William B. Bradbury

William B. Bradbury
Short Name: William B. Bradbury
Full Name: Bradbury, William B. (William Batchelder), 1816-1868
Birth Year: 1816
Death Year: 1868

William Bachelder Bradbury USA 1816-1868. Born at York, ME, he was raised on his father's farm, with rainy days spent in a shoe-shop, the custom in those days. He loved music and spent spare hours practicing any music he could find. In 1830 the family moved to Boston, where he first saw and heard an organ and piano, and other instruments. He became an organist at 15. He attended Dr. Lowell Mason's singing classes, and later sang in the Bowdoin Street church choir. Dr. Mason became a good friend. He made $100/yr playing the organ, and was still in Dr. Mason's choir. Dr. Mason gave him a chance to teach singing in Machias, ME, which he accepted. He returned to Boston the following year to marry Adra Esther Fessenden in 1838, then relocated to Saint John, New Brunswick. Where his efforts were not much appreciated, so he returned to Boston. He was offered charge of music and organ at the First Baptist Church of Brooklyn. That led to similar work at the Baptist Tabernacle, New York City, where he also started a singing class. That started singing schools in various parts of the city, and eventually resulted in music festivals, held at the Broadway Tabernacle, a prominent city event. He conducted a 1000 children choir there, which resulted in music being taught as regular study in public schools of the city. He began writing music and publishing it. In 1847 he went with his wife to Europe to study with some of the music masters in London and also Germany. He attended Mendelssohn funeral while there. He went to Switzerland before returning to the states, and upon returning, commenced teaching, conducting conventions, composing, and editing music books. In 1851, with his brother, Edward, he began manufacturring Bradbury pianos, which became popular. Also, he had a small office in one of his warehouses in New York and often went there to spend time in private devotions. As a professor, he edited 59 books of sacred and secular music, much of which he wrote. He attended the Presbyterian church in Bloomfield, NJ, for many years later in life. He contracted tuberculosis the last two years of his life.

John Perry

Wikipedia Biography

William Batchelder Bradbury (October 6, 1816 – January 7, 1868) was a musician who composed the tune to "Jesus Loves Me" and many other popular hymns.

Texts by William B. Bradbury (29)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
A beautiful land by faith I seeBradbury (Author)English1
Amas Kristo, amas minWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)2
Asleep in Jesus! blessed sleepWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)English1
Dear Savior, if these lambs should strayWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)English1
Eia no lakou e IesuWilliam C. Bradbury, 1816-1868 (Author)Hawaiian2
Gladly I hail the morning of the SabbathWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)2
He leadeth me: O blessed thought!William B. Bradbury (Author)English1
Ho'omaika'i, ho'omaika'i, ho'omaika'iWilliam B. Bradbury, 1816-1868 (Author)Hawaiian2
How shall I be happyWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)1
In a manger laid so lowlyWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)English1
Jesus loves me, this I know, For the Bible tells me soWilliam Bradbury (Author (refrain))English3
Let the gospel trumpet soundWilliam Batchelder Bradbury (Author)1
Let us pray for one another, let us pray for one another when we kneelWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)2
Lord of the gospel harvest, sendWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)English1
Make ao e nauwe neiWilliam B. Bradbury, 1816-1868 (Author)Hawaiian2
Mi esperanza está en JesúsWilliam Batchelder Bradbury (Author)Spanish2
Nani e na wawae hele ma na maunaWilliam B. Bradbury, 1816-1868 (Author)Hawaiian2
Nani ke 'Lii kiekie!William B. Bradbury, 1816-1868 (Author)Hawaiian2
No te dé temor hablar por CristoWilliam B. Bradbury, 1816-1868 (Author)Spanish6
Nothing either great or small remains for me to doWilliam Batchelder Bradbury (Author)English1
O come to the hills of gloryWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)1
O Lord, responsive to Thy call, In life or death, whatever befallWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)English1
Softly now the light of dayWm. B. Bradbury (Author)English1
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayerW. B. B. (Author)English1
The Bible, the Bible, More precious than goldWilliam Bachelder Bradbury (Author)English1
The LORD be blessed, He heard my voiceWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)English2
The Sunday school that blessed placeWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)English3
This life is a warfare, a warfare with sinWilliam B. Bradbury (Author)2
When this song of praise shall ceaseWilliam Bradbury (Author)English1

Data Sources

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