Person Results

John J. Overholt

1918 - 2000 Arranger of "THE LILY OF THE VALLEY" in The Christian Hymnary 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.

W. T. Dale

1845 - 1924 Arranger of "[I have found a friend in Jesus]" in Times of Refreshing

J. H. Tenney

1840 - 1918 Composer of "[I've found a Friend in Jesus, He's ev'rything to me]" in Dawning Light John Harrison Tenney, 1840-1918 Born: November 22, 1840, Rowley, Massachusetts. Born just after the presidential campaign of "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too," Tenney was named after American president William Henry Harrison. A deacon in the Congregational Church in Linebrook, Massachusetts, he edited or was associate editor of over 30 books, and contributed to hundreds more. His works include: American Male Choir Temperance Jewels, with Elisha Hoffman (Boston, Massachusetts: Oliver Ditson & Company, 1879) Bells of Victory, with Elisha Hoffman (Boston, Massachusetts: Oliver Ditson & Company, 1888) Gems of Gospel Song Golden Sunbeams Sharon’s Dewy Rose Songs of Faith Shining Light Songs of Joy Sparkling and Bright Spiritual Songs, Nos. 1 and 2 Sweet Fields of Eden The Beacon Light The Singing School Banner The Anthem Offering The American Anthem Book The Crown of Praise Sources-- Hall, pp. 219-22 Music-- Asilomar Bogotá Beyond the Swelling Flood Cancún Come to Jesus Ever Will I Pray Hallowed Hour of Prayer Jesus Is Passing This Way Jubilate! My Anchor Is Holding Nothing Between Onward Christian Soldiers Sabbath Bell San Francisco We’ll Never Say Goodbye Where Will You Spend Eternity? --www.hymntime.com/tch

Robert Murray

1832 - 1910 Person Name: R. Murray Arranger of "[I have found a friend in Jesus]" in Triumphant Songs No.5 Murray, Robert, Minister of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, born Dec. 25, 1832, is the author of "From ocean unto ocean" (National Hymn), and "Lord, Thou lov'st the cheerful giver" (Almsgiving), in the Scotch Church Hymnary, 1898. [Rev. James Bonar M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, New Supplement (1907) ====================== Murray, Robert. (Earltown, Nova Scotia, December 25, 1832--December 12, 1910, Halifax, N.S.). Presbyterian. Study at Halifax's Free Church College yielded him a licence to preach, but instead of seeking ordination he edited (1855-1910) his denomination's principal periodical in the Maritimes, Presbyterian Witness. In its pages, and from pulpits, he strongly supported controversial causes like temperance, Sunday observance, and the Confederation of 1867 (which in Halifax was greeting with a day of public mourning). These interests are reflected in his four hymns included in Canadian Presbyterians' first Hymnal (1880)--though, as the sole native-born contributor, he attached to them only the initial "M." to avoid giving the impression of claiming equality with poets of the homeland. --Hugh D. McKellar, DNAH Archives

E. Hanks

Arranger of "[I have found a friend in Jesus]" in A. M. E. C. Hymnal

Enrique Turrall

1867 - 1953 Translator of "Hallé un buen amigo" in Himnos de la Iglesia Enrique S. Turrall worked in Spain. He saw a need for hymns that expressed life's emotional experiences. He wrote and translated hymns for funerals, weddings and other special occasions. Dianne Shapiro from Celebremos su Gloria (Colombia/Illinois: Libros Alianza/Celebration), 1992

Will S. Hays

1837 - 1907 Person Name: William S. Hays Composer of "SALVATIONIST" in Sing the Faith William Shakespeare Hays USA 1837-1907. Born in Louisville, KY, he attended colleges in IN, TN, and KY, after which he became a reporter for the “Louisville Democrat” newspaper. He later became a columnist for the “Louisville Courier-Journal” after a stint as a steamboat captain on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. During the Civil War Hays was jailed in New Orleans, LA, for writing songs that supported the Confederate cause. Musically inclined, he wrote about 350 songs. The song “Mollie Darling” (1872) sold a million copies. As with some other hymns, the tune of his popular vaudeville song, “Little old log cabin” was adapted to the new hymn by the lyricist, C W Fry, who wrote “Lily of the valley”. He died in his hometown, Louisville, KY. John Perry

