#33 Let’s Do Genealogy

 #33 Let’s Do Genealogy

By

Vernon M. Herron

Even though the summer was “hot,” I hope it was restful, enjoyable and that you are now ready to knuckle down and do some serious family research. This will be our focus for awhile. Jeremiah 8:20 gives us a challenge for this time of year, “the harvest is past, the summer is ended…” so, let’s do genealogy. Let’s get started.

At the end of the school year, a graduating senior said to her family, “now that I am free as a lark, let us do something together as a family that’s exciting, adventurous and is fun.” Her mother suggested, “a trip to the old homestead where grand mother lives, from whence the family originated and where the family cemetery is located.” The brother wanted to see historic Washington, DC, particularly the Library of Congress and the Archives. The sister suggested a good movie about the American Revolution. Then her father spoke and became the great compromiser when he said, “let’s do genealogy, then everyone’s wish will be covered. Thank God for dear ol’ dads.

Genealogists, historians and biographers long have contended that  an interest in ancestry has been a constant through the ages. Historically genealogy has been used to strengthen tribal and religious bonds, to determine inheritance of land and office and to determine eligibility in societies.

In ancient times, often genealogies traced the descent of a tribe, or a clan from a common ancestor. Perhaps the most famous early genealogy is the records of the Hebrew people from Adam. Dynasties and the Hebrew priesthood kept genealogical records. European genealogy revolved around the privileges of a hereditary aristocracy. Modern English genealogy pertained to all the people rather than only to the upper classes. The development of genealogy in the US has been closely associated with the organization of patriotic and hereditary societies.

Great credit for Black Genealogy must be attributed to Alex Haley’s book, ROOTS: THE SAGA OF THE AMERICAN FAMILY, PUBLISHED 1976. It raised the conscious level of the black family regarding their origin and decent. Black genealogy reversed the “funeral” as the occasion for family gathering, research and group renewal. Black life has not been the same since.

Today, African Americans are attempting to reconstruct and reconstitute their family structure. From the records of the enslaved master, his will, the poll taxes and many other records predating the Civil War, African Americans are reaching back to their heritage to ensure that the crucial function of the family is revived. Also, their hope is that group and personal identity are regained, racial contribution and pride are restored and group potential is realized.

Today in the US, genealogy is truly for all people. It knows no class, age, region, race, or national origin. It is the leading number one hobby.

What then is genealogy?

Genealogy is the study of the origin and descent of family. It begins with one person, i.e. an ancestor and continues to identify descendants of that ancestor in a descendent pyramid form.

Keeping track of birth, marriages, migrations, death and other events in a family history can be fun! Also, let me add,   it can be healing. Good genealogy is in fact good detective investigation. It helps you build a case when there’s no evidence to solve your problem. When there is no measurable proof as “clear and convincing” or “beyond a reasonable doubt,” Genealogical clues are investigated and calculations are made.

Family History

Family history is the study of one’s ancestor or the ascent of family. The history begins with one’s self or one person and in an ascendant fashion, reverses the pyramid order by doubling the lineal and collateral relations. It should be noted that, this is not to say that Genealogy is not a family history.

Geometric progression describes a basic principle in genealogical research. That principle is-, always work backward from oneself; in other words, from the known to the unknown. Continuing the geometric progression thought, Harriett Stryker-Rodda shares the following insights. “If you count the number of people whose blood flows in your veins, you notice that, in the first generation back, there were only two parents whose genes contributed to your genetic makeup. In the second generation back, your grandparents’ generation, there were four people, and in the third generation back, eight, and so on. The number keeps doubling in geometric progression, so that as recently as six generations ago there were sixty-four people from whom you could track your descent.” Harriett Mills McKay in her poem, LINEAGE, describes geometric progression and genetic makeup in this way.

THEY SAY I HAVE AUNT ORPHA’S CHIN

AND HAIR THE SAME AS MOTHER’S

MY ACTIONS ARE JUST LIKE MY DAD’S

MY TEMPER LIKE MY BROTHER’S

I’M TOLD I HAVE AUNT MARY’S EYES

AND GREAT-GRANDMOTHER’S NOSE---

IT GIVES ME MUCH TO THINK ABOUT,

AND I FIND NO REPOSE.

