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John R. Sweney

1837 - 1899 Person Name: Jno. R. Sweney Hymnal Number: 95 Composer of "[Here in thy Name we are gathered]" in Hymns and Spiritual Songs Number Two John R. Sweney (1837-1899) was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and exhibited musical abilities at an early age. At nineteen he was studying with a German music teacher, leading a choir and glee club, and performing at children’s entertainments. By twenty-two he was teaching at a school in Dover, Delaware. Soon thereafter, he was put in charge of the band of the Third Delaware Regiment of the Union Army for the duration of the Civil War. After the war, he became Professor of Music at the Pennsylvania Military Academy, and director of Sweney’s Cornet Band. He eventually earned Bachelor and Doctor of Music degrees at the Academy. Sweney began composing church music in 1871 and became well-known as a leader of large congregations. His appreciators stated “Sweney knows how to make a congregation sing” and “He had great power in arousing multitudes.” He also became director of music for a large Sunday school at the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia of which John Wanamaker was superintendent (Wanamaker was the founder of the first major department store in Philadelphia). In addition to his prolific output of hymn melodies and other compositions, Sweney edited or co-edited about sixty song collections, many in collaboration with William J. Kirkpatrick. Sweney died on April 10, 1899, and his memorial was widely attended and included a eulogy by Wanamaker. Joe Hickerson from "Joe's Jottings #9" used by permission

Theodore E. Perkins

1831 - 1912 Hymnal Number: 43 Composer of "[The Lord of Light shall give his peace]" in Hymns and Spiritual Songs Number Two Theodore E. Perkins was born at Poughkeepsie, on the Hudson, N.Y., July 21, 1831. His father was a Baptist clergyman. The family of ten brothers and sisters sang and played various instruments, forming among themselves both choir and orchestra. His musical education began at the early age of three years. During his father's pastorate at Hamilton, N. Y., the choir rehearsals were often held at the parsonage, and the leader used to place the three-year-old on a small stool, on the table around which the choir was assembled, giving him a chance to both see and hear. Later on he played the violincello in church, standing on a stool in order to finger the instrument. The home gatherings — especially on Thanksgiving Day, are the recollections among the happiest of his childhood. His father became pastor of the Berean Baptist Church in New York City, in 1839, giving him the opportunity of studying the pianoforte, of which he became a proficient player. His fine alto voice soon gave him notoriety. At the age of nineteen while filling a position as clerk in New York, all his spare time was given to the study of voice and piano. In 1851 he went to Hamilton, N. Y., taught music in Madison University (now Colgate), and in the Female Seminary. In 1854 he went to Port Jervis, N. Y., where he taught singing school, and April 30, 1855, married Mary Frances Caskey, who was for years his soprano soloist in many musical Festivals and Conventions. Soon after marriage he removed to Salem, N. J., where his lifework as singing school teacher really began, including Bridgeton and prominent towns in southern New Jersey. During the summer of 1856 he and his wife were pupils of the Normal Academy of Music at North Reading, Mass., conducted by Drs. Lowell Mason and Geo. F. Root. During 1856-1858 he was given the position of assistant teacher and manager. His association with these two great men gave an inspiration to all his future work. In 1859 he was co-principal with Wm. B. Bradbury at the Normal Academy of Music, Geneseo, N. Y. He remained at Geneseo until 1863. Professor Perkins also held very successful schools in North Pelham Province of Ontario, Canada, and in 1864-1868 was principal in schools at Tunkhannock and Meadville, Pa. In 1860, The Olive Branch, his first book of church music, was published by F. J. Huntington, New York City, the sales reaching 100,000. Next was Oriental, which sold over 30,000. The Union, Glees and Anthems, and Sabbath Anthems followed ; then