," then at the northeast corner of Wabash avenue and Washington street.

The first organ constructed for Chicago by the well known builder, Mr. W.A. Johnson, of Westfield, Mass., was a two-manual instrument in the Wabash Avenue M.E. Church, at the northwest corner of Wabash Avenue and Harrison street. This Church was commenced July 13, 1857, finished and dedicated July 15, 1858.

The organ in the Fourth Presbyterian Church has three manuals and 33 speaking stops, and was built in 1874 by Johnson & Son, now the Emmons Howard Organ Co.

In 1868, Dudley Buck came to Chicago from Hartford as organist of St. James' Episcopal Church, and, in 1870, W.A. Johnson built a 3-manual organ for the church. The old Hall & Labagh organ was sold to the Church of the Epiphany, and, in 1892, was rebuilt by Farrand & Votey of Detroit. Mr. Buck bought the house, 39 Cass street, for a home, to which he added a studio with a three-manual Johnson organ. Her he met his pupils, gave Sunday afternoon recitals and held rehearsals for his Choir. He had a small chorus, with a quartette consisting of Miss Heinrichs (S) Miss Kate Van Wordragen (A), Mr. Edward Schultze (T) and Mr. Thomas G. Goodwillie (B) In September, 1871, Mr. Frank T. Baird and I began a course of study in musical theory with Mr. Buck, meeting him semi-weekly in his studio. Our lessons were soon interrupted, as Mr. Buck was called east on concert engagements. During his absence came the great October fire, which destroyed his Church, home, organ and valuable library, and ended our studies.

Some of our vacation days are now passed in Hartford, Conn., a city rich in memories of authors, poets, and musicians. (transcirptionist's note: which the author proceeds to name and which we'll skip)........

The best organ in Chicago in 1857, and the one most used for concert purposes, was in St. Paul's Universalist church, at the northwest corner of Wabash avenue and Van Buren street. The instrument was built by Mr. Henry Erben in 1855-56. It stood at the east end of the Church, had 3 manuals, and with its elaborate case made an imposing appearance.

The first organ in the First Presbyterian Church was built by Hall & Labagh of New York City, for the edifice on Wabash avenue,a nd was completed and in readiness for the dedication of the Church, October 15, 1857. The instrument had 3 manuals and 38 stops.

Messrs. E. & G.G. Hook of Boston, were not represented i Chicago until 1862, when they built an organ with 2 manuals and 28 stops for the New England Congregational Church. In 1868, this firm built a 3-manual organ for Unity Church.

There were not many organists in Chicago in 1856, if the word organist means a musician who is familiar with the mechanism and capabilities of the instrument, and has the musical education to exploit its possibilities.

Mr. W.H. Currie, an English organist, came here in 1855, and was engaged in St. Paul's Universalist Church, remaining there until the beginning of the war. "His style was that of the English Cathedral organist," says Mr. A.W. Dohn. "He was a good musician and a reliable player." Mr. Currie was succeeded at St. Paul's by his pupil, Miss Sarah Tillinghast (original footnote: I am indebted to Mr. George P. Upton for the photographs of Mrs. Matteson, Miss Tillinghast, Dudley Buck, Hans Balatka and Edouard Remenyi), daughter of Mr. W.A. Tillinghast, then teacher of music in the public schools. Miss Tillinghast afterward married Mr. A.O. Frohock, and removed to Boston, where she was well known as teacher and organist, and gave recitals for several seasons on the great organ in Boston Music Hall. The successors of Miss Tillinghast at St. Paul's Church were Mr. Charles Ansorge, Mr. Adolph Baumbach, and Mr. G.C. Knopfel.

Mr. Ansorge came to Chicago in 1860-62, and for some years was instructor of music in the Chicago High School. He was a man of letters, a graduate of a German university, and a good musician. He was the first to tell me of Handel's "Messiah." Mr. Ansorge died of cholera in September, 1866, on a Sunday afternoon after having played at his Church in the morning as usual.

Mr. Baumbach, well known as the author of a collection of Church music entitled "Baumbach's Sacred Motettes," came to Chicago in 1863, and succeeded Mr. Ansorge at St. Paul's Universalist Church. I think he went from St. Paul's to the New England Congregational Church, and that he remained there two or three years; afterward he became organist of Grace Episcopal Church, beginning his work at the consecreation of the present edifice on Wabash avenue, near Fourtheeth street, Easter Day, 1869. Mr. Baumbach continued at Grace Church until his death, in Chicago, April 3, 1880.