MY GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT GRANDPARENTS

NUMBER SIXTY-FOUR

ANOTHER GENERATION BACK

ARE TWICE AS MANY MORE.

WHEN I BEGAN TO FIGURE UP

THE BRANCHES ON MY TREE,

I FOUND I HAD A FOREST FULL

OF WORTHY ANCESTRY.

THE THING THAT WORRIES ME IS THIS:

I FREQUENTLY RECALL

THAT I’M SO MUCH LIKE ANCESTORS

I’M NOT LIKE ME AT ALL!

Genealogical Research:

The basic purpose of genealogical research is the identification of individuals and their family relationships. The basic method of genealogical research includes the collection, interpretation, and analysis of genealogical data, i.e., the dates and places of the events that establish personal identities and family relationships. The principal genealogical events are births, marriage and death.

Genealogical records are those materials that yield genealogical data. They may be found in the home, in libraries and in record repositories. (County Court House, Courts, Vital Statistics Dept. etc.) They may be primary records that were created at the time the event occurred, or they may be secondary records that were copied from other sources.

Some Basic Principles:

Genealogical research begins in the home.

Perhaps the first and most important principle of Genealogical research is that one always works backward from oneself, in other words from the known to the unknown.

Events and relationships recounted in an oral tradition cannot be considered genealogical data unless and until they have been verified by existing documentary evidence.

Family traditions should at least be considered as clues for further research.

Learning Opportunities

Learning Opportunities are available in an effort to educate the public, particularly the African American community, concerning the importance of genealogy, family history and to demonstrate the correct methods of research. Channels for learning include formal independent studies, enrollment in a home study course or local workshops and seminars.

Independent Studies

Institutions of Higher Learning offer training in genealogy.

Home Study Course:

The National Genealogical Society Education Division 4527 17^th Street North, Arlington, VA 22207-2399 offers a home study course, American Genealogy: A Basic Course. “This comprehensive course provides an introduction to each of the major groups of records used in American genealogical research, requiring “hands-on experience in the use of the records. Also included is instruction in basic record keeping practices and in the interpretation and evaluation of evidence.” I highly recommend this beginner’s course for the family. CGS will provide consultants for enrollees and small study support groups as needed.

Seminars and Workshops

Seminars, workshops and Family Reunion Conferences are conducted annually by the Comprehensive Genealogical Services. (This organization is in the Charlotte, NC area).

The seminars are designed to give an overview of the methods of family research and the components of writing a family history. It is designed to raise community awareness of the tenets of family research, leading toward a continuous systematic study of African-American genealogy.

The workshop is intended for beginners, first time researchers and intermediates who want to know the basics of developing a family history.

Contact Information

Mrs. Iris Chandler, Executive Director

Comprehensive Genealogical Service

P.O. Box 26242

Charlotte, NC28221

Phone: 704-892-7611

Let’s get started!

#32 The Thinker

# 32 The Thinker

By

Vernon M. Herron

The Thinker Statue by Auguste Rodin

According to the Statue Store, one of Auguste Rodin’s most famous sculptures is The Thinker Statue, a piece originally conceived to be part of another work. The Store continues to project that the Thinker was part of a commission by the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris to sculpt a monumental door based on The Divine Comedy of Dante. Each of the statues in the piece represented one of the main characters in the epic poem.

Initially named the The Poet, The Thinker status was intended to represent Dante himself at the top of the door reflecting on the scene below. However, we can speculate that Rodin thought of the figure in broader, more universal terms.

The Thinker is depicted as a man in sober meditation battling with a powerful internal struggle. The unique pose with hand to the chin, right elbow to the left knee, and crouching position allows the status to survey the work with a contemplative feel.

Through the years, I have been fascinated and motivated by the statue, The Thinker. Early on, it was a fixture in my study, work office and home. It inspired me to strive to be a thinker, ever mindful that it is said that:

80 % of people don’t think
10 % of people think that they think—while only
10% of people really think.

