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Emily Huntington Miller

1833 - 1913 Person Name: Emily H. Miller Author of "I love to hear the story" in The Presbyterian Book of Praise Miller, Emily, née Huntingdon, daughter of the Rev. Thomas Huntington, D.D., was born at Brooklyn, Connecticut, Oct. 22, 1833: and was subsequently married to Professor Miller. Mrs. Miller is joint editor of The Little Corporal, published at Chicago, in which several of her poetical pieces appeared. Of her hymns the most widely known are:— 1. Enter Thy temple, glorious King. Opening of a Place of Worship. This was written for the opening of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at Akron, Ohio, 1861; and is in several collections, including the Methodist Episcopal Hymnal, 1878. 2. I love to hear the story. Early Piety. Written for and published in The Little Corporal, 1867. This is in extensive use in Great Britain and America. It was included in Hymns Ancient & Modern, in 1875. 3. Beyond the dark river of death. Heaven. 4. Blessed are the children. Early Piety. 5. Father, while the shadows fall. Evening. 6. Hark, the chorus swelling. Christmas. 7. I love the name of Jesus. Holy Name Jesus. 8. Jesus bids us shine. Early Piety. 9. Stay, trembling soul, and do not fear. Holy Communion. 10. Work and never weary, though thy strength be small. Perseverance. Of these hymns, No. 7 is in the 1878 Additional Hymns to the Leeds Sunday School Hymn Book; No. 8, is in Barrett's Book of Praise for Children, 1881; No. 9, in Common Praise, 1879; and Nos. 4, 5, 6, and 10, in E. Hodder's New Sunday School Hymn Book, 2nd ed., 1868. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907) ======================= Miller, Emily, née Huntington, p. 1579, ii. Of Mrs. Miller's hymns, Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 10 were written for and first printed in The Little Corporal, as follows: 4—April, 1868; 5—Aug. 1868; 6—May, 1868; and 10—Sept. 1868. Nos. 7, 8, and 9 are not hers. No. 8, "Jesus bids us shine," she informs us is by Susan Warner. [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

Jennette Threlfall

1821 - 1880 Person Name: Jeannette Threlfall Author of "I'd choose to be a daisy" in The Sunday School Hymnary Jeannette Threlfall’s (b. Blackburn, Lancashire, England, 1821; d. Westminster, London, 1880) life was extremely difficult: she was orphaned at an early age, and two serious accidents caused her to be an invalid for life. But she bore her misfortune with grace and fortitude and maintained a ministry to many people who came in contact with her. Threlfall wrote devotional verse, which was published anonymously in various periodicals and later collected in Woodsorrel, or Leaves from a Retired Home (1856) and Sunshine and Shadow (1873), which included "Hosanna, Loud Hosanna." Bert Polman ================ Threlfall, Jeannette. This sweet singer of hymns and other sacred poems, was born in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire, on 24th March, 1821. She was the daughter of Henry Threlfall, wine merchant, and Catherine Eccles, the latter a somewhat noticeable local family, who disapproved of the marriage. She was early left an orphan, and became the "beloved inmate" (as a memorial-card bears) of the households successively of her uncle and aunt Bannister and Mary Jane Eccles, at Park Place, Blackburn, and Golden Hill, Leyland; and later of their daughter, the late Sarah Alice Aston, and her husband, of Dean's Yard, Westminster. Latterly she met with a sad accident that lamed and mutilated her for life, and a second rendered her a helpless invalid. She bore her long slow sufferings brightly, and to the end retained a gentle, loving, sympathetic heart, and always a pleasant word and smile, forgetful of herself. Throughout she was a great reader, and at "idle moments" threw off with ease her sacred poems and hymns. These were sent anonymously to various periodicals. They were first collected and issued in a small volume, entitled Woodsorrel; or, Leaves from a Retired Home. By J. T., London: J. Nisbet, 1856. There are thirty-five poems in all. They do not appear to have won any notice except among friends. Years later she selected 15 pieces from Woodsorrel and added 55 others, and published them as Sunshine and Shadow. Poems by Jeannette Threlfall. With Introduction by the Lord Bishop of Lincoln [Wordsworth]. London: (Hunt), 1873. A 3rd edition (1880) is entitled New Edition. With In Memoriam from the Sermons of the Dean of Westminster and Canon Farrar. Bp. Wordsworth praises her poems, and observes:— "It is an occasion for great thankfulness to be able to point to poems, such as many of those in the present volume, in which considerable mental powers and graces of composition are blended with pure religious feeling, and hallowed by sound doctrine and fervent devotion." The sacred poems are not very well wrought, nor at all noticeable in thought or sentiment. But all through one feels that a sweet spirit utters itself. She died on 30th November, 1880, and was interred at Highgate Cemetery, 4th Dec, 1880. [Rev. A. B. Grosart, D.D., LL.D.] Of Miss Threlfall's hymns those in common use include:— 1. Hosanna! loud hosanna, The little children sang. Palm Sunday. 2. I think of Thee, O Saviour. Good Friday. 3. Lo, to us a child is born. Christmas. 4. Thou bidd'st us seek Thee early. Early Piety. 5. We praise Thee in the morning. Morning. 6. When from Egypt's house of bondage. Children as Pilgrims. These hymns are all taken from Miss Threlfall's Sunshine and Shadow, 1873. No. 2 was written during a dangerous illness, at her dictation, by a friend. No. 1 is the most widely used of her compositions. -- Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) =============== Threlfall, Jennette, p. 1171, ii. Another piece, included in the Sunday School Hymnary, 1905, is "I'd choose to be a daisy" (Lambs of Jesus). In her Woodsorrel, 1857, p. 97, entitled "The Child's Choice." Her "I think of Thee, O Saviour," is also from the same work. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907)

