The Cawker City United Methodist Church
The Cawker Methodist Church records of 1931 shed no light on the discussions leading up to the purchase of the Pilcher pipe organ from the church in Kinsley. The only reference in the minutes is a single cryptic passage from April 6th stating, "Pipe organ was discussed and who would play, decided to get it first--Have someone to play it. Adjourned." Whether this was in reference to the dedication ceremony or the weekly services is not clear. In 1976, several of the older members of the congregation were of the impression that the choir director, Mrs. Edger H. Kyle, had a major roll in procuring the instrument, but did not have any further clues. It would take another 30 years before the following passage was discovered by accident while reading the Cawker City Ledger newspaper of December 30, 1926:
"A wedding of interest to Caw-
ker City people took place at the
M. E. parsonage in Lawrence, on
Christmas Day, when Miss Esther
Bereiter and Mr. Gerald C. Schoen-
heim were married. The bride is
the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Frank Bereiter, formerly of this
place, and a sister of Mrs. E. H.
Kyle. The groom is a Lawrence
boy, who is now manager of one
of the departments of a large pipe
organ factory in Louisville, Ky.
in which city we understand they
will make their home."
So five years later, it was news from the sister in Louisville which reached Cawker that ultimately led to the Pilcher organ coming to Cawker.
From a conversation with Mary Wolbert, the custodian of the Methodist church for many years, it was learned that her husband Clarence and Elda Coe drove a pickup truck to Kinsley to transport the dismantled organ it its new home. It took an organ technician two weeks to install the organ. Unfortunately, the large alcove behind the pulpit had a slightly arched ceiling which was too low to accommodate the full length of the Diapason pipes found in the center of the organ's façade. These pipes were shortened and partially capped with cardboard flaps. The electric blower was installed in the small basement classroom.
"A wedding of interest to Caw-
ker City people took place at the
M. E. parsonage in Lawrence, on
Christmas Day, when Miss Esther
Bereiter and Mr. Gerald C. Schoen-
heim were married. The bride is
the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Frank Bereiter, formerly of this
place, and a sister of Mrs. E. H.
Kyle. The groom is a Lawrence
boy, who is now manager of one
of the departments of a large pipe
organ factory in Louisville, Ky.
in which city we understand they
will make their home."
So five years later, it was news from the sister in Louisville which reached Cawker that ultimately led to the Pilcher organ coming to Cawker.
From a conversation with Mary Wolbert, the custodian of the Methodist church for many years, it was learned that her husband Clarence and Elda Coe drove a pickup truck to Kinsley to transport the dismantled organ it its new home. It took an organ technician two weeks to install the organ. Unfortunately, the large alcove behind the pulpit had a slightly arched ceiling which was too low to accommodate the full length of the Diapason pipes found in the center of the organ's façade. These pipes were shortened and partially capped with cardboard flaps. The electric blower was installed in the small basement classroom.
The organ was dedicated on Sunday, April 26th at 2:30 p.m. as the conclusion of "member day" festivities which included a pot luck dinner. Miss Miriam Enyeart, the daughter of Rev. W. W. Enyeart, of Glen Elder, was the organist for the day.
In the years to follow, an oil painting of Christ standing at the water's edge with a boat in the distance was given as a gift from a church member and amateur artist, Mrs. Ruth Fletcher. The painting fit into the panel in the center of the organ above the console, directly below the pipse and is preserved today as a framed painting in our Fellowship Hall. The organ was "reconditioned 1952 courtesy of the E. C, Riley Family" for the occasion of their daughter's wedding, Pat Riley Moss. In 1968, the church purchased an Allen electronic organ for $2,465.00 in memory of Sondra Slaven, Kenny Schlaefli and Jack Schlaefli who died tragically in an automobile accident. The Pilcher fell into disuse.
In the years to follow, an oil painting of Christ standing at the water's edge with a boat in the distance was given as a gift from a church member and amateur artist, Mrs. Ruth Fletcher. The painting fit into the panel in the center of the organ above the console, directly below the pipse and is preserved today as a framed painting in our Fellowship Hall. The organ was "reconditioned 1952 courtesy of the E. C, Riley Family" for the occasion of their daughter's wedding, Pat Riley Moss. In 1968, the church purchased an Allen electronic organ for $2,465.00 in memory of Sondra Slaven, Kenny Schlaefli and Jack Schlaefli who died tragically in an automobile accident. The Pilcher fell into disuse.
Click on image to enlarge:
Information Provided by
The Cawker City Hesperian Historical Society
All Rights Reserved.
The Cawker City Hesperian Historical Society
All Rights Reserved.