J. G. Pfeffer
1860ca.

Updated through online information from T. Daniel Hancock. -- Location listed as "Starkenburg, Missouri," according to Petering, 1979, and is known to have Pfeffer's signature inside it. It is also "the only known pedal action by Pfeffer that has a backfall instead of a tracker action. The pallets lift up, rather than down, against the wind of this instrument. It could be that Pfeffer completed this instrument for Wilhelm Metz. It is not certain that the two men ever worked together, but Pfeffer did move into Metz's organ shop in 1864."

Updated through online information from Barry Bierwirth.

Updated through online information from Barry Bierwirth.

On-line update from Barry Bierwirth -- This is said to be the oldest extant J. G. Pfeffer organ, dated ca. 1860, a few years older than the one at Moselle, MO. It is in an 1873 rock Catholic church my great-great grandparents attended. The church has been refurbished, but it is only on the historical list now, no longer used. The organ was just completely rebuilt, except for the case, this summer by Alan Nagel of St. Louis Pipe Organ Company in St. Louis. No one knows from where the organ came, since it is older than the church building. I played it last month, and it sounds very fine in the old church, which has wonderful acoustics. The organ had been pitched about half a step low, and the priest and I told Alan it should be brought up on pitch. It is now perfectly on A440, and the awful clanking of all the unbushed connections has been remedied!

Montgomery Co. 2 miles north of Rhineland on Highway P. Manuals CC to f, Pedals CC to G. Moved here 1885 (by Pfeffer?) from an unknown St. Louis Church. Not active as a parish church, but building recently restored (as of 1995). Also Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows on grounds.