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This book will introduce you to a man almost no one has heard of. But he was famous for being one of New England's first American-born organ makers and a well-respected citizen of Newburyport, Massachusetts. A few of the early organ makers during Joseph Alley's time became well-known and written about, but not Joseph Alley. History books abandoned him. Hopefully, this patchwork of writing will help us gain a better understanding of who Joseph Alley was and where his roots lay. S
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This book will introduce you to a man almost no one has heard of. But he was famous for being one of New England's first American-born organ makers and a well-respected citizen of Newburyport, Massachusetts. A few of the early organ makers during Joseph Alley's time became well-known and written about, but not Joseph Alley. History books abandoned him. Hopefully, this patchwork of writing will help us gain a better understanding of who Joseph Alley was and where his roots lay. S
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This audio book is about Joseph Alley, an American-born organ maker from Newburyport, Massachusetts. Despite being one of the first organ makers in New England, very little is known about him. The purpose of this book is to shed light on his life and his talent for building unique organs. It also explores the history of the Alley family, tracing their roots back to England and discussing some of Joseph Alley's famous ancestors. The book includes newspaper articles and other fragmented writings about Joseph Alley to piece together his story. The Life and Times of Joseph Alley, Organ Maker. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2024. Jonathan Gregory Reid. This audio book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission. This audio book is dedicated to Harry Alexander, Alex Alley, fourth great-grandson of Joseph Alley. Introduction. This audio book will introduce you to a man almost no one has heard of. But he was famous for being one of New England's first American-born organ makers and a well-respected citizen of Newburyport, Massachusetts. A few of the early organ makers during the time of Joseph Alley became well-known and written about, but not Joseph Alley. He was abandoned by history books. When I set out to write this biography, I was surprised at how little information there was regarding Joseph Alley. I could find no books or complete writings. Everything was fragmented into church articles, newspaper articles, and minor references. The purpose of this book is to correct that injustice. I will discuss the Alley family history from early England and write about some of Joseph Alley's famous forebears. I will discuss what little we know of Joseph Alley's life and his talent for building the most unique organ of all, the harmonic organ, for which he received a patent. His peers well-respected him for his work on the intricate mechanisms of his organs. I will show you some early American newspaper articles published about Joseph Alley. Hopefully, this patchwork of writing will help us to gain a better understanding of who Joseph Alley was and where his roots lay. Sit back and enjoy this brief history of Joseph Alley, organ maker. The Alley name. Before we can get into the history of Joseph Alley's family, we must first look at the name Alley. The name came from several sources and several different countries. The French form of the name was Halley. When the Normans invaded England in the 11th century from Normandy, France, some of those French settlers carried this name. Over time and adapting several variations, the name would eventually become spelled Alley. Many Alley family researchers believe Joseph Alley's line came from the French connection, but we also have a history of people living on the Scottish-English border at that time who were a mixture of Scots, Picts, Angles, and Vikings, whose names also eventually became Alley. This group claims the name Alley was derived from the Gaelic name of Macamhalgaid, Macamlaib, or Macamhaid, all of which meant son of Omlaib. And through time, it also eventually became Alley. This theory was a little hard for me to accept. The Danish Vikings had names like Alley while the Swedish Vikings had Alley. Since both the Danish and Swedish Vikings were part of the great Viking invasion of England, that name became part of their genealogy. These Viking names changed during the middle period of England's history. The names Alley, Alley, Alley, Allen, Allay, and Alley became common throughout the British Isles. The earliest ancestor of Joseph Alley that I could find was in England around 1410. Before that, it would have been hard for us to determine whether it came from France, Denmark, Sweden, Old Gaelic, et cetera. The Normans, the Vikings, and the Romans had already mixed with the indigenous people. A DNA test result from one of Joseph Alley's fourth great-grandsons shows 51% DNA from England and Northwestern Europe, 37% Scottish, and 7% Germanic. But then we have to take into account his other ancestors. We may never know where Joseph Alley's family indeed came from, but this gives us a small sample of possibilities. Family history. To understand where Joseph Alley's roots lie, I will return to the earliest known Alley in this family tree and work up to Joseph Alley, the organ maker. The earliest Alley known for this family line was Jonathan Alley, born in Wickham, Buckinghamshire, England, in 1410. Before that time, my search had ended, but some articles state that this family came from France. Wickham is a parish in Buckinghamshire which today includes three villages, Tyler's Green, Loudwater, and Fleckwell Heath. The Alley name has changed many times from its origin, but it was also spelled A-L-L-E-Y-E, A-L-L-E-Y-N, or A-L-L-E-I-G-H in the early days of this family line. Not much is known about Jonathan Alley, but we know his son, Richard George Alley, was born in 1435 and would rise to prominence as Sheriff of London, England between 1452 and 1453. The Sheriff would serve as the King's representative in the City of London. He was responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing the law in the city. Guildhall was a magnificent building completed in 1440. After its completion, the Sheriff of London used it as his headquarters. Guildhall would have only been 12 years old when Richard Alley occupied it in his official position as the new Sheriff. London was a big city, and the city at that time had two Sheriffs who shared this duty. The other gentleman who served as Sheriff was Sir Richard Lee, who would later serve as Lord Mayor of London from 1460 to 1461, and again from 1469 to 1470. Richard Alley was eventually knighted and known as Sir Richard George Alley. Sir Richard George Alley's son, Sir John Alley, was born in 1460 and would also become very prominent by serving as Lord Mayor of Wickham and receiving a knighthood. John married Jane Lonsley in 1483, and they had six sons and three daughters together. Sir John Alley became a wealthy man during his short lifetime, which we can see in the following testament he left behind when he died in London, England on August 11th, 1506, at the age of 46. Will of John Alley, Mayor of Chepping Wickham, originally written in Middle English, translation reads as follows. In the name of God, amen, the 11th day of August, 1506, John Alley of Chepping Wickham in the County of Bucks, whole of mind make this my last will and testament. Quick summation, he asks that his body shall be buried in the chapel of our blessed Lady Wickham. He leaves money to the church and to the vicar Sir Thomas Burley for the offerings he says he forgot to pay in his lifetime. He leaves money to the chaplain Sir Thomas Moll and to the repair of the church and to provide light in the church. He then makes bequests to the repair of crosses on the highways about Wickham. He then leaves eight murals and all Christian souls. He then leaves tenements to his wife Agnes and after her death to his son Robert. But if his son Robert does not have children, then these tenements to pass to the town on Robert's death. He then leaves a bequest to William, his brother. He makes Robert Ashcroft and others to oversee his will. Sir John Alley is buried in Wickham, Buckinghamshire, England. I am unsure why John only listed Robert as his heir because he had five other sons and three daughters. I believe Robert was the oldest living son at the time of his death. His son, Sir William Alley, Sr., was born in 1483 in Wickham District, Buckinghamshire, England. William was educated at King's College at Eton and would complete his studies at Oxford and Cambridge. William Alley, like his father John Alley, would serve as Lord Mayor of Wickham, Buckingham, England, for 14 years between the years of 1546 and 1560. Sir William Thomas Alley, Sr., died sometime after 1560 in London, England. The last will and testament of William Alley, Sr. I will let Miss Alley of same memory make my testament in like manner. My body to be buried in the sanctuary of the blessed Mary in the church at Chepping Wickham. Item for the altar, 12 pence. Item to Marie Lincoln, 2 pence. Item for the maintenance of the church, 20 pence. Item to Isabel, my wife, a tenement for the rest of her life and a garden known as Kerbiggies. Item to the presbytery, 11 shillings to raise a memorial. The residue left to my wife and Thone Willemus, who he makes his executors. Willemus is the traditional medieval Latin for William. All official