ARE YOU A THINKER?

He who knows not and

knows that he knows not

Is a child—teach him!

He who knows not and

knows not that he knows not

Is a fool, shun him!

He who knows and

knows that he knows

Is a thinker/leader, follow him!

#31 THE PERIWINKLE (Per-i-wing-kel) PLANT

#31

THE PERIWINKLE (Per-i-wing-kel) PLANT:

A REFLECTION ON ENSLAVED BURIAL GROUNDS

By

VERNON M. HERRON, D. MIN.

My resident lawn is composed of a green grassy plain, a colorful bed of flowers, and a bed of periwinkle plants. The grassy plain reminds me of a community where resident members strive for esthetic beauty; the flower bed suggests life and unity; while the periwinkle plant is associated with my ancestors, enslaved burial grounds and enslaved history.

Listen to the Story:

Its beginning and conclusion

A great thing happened to me on 13 March ’04. I discovered the resting place ( burial ground) of the ancestors of the Herron clan and they were rescued from obliteration. It was an emotional visit yet a pleasant one. I cried out unto them, “I am here!” Here is the abridged story.

During the Fall of 2001, one William M. Bigham of Pfattown, NC wrote me the following:

The article in Sunday’s Charlotte Observer caught my attention since it mentioned both the Steel Creek area and the Herron name. The Herrons of Steel Creek were neighbors of the Bigham families in the time period before the Revolution War…..In the will of James McKnight , probated 1827, there is a reference to the Negro graveyard adjoining the property James McKnight was leaving his son James….I was wondering, if in your research, you had ever run across this reference to this cemetery and might know of its location. With the ever expanding Charlotte airport and the industrial development in the area, I would hope that it is not too late for some group to become interested and try to find this cemetery. It may well have been one of the earliest African American cemeteries in Mecklenburg County.

A short time later, I wrote Mr. Bigham the following:

          Dear Bill:

          Thank you so much for the information you sent….We have

found the burial ground and have concluded that the information

 you sent was divinely conceived and providentially shared.

          Because of you, our ancestors were rescued from obliteration.

          Thank you again.

          Vernon

         

Two research friends of mine, Ralph Neely and Linda Blackwelder found the site in question during October ’01 but my health problem, (back surgery) delayed my visit to the site until March ’04. I shall always be grateful to Ralph Neely and David Moody who accompanied me to the site. Ralph went ahead of me to beat down the bushes, thorns, and thickets so that I could follow and David followed me to keep me from falling. When we arrived at the burial site, Ralph had tied yellow ribbon to the trees for identification purpose.

In addition to the recorded location description, here I found the nine characteristics of an enslaved burial ground:

1.     The enslaved burial ground was removed from the white burial ground, if the whites the whites were buried on the same plantation. Whites were generally buried in a church burial plot.

2.     The enslaved cemetery was always distant from the plantation house.

3.     The enslaved cemetery was always in a grove of trees in a far-off corner of a plantation.

4.     Graves were fairly shallow.

5.     Troughs were in the ground where the decay of the corpse had allowed the ground to sink.

6.     Graves were usually in rows, not randomly placed. These troughs always will run West to East. The belief was that at the Second Coming, Jesus Christ would come at sunrise, like on Easter morning. Thus, the resurrected one would face the East.

7.     Enslaved cemetery marking included a rock or field stone. Usually rough fieldstones were set at the foot or at the head of the troughs. Some had names and dates scratched on the surface but as of this date, such information would be weathered away.

8.     Usually, there was no fence nor wall around the burial ground which would have defined it as a space.

9.     The burial ground was usually covered with a periwinkle plant.*

*More about the Periwinkle Plant

My research on periwinkle shows that most cemeteries for the enslaved are usually covered with a periwinkle plant for minimum care. It symbolizes everlasting life. It is the common name for about 12 species of evergreen. The common periwinkle has thick, glossy, narrow- based leaves and white or blue-violet five-petaled flowers up to an inch wide       .

