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John R. Sweney
1837 - 1899 Person Name: Jno. R. Sweney Composer of "[Oh, wondrous love that Jesus shows]" in Melodious Sonnets 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
John R. Sweney
W. H. Geistweit
1857 - 1936 Author of "Oh, Wondrous Love!" in Melodious Sonnets In 1900, Geistweit was living in Cook County, Illinois. He was pastor of the First Baptist Church in Peoria, Illinois, in 1909, and was there also in 1910. As of 1920, he was in St. Louis, Missouri. His works include:
The Young Christian and His Bible, 1906
Mary’s Story, 1904
Heart Talks on Every Day Themes for Every Day People, 1904
Present Needs in Young People’s Work, 1909
--www.hymntime.com/tch/
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Geistweit, William Henry. (Jonestown, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, October 24, 1857--March 11, 1936, San Diego, California). Baptist. Son of Pennsylvania Dutch and Huguenot parents. Shurtleff College, D.D. 1902 or 1903. Pastorates at Camden, New Jersey, 1885-1890; Minneapolis, 1891-1896; Galesburg, Illinois, 1897-1899; Chicago, 1900-1906; Peoria, Ill., 1907-1910; San Diego, 1911-1916; St. Louis, 1917-1922; Dayton, 1923-1929; Alhambra, Calif., 1932. At age fourteen began work in a newspaper office to learn the printing business. For five of the ten years in this business he was manager of the mechanical work on the Sunday School Times. Spent two years as general secretary of the Camden Association of the YMCA. Active in the organization and publications of the Baptist Young People's Union of America, founded in Chicago in 1891, and served on its Board of Managers. Member of the Executive Committee of the Northern Baptist Convention, 1912-1919. President of the American Baptist Publication Society, 1923-1924. Wrote a few hymns published in two collections, Melodious Sonnets (Philadelphia, 1885) and Joyful Wing. In addition, Burrage prints a three-stanza hymn beginning "Blessed Savior, my salvation I will trust in thee."
Also, with Mrs. L.J.P. Bishop, he compiled and arranged a collection entitled The Ministry of Song: A Choice Selection of Hymns and Sacred Songs for Use in Junior Unions and Societies (Chicago: Baptist Young People's Union of America, 1900).
--Deborah Carlton Loftis, DNAH Archives
W. H. Geistweit