documents would revert to this style of writing. At his request, he was buried in the church at Chepping Wickham. Sir William Alley's son, William Alley, Jr., was born in 1510 in Buckinghamshire, England. At the young age of 14, he was picked as a King's Scholar. Henry VI had made arrangements for 70 individuals to receive a free education, and those chosen were called King's Scholars. It was considered a great honor to be selected. Like his father, he began his studies at Eton College in Berkshire. In 1572, when he was 17, he carved his name onto a window shutter, which can still be seen today at Eton College. In 1528, he entered King's College in Cambridge at the age of 17 and received a BA degree in 1531. Sir William Alley, Jr., would marry Sibyl Bodley around 1534 and together had eight children. In 1559, Queen Elizabeth appointed him as Prebendary of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. A Prebendary is a person who has been canonized and works as an administrator clergy. Less than a year later, he was again appointed by Queen Elizabeth I as Bishop of Exeter. He received a Doctor of Divinity degree at Oxford in 1561. Queen Elizabeth gifted Bishop Alley a silver cup each year he served as bishop, which would be nine and a half years. William was the first Elizabethan bishop to serve Exeter Cathedral. The income for this position was too small to support a family, so he also practiced medicine to subsidize his income. The following article comes from two sources. The first part was written by Anthony Wood, who was born in 1632 and died in 1695. It comes from his work with Atheniaxonians, 1691 to 1692. The second part was written by Thomas Fuller. Thomas Fuller was born in 1608 and died in 1661, but his published work, History of the Worthies of England, was published in 1662, a year after his death. Both men wrote their articles almost 100 years after William Alley's death. Article by Anthony Wood reads as follows. Alley, William, Doctor of Divinity, 1512 to 1570, consecrated Bishop of Exeter, 1560, translated the Pentateuch for Archbishop Parker's Bible. He was educated at Eton. Then, in 1562, he went to King's College, Cambridge, where he took the degree of BA and removed then to Oxford. He wrote a Hebrew grammar and was author of the Poor Man's Library, being Rhapsodies of Prelections on First Epistle, St. Peter, two volumes, London, 1571. He was a person universally learned, especially in divinity and in the tongues, preached almost every holy day and read a lecture every day while he lived at Exeter. Woods, Athens, Oxford. Article by Thomas Fuller reads as follows. He became lecturer in St. Paul's, I say lecturer, which name, though since it hath sounded ill in some jealous ears, as infected with faction, was an ancient office founded in some cathedrals to read divinity there, and this Master Alley's learned lectures. According to that age, are extant in print. He least buried under a fair marble in his own cathedral, Fuller's Worthies. Sir William Alley was well known in the literary world during his lifetime. His Poor Man's Library was printed in London by John Day in 1565, and his lectures on the First Epistle of St. Peter were printed and read publicly in the Cathedral of St. Paul in the City of London in 1560, which Thomas Fuller mentioned in his brief article. The following is the last will and testament of Sir William Alley. Amen. First day of April, A.D. 1570, I, William Alley, by permission of God Bishop of Exxon, sick in body, but perfect of remembrance, make my last will and testament in like manner. I bequeath my soul to Almighty God. My body to be buried in Christian burial, that to my wife and friends she be thought most reverent. Item, all my books of divinity to my son, Roger Alley Archdeacon of Cornwall. I give to my son-in-law, Christopher Bodley, all my books of philosophy and physic. Item, all my books of humanity to my younger sons to be given to them, as they shall increase in learning some at one time, and some at another as often as need shall require. To my servants, John Martin and Robert Cole, 10 pence each. The residue once my funeral and all debts discharged to my wife, Sybil, whom I make my sole executrix. She to see that all my children are goodly brought up and educated. Bishop William Alley would only serve nine and a half years before he died at the age of 60. Being bishop and having been personally appointed by Queen Elizabeth I, he was honored by being buried only 25 feet from the high altar in Exeter Cathedral. The sanctuary was refloored around 1762 and his ledger stone marking his resting place was moved. It is now located in the North Isle and is quite large at 10 feet and 11 inches by four feet and two inches. Due to centuries of wear, the inscription has been worn down and it is impossible to read. But it used to say, the Reverend Father William Alley of Exeter, a very ardent champion of the gospel truth, famous for uprightness of character, renowned for his wonderful skill in the art of teaching, lies at rest in the Lord Jesus under this stone. Sir William Alley Jr's son, Sir Jeremiah Jerome Alley was born in Devonshire, England in 1559 and would also serve as a church leader. Jerome would become vicar of Christ Church in Oxford, England in 1581 at the young age of 22. Christ Church is part of Oxford University founded by King Henry VIII in 1546. Christ Church Cathedral serves at the Oxford College Chapel. Jerome and his wife, Joan Bilvane, would have the following sons, Thomas, Francis, John and Philip. His son, Thomas Alley, born November 27th, 1581, also became the third generation to become a church leader and he would serve as rector of St. Mary Magdalene's Church in Oxford, England from 1602 to 1656. Thomas would serve his church and die in England but his three brothers all migrated to the Virginia colony in America for better opportunities. Thomas Alley's son, William Alley, born in 1605, would soon follow his uncles to America in 1632 aboard the ship, Betsy, with his wife, Mary Ayres, and two sons, John and Henry Alley. Instead of following his uncles and their families to the Virginia colony, they would arrive in the colony of Massachusetts. The period between 1632 and 1638 was known as the period of the Great Migration. After arriving in the New World, William Alley had several more sons, including Edward, Pope, Giles and Roger Alley. William and Mary Alley would die in Salem, Massachusetts around 1660 and 1663, 30 years before the Salem witch trials occurred. William and Mary's oldest son, John, who was born in Oxford, England, in 1628, before the family moved to British colonial America, would marry and have six children while living in Massachusetts. John Alley had a son, Thomas Alley, who was born in 1650, but would die at the young age of 49 in 1699. But before his death, young Thomas was able to move his family to Raleigh, only 19 miles apart from Salem, not long before the Salem witch trials occurred in 1692. Thomas Alley had a son, Samuel Eastman Alley, born in 1675 in Raleigh, Massachusetts. Samuel would move his family to Dover Point, Stratford, New Hampshire, and die there in 1764. Samuel Alley had a son, Samuel Eastman Alley, Jr., born in 1723 in New Hampshire, but would move to York, Maine. Samuel Eastman Alley, Jr., had a son named Josiah Otis Alley, born in 1768 in Summersworth, Stratford, New Hampshire, and would die in 1813 in Boothbay, Lincoln, Maine. Josiah was born during a time when America was debating its independence from England. He would be the last Alley in this family line to be born in British colonial America. America would declare its independence in 1776. Josiah would marry Nancy Grandy. In some historical documents, Nancy is listed as being born in France, but in others, she is listed as being born in Boothbay, Lincoln, Maine. And finally, we come to Joseph Alley, the organ maker. Josiah and Nancy would give birth to Joseph on July 3rd, 1804. Again, there is some confusion in historical records. Some list his birth as March 4th, 1802. For this book, I list his birth as July 3rd, 1804, because most records support the state. History of New England Organ Making. Before we get into Joseph Alley's life, we will dig into the history of making organs and how the New England area of the American colonies became popular for organ builders. Believe it or not, organs have been around since the ancient Greeks. The word organ is derived from the Greek word organon. A Greek from 3rd century Alexandria, Tiscibius, is credited by historians with inventing the first known organ. His musical instrument was called the hydraulus because it depended on water pressure to create the sound from many pipes of various sizes. In 1931, archeologists discovered over 400 pieces that made up a hydraulus in an ancient Roman town. A reconstruction of this hydraulus discovered by archeologists reported that the instrument had a very enjoyable sound. Eventually, the water pressure driven sound was replaced by the inflation and deflation of leatherbacks. In large Roman arenas, sounds were produced to excite the crowds during chariot racing or gladiator events. The leatherback driven pipes would last throughout the early ages till the 6th century when large bellows replaced them. Both of them needed humans to control them continuously, whether by slaves or paid workers. The organ continued to develop and improve over the centuries. And by the 14th century, many wealthy individuals had some type of organ in their private homes for entertainment. The organ was eventually accepted and used by Christians for religious services. Larger organs began to appear in churches and cathedrals throughout Europe. Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris had its first organ in the early 14th century. As organs became more popular in churches, they started to become more ornate and each design was based on the style and traditions of the countries they appeared in. Many of these were single manual organs, but double manuals gradually became popular over time. England lost many organs during the English Reformation period of the 16th century. Many of these organs were destroyed by the reformers, but a few were saved by being moved to private homes. When organs became popular again, many inventors started producing the three manual organs. As organs grew in technology, so did the difficulty of playing them. It took someone very skilled to play the organ. During the Romantic period in Europe, the most significant improvement in organs was seen in both sound and control. Making more stops and wider pipes produced richer and deeper sounds. When Europeans started immigrating to the American colonies, they tried to bring all the comforts of their homelands with them, and the organ was one of those comforts. However, the English settlers were not the first to introduce the organ to the New World. The first to bring the organ to America were the Spanish. The Spanish had already settled in Florida, the southern lands of America, to California, Mexico, Central America, and South America, including many Caribbean islands. They were the first to build churches and cathedrals in their new territory. An organ was reported in Santa Fe as early as 1610. By the 1700s, barrel organs were in missions throughout California. The first organ recorded near the New England states was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1703. It is said to be a small organ with only three or four stops, but was used by German Lutheran settlers in their worship services. The exact date of the organs in New England is unknown, but I am sure they were there long before 1703. It is believed that the first organs in New England were built by Renatus Harris and Bernard Smith, both well-known London organ makers. They were responsible for the first organ in Boston, Massachusetts. Thomas Brattle, who was treasurer for Harvard College, had an organ in his home that had been built by one of those well-known London organ makers. His small chamber organ had only four stops, but it was recorded in his personal diary in 1708. This would make Mr. Brattle's organ the first recorded chamber organ in New England. King's Chapel in Boston, Massachusetts would receive Thomas Brattle's chamber organ after his death in 1713. Around this time, larger organized churches began to realize the importance organs would have in their worship services. Only those churches large enough with funds could afford such luxury, or even find someone who could play them. Small churches could only afford standard pianos. In 1724, Trinity Church in Newport, Rhode Island would be the second church, decades after King's Chapel, to record having an organ in place for worship services. Organs began appearing more frequently in large churches and concert halls over the mid to late 1700s. Most of these early organs came from London-based organ builders. Slowly, those living in the American colonies found that the need for organs was enough to support a business, and men of skill would take on that challenge. Historians considered the Green and Avery Company to be the last English organs to be imported. From the late 1700s to the mid-1800s, organ making would come strictly from American-born workers. Most of this change was due to the American Revolution and trade restrictions placed on America by the British. The continued demand from large churches to find cheaper organs not imported from Europe was the driving force behind the surge. Johann Gottlob Klemm, 1690 to 1762, was already dabbling in building small organs. Also, a man named Philip Faring, in the 1760s, was building small organs. But both these men, including a few others, were immigrants who learned their trade in Europe. But American-born, skilled organ builders were learning their trades from these men and would soon be building their own organs, Joseph Alley being one of them. The list of all these organ makers would be too long for this book, but the emergence of new, American-born organ builders would eventually match or outperform their masters. Some, like Joseph Alley, would improve and recreate the organ. The euharmonic organ is an example. The appearance of organs changed dramatically during the 19th century, when Joseph Alley was an organ builder. Organ cases that housed the organs would eventually disappear, and the organ's central chest, chamber, and pipes would be on great display for the congregation to see. The chest and surrounding woodwork became more elaborate. The location of the organ was important as well. The correct placement made a big difference in acoustics. Covering up or hiding parts of the organ could block the proper sounds the master designed for the organ. Joseph Alley was particular about every detail, and placement was essential to him. The early to mid-1800s was the beginning of the Industrial Age and the way organs would be built. Independent builders who generally worked in small shops with one or two apprentices started large firms or factories to mass-produce their products. Organ factories would eventually run men like Joseph Alley out of business, bringing the price of organs within reach for smaller churches. But Joseph Alley maintained the old way in his Brown's Wharf shop near the waterfront, working with apprentices and building only the best pipes and mechanisms that only a master builder could produce. Having a master handcrafted organ was much better quality than those to follow, and those churches that still maintain these original organs are blessed to have these superior organs. The Life of Joseph Alley. Joseph Alley was born in 1804 in Kennebunk, Maine, to Josiah Otis Alley and Nancy Grandy. In those days, everyone was born at home and delivered either by a trained physician, if available, or by a midwife. Birth certificates were unheard of, but church baptisms or christenings were very common, and that is where most records on early Americans can be found. 1804 was an important year for America. President Thomas Jefferson, our third United States president, almost doubled the size of the United States by purchasing land from the Canadian border to Mexico, which at that time included Texas. Known as the Louisiana Purchase of 1804, in May of that same year, Lewis and Clark set out on their famous expedition west to the Pacific Ocean, opening up future land to settlers. Vice President of the United States, Aaron Burr, would shoot and kill Alexander Hamilton in their famous duel. 1804 also saw the birth of the renowned writer, Nathaniel Hawthorne, industrialist John Deere, and the future 14th president, Franklin Pierce. America had not even fought the War of 1812 yet, which sealed our independence once and for all. Joseph Alley's father, Josiah Otis Alley, passed away when Joseph was only nine years old. Joseph was only 27 when his mother, Nancy Grandy, died. After the death of Joseph's father, Judge Edward Emerson Bourne took young Joseph under his wing. Judge Bourne was believed to have introduced young Joseph to organ making. Judge Bourne was born in Kennebunk, Maine, in 1797, and would die there in 1873. There are records of Judge Bourne dabbling in organs while living in Kennebunk, and he is noted to have helped in tuning church organs there. It is recorded that Joseph Alley built his first organ, a reed organ, when he was only 18 years old. However, later in this book, you will see where it may have been exaggerated in a newspaper article as being 16 years of age. The organ he built must have been good enough for an individual in Portsmouth, Maine, to purchase. In those days, organs were not made until someone had commissioned one to be built. We do not have records of Joseph's schooling, but he was obviously mechanically inclined and considered a genius of his times. While living in Kennebunk, Maine, he became an apprentice of Dr. Joshua Furbish, building reed organs. Dr. Furbish was a mechanic and mathematician who had taught himself to build organs. Joseph Alley, who was also very bright, was fortunate to have met this man and set him on his lifelong path of becoming an organ builder in New England. Making organs was a skill learned from the old masters of England and would become very popular in early America's New England territory. As colonies grew and prospered, chamber organs started to appear in the homes of prosperous New England families. If the organs were not built in the colonies, they had to be shipped from England. Because this was very costly, it would pave the way for the growth of organ makers in New England. Joseph would move to Newburyport, Massachusetts, in 1826 at the age of 22 and make his home there. Newburyport lay seven miles north of Raleigh, Massachusetts, where Joseph still had family members. Soon after Joseph Alley arrived in Newburyport, two local businessmen, William Balch and Henry Titcombe, began contracting Joseph to build organs. They would pay for the materials needed to make the organs and then began to sell them to private collectors, small churches, and those who desired to have such an instrument. We are unsure how long this arrangement lasted, but eventually Joseph Alley