The challenge

I brought some of the periwinkle plants from my ancestor’s burial ground and transplanted them in my yard. Now I have a part of them with me. Periwinkle is associated with my history. Know and study the plant and if necessary, come to my yard and see for yourself.

 

Appendix

There is a growing interest in enslaved cemeteries or burial grounds, if you please. Enslavement is history. The population of Mecklenburg County was 4,602 by the 1810 census.  Over two thirds, or 3,494 individuals were enslaved at that time.   By 1860, 6,541 enslaved persons were listed, yet we have very little record of where and when they died or were buried.  Their personhood was simply willed to obliteration.

Urban expansion, highway construction, residential development and commercial growth, have revealed unmarked burial grounds with evidence of the enslaved period of our history.  In some cases, blatant desecration of sacred burial grounds illustrates the need to protect these cultural resources and the urgent need for awareness.

#30 Amazing Grace

Dear Readers:

My good friend Dr. Ione Vargus, sent me this note recently. I have decided to share it with you...

Hi:

I thought you might enjoy this.

Think about every Negro spiritual you know...

Please listen to this great clip - you will be amazed and inspired.

http://pjcockrell.wordpress.com/2007/11/22/amazing-grace-just-the-black-notes/

--
Ione  Vargus,  Ph.D.
Professor & Dean Emerita
Founder/  Director
Family Reunion Institute
Temple University
215-204-6244
www.temple.edu/fri

#29 - JUNETEENTH—ITS HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE!

# 29

JUNETEENTH—ITS HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE!

By

Vernon M. Herron, D. Min.

What is JUNETEETH? Is it related to slavery, The Emancipation Proclamation, Freedom Eve, The Civil War, The Watch Night Service, Independence Day, or Freedom Day? Is the Juneteeth Celebration and June 19th related? There is a tapestry of truth running through all of the above, producing a historic reality.

The name Juneteeth is as old as the fact of enslavement. It is the oldest known celebration of the ending of the same. It was on 19 June 1865 that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, arrived in Galveston, Texas with the news that the Civil War had ended and that all enslaved were now free.

Noting this time-line, this was two and a half year after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Here are the facts:

September 22, 1862:
By Executive Order, President Abraham Lincoln issued an Emancipation which declared that on January 1, 1863 all
African Americans classified as “slaves” in the Confederacy
would be declared legally “freed.”

December 31, 1862:
This date was known as “freedom Eve.” On that night, Blacks came together in churches and private homes all across the nation, anxiously awaiting news that the Emancipation actually had become law.

January 1, 1863:

President Lincoln issued an Emancipation Proclamation declaring that the War between states had ended and that the enslaved were now freed. For two and a half years, this information was delayed in getting to Texas and when it did, it had little impact due to the minimal number of Union Troops to enforce the new Executive Order. Then, at the stroke of midnight, it was January 1, 1863, and all slaves in the Confederate States were declared legally free.

December 18, 1865:
It was not until December 18, 1865 that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified which ended slavery in all parts of the United States.

The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the small number of Union troops for enforcement. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April 1865 and the arrival of General Granger’s soldiers, his forces were strong enough to defeat all opposition.

The explanation for this two and a half year delay is uncertain but two popular notions exist. (1) The news was deliberately with held by the enslaved master to maintain the labor force on the plantations. (2) The federal troops actually waited for the enslaved owner to reap the benefits of one last cotton harvest before going to Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation.

“One of General Granger’s first order of business was to read to the people of Texas, General Order Number 3 which began most significantly with”:

“The people of Texas are informed that with a Proclamation from
The Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves
an absolute equality of rights of property between former masters
and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them
becomes that between employer and free laborer”.

Group reaction to this news ranged from a pure “shock” to a full scale jubilation. Memories of that great day in June of 1865 and its festivities will inspire many for years to come. The celebration of June 19TH was coined ‘juneteenth” and became a time celebration for descendants of former enslaved, making an annual pilgrimage back to Galveston.

Juneteeenth is a time of remembrance, festivities, food, affirming one another, prayer. It always focuses oneducation and self improvement.

