Austin Through The Years
 
An Austin Chronology Eastman Theatre console, Opus 1010, Rochester, N.Y.
   
1892 Englishman John T. Austin joins Farand & Votey, Detroit.
   
1893 J.T.A. (age 24) develops Universal Air Chest System.
   
1893 Clough & Warren, Detroit, builds first Austin system organ. B.G. Austin joins firm.
 
Opus 302 1898 J.T.A. sets up Austin system at Karn & Warren, Woodstock, Ontario.
   
1898 Clough & Warren factory destroyed by fire.
   
1898 Austin Organ Company established in Boston (J.T.A. aged 29).
   
1899 Company relocates to Hartford, CT.
     
1903 Robert Hope-Jones joins firm (leaves 1904).
Gold Medal awarded at Jamestown Exposition, 1907
GOLD MEDAL
Awarded at Jamestown Exposition,
1907 to Austin Organ Co. , for
Austin Universal Air Chest
with Electro And Tubular
Pneumatic Actions.
   
1903 Slider chest using aluminum sliders introduced (dropped 1906).
   
1905 All-electric console developed.
   
1911 National reputation established.
   
Austin Opus 500, Festival Hall, San Francisco, CA 1915 1913 Design of modern Austin console developed.
   
1914 Automatic Player developed (Quadruplex player developed 1924).
   
1917 J.T.A. wins Franklin Institute award.
   
1917 Period of major production opens
(1927 peak sales year).
 
1919 Austin console design refinements. Erecting room personnel lean against the Universal Air Chest of Opus 581 , circa 1915
   
1921 Austin chest design refinements.
   
1932 Further refinements on Austin chest design.
   
1935 Austin Organ Company begins liquidation.
   
1937 Austin Organs Inc. formed. Factory moved to present location.
   
1941 War work -- glider wings.
   
1949 First outside tonal director -- Richard J. Piper.
   
1973 Donald B. Austin appointed president.
   
1978 David A.J. Broome appointed Tonal Director.
  Donald B. Austin appointed president.
2004-05 Donald Austin succumbs, company stops building new organs
   
2006-present Company purchased by Richard Taylor & Michael Fazio

New organs are once again being manufactured and installed.
 
 
~ The Austin Family and Beyond ~
 
Jonathan Austin
(1829-1914)
Basil George Austin
(1874-1958)
Vice President 1911-36
John Turnell Austin
(1869-1948)
President 1907-36 		Harry White Austin
(1870-1913)

Basil Frank Austin
(1908-1967)

Frederic Basil Austin
(1903-1990)
Chairman 1937-90
President 1937-1973 		John E. Austin
(1900-1969)
   
 
John T. Austin II
(b.1935)
Board of Directors &
Board Secretary

Donald B. Austin
(1933-2004)
President 1973-1998
 

  
  Kimberlee J. Austin
President 1998 - 2005		  

      Richard G. Taylor

  Chief Executive Officer
 

                              Michael B. Fazio 
                    President & Tonal Director

  
 
 

Tonal Direction
 
1902-1903 Carlton C. Michell (from England).
   
1903-1904 Robert Hope-Jones (from England).
   
1904-1937 Frank King
   
1937-1949 William Engle (with Austin 1900-1957).
   
1949-1978 Richard J. Piper (from Willis).
   
1978-1998 David A.J. Broome (from J.W. Walker; joined Austin 1957).
   
1998-2002 Bruce Q. Buchanan, (from J.W. Walker, and Willis)
Vice President, Tonal Director
2003- Daniel Kingman (with Austin 1968-present)                   Continues as senior voicer & tonal consultant.
2006- Michael Fazio - First company president who also defines the tonal direction of the firm.

 
 
Some Notable Names
 
Frank B. Look President 1898-1907
     
Robert Pier Elliot Vice President 1898-1903
     
Waldo S. Pratt Director 1898
     
Charles T. Ives Treasurer 1900-1901
     
John Spencer Camp Treasurer 1911
     
Percival Stark Treasurer 1948-1968
     
James B. Jamison Salesman & Tonal Advisor 1934-1958
     
Burton A. Yeager Sales Representative 1960-1995
     
Frederick L. Mitchell Vice President 1965-2000
 

 
Historical Summary of Opus List
 
  Opus Nos. Dates
Clough & Warren, Detroit 1 - 22 1893 - 1898
Austin Organ Company, Boston 23 - 28 1898 - 1899
Austin Organ Company, Hartford 29 - 1885 1899 - 1935
Austin Organs, Incorporated 2000 - 27XX 1937 - present
 
Summary by Customer
 
Churches: The leading denomination by far is Presbyterian, followed by Episcopal, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Baptist and Congregational. Meticulous attention in the factory assures smooth installation and ease of maintenance
   
   
   
Theatres: 113 theatre organs from Opus 156 (1906) to 1788 (1931). The majority (75) built between 1912 and 1920.
       
Masonic Lodges 72 Auditoriums 25
Hotels 2 Residences 50
Stores 9 Open air theatres 2
Insurance buildings 3    
       
 

 
 
 
 

last updated: February 21, 2010