had a striving business. Joseph Alley would be most active in his organ-making business between the time he moved there in 1826 and 1866. After 1866, he spent his time only making pipes for organs. There have only been speculations that there might have been an earlier organ maker in Newburyport before Joseph Alley arrived there, but no documented proof exists. Joseph Alley is officially reported as the first person to build organs in Newburyport. One of the upcoming newspaper articles noted that he once ran his shop out of the Bartlett Building on Market Street, pictured later in this book, with a young assistant named Charles A. Summerby. Eventually, he had a large shop at Brown's Wharf on the waterfront, where most of his larger organs were built. Although he would be recognized as Newburyport's first recorded organ builder, Newburyport would be recognized as the first newspaper hosting two organ makers in the city during the time Joseph Alley lived there. The other was Richard Pike Morse. In 1828, Joseph built an organ for the Third Religious Society Church. The name of this church changed in 1860 to North Congregational Church, now known as Central Congregational Church. In 1834, at age 30, Joseph Alley built an organ for the First Religious Society Unitarian Church. This is the last known surviving organ ever built by Joseph Alley. All his other organs have disappeared over time. The organ he built for the First Religious Society Church was considered the finest organ anywhere at the time it was installed in the church, and it stayed in continuous use for 55 years, from 1834 to 1889, until it underwent its first update. Since 1834, the First Religious Society organ in Newburyport, Massachusetts, has been restored three times, the first, as mentioned, in 1889 by George S. Hutchings, who enlarged the organ. Hutchings brought the key desk out further. He replaced the short compass swell box with a full compass swell box. He maintained almost all of the original pipes and the original mahogany veneer case that enclosed it. It was modernized again in 1957 by the Andover Organ Company who enlarged and electrified the pedal action on the organ for modern use and refurnished the chorus stops and reeds to give it a more precise sound. Between 2011 and 2012, it was restored once more by David Moore. Most of the original pipes and mechanisms built by Joseph Alley still exist. The mahogany casing is original Alley handiwork and still maintains its beautiful appearance. Joseph Alley built another organ for the Old South First Presbyterian Church on Federal Street in Newburyport in 1838. This is another old church built in 1756, still standing and can be visited, but the Alley organ no longer exists. The 1838 organ built for the church by Joseph Alley was taken out in 1866 and replaced by a new organ built by E. and G. G. Hook Company from Boston, Massachusetts. It was owned by Elias and George Greenleaf Hook. The church was given a $700 credit for the old organ. A note of interest is that Elias and George Hook are famous for having the oldest unaltered pipe organ in the Western Hemisphere, which still stands in a concert hall built in 1896 in Boston, Massachusetts. E. and G. G. Hook Company went out of business in 1935 and we don't know what happened to Joseph Alley's organ. Joseph Alley was known to have built organs for at least three churches in Newburyport. A few other known organs were built by Joseph Alley, one of which was for the First Baptist Church of Haverhill, Massachusetts in 1840. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the organ only nine years later in 1849. He was also known to have built an organ for the First Parish Church in Newbury around 1849, but this organ was lost over time. Captain James Horton of Newburyport bought one from Joseph between 1850 and 1853. It is also believed that the Congress Street Baptist Church had an Alley organ, but sold it around 1877. It is thought that Joseph Alley had built 34 organs by 1854. As mentioned before, Newburyport would become known for hosting two organ builders. The second would be Richard Pike Morse, who started competing against Joseph Alley in the 1850s after two and a half decades of Joseph being the sole builder in the area. Richard was eight years younger than Joseph, and it is believed that he may have been one of Joseph Alley's apprentices. Richard Morse's father was a preacher at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, only two blocks from Joseph Alley's shop. We don't have any records showing that he was one of Joseph Alley's apprentices, and some newspaper articles say he was self-taught. But organ making was not easy, and I believe he learned some from Joseph Alley. After Joseph Alley became a master organ builder, he trained many apprentices in organ building. Even his son, Joseph Alley Jr., became an apprentice. However, a man who knew little about organs would become one of Joseph Alley's reasons for becoming recognized as a famous organ maker. Henry Ward Poole, a scientist and inventor, helped Joseph design his keyboard for the harmonic organ, and helped him overcome sound issues and tune his euharmonic organ. Joseph Alley had been working on his euharmonic organ for many years, but was never completely satisfied with the sound and temperament. In 1846, Charles Hudson examined the organ Joseph built and remarked that Joseph must have been delighted with his new invention. Joseph replied, satisfaction? I have no satisfaction in it, because it is imperfect. Then he goes on to say, everybody says it is not possible to make an organ that can be played in perfect tune. I don't believe it, but I don't know how to do it. Two years later, in 1848, Henry Ward Poole was looking for someone to build pipes for an organ he was working on. He was referred to the master of organ pipes, Joseph Alley. It was during this contact that Joseph mentioned to Poole his issues with sound from his euharmonic organ. Henry Poole took immediate interest and spent the next two years helping Joseph Alley. Poole would eventually go on to become noted as one of New England's famous men. He was a man of many talents and, during his lifetime, worked as a geologist, engineer, surveyor, astronomer, and writer. Henry Poole was born in 1825 in Salem, Massachusetts, and died in 1890 in Mexico City. Henry also had a famous brother, William Frederick Poole, and a famous cousin and politician, Fitch Poole. Henry was highly educated and was a graduate of Yale University. After working with Joseph Alley to correct faults in his euharmonic organ from 1848 to 1850, he worked as a geologist from 1851 to 1852 for the state of Pennsylvania. He remained in Pennsylvania for another four years as an engineer and surveyor. In 1856, he began work for a New York-based company surveying land in Mexico for a possible railroad system. After completing this project, he led an expedition to explore the potential of iron and coal in Mexico. In 1858, he published maps and survey charts. His love of Mexico drew him back in 1859 to teach at the College of Mines in Mexico City. While in Mexico, he started collecting artifacts and became well-known for his collection. Poole would die in 1890 at the age of 62 in Mexico City. Henry was 25 years younger than Joseph, but the two men worked well together during this time. They never discussed their project publicly during his time with Joseph Alley from 1848 to 1850. It wasn't until the fall of 1849 that they were satisfied with the finished product. They finally developed the perfect euharmonic organ in Joseph Brown's Wharf Shop on Green Street near the waterfront in Newburyport. A third gentleman, Henry James Hudson, an organist, was also noted to have helped Joseph during this time. After completion, they applied for and received a patent. Because of their work, they received a gold medal award in 1850 from the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association. More can be read in the chapter, The Euharmonic Organ, which will be later in this book. Joseph Alley married Lucy Beckman Knowles, who was from Seabrook, New Hampshire, on May 13, 1830, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, five years after moving to Newburyport. He was 26, and Lucy was 20. They would have 15 children together. Charles Otis Alley, born in 1831. Joseph Alley, born in 1832. George Alley, born in 1833. Henry Alley, born in 1835. Otis P. Alley, born in 1837. Lucy Alley, born in 1838. Anna Seavey Alley, born in 1841. Frank Alley, born in 1842. Florence Alley, born in 1845. William Sturgis Alley, born in 1847. Sarah Balch Alley, born in 1848. Frederick Alley, born in 1849. Clara A. Alley, born in 1851. Nellie Alley, born in 1853. Jane Edith Alley, born in 1856. Joseph Alley worked designing and making organs in the Bartlett Building on Market Street, until he opened a shop at Browns Wharf Street on the waterfront in Newburyport. He would maintain the shop at Browns Wharf till 1866. After 1866, he worked from his shed at his home on Congress Street. In 1845, Joseph Alley built a lovely six-room house on number two Congress Street for his growing family. By this time, he already had nine children. It was a simple two-story house of Greek revival style with a large attic. The house is still standing, but has undergone modernization and updates, maintaining the same look. Between 1845 and 1848, he continued to teach a few who wanted to follow in his footsteps at his shop at Browns Wharf. However, between 1848 and 1850, he spent most of his time developing his euharmonic organ with the help of