FMBC Series - #28 Meet the Principal Organist: R. Monty Bennett

     # 28

Meet the Principal Organist: R. Monty Bennett

The Fratelli Ruffatti Pipe Organ   /   R. Monty Bennett

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC has a Fratelli Ruffatti  Pipe Organ and a principal organist. Unlike the sermon building process which generally has three points, this story has two: The Fratelli Ruffatti Pipe Organ and two, The Principal Organist R. Monty Bennett. The organ is described very well in a document written by Monty himself which is used in its entirety.

The Fratelli Ruffatti  Pipe Organ

 Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC

Sadly, it is a rare occurrence in the life of many modern churches when they acquire a wonderful new pipe organ.  Gone are the days when the pipe organ was the instrument by which a church was judged.  However, we celebrate both the legacy and the vision of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church as this new Fratelli Ruffatti pipe organ is shared with the community.  Part of the heritage of Friendship has always been a strong music program.  From the days on Brevard Street, the Friendship family worshipped to the sounds of a Pilcher pipe organ.  Moving to Beatties Ford Road, through the tireless efforts of Gerado Stroud, the church replaced the Rodgers electronic organ with a large four-manual pipe organ.  Many famous organists have played that instrument as staff members, in recital and as guest musicians.  The new pipe organ is not only “Friendship’s organ,” but it is for the community.  The music it provides is for all.  It is a unique arts presence in Charlotte, from its dulcet tones that comfort those as it plays hymns of promise to the grand blaze of sound that heralds wedding processions forward. It will ultimately bring worshippers closer to the presence of God.  Mozart proclaimed the pipe organ the “King of Instruments” and it is only fitting that a house of God should have such a magnificent vehicle to worship the King of Kings. 

With approximately 6,000 pipes ranging in size from ¼” to 32’, the organ is capable of a larger range of sound than any symphony orchestra.  The organ is also capable of a wider range of dynamics than any other musical instrument, or group of instruments.  Thanks to research and development by the Ruffatti Company on winding and expression, any musician who plays the organ installed at Friendship has a greater control over the range of dynamic expression than on any other pipe organ built in the world today, due in part to the Hyper-dynamic ™ expression shades—the first of which are installed here.

All the interior woodwork of the organ is handcrafted of Sipo Mahogany from central Africa and is finished both inside and out to furniture grade.  This strong wood is selected for its straight grain, but the finishing process eliminates any warping or being affected by humidity or other climactic conditions.  Wooden pipes are also made of the same wood and finished inside and out and are built with tongue and groove construction. 

Metal pipes are made from either 95% pure Malaysian tin, or from tin/lead alloys of 70% tin or 50% tin.  The Herald Trumpet, located on the rear wall of the church, is made of polished, spun brass.  Each trumpet pipe is constructed like an orchestral trumpet with a flared bell which adds great visual beauty, but also helps with the tonal quality of the stop.

The solid cherry wood console is a marvel of modern technology.  With over 225 stop knobs and over 150 pistons and toe studs to control all the pipes, it is run by several computers.  A computer controlled record/playback system is built into the console and recordings may be saved via the USB port onto a flash memory stick and saved onto a computer for later editing and printing in music software.

Some stops that are on this organ that should be noted are:

SWELL 4’ Flauto Veneziano—this is a copy of an antique rank of pipes by the 18^th century Venetian organbuilder Gaetano Callido and is characterized by a clean, clear sound.

CHOIR 4’ Flûte d’Amour—made of solid mahagony, this stop was common in organs in the early 20^th century and features a unique design and the time taken to construct it truly was a labor of “love.”

CHOIR 8’ Dulciana/Unda Maris—these soft undulating stops are purposely tuned flat from each other in the Italian manner and the slight beat that results is said to resemble the “waves of the sea.” 

CHOIR 8’ Tromba dell’Amicizia—the “Friendship Trumpet”, a hooded, high pressure reed, enclosed in the Choir

GREAT 8’ Harmonic Flute—this is a copy of the Harmonic Flute that Ruffatti built for their organ in the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Fatima, Portugal.