The Sacred Lute, which sold over 300,000. His Sunday-school books commenced with The Evergreen, followed by the Shining Star and New Shining Star. Then came Psalm King, which was the last of the books published by Mr. Huntington. Hallowed Songs was published by Philip Phillips; The Sunday School Banner was published by Wm. B. Bradbury. The Royal Standard was published in Toronto, Canada. The Golden Promise, Sabbath Carols, The Mount Zion Collection were published under his own supervision. His Free Sunday School Songs several times numbered over 500,000 a month. Coronation Songs with Rev. Dr. Deems as hymn editor was published by A. S. Barnes Co., who also published Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs, in which Dr. C. S. Robinson was hymn editor, who with Professor Perkins edited Calvary Songs, published by the American S. S. Union. Gospel Tent Songs was evangelical. The Safe-Guard Singer was his temperance book. Mr. Perkins was musical director in the following churches in Brooklyn: The Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, Rev. Dr. Cuyler; Strong Place Baptist Church, Rev. E. E. L. Taylor, D. D.; Madison Avenue Baptist Church, Rev. H. G. Weston, D. D., L. L. D.; Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, Rev. Dr. Rice, followed by Dr. John Hall; The Memorial Presbyterian Church, Rev. Dr. C. S. Robinson, who was his close friend; The Church of the Holy Trinity, Rev. Dr. Tyng, Jr. ; Trinity Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. J. B. Simmons, and Washington Square M. E. Church. In Philadelphia: The Fifth Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Chase; The Eleventh Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Colman; The Tabernacle M. E. Church, Rev. George Gaul, D. D. He was leader and singer in Evangelistic Services, at the Rink, The Old Madison Square Garden and Cooper Union, all of New York City. The music of the first great meeting of the world's Evangelical Alliance, held for ten days in New York City, was under his direction, as was the first National Sunday School convention, held in Newark, N. J. He was also conductor at the Golden Anniversary of the Female Guardian Society, leading a chorus of forty-two hundred children. In the opening chorus, Great is the Lord, by Dr. Calcott, the word "Great" was given with so much decision and power that the clergymen on the platform sprang to their feet and remained standing until the chorus was finished. He taught voice culture in Princeton and Lafayette Universities, The Union Theological Seminary, New York City; Crozer Seminary, Chester, Pa., and organized the music department of Temple University, Philadelphia, continuing in charge four years. He had charge of the children's choir of Howard Mission, New York City, for twenty-five years, and thinks that some of the happiest and most restful of the working hours were spent in teaching the poor children of the fourth and sixth wards to sing the Gospel. Mr. Sankey said to Mr. Perkins that " Jesus of Nazareth was my banner song for eight years." Jesus is Mine has been sung at the Christian's death-bed, the grave, and once as the convict was going to the scaffold. His Christmas Carol Sweetly Carol had a very large sale in this country, and was republished in England, France, Italy, and Germany. For a period of forty years he has made the study of the voice special work. The most thorough investigations of the voice and its possibilities were made with the assistance of the late John Howard, extending over a period of twenty-five years, during which he has had the care of over two thousand voices. He published a work entitled, Physiological Yoice Culture, edited by his son, the late T. Edward Perkins, M. D., physician and throat specialist of Philadelphia. Mr. Perkins also completed a method of voice culture based on the principles of John Howard's Physiology of Artistic Singing." During these years of work he has found time to edit thirty-four books of church, Sunday-school, day-school, and glee music, the larger portion having been previously mentioned. Also songs and ballads in sheet form, and a cantata entitled, The Excursion, libretto by Fanny Crosby, with whom there has existed an unbroken friendship for over forty years. -Biography of Gospel Song and hymn Writers

