Judson W. Van DeVenter was born 15 December 1855 on a farm near the village of Dundee, Michigan. He was educated in the country and village schools, and at Hillsdale College. He later moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. He wrote about 100 hymns.
Dianne Shapiro, from "The Singers and Their Songs: sketches of living gospel hymn writers" by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (Chicago: The Rodeheaver Company, 1916) Go to person page >
Display Title: Climbing Eternity's StairFirst Line: Up from the dark, gloomy vale of the riverTune Title: [Up from the dark, gloomy vale of the river]Author: J. W. Van De VenterDate: 1894