SOLO 8’ Tuba Mirabilis—this is a replica of a 1926 WurliTzer tuba and is characterized by a rich, smooth reed tone.

USIGNOLO—the “nightingale”, five pipes submerged upside-down in oil that all play at once and replicate the sound of birds

In terms of size and cost, noted pride is evidenced that the FMBC pipe organ is the second largest in the city of Charlotte (following Calvary Church) but it is the largest musical instrument in an African American church in the nation. It is similar in size to Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian Church Naples, Florida and John’s Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta, Georgia. Ruffatti’s largest organ is the instrument at Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Ca. where Robert Schuller is pastor.

According to brother Ed Holland, the Church Administrator at FMBC, the Ruffatti Pipe organ was installed at a cost of approximately 1.5 million dollars. Considering its value in glorifying God, the enhancement of worship and community, its value is more today.

Describing the organ is only a part of the story, now the second part. A church once found itself in a heated debate as to whether the church should purchase and install a “chandelier.”  One ‘attempted peace-maker’ raised the question, if the church purchased a chandelier, who would play it? That settled the question. Friendship Missionary Baptist Church never had any difficulty locating an accomplished organist. Today, our principal organist is none other than:

R. MONTY BENNETT

Having been hailed as “one of the country’s top young concert artists” by the Baldwin Organ Company, R. Monty Bennett began musical studies at an early age in his native California.  A graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, he was a student of Dr. James Welch, with whom he studied organ, carillon and harpsichord.  Early keyboard studies were under the tutelage of William Bagileo, Herbert Nanney of Stanford University, and Dr. Roger Nyquist, of Santa Clara University.   Always seeking to gain further knowledge of organ music and the instrument, he has participated in master classes with Dame Gillian Weir, Laura Ellis, Bruce Neswick, Gerre Hancock, Joyce Jones, Robert Glasgow and Todd Wilson, and has studied organ pipe voicing in Italy with Francesco Ruffatti.

Mr. Bennett has performed across the United States, Europe and Great Britain as an organist, accompanist and carillonneur.  In 2005, he made his European debut playing a recital for the 22nd International Festival of Organists in Turin, Italy, where he played the European première of a collection of African-American spirituals by Calvin Taylor. Formerly the Minister of Music at Ebenezer Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church, Rock Hill, SC and Associate Minister of Music/Organist at Calvary Church, Charlotte, NC, he is currently the Principal Organist at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC, where he designed and dedicated the Five-Manual Fratelli Ruffatti pipe organ. He also serves as carillonneur for Christoph Paccard Bellfoundries of Charleston, SC.

Mr. Bennett has served on the Executive Board of the Charlotte Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, where he coordinated the internationally renowned Summer Series Organ Recitals and served on the Program Committee.  He currently serves the Charlotte Chapter AGO as the newsletter editor.

In light of his musical accomplishments, Mr. Bennett was chosen to be included in Who’s Who in America and has also been a featured performer on the National Public Radio broadcast Pipedreams.

When asked to assess his experience as the Principal Organist at FMBC, Monty responded in the following manner.  “Being the organist at Friendship has enabled me to learn a wide variety of music and do more than just play the organ.  I have the opportunity to conduct the choirs, work with the handbell choir, organize concerts, be a part of the ICOM Honors Choir of South Africa, play with the Orchestra, as well as select and design our pipe organ.  Friendship is unique among churches in that our music program is so diverse, this allows me to not only play classical music, but also more contemporary styles, as well as spirituals and gospel.”

Monty grew up in Mountain View, CA, where he started taking piano lessons as age 4 ½.  When in 7^th grade, he began organ lessons and played in his first church service on Palm Sunday 1981.  Monty went to the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he graduated with a degree in organ performance, but also studied harpsichord, choral conducting and carillon. 

Mr. Bennett is the only child of his parents. His maternal family is very musical, but he is the only family member to pursue music as a professional career.

TODAY

WE EXPRESS –THANKS

WE RAISE OUR HATS

WE SALUTE

R. MONTY BENNETT-

OUR PRINCIPAL ORGANIST!!!