Henry Francis Lyte

1793 - 1847 Person Name: Henry F. Lyte Hymnal Number: 164 Author of "Abide With Me" in Hymns and Spiritual Songs Number Two Lyte, Henry Francis, M.A., son of Captain Thomas Lyte, was born at Ednam, near Kelso, June 1, 1793, and educated at Portora (the Royal School of Enniskillen), and at Trinity College, Dublin, of which he was a Scholar, and where he graduated in 1814. During his University course he distinguished himself by gaining the English prize poem on three occasions. At one time he had intended studying Medicine; but this he abandoned for Theology, and took Holy Orders in 1815, his first curacy being in the neighbourhood of Wexford. In 1817, he removed to Marazion, in Cornwall. There, in 1818, he underwent a great spiritual change, which shaped and influenced the whole of his after life, the immediate cause being the illness and death of a brother clergyman. Lyte says of him:— "He died happy under the belief that though he had deeply erred, there was One whose death and sufferings would atone for his delinquencies, and be accepted for all that he had incurred;" and concerning himself he adds:— "I was greatly affected by the whole matter, and brought to look at life and its issue with a different eye than before; and I began to study my Bible, and preach in another manner than I had previously done." From Marazion he removed, in 1819, to Lymington, where he composed his Tales on the Lord's Prayer in verse (pub. in 1826); and in 1823 he was appointed Perpetual Curate of Lower Brixham, Devon. That appointment he held until his death, on Nov. 20, 1847. His Poems of Henry Vaughan, with a Memoir, were published in 1846. His own Poetical works were:— (1) Poems chiefly Religious 1833; 2nd ed. enlarged, 1845. (2) The Spirit of the Psalms, 1834, written in the first instance for use in his own Church at Lower Brixham, and enlarged in 1836; (3) Miscellaneous Poems (posthumously) in 1868. This last is a reprint of the 1845 ed. of his Poems, with "Abide with me" added. (4) Remains, 1850. Lyte's Poems have been somewhat freely drawn upon by hymnal compilers; but by far the larger portion of his hymns found in modern collections are from his Spirit of the Psalms. In America his hymns are very popular. In many instances, however, through mistaking Miss Auber's (q. v.) Spirit of the Psalms, 1829, for his, he is credited with more than is his due. The Andover Sabbath Hymn Book, 1858, is specially at fault in this respect. The best known and most widely used of his compositions are "Abide with me, fast falls the eventide;” “Far from my heavenly home;" "God of mercy, God of grace;" "Pleasant are Thy courts above;" "Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;" and "There is a safe and secret place." These and several others are annotated under their respective first lines: the rest in common use are:— i. From his Poems chiefly Religious, 1833 and 1845. 1. Above me hangs the silent sky. For Use at Sea. 2. Again, 0 Lord, I ope mine eyes. Morning. 3. Hail to another Year. New Year. 4. How good, how faithful, Lord, art Thou. Divine care of Men. 5. In tears and trials we must sow (1845). Sorrow followed by Joy. 6. My [our] rest is in heaven, my [our] rest is not here. Heaven our Home. 7. 0 Lord, how infinite Thy love. The Love of God in Christ. 8. Omniscient God, Thine eye divine. The Holy Ghost Omniscient. 9. The leaves around me falling. Autumn. 10. The Lord hath builded for Himself. The Universe the Temple of God. 11. Vain were all our toil and labour. Success is of God. 12. When at Thy footstool, Lord, I bend. Lent. 13. When earthly joys glide swift away. Ps. cii. 14. Wilt Thou return to me, O Lord. Lent. 15. With joy we hail the sacred day. Sunday. ii. From his Spirit of the Psalms, 1834. 16. Be merciful to us, O God. Ps. lvii. 17. Blest is the man who knows the Lord. Ps. cxii. 18. Blest is the man whose spirit shares. Ps. xli. 19. From depths of woe to God I cry. Ps. cxxxx. 20. Gently, gently lay Thy rod. Ps. vi. 21. Glorious Shepherd of the sheep. Ps. xxiii. 22. Glory and praise to Jehovah on high. Ps. xxix. 23. God in His Church is known. Ps. lxxvi. 24. God is our Refuge, tried and proved. Ps. xlvi. 25. Great Source of my being. Ps. lxxiii. 