Henry Ward Poole at his waterfront shop. By successfully building his euharmonic organ, he achieved perfection and showed the world his mastery of skills. This newly designed organ was more straightforward to play and quicker to learn. But because of this simplicity, the production costs were much more significant than most organs. However, after playing with his organs, many professional organists would never disagree that it was worth the extra cost. Joseph Alley was known widely throughout Newburyport as a fair and honest gentleman. He was noted for adhering to a high standard in his products and having superior quality organs. For this reason, he continued to receive support from businessmen in Newburyport. Joseph was always a perfectionist, and it was reported that he was unsatisfied with an organ he had built for Christ Episcopal Church in Gardiner, Maine, in 1846. At that time, it was the second largest organ he had constructed at his Browns Wharf shop. This great desire for perfection led him to seek help from Henry Poole when he started to build his euharmonic organs because he was never completely satisfied with its temperament. He was called by many of his days a genius, but his perfectionist behavior and worry over any minor imperfections deeply bothered him. This was one of the reasons he decided to focus only on making pipes after 1866. His most active period for building the larger organs was in the 1830s and 1840s. The organ he built for Christ Episcopal Church was exhibited in his shop at Browns Wharf before moving on to the church. The case was designed in the old Gothic style. During the open exhibit, those who came to view it called it the very best of these noble instruments ever constructed. Christ Church suffered a fire in 1941, damaging the organ to the extent that it could not play and had to be replaced. However, Joseph Alley's original Gothic-style case was used to surround the replacement organ and is still seen today. So, the only two remaining case works are at Christ Church in Gardiner, Maine, and the First Religious Society Church in Newburyport, Massachusetts. The following is an article that appeared in the Newburyport Herald in 1856. Newburyport, Mass. Saturday, October 25, 1856. Correspondence of the National Intelligencer. Enharmonic Organ. The object of my letter is to tell you of a visit I have made to the workshop of Mr. Joseph Alley of this city. This ingenious merchant, born in Kennebunk, Maine, and at the age of 16 made an organ, which was tempered as the phrase is by Dr. Thomas P. Horn, a student of Cambridge, where he had played as organist on the old English organ in the Church of Cambridge. When done, young Alley found, to his great surprise, that his organ was so wretchedly imperfect. Do you say this is perfect as you can make it? Yes, replied the doctor, and if you expect your organ to be perfectly true, you will find you are making for impossibilities. You nor anyone living has ever heard an organ yet that was in perfect tune. And then it was Master Alley was told, for the first time, that there existed what Americans call the wolf, which had invented all organs from the days of King David to the present time. So that to perfect the keyboard was to make it harmlessly imperfect. Mr. Alley came to the city in 1826 and began to manufacture organs. In 1845, his reputation was widespread, and having completed a costly organ for a church in Gardiner, Maine, he determined never to build another. He was disgusted with the imperfection of his most perfect and successful creation. But insomuch as he must labor, he manufactured pipes for organ builders who had no scruples in undoing what he had done making perfect pipes imperfect to meet the demands of this insatiable musical wolf. But his genius would not let him rest. To construct a perfect organ was an inconstant source of anxious thought, how to meet the demands of every scale and to make his organ in every variety of key like true. He was at the time ignorant of the fact that this task had already exhausted centuries of labor. It is now near a century since Maxwell, in his essay on tune, expressed himself as follows. It is not to be doubted that the ingenious may be excited with proper encouragement in some future period. To exert their talents by reforming the present or contriving new instruments agreeable to natural or true tone, but it is very questionable whether the ears of the present generation will ever be grateful with the effort. The world, not unwisely jealous of Protankis to discovery, examines with caution and slowly yields assent. It is, therefore, very uncertain whether it would be prudent for anyone now living to risk his labor to reap the reward. There is no subject which has been considered by men of the greatest talents in all ages to betray such inconsistency as the laws of tune. No demonstrations have been held more conclusive than those which prove that utter and complicated difficulties forbid the reconcilement of the laws of music. And one of the most eminent professors in the country has recently said, speaking of this wolf, what the harmonics of heaven may be, let us hope we shall know thereafter. Another article that appeared in the Herald in 1856. It was in happy ignorance of these appalling difficulties Mr. Alley, after years of thought and perplexity, perfected his euharmonic organ with the simplicity of structure that is capable of being played upon by an organist after a short time. Lowell Mason, whose name is known to all the musical world, and he could play on it after two hours' practice any music required for services of a church. The cost is doubled out of the common organ, but the difference is that between a watch that costs $10 and a chronometer which costs $1,000. It is surprising what a difference exists and how imperfect true tones must now be made in order to distribute the wolf upon the keyboard. I have thought this matter might be deemed worthy of being brought to the notice of your readers in the hope that this grand discovery might attract the attention of the public. Mr. Alley says great misconceptions exist because he has increased the mechanism of the pedals, all which he assures me is misconception, and that the changes to be made in order to a change of key can be made upon his organ with the same ease, after very little practice as on the common organ. Mr. Lowell Mason was a well-known music director and composer of church music. He is known to have written over 1,600 hymn tunes. He is famous for his arrangement of Joy to the World, Nearer My God to Thee, and Mary Had a Little Lamb. He was one of the first to create music for school kids and was considered a music educator. When not building organs for clients, Joseph Alley would make additional money by tuning pianos, not just any piano but a piano forte. Forte pianos, invented in 1698, were an early version of today's piano. The piano had harpsichord-like strings and was used by many 18th and 19th century composers. Newburyport Daily Herald, March 22nd, 1880. Source, Newburyport Public Library. For the Herald, the late Joseph Alley. Will you add a few words to what you have published in relation to Mr. Joseph Alley, a philosopher as well as a man of genius? He constructed two of the Uharmonic organs and then declared that he would never again build one upon the old system. He kept his word. It was the first one that went immediately to the chapel in Indiana Place, Boston. The second remained a long time in his shop, then in your city hall, but of its present location this opponent knows nothing. For building this last one, Mr. Alley had ample means which were generously furnished him by a Boston gentleman. With the first one, he was greatly dissatisfied because the person associated with him limited him very closely as to means and hurried him as to construction. His associate also wrote many articles in the New York Papers in relation to it, in which thought he did not dare to claim the invention, he carefully suppressed the name of the real inventor, Mr. Alley, thus leaving it to his inferred that it was his own contrivance. If he had openly claimed the invention for himself, he would have been met by indisputable evidence of the injustice of such a claim. Several years since, the writer of this mural, Mr. Alley, that such evidence could be produced if required. Mr. Alley had long been persuaded that such an instrument might be constructed, but he was troubled by one of any knowledge of music as a mathematical science. A young collegian who was well informed in that respected endeavor to aid Mr. Alley, but was finally obliged to inform him that his purpose involved, as it did, a mathematical impossibility. The inventor was not satisfied, and his genius conquered the difficulty. He applied a different principle, which was known to him, however, only as a practical fact, and he thus accomplished his purpose. The writer has met with several persons in the city who were trying to accomplish it, and who did not know that it had actually been done. Mr. Alley worked many years in the Bartlett building on Market Street, having for an assistant that excellent workman, Mr. Charles A. Somerby, C. Chaich. This 1880 article comes from a gentleman trying to make it known to the public that the harmonic organ was strictly Joseph Alley's creation. It was important for him to do so since Joseph Alley had passed away and could no longer defend his invention. The writer does not mention Henry Poole by name, but it was Poole who was listed in many articles as the inventor of the harmonic