History of the Church
The Schuylerville United Methodist Church was built at the current site in 1827. It was dedicated to the Trustees by Phillip and Grace Schuyler.
Excerpted from HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
by NATHANIEL BARTLETT SYLVESTER (1878)
“The subscription to build the house, an old time-stained document, bears date Jan. 30, 1827. The paper has this preface, “From Lansingburg along the valley of the Hudson for fifty miles, with a breadth of from eight to ten miles, the Episcopal Methodists have not one house dedicated to the worship of God. Private dwellings, school-houses, and barns have hitherto afforded to their classes a precarious yet acceptable resort. Perhaps there is not a spot in that rich and populous district of country where so many of this denomination of Christians would meet, as at Schuylerville, if a suitable edifice could be erected.”
The effort was successful, and a house costing $1600 was built in the summer of 1827, and dedicated in the fall.”
Reference: https://www.saratoganygenweb.com/Sylvester/chap32a.html
History of the Church Organ
In 1756, the original organ was built by Richard Bridge. In 1888ca., it was rebuilt by Wm. Johnson & Son for the Schuylerville United Methodist Church.
The beginnings of this instrument were in the 3-manual 1756 Richard Bridge instrument built for King’s Chapel in Boston, Massachusetts. The organ was rebuilt in some manner in 1861, reportedly by Wm. B.D. Simmons of Boston, Massachusetts (1838-1876). The extant keydesk is certainly indicative of the Simmons style. It may have been installed at the Congregational Church in Ware, Massachusetts at this time.
It was rebuilt by Wm. A. Johnson & Son of Westfield, Massachusetts (1874-1898) in 1888 for this church. The 1960’s Andover work was due to water damage after a fire. The later work was chest re-tabling. The organ uses the Great and Choir windchests and some of the Bridge pipework. This also includes the Goodrich Pedal pipes added in 1824. At present, the organ consists of 18 ranks – 908 pipes.