FMBC Series - #28 Meet the Principal Organist: R. Monty Bennett

     # 28

Meet the Principal Organist: R. Monty Bennett

        The Fratelli Ruffatti Pipe Organ                                                 R. Monty Bennett

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC has a Fratelli Ruffatti  Pipe Organ and a principal organist. Unlike the sermon building process which generally has three points, this story has two: The Fratelli Ruffatti Pipe Organ and two, The Principal Organist R. Monty Bennett. The organ is described very well in a document written by Monty himself which is used in its entirety.

The Fratelli Ruffatti  Pipe Organ

 Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC

Sadly, it is a rare occurrence in the life of many modern churches when they acquire a wonderful new pipe organ.  Gone are the days when the pipe organ was the instrument by which a church was judged.  However, we celebrate both the legacy and the vision of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church as this new Fratelli Ruffatti pipe organ is shared with the community.  Part of the heritage of Friendship has always been a strong music program.  From the days on Brevard Street, the Friendship family worshipped to the sounds of a Pilcher pipe organ.  Moving to Beatties Ford Road, through the tireless efforts of Gerado Stroud, the church replaced the Rodgers electronic organ with a large four-manual pipe organ.  Many famous organists have played that instrument as staff members, in recital and as guest musicians.  The new pipe organ is not only “Friendship’s organ,” but it is for the community.  The music it provides is for all.  It is a unique arts presence in Charlotte, from its dulcet tones that comfort those as it plays hymns of promise to the grand blaze of sound that heralds wedding processions forward. It will ultimately bring worshippers closer to the presence of God.  Mozart proclaimed the pipe organ the “King of Instruments” and it is only fitting that a house of God should have such a magnificent vehicle to worship the King of Kings. 

With approximately 6,000 pipes ranging in size from ¼” to 32’, the organ is capable of a larger range of sound than any symphony orchestra.  The organ is also capable of a wider range of dynamics than any other musical instrument, or group of instruments.  Thanks to research and development by the Ruffatti Company on winding and expression, any musician who plays the organ installed at Friendship has a greater control over the range of dynamic expression than on any other pipe organ built in the world today, due in part to the Hyper-dynamic ™ expression shades—the first of which are installed here.

All the interior woodwork of the organ is handcrafted of Sipo Mahogany from central Africa and is finished both inside and out to furniture grade.  This strong wood is selected for its straight grain, but the finishing process eliminates any warping or being affected by humidity or other climactic conditions.  Wooden pipes are also made of the same wood and finished inside and out and are built with tongue and groove construction. 

Metal pipes are made from either 95% pure Malaysian tin, or from tin/lead alloys of 70% tin or 50% tin.  The Herald Trumpet, located on the rear wall of the church, is made of polished, spun brass.  Each trumpet pipe is constructed like an orchestral trumpet with a flared bell which adds great visual beauty, but also helps with the tonal quality of the stop.

The solid cherry wood console is a marvel of modern technology.  With over 225 stop knobs and over 150 pistons and toe studs to control all the pipes, it is run by several computers.  A computer controlled record/playback system is built into the console and recordings may be saved via the USB port onto a flash memory stick and saved onto a computer for later editing and printing in music software.

Some stops that are on this organ that should be noted are:

SWELL 4’ Flauto Veneziano—this is a copy of an antique rank of pipes by the 18^th century Venetian organbuilder Gaetano Callido and is characterized by a clean, clear sound.

CHOIR 4’ Flûte d’Amour—made of solid mahagony, this stop was common in organs in the early 20^th century and features a unique design and the time taken to construct it truly was a labor of “love.”

CHOIR 8’ Dulciana/Unda Maris—these soft undulating stops are purposely tuned flat from each other in the Italian manner and the slight beat that results is said to resemble the “waves of the sea.” 

CHOIR 8’ Tromba dell’Amicizia—the “Friendship Trumpet”, a hooded, high pressure reed, enclosed in the Choir

GREAT 8’ Harmonic Flute—this is a copy of the Harmonic Flute that Ruffatti built for their organ in the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Fatima, Portugal.