organ. Henry Poole, who was already well known, tried to take full credit for this invention when he basically knew nothing about organ making. However, Mr. Poole's connection to national newspapers made the public think the invention was his. The creation was totally Joseph Alley, with Henry Poole helping to design the keyboard and helping to figure out sound issues. A third gentleman, Henry James Hudson, an organist, helped with playing the organ. This will be discussed more in the chapter, The Harmonic Organ. Joseph Alley died on March 8, 1880, of heart failure. The article on the previous page came out on March 22, just 14 days later. Joseph Alley had become a well-respected citizen of Newburyport and had many friends and followers. In his lifetime, he had built 37 organs. The Bartlett Building was a place Joseph Alley used for many years, as mentioned in the previous article. His main shop was located at Brown's Wharf near the waterfront. After closing his shop at Brown's Wharf, he spent the rest of his life building only organ pipes for other organ makers in a shed behind his house at No. 2 Congress Street. Brown's Wharf is where Joseph Alley maintained his organ shop for most of his years, building organs sometime from the 1830s until 1866. It gave him more space to work and to store the necessary supplies to construct his elaborate organs. For most of the history of Brown's Wharf, it was listed as being on Green Street, but as modernization occurred in modern times and roads changed, the address is now 40-R, Merrimack Street. Brown's Wharf was built in 1808 by Moses Brown. Moses Brown was born in Newbury in 1742, but in 1764, Newbury split into a new town known as Newburyport. Moses became a prominent, wealthy citizen in Newburyport and lived there until his death in 1837. He was considered the second wealthiest citizen in Newburyport and would build many buildings throughout the community, Brown's Wharf being one of them. His business included domestic and foreign trade in sugar, molasses, and rum. He became the owner of extensive properties throughout Newburyport. These included warehouses, distilleries, and a number of wharves. The wharf that Joseph Alley was able to use as a shop was built as a commercial warehouse on the waterfront of the Merrimack River, where ships dropped off goods and picked up goods produced in Newburyport. At the time it was constructed and up until the 20th century, it was listed as being on Green Street, which ran all the way to the banks of the Merrimack River. Today, Green Street ends at Merrimack Street. On May 31st, 1811, a disaster occurred in Newburyport that is still remembered by town historians today. A fire broke out around 930 at night in a stable, and because of the strong winds that day, the fire spread quickly. It spread so fast that the townspeople had no time to form a fire brigade. The fire burned all night and spread to some of the ships docked at local wharves, burning some of the ships. The fire became so hot that a firestorm destroyed over 250 buildings. The raging fire went as far as Fair Street and Middle Street on the east side and, most of all, Market Square. Sixteen acres of city property was utterly destroyed by the time it was contained, with help coming as far as Salem, Massachusetts. Brown's Wharf survived the fire and is one of only a few surviving waterfront buildings still in existence, dating from 1808. The area that Brown's Wharf lies in was just outside the fire area. The fire was considered an act of arson, and many theories abounded about whom. Some accused a small boy who was a known troublemaker, while others suspected British saboteurs. The British had not given up hope of regaining America and had placed restrictions on American shipping. The War of 1812 broke out just one year after the Great Fire Incident. The three-story warehouse has 9,920 square feet of storage area or workspace. It was built in the federal style of that era. Today, the building maintains the same appearance as in the time of Joseph Alley, but is modernized with newer windows and interior reconstruction. It has been under the ownership of David Murphy for the last 30 years as Brown's Wharf Properties. The Children of Joseph Alley. As was most common in the early days of America, Joseph and Lucy Alley had an extensive family of 15 children. The following is a list of their children. I could not find all the information on each, but I have provided what I could obtain. Charles Otis Alley was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on December 4, 1830. He married Elizabeth Hughes Jandren on November 15, 1854. He would die May 5, 1894. They would have nine children. Lizzie Jandren Alley, Lucy H. Alley, Jenny K. Alley, Ida E. Alley, Charles A. Alley, Frank Alley, Joseph Adams Jandren Alley, Lotta Alley, Ernest L. Alley. Joseph Alley Jr. was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on March 9, 1832. He would die November 9, 1870. He was listed as a Civil War veteran for Company A, 17th Infantry, Massachusetts. Joseph Alley Jr. would follow in his father's footsteps and go into the organ building business from 1855 till his death in 1870. But he would die at the young age of 38. Joseph Alley Jr.'s mutilated body was found floating in the Merrimack River. His death was never solved. George H. Alley was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on November 26, 1833. He married Lydia Merrill on March 17, 1867. He would die December 3, 1897. Henry Alley was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on April 6, 1835. He would marry twice. First to Clarissa Goodall on the 18th of April, 1858. Second to Margaret MacLean on the 5th of May, 1904. He would die on February 10, 1908. Henry worked as a beekeeper and became known as the first person in the world to breed queen bees successfully. Organ Historical Society. Otis P. Alley was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on January 18, 1837. He would marry Elmira Cook in 1867. He would die in 1911. They had three children. Nellie S. Alley. Harriet L. Alley. Samuel Sylvester Cook Alley. Lucy V. Alley was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on April 16, 1838. She would die on October 20, 1881. Anna C. V. Alley was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on September 1, 1841. She would die July 13, 1883. Frank Alley was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on December 4, 1842. He would die on April 29, 1902. Frank became choir director at First Religious Society Church for several years, where his father built his last surviving organ. Florence Alley was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on January 12, 1845. She would die in 1919. William Sturgis Alley was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on February 2, 1847. He would die on October 22, 1922. Sarah Balch Alley was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on April 10, 1848. She would marry Charles Lockwood. She would die on February 11, 1892. Frederick Alley was born December 13, 1849 in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He would die on April 9, 1851 at the age of 15 months. Clara A. Alley was born in 1851 and died in 1876 at age 25. Nellie Alley was born in May 1853 in Newburyport, Massachusetts. She would be an invalid her entire life and die at the age of 15. She would die on January 24, 1869. Newburyport Daily Herald, January 26, 1869. In this city, January 24, Nellie, daughter of Lucy B. and Joseph Alley, aged 15 years, 6 months, and 23 days. Funeral Wednesday at 2 o'clock p.m. Friends and relatives are invited to attend. Nellie was handicapped from her infancy, but a patient sufferer. The spirit seemed unwilling to leave its earthly tabernacle, even after all hope had gone. It is of much consolation to the afflicted parents and family to know that the spirit is not dead, but still dwelleth with us. Jane Edith Alley was born in 1856 in Newburyport, Massachusetts. She would die in 1927. First Religious Society Church. The original church building was built in 1801 and is on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States government. It is also recognized by the Newburyport Historic District. The original congregation that started the church were Calvinistic Protestants, referred to as Reformers. In 1725, a group of these Newburyport Reformers founded the First Religious Society. It wasn't until 1801 that they constructed the existing church building in Newburyport with its prominent spire. The church building was designed by Samuel McIntyre, 1757 to 1811, from Salem, Massachusetts. Many of the early houses and mansions in Salem, Massachusetts, were built by Samuel McIntyre. He based the style of the Newburyport Church on that of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London, England. The church had the very first organ in Newburyport in 1794, built by Josiah Levitt. Around 1834, two wealthy men from Newburyport who attended the church wanted to have the country's finest and most significant organ for the First Religious Society church. Joseph Alley, known as one of the best organ makers of that time, was chosen for this task. He built an outstanding, well-built, two-manual organ whose original pipes and mechanisms remain part of this old organ today. Both the church and the old organ have undergone renovation over the years. A parish hall for the church was constructed in 1873. The original organ console built by Joseph Alley was set back in a recessed area and had sliding doors to hide it when not in use. Today, the organ and large pipes are set