1850 - 1909 Composer of "[The sky is overcast with clouds of gloom]" in Gospel Bells John W. Bischoff was born in 1849, became blind at the age of two years, came to the Congregational Church as organist and choir-director at the age of twenty-five, and remained thirty-five years up to the date of his death on Memorial Day, May 30, 1909. He was a prolific composer, most of his work being of the lyric style. In his first book, Crystal Songs, compiled in 1877 with the assistance of Otis F. Presbrey, there are thirty-two tunes of his compoistion. During many years of his service he provided music loves with a series of monthly concerts, at which a high grade of music was rendered.
American writers and compilers of sacred music by Frank J. Metcalf (New York; Cincinnati: Abingdon Press, 1925)
J. W. Bischoff