Frances Jane "Fanny" Crosby
American Hymn Writer and Poet
7th Cousin, four times removed
Known as an American hymn writer and poetess, Fanny Crosby wrote over 9,000 hymns during her life, including “Blessed Assurance.” She entered what was then known as the New York Institution for the Blind at the age of fifteen and afterward taught English and history (1847-58). Her family was of sturdy New England stock. Besides two sisters, Frances Jane had a brother. Born in 1820, when she was only six weeks old an inflammation destroyed her sight.
As a pupil and as a teacher, Fanny spent 35 years at the school. She was often asked to entertain visitors with her poems and she frequently met with presidents, generals and other dignitaries. She was asked to play at President Grant's Funeral. Her first book of poems was published in 1844 was called The Blind Girl and Other Poems.
Fanny Crosby's childhood home.
After leaving the school, she dedicated her life to serving the poorest and the neediest. Supporting herself by her writing, she quickly gained fame for her hymns. She wrote hymns, not by scores, but by hundreds and thousands. In 1906 the Bigelow and Main Company estimated that they alone had published 5,500 of them. Sometimes she wrote as many as six hymns a day, It is said that publishers had so much of her work, that they took to using them under pseudonyms. Her usual fee was a mere $2 which frequently went to her work with the poor. Her mission work is legendary, as is her devotion to serving others above herself.
President Martin Van Buren became one of her friends and admirers, as also did President James K. Polk, whom she visited in the White House. But the most interesting of her Presidential acquaintanceships was that with Grover Cleveland. When he was a young man, Cleveland came to the New York Institute as an instructor and became life long friends with his fellow instructor Miss Crosby. Grover Cleveland, like Fanny Crosby, is also a Bissell Cousin (although they were not related to each other, as far as I know).
In 1842, when Miss Crosby was twenty-two years of age, she was appointed to be one of the teachers in the Institution, to give instruction in rhetoric and history. When distinguished personages came to visit the school, as they very often did, she would recite original odes to commemorate and honor them. And, since she possessed a real charm of personality and behavior, quite often being appointed to usher these visitors about the Institution, she was fortunate in making flattering and helpful contacts, many of which resulted in after-acquaintance and friendship. In 1858 Miss Crosby was married to Prof. Alexander Van Alstyne, a talented teacher of music in New York, and, like herself, totally blind.
Grover Cleveland
Thus is was that she met Jenny Lind, the “Swedish Nightingale;” James K. Polk,, the scholarly President; Senator Henry Clay; General Winfield Scott; William Cullen Bryant; and Horace Greeley, publisher of the New York Tribune who invited her to write poems for his paper. She died in 1915.
Blessed Assurance
Text: Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915
Music: Phoebe P. Knapp, 1839-1908
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
The Bissell Connection to Frances Jane "Fanny" Crosby
7th Cousin, four times removed
Bissell 3G Generation
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Joyce, Meredith, George, Gwen, Roger, Arthur, Eleanor, Chip, Carolyn, Betsy, Clyde
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Adelaide Lyon Boutelle --- Richard Meredith Bissell
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Mertie Ella Bisbee --- Herbert Hunt Bissell
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Frances Jane "Fanny" Crosby Julie Ann Richardson --- John Hatch Bissell
b. 1820 d. 1915 ]
[ ]
John Crosby --- Mercy Crosby (dau of Sylvanus) Mercy Ann Searle --- Benoni Bliss Bissell
d. 1820 b. 1786 ]
[ ]
Sylvanus Crosby --- Eunice Paddock Tirzah Pierce --- Solomon Bissell
b. 1778 ]
[ ]
Nathaniel Paddock --- Mary Crane Eunice Olcott --- Noah Bissell
b. 1748 b. 1754 ]
[ ]
Thaddeus Crane --- Sarah Paddock Benoni Olcott --- Deborah Cooley
b. 1728 b. 1730 b. 1716 b. 1730
[ ]
Joseph Crane --- Mary Couch Joseph Cooley --- Mary Dorchester
b. 1696 b. 1695 b. 1685 b. 1694
[ ]
Jonathan Crane --- Deborah Griswold Joseph Cooley --- Mary Griswold
b. 1658 b. 1661 b. 1661 b. 1663
[ ]
Francis Griswold --- Sarah George Griswold --- Mary Holcomb
b. 1629 d. 1675 b. 1633 b. 1636
[ ]
[------------------------------- Edward Griswold --- Margaret ----------------------]
b. 1607 d. 1670