George F. Root

1820 - 1895 Person Name: G. F. Root Composer of "ELLON" in The Presbyterian Book of Praise Root, George F., MUS. DOC, born in Sheffield, Berkshire County, Mass., Aug. 30, 1820. He is much more widely known as a composer of popular music than as a hymn writer. Four of his hymns are in I. D. Sankey's Sacred Songs & Solos, 1878. Nos. 16, 100, 293, and 297. A sympathetic biographical sketch, with portrait, is in The Tonic Sol-Fa Reporter, Sep. 1886. He died Aug. 6, 1895. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907) ===================== George Frederick Root was born in Sheffield, Mass., August 30, 1820. His father moved to North Reading, near Boston, when the boy was six years old, and there his youth was spent. He was always fond of music— not singing at all as a boy, but played upon every kind of instrument that came in his way. At thirteen it was his pride that he could "play a tune" on as many instruments as he was years old. His dream of life was to be a musician, although such an ambition was looked down upon by all his relatives and friends, excepting a fond mother. In the fall of 1838 he went to Boston and made an engagement to work for Mr. A. N. Johnson and take lessons on the piano. His father and one of the brothers were at the time in South America, and the mother, with six younger children, was at home on the farm. When he secured the engagement with Mr. Johnson to receive three dollars a week and board and lessons, the neighbors became interested and encouraged him to go ahead, they promising to help look after the farm and see that the family got along. The young man's happiness over these events can better be imagined than described. On the second day of October, 1838, he entered upon his duties in his new heaven on earth located at Harmony Hall, Mr. Johnson's music-room, in Boston. His duties were to see to the fires, care for the room, answer callers, give information about Mr. Johnson when he was out, and practice his lessons when not otherwise engaged. He worked industriously and made steady progress. It was but a few weeks till Mr. Johnson had him playing for the prayer-meeting, and but a few more till he began turning over pupils to him. In about seven weeks' time Mr. Johnson encouraged him by a considerable increase of salary. A most important event to him was meeting Dr. Lowell Mason and being accepted as a bass singer in the celebrated Bowdoin Street choir. Also, on Mr. Johnson's recommendation, he began taking private voice lessons of Mr. Geo. Jas. Webb, the then celebrated voice teacher of Boston. He continued at least a year with Mr. Webb. His first real singing class was taught the following fall, 1839, at the North End. It lasted nearly through the winter, and on the closing night his class made him a present of a silver goblet, suitably engraved, which he kept among his treasures. Before the first year was up Mr. Johnson proposed a five year partnership, by which Mr. Root was to receive one-third of their earnings, and the former was to have the privilege of visiting Germany part of the time if he chose. They then changed their quarters to three rooms in the basement of Park Street Church. The annual rental was six hundred dollars. They were kept quite busy. At this time Dr. Mason's music teaching in the public schools was a growing success, and Messrs. Johnson and Root were employed to assist him. Drs. Mason and Webb had introduced what is now called Musical Conventions a year or two previous to this. They called them "The Teachers' Class." Teachers and singers were called to Boston from surrounding territory to study and practice pretty much as they do now at normals. In 1841 Mr. Root became one of the teachers in this class. He taught vocal training and continued this work for years afterward in Dr. Mason's teachers' classes, and later incorporated the same method in his own normals. During this year Mr. Johnson went to Germany, and left the two large church choirs (Winter Street and Park Street) in charge of Mr. Root. One of the organs was played by a pupil — Mr. S. A. Bancroft. Everything went smoothly during Mr. Johnson's absence as it did also after his return. During the last year of the five-year partnership, Mr. Root was called to take the organ at Bowdoin Street, Mr. Mason changing to Winter Street. An amicable settlement was made between Messrs. Johnson and Root, and the partnership dissolved. In 1811, Mr. Jacob Abbott (father of Lyman Abbott)and his three brothers had established a young ladies' school in New York City. They wanted a music teacher, and offered the position to Mr. Root. They also secured him the organ and choir of the Mercer Street Church, with prospects for other good work. It required pretty strong persuasive arguments to tempt Mr. Root to leave Boston, he was doing well there, and as the sequel shows, there was an attraction in Boston that held him in too tight a grasp to be relinquished by the mere offer of greater power and place. He made up his mind, however, only after getting the consent of the powders of Boston to take with him this [to him] the greatest attraction of the city — Miss