SOLO 8’ Tuba Mirabilis—this is a replica of a 1926 WurliTzer tuba and is characterized by a rich, smooth reed tone.

USIGNOLO—the “nightingale”, five pipes submerged upside-down in oil that all play at once and replicate the sound of birds

In terms of size and cost, noted pride is evidenced that the FMBC pipe organ is the second largest in the city of Charlotte (following Calvary Church) but it is the largest musical instrument in an African American church in the nation. It is similar in size to Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, First Presbyterian Church Naples, Florida and John’s Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta, Georgia. Ruffatti’s largest organ is the instrument at Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Ca. where Robert Schuller is pastor.

According to brother Ed Holland, the Church Administrator at FMBC, the Ruffatti Pipe organ was installed at a cost of approximately 1.5 million dollars. Considering its value in glorifying God, the enhancement of worship and community, its value is more today.

Describing the organ is only a part of the story, now the second part. A church once found itself in a heated debate as to whether the church should purchase and install a “chandelier.”  One ‘attempted peace-maker’ raised the question, if the church purchased a chandelier, who would play it? That settled the question. Friendship Missionary Baptist Church never had any difficulty locating an accomplished organist. Today, our principal organist is none other than:

R. MONTY BENNETT

Having been hailed as “one of the country’s top young concert artists” by the Baldwin Organ Company, R. Monty Bennett began musical studies at an early age in his native California.  A graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, he was a student of Dr. James Welch, with whom he studied organ, carillon and harpsichord.  Early keyboard studies were under the tutelage of William Bagileo, Herbert Nanney of Stanford University, and Dr. Roger Nyquist, of Santa Clara University.   Always seeking to gain further knowledge of organ music and the instrument, he has participated in master classes with Dame Gillian Weir, Laura Ellis, Bruce Neswick, Gerre Hancock, Joyce Jones, Robert Glasgow and Todd Wilson, and has studied organ pipe voicing in Italy with Francesco Ruffatti.

Mr. Bennett has performed across the United States, Europe and Great Britain as an organist, accompanist and carillonneur.  In 2005, he made his European debut playing a recital for the 22nd International Festival of Organists in Turin, Italy, where he played the European première of a collection of African-American spirituals by Calvin Taylor. Formerly the Minister of Music at Ebenezer Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church, Rock Hill, SC and Associate Minister of Music/Organist at Calvary Church, Charlotte, NC, he is currently the Principal Organist at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC, where he designed and dedicated the Five-Manual Fratelli Ruffatti pipe organ. He also serves as carillonneur for Christoph Paccard Bellfoundries of Charleston, SC.

Mr. Bennett has served on the Executive Board of the Charlotte Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, where he coordinated the internationally renowned Summer Series Organ Recitals and served on the Program Committee.  He currently serves the Charlotte Chapter AGO as the newsletter editor.

In light of his musical accomplishments, Mr. Bennett was chosen to be included in Who’s Who in America and has also been a featured performer on the National Public Radio broadcast Pipedreams.

When asked to assess his experience as the Principal Organist at FMBC, Monty responded in the following manner.  “Being the organist at Friendship has enabled me to learn a wide variety of music and do more than just play the organ.  I have the opportunity to conduct the choirs, work with the handbell choir, organize concerts, be a part of the ICOM Honors Choir of South Africa, play with the Orchestra, as well as select and design our pipe organ.  Friendship is unique among churches in that our music program is so diverse, this allows me to not only play classical music, but also more contemporary styles, as well as spirituals and gospel.”

Monty grew up in Mountain View, CA, where he started taking piano lessons as age 4 ½.  When in 7^th grade, he began organ lessons and played in his first church service on Palm Sunday 1981.  Monty went to the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he graduated with a degree in organ performance, but also studied harpsichord, choral conducting and carillon. 

Mr. Bennett is the only child of his parents. His maternal family is very musical, but he is the only family member to pursue music as a professional career.

TODAY

WE EXPRESS –THANKS

WE RAISE OUR HATS

WE SALUTE

R. MONTY BENNETT-

OUR PRINCIPAL ORGANIST!!!