Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 40.djvu/647

 the instrument. Here it was used from 1718 to 1756, when it was sold to St. Paul's Church, Newburyport. In 1836 it was transferred to St. John's, Portsmouth.

It has been generally accepted that Edward Bromfield, Jr., of Boston, built the first American organ, in 1745. The writer, however, is in a position to assert that, although a venerable piece of musical history, this is not a fact. Mr. J. W. Jordan, Assistant Librarian of the Pennsylvania Historical Society, who has paid special attention to the subject, recently discovered that Mathias Zimmerman, of Philadelphia, a carpenter and joiner, built an organ in that city some time before 1737. In his will, probated in 1737, he bequeathed the organ to a nephew, hoping that he would learn to play on it, adding that if not it could be sold to advantage, owing to its being so much of a curiosity. The record of Zimmerman's will forever disposes of the time-honored belief regarding Bromfield.

The Germans and Swedes were the chief organ-builders in America during the last century. In Pennsylvania, where several colonies located, no less than four organ-builders of note practiced their art from 1740 to 1770. These were Gustavus Hesselins, John Klem, David Tanneberger, and Robert Harttafel. Mr. Jordan, to whom I also owe the foregoing information, says the first named was a Swede. He adds in a communication, "Tanneberger's reputation as an organ-builder stood very high, and I know of at least one of his fine instruments still in use."

The Moravians of Bethlehem, in that State, were particularly noted for their connection with musical art during the last century, and their descendants manifest the same faculty. The annexed extract of a letter from Hesselins, of Philadelphia, to Rev. J. C. Pyrlaens, Bethlehem, May 28, 1746, has some value to students of national musical history: "I hope Mr. Klem will see the organ well and safe in your hands." The following is another record of a more explicit nature: "Received, June 9, 1746, of Jasper Payne, of Bethlehem, four pounds and three pounds for the half set of pipes, and one pound for coming and putting the organ up." (Signed) "John Klem, organ-builder." Franklin, in writing