Mary Olive Woodman — an accomplished lady, a sweet singer, and a member of a prominent family of musicians. He went to New York first to prepare a home, and in August, 1845, returned for his bride, who took her place in his New York choir as leading soprano, and through his long and eventful career she was ever at his side, a true helpmeet. He was soon employed at Rutger's Female Institute, Miss Haines' School for Young Ladies, Union Theological Seminary and the New York State Institution for the Blind. Within six weeks after he arrived in New York his time was fully occupied. He continued with Mr. Abbott's young ladies' school ten years. While teaching in New York he continued his summer work with Messrs. Mason and Webb in Teachers' Classes. Up to the year 1849 he had written but little music; only a few hymn tunes while in Boston. He needed more music for the young ladies of his schools, so he made his first book, The Young Ladies' Choir, of which he had enough copies made for his own use, as he had no thought of offering it to the public. Then in connection with Mr. J. E. Sweetser, they compiled the Root and Sweetser's Collection. Mr. Root did work enough for two men, hence broke down in health. Mr. Abbott suggested that he take a trip to Paris. After weighing the matter carefully, in December, 1853, he sailed, and in due time arrived at Paris, where he began studying French, voice culture and piano under celebrated teachers. After spending nearly a year abroad, he returned home in improved health and ready for active work. He began to feel the need of new music for his classes, and after some thought decided upon a musical play ; the subject and title, The Flower Queen. At the Institution for the Blind was a young lady, a former pupil, but now a teacher who had shown some poetical talent. He asked her to help him with the words. He would suggest in prose what the flowers might say and she would put it into rhyme. She did it so well that it seldom needed any alteration. This lady was the now famous Fanny Crosby. The cantata became very popular. About this time Mr. Root wrote a half dozen simple songs for the people. They all sold pretty well, but Hazel Dell and Rosalie, the Prairie Flower, became the most popular, and had a large sale. It was in the summer of 1853 that the first real normal was held. Mr. Root originated it, and held it in New York. The principal teachers were Messrs. Mason, Root, Hastings, and Bradbury. This school became famous. Sessions were also held at North Reading, Mass., a village near Mr. Root's "Willow Farm Home," with Dr. Mason, Mr. Webb, Mr. Bradbury and himself as principal teachers. About this time Mr. Root decided to give up his work in New York, and devote himself entirely to conventions, normal work and authorship. He was eminently successful. Among the most eminent teachers and composers of our country have been students in Dr. Geo. F. Root's Normal Musical Institute. In 1860 Dr. Root settled in Chicago and entered the music publishing business with his brother E. T. Root, and C. M. Cady, as "Root & Cady," Mr. Root's reputation being the most important capital of the firm. His books and popular songs soon made the new firm prosperous. Then came the war with its horror. Dr. Root wielded his musical sword in the way of writing war songs, which made him famous. The Battle Cry of Freedom, Just Before the Battle, Mother, and others, made thousands of dollars for the music house. In the great Chicago fire of 1871 the interests of the firm of Root & Cady became engulfed in the general ruin. Their loss was upward of a quarter of a million dollars. They then sold their book catalogue, plates and copyrights to John Church & Co., of Cincinnati, and the sheet music plates and copyrights to S. Brainard's Sons, Cleveland. These sales realized about §130,000. The final result was that Dr. Root, his talented son F. W., and others became connected with John Church & Co. Under this new business relationship Mr. Root went right on with his normal and convention work; also issued a great many new books and cantatas. In 1872 the Chicago University very worthily conferred upon him the degree Doctor of Music. In 1886 he made a trip to Scotland and England, and arranged with publishers to issue some of his cantatas. He was royally received. Dr. Root was the author of about seventy-five books, nearly two hundred songs in sheet form, and many popular gospel songs. Dr. Root occupies a prominent place in the musical history of this country. It was Dr. Mason who lifted music from almost nothing and gave it an impetus, but he left no better follower than Dr. Root to carry on his work. He was a man of spotless integrity and high Christian character, and to know him was to love him. At the time of Dr. Root's death he was at Bailey Island, Maine, a summer resort, where he and other relatives had cottages. On August 6, 1895, he was seized with neuralgia of the heart — and died within one hour. He was buried at North Reading, Mass., his old home. --Hall, J. H. (c1914). Biographies of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers. New York: Fleming H. Revell Company.