26. Hear, O Lord, our supplication. Ps. lxiv. 27. How blest the man who fears the Lord. Ps.cxxviii. 28. Humble, Lord, my haughty spirit. Ps. cxxxi. 29. In this wide, weary world of care. Ps. cxxxii. 30. In vain the powers of darkness try. Ps.lii. 31. Jehovah speaks, let man be awed. Ps. xlix. 32. Judge me, O Lord, and try my heart. Ps. xxvi. 33. Judge me, O Lord, to Thee I fly. Ps. xliii. 34. Lord, I have sinned, but O forgive. Ps. xli. 35. Lord, my God, in Thee I trust. Ps. vii. 36. Lord of the realms above, Our Prophet, &c. Ps.xlv. 37. Lone amidst the dead and dying. Ps. lxii. 38. Lord God of my salvation. Ps. lxxxviii. 39. Lord, I look to Thee for all. Ps. xxxi. 40. Lord, I would stand with thoughtful eye. Ps. lxix. 41. Lord, my God, in Thee I trust. Ps. vii. 42. My God, my King, Thy praise I sing. Ps. cviii. 43. My God, what monuments I see. Ps. xxxvi. 44. My spirit on [to] Thy care. Ps. xxxi. 45. My trust is in the Lord. Ps. xi. 46. Not unto us, Almighty Lord [God]. Ps. cxv. 47. O God of glory, God of grace. Ps. xc. 48. O God of love, how blest are they. Ps. xxxvii. 49. O God of love, my God Thou art. Ps. lxiii. 50. O God of truth and grace. Ps. xviii. 51. O had I, my Saviour, the wings of a dove. Ps. lv. 52. O how blest the congregation. Ps. lxxxix. 53. O how safe and [how] happy he. Ps. xci. 54. O plead my cause, my Saviour plead. Ps. xxxv. 55. O praise the Lord, 'tis sweet to raise. Ps. cxlvii. 56. O praise the Lord; ye nations, pour. Ps. cxvii. 57. O praise ye the Lord With heart, &c. Ps. cxlix. 58. O that the Lord's salvation. Ps. xiv. 59. O Thou Whom thoughtless men condemn. Ps. xxxvi. 60. Of every earthly stay bereft. Ps. lxxiv. 61. Our hearts shall praise Thee, God of love. Ps. cxxxviii. 62. Pilgrims here on earth and strangers. Ps. xvi. 63. Praise for Thee, Lord, in Zion waits. Ps. lxv. 64. Praise to God on high be given. Ps. cxxxiv. 65. Praise ye the Lord, His servants, raise. Ps. cxiii. 66. Redeem'd from guilt, redeem'd from fears. Ps. cxvi. 67. Save me by Thy glorious name. Ps. liv. 68. Shout, ye people, clap your hands. Ps. xlvii. 69. Sing to the Lord our might. Ps. lxxxi. 70. Strangers and pilgrims here below. Ps. cix. 71. Sweet is the solemn voice that calls. Ps. cxxii. 72. The Church of God below. Ps. lxxxvii. 73. The Lord is King, let earth be glad. Ps. xcvii. 74. The Lord is on His throne. Ps. xciii. 75. The Lord is our Refuge, the Lord is our Guide. Ps. xlvii. 76. The mercies of my God and King. Ps. lxxxix. 77. The Lord Who died on earth for men. Ps. xxi. 78. Tis a pleasant thing to fee. Ps. cxxxiii. 79. Thy promise, Lord, is perfect peace. Ps. iii. 80. Unto Thee I lift mine [my] eyes. Ps. cxxiii. 81. Whom shall [should] we love like Thee? Ps. xviii. Lyte's versions of the Psalms are criticised where their sadness, tenderness and beauty are set forth. His hymns in the Poems are characterized by the same features, and rarely swell out into joy and gladness. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ================== Lyte, Henry Francis, p. 706, i. Additional versions of Psalms are in common use:-- 1. Lord, a thousand foes surround us. Psalms lix. 2. Praise, Lord, for Thee in Zion waits. Psalms lxv. 3. The Christian like his Lord of old. Psalms cxl. 4. The Lord of all my Shepherd is. Psalms xxiii. 5. The Lord of heaven to earth is come. Psalms xcviii. 6. Thy mercy, Lord, the sinner's hope. Psalms xxxvi. 7. To Thee, O Lord, in deep distress. Psalms cxlii. Sometimes given as "To God I turned in wild distress." 8. Uphold me, Lord, too prone to stray. Psalms i. 9. When Jesus to our [my] rescue came. Psalms cxxvi. These versions appeared in the 1st edition of Lyte's Spirit of the Psalms, 1834. It must be noted that the texts of the 1834, the 1836, and the 3rd ed., 1858, vary considerably, but Lyte was not responsible for the alterations and omissions in the last, which was edited by another hand for use at St. Mark's, Torquay. Lyte's version of Psalms xxix., "Glory and praise to Jehovah on high" (p. 706, ii., 22), first appeared in his Poems, 1st ed., 1833, p. 25. Read also No. 39 as "Lord, I look for all to Thee." --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