in the sanctuary loft on full display of the splendor created by its restorations over time. Those wishing to see the First Religious Society Unitarian Universal Church and the organ can visit 26 Pleasant Street, Newburyport, Massachusetts. But for those who cannot, you can take a virtual tour of the organ by Brent Johnson and Justin Murphy on YouTube by simply searching under 1834 Joseph Alley Organ. Newburyport, Massachusetts. The town of Newburyport was created in 1764 from an existing town known as Newbury, which is only 35 miles north of Boston. Newbury had grown so large for that period to provide services for everyone, so it was decided to create a new town. This new town would be only 647 acres, making it the smallest town in the state. But this new town would have three working shipyards on the Merrimack River, making it an important center for commerce. Because of these shipyards, the town grew quickly, and by 1851, it became designated as a city. Fishing was a big commercial success, and factories sprouted all over. John Quincy Adams, our sixth U.S. president, would live and work in Newburyport for one year between 1787 and 1788. His diary records that there were brilliant gatherings and dancing parties in his social life while living in Newburyport. Before the American Revolution, Newburyport claimed to have had the first Tea Party protest before the Boston Tea Party. A large shipment of tea was removed from a British vessel and stored in the town powderhouse. A patriotic gentleman named Eleazar Johnson led a group of angry men to the powderhouse, broke the door down using an ax, then carried the tea to Market Square in Newburyport and burned it in protest of the British tea tax on American citizens. This happened three days before the famous Boston Tea Party incident. During the Revolutionary War, its residents, who made their living from the sea, helped in privateering against the British ships. After America won independence from Britain, whaling became important and a sizable whaling fleet grew. The shipyards were very important in the early days and many clipper ships were built in Newburyport. The cities of Newbury and Newburyport would not exist if not for sea trade with Europe and the rest of the Americas. Sea captains and ship owners needed a place that was safe from storms, but yet had easy access to the Atlantic Ocean. Newburyport is near the Merrimack River's mouth and the Atlantic Ocean. It became a bustling trade center and financial center. Newburyport was so busy in the earlier days that it became the second biggest trade hub and shipbuilding center in Massachusetts, just behind Boston. Many of those early period buildings still stand today. Newburyport is the birthplace of the United States Coast Guard. Today, the waterfront is dotted with marinas and modern day fishing boats. Massachusetts abolished slavery in 1783 and many runaway slaves made their way to the state. Newburyport recorded 6,000 runaway slaves by the early 1800s. Because Newburyport was a port city, it became very important during the Underground Railroad period and helped smuggle enslaved people north. Joseph Alley, a member of the Mechanic Society, would meet in the old meeting house on Market Street while living in Newburyport. Several newspaper articles and documents show him serving in various positions as an officer of this group. The population of Newburyport during the life of Joseph Alley. By 1830, for years after Joseph Alley moved to Newburyport, the census was 6,375. The 1850 census shows the population of Newburyport had grown to 9,572 people. The 1870 census shows the population of Newburyport had increased to 12,595 people. The 1880 census shows the population at the time of Joseph Alley's death was 13,538 people. The oldest continuously active courthouse in the state of Massachusetts is in Newburyport. Today, Newburyport is a prominent tourist destination because of its historic seaports and its beautiful old homes dating from the colonial era. The Uharmonic Organ. The Uharmonic Organ designed by Joseph Alley was something he had been working on for many years. Because it was an intricate organ to make, Joseph Alley would make only two of these particular organs, the one he and Henry Poole built in 1850 and one he built in 1853. Unlike the organs he built prior to his Uharmonic Organ, he would need assistance to help overcome issues with tuning his new invention. It wasn't until 1848 that he received the help he needed to overcome the problems with the tuning and sound of the organ. This time, he had Henry Ward Poole to assist him. Another gentleman, Henry James Hudson, helped with playing the organ as they developed the pitch and sound of the organ. It was a complex problem for all three men, but they received high praise and recognition for their accomplishments after finishing the final product. It took two full years, but when it was finally introduced to the general public in 1850, it was given a gold medal award from the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association. The first Uharmonic Organ that Joseph Alley designed had one manual and five registers. With the help of Poole, they came up with a 12-note-to-the-octave keyboard. Each stop had 36 pipes to the octave. This organ had a greater advantage than most organs of that day. A series of foot pedals, also known as selector pedals, controlled the temperament of the organ. It was the complex design of the selector mechanisms, and their connection to the keys is what they received a patent for on July 3rd, 1849, on Joseph Alley's 45th birthday. Each key had one foot control, including five sharps and five flats. Also, this organ had separate pipes for producing the uharmonic notes. The uharmonic notes gave a very distinctive sound between C-sharp and B-flat. Pressing one pedal would automatically release the previous one. Anyone with the proper skills could press on the appropriate foot pedal for the appropriate pipe to produce the most natural sound the organist wanted to create. Those who could master the uharmonic organ found the notes to be purer than ordinary organs of that time. Even though Poole was not a skilled organ maker, and it mainly was Joseph Alley's mechanisms and pipe that made the organ complete, without Henry Ward Poole's help in developing a keyboard that produced the precise intonation when playing any key, the organ would never have succeeded. After receiving a gold medal award, Joseph Alley's uharmonic organ would eventually be acquired by Newburyport City Hall. The second uharmonic organ he built would eventually end up at the Unitarian Church in Eastport, Maine in 1853, and sadly, be destroyed by fire in 1946. Building the uharmonic organ was very expensive, and he took a substantial loss of the only two he made. Joseph Alley was so proud of his accomplishment with the finished uharmonic organ that he advertised in the Newburyport City directory as an enharmonic organ builder. In 1856, on maps of Essex County, the map legend would identify Brown's Wharf, Joseph Alley, inventor and builder of uharmonic organs. There are some reports that Joseph Alley built four of these uharmonic organs. Of all the records I uncovered, only two were completed. One of his uharmonic organs ended up at the Indiana Place Chapel in Boston, Massachusetts where it remained for 15 years. It would draw people in to see and hear the organ played. It became so popular that musicians and journalists traveled from all over to see it. The Indiana Place organ was described as being 9 feet squared and 16 feet tall in a gothic-styled pine case, which was treated to look like walnut. Word of Joseph Alley's invention had reached all around the world. He was invited to exhibit his new organ at the Crystal Palace in London, England, but he turned down the offer due to the cost and time of transporting the organ. Newspaper articles. In this section, I will introduce articles found in the newspapers regarding Joseph Alley during his lifetime. The following was an ad from April 28, 1833 in the Newburyport Herald. Source, Newburyport Public Library. Organ for sale. The subscriber has for sale a very handsome parlor organ with four stops. It is a sufficient recommendation that it was built by Mr. Alley, organ builder of this town. The organ may be examined at the house of the subscriber, Merrimack Street. A Liffolet Brown. Also for sale, early Bush piece. Perspective on history. Important things that happened in 1833. President Thomas Jefferson would have passed away seven years prior. President Andrew Jackson is sworn in for a second term in office. Future President Benjamin Harrison was born this year. A total of 18 presidents would be alive at this time in history. Two former presidents, one current president, and 15 future presidents. More than any other time in U.S. history. The American Antislavery Society is founded. The following article is regarding Joseph Alley in 1834. Joseph Alley would be 30 years old at this time. Deliberate malice. A young man, says the Lynn Record of Thursday, by the name of William Frothingham, an apprentice to Mr. Joseph Alley of this town, about 18 years of age had his throat cut in his bed while asleep on Wednesday morning about sunrise by some inmate. Supposed to be a lad about 15 who works in the shop and sleeps in the same apartment. The gash, supposed to have been made with a razor, reached from the windpipe to the jugular vein as he lay upon his side. Had it extended one inch further either way, it must have caused his death. Dr. Hazeltine was immediately called, who