Anonymous

Author of "The Wise May Bring Their Learning" in The Mennonite Hymnary, published by the Board of Publication of the General Conference of the Mennonite Church of North America In some hymnals, the editors noted that a hymn's author is unknown to them, and so this artificial "person" entry is used to reflect that fact. Obviously, the hymns attributed to "Author Unknown" "Unknown" or "Anonymous" could have been written by many people over a span of many centuries.

E. Miller

Person Name: Miss E. Miller Author of "Because He Loved Me So" in New Junior Songs

Walter Eli Yoder

1889 - 1964 Person Name: Walter E. Yoder, 1889-1964 Arranger of "GOD'S TEMPLE" in The Christian Hymnary. Bks. 1-4

Elizabeth A. Showalter

Person Name: Elizabeth A. Showalter (b. 1907) Author of "My Body is God's Temple" in The Christian Hymnary. Bks. 1-4

John J. Overholt

1918 - 2000 Arranger (harmony) of "GOD'S TEMPLE" in The Christian Hymnary. Bks. 1-4 John J. Overholt was born to an Amish family of limited means in the state of Ohio in 1918. As a child he was soon introduced to his father's personal collection of gospel songs and hymns, which was to have a marked influence on his later life. With his twin brother Joe, he early was exposed to the Amish-Mennonite tradition hymn-singing and praising worship. An early career in Christian service led to a two-year period of relief work in the country of Poland following World War II. During that interim he began to gather many European songs and hymns as a personal hobby, not realizing that these selections would become invaluable to The Christian Hymnary which was begun in 1960 and completed twelve years later in 1972, with a compilation of 1000 songs, hymns and chorales. (The largest Menn. hymnal). A second hymnal was begun simultaneously in the German language entitled Erweckungs Lieder Nr.1 which was brought to completion in 1986. This hymnal has a total of 200 selections with a small addendum of English hymns. Mr. Overholt married in 1965 to an accomplished soprano Vera Marie Sommers, who was not to be outdone by her husband's creativity and compiled a hymnal of 156 selections entitled Be Glad and Sing, directed to children and youth and first printed in 1986. During this later career of hymn publishing, Mr. Overholt also found time for Gospel team work throughout Europe. At this writing he is preparing for a 5th consecutive tour which he arranges and guides. The countries visited will be Belgium, Switzerland, France, Germany, Poland, USSR and Romania. Mr. Overholt was called to the Christian ministry in 1957 and resides at Sarasota, Florida where he is co-minister of a Beachy Amish-Mennonite Church. Five children were born to this family and all enjoy worship in song. --Letter from Hannah Joanna Overholt to Mary Louise VanDyke, 10 October 1990, DNAH Archives. Photo enclosed.

S. W. Partridge

b. 1810 Author of "How dearly God must love us" in The Sunday School Hymnary Partridge, Samuel William, publisher of the British Workman and kindred works, is the son of Samuel Partridge, and was born in London Nov. 23, 1810. His hymns were published in his Important Truths in Simple Verse, 1841; Rhymes Worth Remembering, 1848. From the former his popular hymn, "How dearly God must love us" (Flower Services), is taken. Another of his hymns in common use is, "Thou Who hast in mercy blest" (Morning). This is in The Church Sunday School Hymn Book, 1868. --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)

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