When I first knew Mr. Knopfel (1864), he was engaged in business and had been in Chicago a year or two. He first played at St. Paul's Universalist Church, and afterward at Trinity and St. James' Episcopal Churches. After the fire of 1871, he was engaged at the Immanuel Baptist Church. Mr. Knopfel died in Omaha Nebraska, where he had resided for some years. The particulars of his death were very sad, as will appear in the following letter from Mr. Jules G. Lumbard:

Omaha, Nebraska, February 11, 1901
"Knopfel slipped on the steps of the house where he boarded, and was taken insensible to the Clarkson Hospital, where he died. I went to offer my services at the funeral, but was referred to the coroner, who was also an undertaker. The coroner told me no provision had been made for a funeral, that the body lay in their vault' that Knopfel had no money and no friends, and that they were about to turn the body over to the Medical College.

"Thereupon I went out among my friends, raised money with which to bury him, and had a friend go along to see that all was properly done. I bought the burial lot, paid the undertaker's charges and came away. It was all I could do."

No money! No friends! Such was the pitiful end of one of the best organists we ever had in Chicago. I knew him well while he was here (1863-76). He gave piano lessons to my sister (1864) and I shall always remember her delight in studying with him Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsodies" and the "March" from Wagner's "Tannhauser/" It was at his Church (St. Paul's_ that I first heard Menelssohn's organ sonatas. He was the first to suggest to me the use of violin, violoncello, harp, and other instruments with the organ. In 1865, he was married to Miss Hattie Brown Miller, the soprano in the Choir of St. James' Episcopal Church. She died soon afterward. Mr. Knopfel assisted Mr. Hans Balatka, director of the musical services at the funeral of Abraham Lincoln (1865) when the body lay in state at the Court House in Chicago.

The first organist of the Second Presbyterian Church was Mr. Thomas Crouch (1854-56) His successor was Mr. H.W. Chant, afterward of the firm of Pilcher Bros. & Chant, organ builders. In reply to my inquiry about Mr. Chant, I have this letter from Henry Pilcher's Sons, now of Louisville, Ky.., successors to Pilcher Bros."

"Louisville, Ky., June 16, 1899.
Mr. Chant was associated with the firm from March, 1864 to February 1866. They built the organ in the North Presbyterian Church; completed September 15, 1865."

Mr. Chant introduced the first quartette Choir in the Second Church

(original footnote: As to the membership of this quartette Choir, I have the following information: The soprano was Mrs. F.A. Thomas, who was afterward soprano in the First Church in 1865. She died, October 31, 1890., on the train coming from California.

The alto was Mrs. Casandana ("Cassie") Matteson (nee Dyer). She was born in Shaftsbury, Vt., in the early "thirties" She was married to Mr. Robert Matteson of the same place, and the young couple came to Aurora, Ill, in 1854. Mr. Matteson entered the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Co. and they soon moved to Chicago. Mrs. Matteson possessed an alto voice of phenomenal range and quality, and strong musical temperament, and through her cousin, Mr. W.A. Tillinghast, soon took a commanding position among the public singers of Chicago. She was engaged for the Second Presbyterian Church, were she remained till 1861. She then joined the Choir of Trinity Episcopal Church, but returned to the Second Presbyterian Church in 1865, remaining there until 1869, when she went to Melbourne, Australia. She was a member of the Choir in St. James' Catholic Church in Melbourne,a nd was wellknown as a concert singer in that city and in Melbourne, and was well known as a concert singer in that city and in Sydney, appearing often with Arabella Godard, Carreno and other artists. She returned to Chicago and sang at a concert of the Mozart Club in Central Musical Hall, May 12, 1885. Her voice was considerably impaired at this time, and this was her last appearance in public. Mr. E.B. Wright (now deceased), an old friend of the Matteson family, gave me many of the above facts regarding Mrs. Matteson. "On her return from Australia," said Mr. Wright, "she was very poor and in great need of assistance. Through the efforts of her friends we placed her in a sanitarium at Oshkosh, Wis., where she died July 16, 1897." After an interval of nearly 50 years, I cannot recall many singers with voice and style like that of "Cassie" Matteson. I went every Sunday night, when it was possible, to Trinity Church on Jackson street to hear her sing.

Mr. Charles H. Seaverns was the tenor of the quartette, died March 22, 1871, in Chicago.

The bass was Mr. Henry Johnson, who remained with the Choir until he removed to New York City, where he is now (1900) living.)

Mr. Charles A. Havens followed Mr. Chant at the Second Church, and was succeeded by Mr. Daniel N. Hood, who continued until 1881. Mr. Hood at that time lived in Rockford, Ill., as director of music in Rockford College, but came to Chicago every week for his work at hte Second Church. Dudley Buck's "Te Deum in B Flat" was dedicated to him. On leaving Chicago, Mr. Hood went to Woburn, Mass., as organist of the First Congregational Church. His home is now (1913) in Ipswich, Mass. Mr. Havens returned to the Second Church in 1882, remaining until 1890, when he was succeeded, December 1, 1890, by the present organist, Mr. A.F. McCarrell.

One of the early organists was Mr. Emil Rein, who came here in 1855, as teacher of piano, Church organist, and conductor of a German singing society. He played for a time at Trinity Episcopal Church (original footnote: