The Robjohn Brothers: Our British Roots

J.H. & C.S. Odell was founded by John Henry and Caleb Sherwood Odell in 1859, after the Odell brothers apprenticed with Richard Ferris in New York City.

Any discussion of the early work of the Odells must include the Robjohn brothers, Thomas and William. It was while working for Richard Ferris that the Odells met the Robjohns, who had both worked as organbuilders in England before coming to the United States.

Of the two brothers, Thomas Robjohn was the first to come to America. During the early nineteenth century he built many organs of his own, supplementing his income working for other New York organbuilders. Prior to his work for the Odells, Thomas was probably best known for his work in completing the Firth and Hall organ for Trinity Church, Wall Street in 1840* as well as organs for South Dutch Church and Rutgers Street Presbyterian.

Thomas' brother William Robjohn had been a foreman for Gray and Davidson in London, and emigrated in the late 1850's at the insistence of Thomas. Unfortunately, by 1860, the Robjohns had given up independent organbuilding due to financial difficulties and went to work for the Odells full-time as voicers, taking Levi Stewart with them when they left Richard Ferris. Indeed, the organ listed as Odell Opus 1 was actually commissioned to Thomas Robjohn, and its construction is credited to Stewart.

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* Dr. Orpha Ochse, The History of the Organ in the United States, p. 149-150