Fanny Crosby

Frances Jane Crosby (March 24, 1820 - February 12, 1915), usually known as Fanny Crosby was an American lyricist and best known for her Christian hymns. She was one of the most prolific hymnists in history, writing over 8,000 hymns despite her blindness since infancy. She was also known for her public speaking. During her lifetime, she was the best known woman in the United States. The vast majority of American hymnals contain her work. She is known for one of her most famous hymns "Blessed Assurance". Other hymns she is known for are "Jesus is Tenderly Calling You Home", "Near the Cross", and "My Savior First of All", to name a few. Crosby used nearly ten different pseudonyms during her career because some publishers were hesitant to have so many hymns by one author.

She was born in Southeast, Putnam County, New York to poor parents whose names were John and Mercy Crosby. At six weeks old, she caught a cold and developed inflammation of the eyes. The family physician wasn't available and a quack who came in his place recommended mustard plasters as treatment. The botched procedure blinded her. Her father died when she was one year old. She was raised by her mother and grandmother. She was grounded in the Bible memorizing long passages of scripture. She became an active member of John Street Methodist Episcopal Church in New York City. At age 15 she enrolled at the New York Institute for the Blind (New York Institute for Special Education). She remained there for seven years. At the institute she learned to play the piano and the guitar. She also learned how to sing as well. In 1843, she joined a group of lobbyists in Washington, D.C. arguing for the support of education for the blind. From 1847-58 she joined the faculty at the York School, teaching English and history. She also became acquainted with future president Grover Cleveland and became lifelong friends with him there. He was also an instructor at the institute.

She married Alexander Van Alstyne, a blind musician and fellow teacher. They had one daughter, Francis, who died as an infant. Alexander died on July 19, 1902. Crosby was noted for writing poetry by the time she was eight years old. Her first published work was "A Blind Girl and Other Poems" (1844). Other poems that she wrote were "Monterey and Other Poems" (1853) and "A Wreath of Columbia's Flowers" (1858). She also wrote some popular songs set to music by George F. Root. Some of the famous songs she wrote were, "Hazel Dell", "There's Music in the Air", and "Rosalie, the Prairie Flower". She had success with secular verse writing and earned nearly $3000 in royalties for "Rosalie, the Prairie Flower."

At the ege of eight, Fanny Crosby started writing poetry. Here's one of her poems:

O What happy soul I am,
Although I cannot see;
I am resolved in this world
Contented I will be

How many blessings I enjoy,
That other people don't;
To weep and sigh because I'm blind,
I cannot, and I won't

Crosby was not bitter by her blindness. She viewed it as God having predestined her to be blind and even remarked that she wouldn't have been able to write the hymns praising God if she were distracted by the things of beauty. She even remarked that that the first face she wants to see is the face of her savior.

It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me.

"When I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior."

She composed her hymns and poems entirely in her mind and then dictated them to someone else. She had composed as many as twelve hymns in her mind before dictating them all out. There were many musicians and publishers that dictated her songs. Her first hymn in 1863 was by William Bradbury, a respected musician and publisher. The hymn she wrote was "There's a Cry From Macedonia." Other musicians and publishers were Hubert P. Main, Robert Lowry, W.H. Doane, Ira D. Sankey, and Philip P. Bliss, to name a few. She went under dozens of pen names.

She was also well known in America at the time and she met with presidents, generals, and other dignataries. At President Ulysses S. Grant's funeral in 1885, she sang the hymn "Safe in the Arms of Jesus". She was conducted in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1975. She died in 1920. She is buried at the Mountain Grove Cemetery, at Bridgeport, Connecticut.