First Congregational Church (Oshkosh, WI) Music History
Choir Directors and Organists

          This page is a complete list of all known Choir Directors, Organists and other Music Staff since the First Congregational Church of Oshkosh, Wisconsin was founded in 1849. This page is the result of my Personal Research since 2003.
      "Music is at the center of our worship..."

[p. ?] = the page numbers refer to the information contained in the published Church history:
          "Independent of Mind, Open of Heart: 150 Years of Ministry - 1849-1999" [Archive]

| Directors: Chancel Choir / Junior Choirs / Handbell Choir | Organists |

• Chancel Choir Directors: - Chancel Choir Members
  • ? - (1849-1929)
              The book does not explain what "full" in "first full adult choir" in the following entry means. There may have been other "not-full" adult choirs in the 1849-1929 period, but there seems to be no historical record of them or other possible previous Choir Directors.
  • Marie Woodward Steves (1930-mid-1930's) - "first full adult choir" [p. 142]
  • Marjorie Nuss (mid-1930's-1939) - "after Mrs. Steves passed away" [p. 142]
  • Mrs. Lawrence C. Thomas (1939-1940) [p. 142]
  • Paul Grosh (1940-1943) [p. 172-3]
  • Fred Leist (1943-1944) [p. 173]
  • John A. Breese (1944-1945) [p. 173]
  • Imogene Schreiber (1946) [p. 173]
  • John "Jesse" A. Breese (1947-1949) [p. 194,6]
  • Mrs. Kendrick "Ilo" Strong (1949-1950] [p. 196]
  • Donald McNew (1950-1951) [p. 196]
  • C. Walter Bronson (1952-1954) [p. 196]
  • Frederick Peabody (1954-1959) [p. 196,223]
  • Wayne Jipson (1959-1960) [p. 223]
  • Stanley S. Linton (1961-1975) [p. 223,226]
  • John M. Minniear (1975?-1976?) [p. 255]
  • Harold B. Porter (1976?-7/1984) [p. 255,258]
  • Joanne Hess (9/1984 - 1990) [p. 258]
  • Joanne Peterson (1990 - date) [p. 261]
• Junior Choir Directors:
  • ? - (1849-19??)
  • Harold Chamberlin of Ripon (19??-19??) - "girl's choir" [p. 142]
  • Marjorie Nuss (19??-19??) - "youth choir" [p. 142]
  • William Fuller (1960-1968) - "Junior Choir" [p. 224,226]
  • Ellinor Porter (1968-1997) [picture on unnumbered page following p. 157] [p. 226,228]
              The Junior Choir was renamed to the Crusader Choir, and a new Carol Choir was formed for the younger children. [p. 226]
  • Lori Kubasta (1997-2001) Carol Choir renamed to Angel Choir [p. 262]
  • Jeff Dyer (1997-2001) Crusader Choir renamed to Jubilee Singers [p. 262]
  • Robin Oxley (199?-19??)
  • Linda Ruona (2002-2007)
  • Christina Conn (2007-date)
• Handbell Choir Directors: - Handbell Choir Members
  • Ken Snart (1999-2007) [p. 263]
              The Handbells arrived on 10-21-1999. The first appearance of the Handbell Choir in a service was on 11-07-1999 or 11-14-1999.
  • Cara Davis (2008)
  • Patrick Meyer (1/21/2009-date)
• Organists:
  • Mattie Murdock (1875) **
              The church's first pipe organ was installed in 1875. It was built by the Marshall Brothers Organ Co. (Milwaukee) for $3,800, and it had 29 stops and 1,166 pipes. No picture of this organ has been found.
  • Morris Parkinson (1875-1878)
  • Professor Stillman of Ripon College (1879-1881)
  • E.S. Wilson (1882-1892)
  • J.K. Weaver (1893-189?)
  • ? - (189?-1901)
  • Clarence Shepard (1902-1903) [p. 112]
  • ? - (1904-1910)
  • 1911 - Casavant Freres Opus 469 organ installed
  • 1911, 1959 and 1986 - Organ Consoles
  • Clarence Shepard (1911-1940) [p. 142,171]
              [per Michael Corenthal, p. 134, he played the inaugural recital of the new Casavant organ on 1-06-1912]
  • Paul Grosh (1940-1943) [p. 172-3]
  • Farley Hutchins (1944-1945) [p. 173]
  • Donald Fischer (1946-19??) [p. 173]
  • Florence Hollenbeck (10-19-1949 - 6/1966) [p. 194,222,225]
  • Ray Thompson (1966-1968) [p. 225]
  • Joanne (West) Hess (1968-1989) [m. Thatcher Peterson]
  • Joanne Peterson (1990-date) [picture on unnumbered page following p. 157]

    Thank you to Ralph DiBiasio-Snyder [Archive] for the above information about the 1875-1893 organists and the first FCC organ. All other content on this page is the result of my own Personal Research which may not be copied without crediting its source. See the copyright notice below.

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