sewed up the wound. The case will undergo a judicial investigation. In this article, we read that Joseph Alley is well-established in Newburyport and has several apprentices working for him. One named William Frothingham had his throat cut by another apprentice, not named but age 15 years old. Frothingham did not die, but had his wound sewed up by Dr. Hazeltine. The article only mentions the incident was under investigation. Perspective on history, important things that happened in 1834. Slavery is abolished in the British Empire. The next article comes from the Boston Morning Herald, May 29th, 1837, regarding a church organ for sale, Joseph Alley. Joseph Alley would be 33 years old. Boston Morning Herald, May 29th, 1837. Source, Newburyport Public Library. Church organ, just finished, and can be put up immediately. A church organ in Gothic style case of most superior tone and workmanship, and warranted equal to any organ of its size. It has two banks of keys. The great organ contains eight stops. Stop diapason, two open diapason, principal, 12th, 15th, trumpet, and three rank sesquitra. Swell contains four stops. Stop diapason, open diapason, principal, and hoboi. The organ has also sub-bass and pedal bass, and built by Joseph Alley, who being obliged shortly to remove from its present location, will sell it on advantageous terms if applied for immediately to W.M. Balg, or Joseph Alley, Newburyport, or to F.E. White, 22 Long Wharf. Perspective on history, the events that happened in 1837. Martin Van Buren becomes our eighth president of the United States. Queen Victoria became Queen of England at 18 years of age. Seminole Indians attack Fort Foster in Florida. Wild Bill Hickok is born. The next article comes from the Newburyport Daily Herald, October 25th, 1856. The article details how Joseph Alley's new organ is different from others from ordinary organs in its pitch. Newburyport Daily Herald, October 25th, 1856. Source, Newburyport Public Library. The Uharmonic Organ. We hail with pleasure the advent of the Uharmonic Organ at our city hall. It has been removed from the manufacturing of its inventor and builder, Mr. Joseph Alley, and now occupies a position much more favorable than the Uharmonic Organ, referred with aid advantage. This instrument differs from common organs by being in perfect tune. In its tone, there is a certain steadiness and sweetness, which even the uncultivated ear can hardly fail to perceive and appreciate. With the exception of the octave, the correct interval from one note to any other cannot be given upon any instrument which, like the common organ, piano, forte, and melodion, substitute 12 sounds to an octave The Uharmonic Organ gives every note its proper place every interval is correct, and in this particular, it excels all other organs. Perfect harmony has long been sought by organ builders, but it has remained for Mr. Alley to triumph over the imperfections of the musical scale, to triumph also over the many difficulties of an intricate piece of mechanism. He has produced a beautiful instrument, one of which will reflect praise to its inventor and give him a high place in history. Let all improve the opportunity, which will soon be afforded, of hearing some fine music. The article details how Joseph Alley's New Uharmonic Organ differs from ordinary organs in its pitch and sound. The writer is celebrating the triumph of Joseph Alley's invention over all other organ makers of that time. Joseph Alley would be 53 years old at this time. Perspective on history, important things that happened in 1856. The North Carolina Railroad completes a 223-mile track from Greensboro through Raleigh to Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. David Livingstone completes a two-year journey across Africa. The Great Train Wreck occurred near Philadelphia. Booker T. Washington was born. The next article comes from the Newburyport Daily Herald, August 7, 1857, with more on Joseph Alley's Uharmonic Organ. Newburyport Daily Herald, August 7, 1857. Source, Newburyport Public Library. Editors, the suggestion of your correspondent in regard to placing an organ in our city hall is well worthy of notice, and we hope it will be immediately acted upon. The want of something to relieve the tediousness of the waiting hour before lectures has long been felt, and we are happy to learn that it is a want so very easy to meet, for already there is an organ in the city that would be placed in the hall with but very little expense. The Uharmonic Organ, built by Mr. Joseph Alley of the city, to which we refer, is all that could be wished for in such a position and all those who have heard its sweet tones will have with pleasure the advent of such an instrument in a place so well-fitted for its reception. By placing it there, we shall not only aid in bringing before the public this beautiful and ingenious invention of one of our own citizens, but will add greatly to the architectural finish of the hall. If an organ is needed in the hall, the curators of the Lyceum might provide it in a very simple way. Let them set up the organ and charge additional for their tickets so that the advanced price will be sufficient to cover the expense in two or three years, and then give it to the city to be used by the Lyceum forever. There would be just as many tickets sold at $1.25 or $1.50 as there is now, and thus the object would be attained without anybody feeling the purest for it. This article details more about City Hall obtaining the euharmonic organ and how tickets for special events could help cover the expenses for the city to purchase it. Perspective on history, important things that happened in 1857. James Buchanan became the 15th President of the United States. The Spirit Lake Massacre occurs when about 40 settlers are killed by Sioux Indians in Iowa. Queen Victoria chooses Ottawa as the capital of Canada. Beginning in 1861, the prices of organs grew substantially due to the cost of goods and products, both metal and wood were needed for the war effort. Production and the price of each organ during the outbreak of the Civil War and many years following the war rose significantly enough that sales dropped drastically. Perspective on history, important things that happened in 1861. Southern states begin to secede from the Union. Confederate states were formed in February 1861 with Jefferson Davis as President. An assassination attempt on President-elect Abraham Lincoln. Colorado became a territory of the United States. Civil War begins. The Pony Express ends service. The next article comes from 1874 for the Newburyport Herald. The enharmonic scale versus temperament. Although practically the enharmonic scale is well understood by most singers yet theoretically very few understand or have even the slightest knowledge of it. Its name is borrowed from the Greek authors and so called from its supposed excellence being enharmonic, that is, extremely musical. This arises from the character of the intervals composing the same which consists of three tones. Major tones, minor tones and diatonic semitones. The latter being found between the third and fourth, seventh and eighth of the ascending major scale. These intervals are obtained by a division of the octave into 53 parts termed commas and can be given perfectly upon the harmonic reed organ which has been constructed by Mr. Joseph Alley of the city and may be seen in his workshop on Congress Street. This article comes from the Newburyport Daily Herald on June 25th, 1874. It talks about the enharmonic scale and how enharmonic organ can be seen at the shop of Joseph Alley located on Congress Street. Mr. Alley had closed his shop at Brown's Wharf in 1866 and was doing work at his home address. He was using a shed on his property as his shop. The enharmonic organ he first invented was never purchased by City Hall and was returned to him in 1868. Perspective on history. Important things that happened in 1874. New York City annexes the Bronx. The Chicago Fire burns 47 acres of the city and destroys 812 buildings. Texas Indian Wars. Democrats gain control of the House of Representatives again since 1860 and the Civil War. Hawaii signed a treaty with the United States. The author, Jonathan Gregory Reed, lives in Garden Grove, California with his wife, Jeanette. His interest is writing historical biographies and science fiction novels. Other books by Jonathan Gregory Reed. America's Sherlock Holmes, The Life and Times of William J. Flynn. The Life and Times of Henry H. Brilhart in Catawba Valley. World War I, an American story. The Roanoke Boy, a World War I diary. A World War I soldier's story as told by Bill and Charles Reed. My Expression of My Christian Faith, Blue Ridge Values. The Protectors, five books, a Christian-based science fiction series. The Protectors' Pentalogy, full collection. To Those Who Came Before Me. To those who came before me in seasons long ago. To those who are the loved ones that I have yet to know. To those whose noble names I bear. Whose light within me burns. To them in gratitude shall my heart be turned. To those whose lives of courage prepared the way for me. Whose works became my heritage. Whose harvest I may reap. Who left for me a legacy that I have yet to earn. To them in gratitude shall my heart be turned. To those who came before me in days and years long past. To those who are the family that I shall know at last. Who laid a sure foundation for the truth that I have learned. To them in gratitude shall my heart be turned. By Sally Deford.
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