S. E .L.

Person Name: S. E. L. Hymnal Number: 154 Author of "Ready" in Hymns and Spiritual Songs Number Two

Lucy Rider Meyer

1849 - 1922 Person Name: L. R. M. Hymnal Number: 70 Author of "He Was Not Willing" in Hymns and Spiritual Songs Number Two Lucy Jane Rider Meyer MD USA 1849-1922. Born at New Haven, VT, she became an author, social worker, teacher, and physician. She attended the New Hampton Literary Institution (a college prep school) and the Upham Theological Seminary. She also went to Oberlin College, graduating in 1872 with her degree in literary studies. In 1873 she entered the Women’s Medical College of PA, but withdrew after two years. She intended to become a Methodist medical missionary, but changed her mind after her then-fiance died in 1875. She did not get her medical degree until 1887, when she obtained it from the Women’s Medical College of Chicago. In 1884 she taught Bible at the Dwight L Moody Young Ladies Seminary, Northfield, MA. In 1885 she met and married a Chicago Methodist pastor and businessman, Rv Josiah Shelley Meyer (1849-1926), also Assistant Secretary for the YMCA in Chicago. He had great business acumen. She called him “Papa”.. he called her “Jennie”. They had a son, Shelly. Lucy became an educator, serving as principal of the Troy Conference Academy in Poultney, VT. After studying chemistry at M.I.T. (1877-78), she became a professor of chemistry for two years at McKendree Coillege in Lebanon, IL (1879-81). She did not wish to continue teaching chemistry. She was a good illustrator and later wrote an introductory book for children about chemistry, titled ‘The fairy land of chemistry’ (1887). From 1881-1884 she served as field secretary fror the IL State Sunday School Association and attended the 1880 World Sunday School Convention in London, England. She felt that people wanting to become religious teachers needed better training. In 1885 she and her husband opened the ‘Chicago Training School for City, Home, and Foreign Missions’. She was its first principal (1885-1917) and her husband its first superintendent. The school trained young women, offering a broad curriculum of Bible study, theology, church history, economics, sociology, and basic medical training. There was some adversity to the school by outsiders, thinking a women’s place was in the home. She is credited with reviving the office of the female deacon (or deaconess) in the U.S. Methodist Episcopal Church. In faith, she was liberal, while he was more conservative, believing the Bible should be taught literally. He did most of that teaching at the school, insisting on its interpretation as written. In 1887 Meyer began preparing some women students of her school to become deacons, with a mission of working in tenement communities. She set up the Methodist Deaconess Home and appointed her former student, Isabella Thoburn, as the first house mother and superintendent, even designing a uniform for the new women deacons. In 1888 the Methodist Episcopal Church recognized the office of deaconess. A similar school was set up in Boston, MA in 1889, with another following in Toronto, Canada in 1894. They took vacations, but she preferred a wilderness environment and he did not, so they had one wilderness vacation property and later another retreat in MI, closer to Chicago, to compromise on both travel distance and environment. She edited a periodical called ‘The message’ and later changed its name to ‘The deaconess advocate’, (1884-1914). In 1889 she published a history of the female diaconate: ‘Deaconesses: Biblical, early church, European, American’. In 1908 she founded the Methodist Deaconess Association. She and her husband resigned from the Chicago Training School in 1917, having graduated over 5000 students, but thinking they could not continue with the school as their opinions for its operation were becoming more and more divergent. They moved to CA for a year and enjoyed their retirement, she suffering from several debilitating maladies, but got much of her strength back as a result. They returned to Chicago and tried to help their school in various ways for the next couple of years. Her health eventually worsened and she died. He returned to the west coast, but never really got over losing his wife. The school later merged with the Garrett Biblical Institute in Evanston, IL. She is credited with initiating 40 institutions/homes for unfortunates. She died in Chicago. She published five works. John Perry

J. H. Fillmore

1849 - 1936 Hymnal Number: 74 Composer of "[Forward, forward! Forward Go, for the Lord is with thee]" in Hymns and Spiritual Songs Number Two James Henry Fillmore USA 1849-1936. Born at Cincinnati, OH, he helped support his family by running his father's singing school. He married Annie Eliza McKrell in 1880, and they had five children. After his father's death he and his brothers, Charles and Frederick, founded the Fillmore Brothers Music House in Cincinnati, specializing in publishing religious music. He was also an author, composer, and editor of music, composing hymn tunes, anthems, and cantatas, as well as publishing 20+ Christian songbooks and hymnals. He issued a monthly periodical “The music messsenger”, typically putting in his own hymns before publishing them in hymnbooks. Jessie Brown Pounds, also a hymnist, contributed song lyrics to the Fillmore Music House for 30 years, and many tunes were composed for her lyrics. He was instrumental in the prohibition and temperance efforts of the day. His wife died in 1913, and he took a world tour trip with single daughter, Fred (a church singer), in the early 1920s. He died in Cincinnati. His son, Henry, became a bandmaster/composer. John Perry