Susan H. Peterson

1950 - 2004 Author of "Come and Hear the Words of Jesus" in The Cyber Hymnal Born: October 17, 1950, Port Angeles, Washington. Died: July 23, 2004, Peralta, New Mexico. Susan was the second of two girls in the family. Her father worked for the National Park Service, so Susan enjoyed growing up in National Parks and Historic Sites across America. She did her undergraduate work at Stanford University and earned a BS in mathematics in 1972. The next year she took a one-year graduate program at Multnomah School of the Bible in Portland, Oregon, and received a Certificate of Bible upon completion. She decided not to pursue a career in computer science, as she had originally intended, instead embarking on a series of jobs in which she honed her office skills and gained some missions experience. She spent 1976 in Tanzania under the Africa Inland Mission. Upon her return, she settled in Portland, Oregon, where she learned word processing and did editing and proofreading. In 1990, Susan decided to go back to school to learn how to work with visually impaired and blind adults. She received her MA in rehabilitation teaching of the blind from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1991. She then moved to Fort Collins, Colorado, where she worked as an editor and desktop publishing technician for 10 years and did volunteer rehabilitation teaching in her spare time. Much of Susan’s editing and desktop publishing work was on books produced by the Missions Commission of World Evangelical Alliance, including Working Your Way to the Nations, Too Valuable to Lose, Send Me!, Global Missiology for the 21st Century, and Doing Member Care Well. She also worked part time for Emergency World, a company that produced training materials for emergency response personnel. Susan moved back to Oregon in 2002, where she continued the same work she did in Colorado. For several years, Susan worked with Wycliffe Associates as part of a team that helped keyboard Bibles and New Testaments that were printed before the age of computers and that needed to be put into electronic format, so that they could be updated or adapted for other languages. Susan’s career as a hymn writer began in 1997, when she set a goal of writing 100 hymns. Her method was to select a passage of Scripture for each song and then find a hymn tune that seemed to fit the passage. She thus combined the enduring Word of God with melodies that have stood the test of time. Her songs were a blessing to her, and she was pleased to be able to share them with others. Lyrics: Alpha, Omega Ascribe to the Lord Our God Be Now Imitators of Your Lord Be Strong in God Behold, These Words Are Trustworthy and True Blest Are the Poor Blest Is the Man Christ a Blind Man Saw One Day Clothe Yourself with Humility Come and Hear the Words of Jesus Come unto Me Count It Joy Cursed Is the One Who Trusts in Man Do Not Be Surprised Do Not Worry Earth Belongs to the Lord, The Everyone Should Be Quick to Listen Faith Means We’re Sure Faith of Our Brothers For unto Us a Child Is Born Give Thanks to God the Lord God, Keep Me Safe God Most High, We Praise You God, the Blessed and Only Ruler God the Lord Does Ask Hallelujah, Praise the Lord! He Has Given Us His Promises Hear Now My Praise, O Lord Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty How Can I, Lord, Keep My Way Pure? How Good It Is, Lord How Great the Love How Many Are Your Works, Lord I Am the Lord, Your God I Am the Vine I Extol You, O Lord I Kneel Before You, Lord I Praise You, Lord If Any Person Is in Christ If You Love Me If You Would Come After Me In You, O Lord, I Put My Trust It Is Good to Praise th’Almighty Jesus, the Good Shepherd Jonah Just Trust in Me Kingdom of Your Heavenly Father, The Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled Let Your Mindset Be the Same Live with Each Other in Love Lord, I Extol Your Name Lord, We Come and Offer Praise Lord, You Have Been Our Dwelling Lord, You Have Searched Me Lord, You’ve Called Us as Your Servants Love Must Be Sincere and Honest Lovely, O Lord, Is Your Dwelling Place Majestic Is Your Name Man Named Nicodemus, A My God, in Whom I Trust My Light and My Salvation My Soul Finds Rest in God Alone Now Let Us Love Each Other Now That You’ve Tasted O Come, Let Us Sing O God, You Are My God O Lord, Life Is Sacred O Lord, You Reign o’er Earth and Sea O Lord, You’re My Shepherd O May All the Peoples Praise You O Shout for Joy Oh, How Majestic and Glorious Oh, the Depth of God’s Wisdom One Day There’ll Be New Earth and Heaven One Named Lazarus Praise Be unto Our God Ephesians Praise Him, Praise Him, Praise Him Praise, O Servants of the Lord Praise the Lord, My Soul Put Off Your Old Self Wholly Rejoice in God Savior, Like a Shepherd Since Through God’s Mercy Since We Are Now Surrounded Since We Have Confidence Sing to the Lord Sing with Joy This God’s Our God Though I Speak To Whom Will You Compare God? Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart Unto You I Lift My Soul Up Up to the Hills I Look We Now Have Peace with God We Thank You, Lord Wedding Took Place, A Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant What Good Can Come? What Shall We Say? Where Can One Look for --www.hymntime.com/tc