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John R. Sweney
1837 - 1899 Person Name: Jno. R. Sweney Composer of "[My heart is fixed, eternal God]" in On Joyful Wing John R. Sweney (1837-1899) was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and exhibited musical abilities at an early age. At nineteen he was studying with a German music teacher, leading a choir and glee club, and performing at children’s entertainments. By twenty-two he was teaching at a school in Dover, Delaware. Soon thereafter, he was put in charge of the band of the Third Delaware Regiment of the Union Army for the duration of the Civil War. After the war, he became Professor of Music at the Pennsylvania Military Academy, and director of Sweney’s Cornet Band. He eventually earned Bachelor and Doctor of Music degrees at the Academy.
Sweney began composing church music in 1871 and became well-known as a leader of large congregations. His appreciators stated “Sweney knows how to make a congregation sing” and “He had great power in arousing multitudes.” He also became director of music for a large Sunday school at the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia of which John Wanamaker was superintendent (Wanamaker was the founder of the first major department store in Philadelphia). In addition to his prolific output of hymn melodies and other compositions, Sweney edited or co-edited about sixty song collections, many in collaboration with William J. Kirkpatrick. Sweney died on April 10, 1899, and his memorial was widely attended and included a eulogy by Wanamaker.
Joe Hickerson from "Joe's Jottings #9" used by permission
John R. Sweney
Richard Jukes
1804 - 1867 Person Name: R. Jukes Author of "Christ for Me" in On Joyful Wing Rv Richard Jukes United Kingdom 1804-1867. Born at Clungunford, Shropshire, England, his father a stone mason, he was a prankster when young. He followed his father’s trade and became a stone mason for awhile before becoming an itinerant preacher. In 1829 he was part of a team missioning in Wiltshire and Aldbourne. His preaching was sometimes disturbed by efforts to disband the crowd, he even at times had eggs thrown at him. However, a society was formed and a barn was obtained for a place of worship. He was known as “the bard of the poor”. Over time he became a popular Primitive Methodist minister and hymn writer. He married Phoebe Pardoe (1805-1826) in 1825, but she died of typhus after less than a year of marriage. Later, after her death, he married Charlotte Smith (1806-1873), and they had eight children: Mariam, Charlotte, Thomas, Joshua, Amelia, Rowland, Richmond, and Martha. He ministered from 1827 to 1859 at 17 different circuits.. He ministry was widely appreciated. It is noteworthy that several of his appointments were to significant circuits of that time: Tunstall, Staffordshire, Ramsor, and Darlaston in the Black Country, where he spent a large part of his active ministry, retiring there. One trait he had was when writing hymn lyrics, he would try to pair them with popular tunes of the day and sing them in the streets so others would do the same.. and many did. He died at West Bromwich, England.
John Perry
Richard Jukes