Jeremiah Ingalls

1764 - 1838 Hymnal Number: 173 Composer of "[Come, ye sinners, poor and needy]" in Hymns and Spiritual Songs Number Two Jeremiah Ingalls USA 1764-1838. Born at Andover, MA, his father died of hardships from the American Revolutionary War when he was thirteen. In VT, he worked as a farmer, Cooper, Taverner, and choirmaster. He mastered the bass viol (similar to a cello) and became a composer. He moved to Newbury, VT, in 1787, and in 1791 he married Mary (Polly) Bigelow of Westminster, MA, and they had eleven children (nine living to adulthood): Smith, Jeremiah, Joshua, Jeremiah, Mary, Moses, Elizabeth, John, Almyra, Isaac, and Hannah. He taught singing and began leading the singing at the First Congregational Church there. The choir became well-known, and people came from miles around to hear them sing. In 1800 he built and operated a tavern. He also worked as a cooper. In 1803 he became a deacon, and in 1805 he published a song book, “Christian Harmony”, that contained folk and popular songs with tunes used in spiritual songs sung in early religious revivals and campmeetings, some becoming hymns in later song books. It was said that at times he would be so immersed in his music that his livelihood suffered as a result. He was removed and excommunicated from his church in 1810, having a falling out with the church due to marriage infidelity that he refused to repent of. He ran his tavern for a number of years, but finally sold it and moved to Rochester, VT, in 1819, where he became the first choirmaster of the Church of Christ. His tenure there was successful, and he was a signer of the document establishing construction of the first church building in Rochester (1812). Later, his son, John, succeeded him as choirmaster there. the family’s last move was to a farm near Hancock, VT. He was described as short, portly, good-humored, and absentminded, and having a high voice, but singing bass well. His family was musical, some noted for their musical abilities. A singing society in VT was named for him and promoted singing events. Some of his music became well-known around the world. He died at Hancock, VT. Note: It is said that he wrote a letter to the First Congregational Church in Westminster 18 years after departing repenting of his infidelity (allegedly after his illegitimate son, Thomas, was of age, but the letter was lost in church records, although the church said they had received it. John Perry

Mary A. Lathbury

1841 - 1913 Hymnal Number: 157 Author of "Day is Dying in the West" in Hymns and Spiritual Songs Number Two Lathbury, Mary Ann, was born in Manchester, Ontario County, New York, Aug. 10, 1841. Miss Lathbury writes somewhat extensively for the American religious periodical press, and is well and favourably known (see the Century Magazine, Jan., 1885, p. 342). Of her hymns which have come into common use we have:— 1. Break Thou the bread of life. Communion with God. A "Study Song" for the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, written in the summer of 1880. It is in Horder's (Eng.) Congregational Hymns, 1884. 2. Day is dying in the west. Evening. "Written at the request of the Rev. John H. Vincent, D.D., in the summer of 1880. It was a "Vesper Song," and has been frequently used in the responsive services of the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle." It is in the Laudes Domini, N. Y., 1884. For these details we are indebted to S. W. Duffield's English Hymns, &c, N. Y., 1886. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) ================== Lathbury, Mary A., p. 640, i. Another hymn by this writer is, "Lift up, lift up thy voice with singing." [Praise to Christ), in Sankey's Sacred Songs & Solos, 1878. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

Phoebe Palmer Knapp

1839 - 1908 Person Name: Mrs. Jos. F. Knapp Hymnal Number: 196 Composer of "[Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!]" in Hymns and Spiritual Songs Number Two As a young girl Phoebe Palmer Knapp (b. New York, NY, 1839; d. Poland Springs, ME, 1908) displayed great musical talent; she composed and sang children’s song at an early age. The daughter of the Methodist evangelist Walter C. Palmer, she was married to John Fairfield Knapp at the age of sixteen. Her husband was a founder of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, and after his death, she shared her considerable inherited wealth with various charitable organizations. She composed over five hundred gospel songs, of which the tunes for “Blessed Assurance” and “Open the Gates of the Temple” are still popular today. Bert Polman

John J. Husband

1760 - 1825 Person Name: J. J. Husband Hymnal Number: 220 Composer of "[We praise Thee, O God! for the Son of thy love]" in Hymns and Spiritual Songs Number Two Rv John Jenkins Husband United Kingdom 1760-1825. Born in Plymouth, England, he worked as a clerk at Surrey Chapel. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1809 and taught music in Philadelphia, PA. It is surmised that he married Anna Elizabeth Kirkhum, but no other family information was found. An author and composer, he also worked as a clerk at St. Paul’s Protestant Episcopal Church. In 1807 he published “A collection of hymns & Psalms for the use of singing school & musical societies”. He died in Philadelphia, PA. John Perry