20 thoughts on “Ebenezer Beesley”

1. My grandmother knew him. I wish I had asked her to tell stories about him. But she just pointed to his name in the hymn book and told me that he was her friend.

2. That’s more than most granddaughters of his friends would know, Carol. I’m glad that your grandmother’s remark somehow made a memory for you.

3. It’s nice to see the face of a familiar name. (And one of the most memorable names, too).

4. It’s kind of like meeting someone in person whom you’ve only known through the internet, isn’t it? They never look like your mental picture.

5. Ha! So true.

6. He looks like an English vicar (I know he, he *was* English 🙂 ). Author of two of my favourite hymns, “High on the Mountain Top” and “Reverently and Meekly Now”.

7. My eyes strain in vain to make out the title of the book on his knee. A rather unusual prop.

8. I think it’s one of the hymn books, TOClark. It would probably be obvious to someone better versed in the hymnals than I am, partly because of the unusual dimensions, but I don’t know which one it is.

9. Music directors in our midst may remember the problem he caused the hymnal committee after his death. The 1948 hymnal (the old blue one for those who might remember) originally replaced his setting of ‘Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love with Frank Asper’s setting. Obviously this created some distress with a number of the musicians in the church, because a few years later (1970 or so?) current printings quietly replaced his setting. Maybe at the time they also inserted Adam on Diahmon at the end of the hymnal.

   Given the average bench life of a hymnal, many wards thus had a mixture of the various printings scattered around the chapel. So for those of us who chose hymns for church meetings, this essentially eliminated the use of ‘Tis Sweet… because different people had different music for the hymn. In 1985, the committee simply put both settings in the green book.

10. Hugh, I had no idea at all of this musical “crisis” or the reason for both settings in the, er, “new” book — that’s such a beloved hymn.

11. Thanks, Hugh. I love details like that.

12. The text on the book says “Tabernacle Choir Music.”

13. Ah, that is both appropriate, and explains the odd shape of the book. Thanks, lindberg.

14. A very appropriate prop, Mr. Beesley.

15. Hi,

    I was wondering if this original cabinet card is still owned by you? I’d love to come take a look at it for my family history.

    Thanks,

    Kevin Schuwer
    801-420-8619

16. I don’t own it, Kevin; I’d return it to the family if I did. Sorry.

17. I would love to acquire this photo for a friend of mine who is a direct descendant of Ebeneezer Beesley if it might be for sale?

    Thanks,
    Email: titleist52@msn.com

18. Jon, you’re welcome to print this out or take it somewhere where they do good printing on fine materials – I know of nowhere there is an original or a professional reproduction for sale. The image is long out of copyright.

19. Thank you for posting this photo. I’ve never seen it before until now. I am a direct descendant of Ebenezer Beesley, through his oldest son, Ebenezer Beesley, Jr. My grandfather, Earl Ebenezer Beesley, lost both his parents by the time he was eight and was adopted by his uncle, Peter Hansen. That’s why I’m a Hansen now instead of a Beesley. My older brother, Greg Hansen, has followed in Ebenezer’s footsteps more than any other descendant I know of. He is a composer, producer and arranger residing in Eagle Mountain, Utah (see http://www.greg-hansen.com).

20. I’m always tickled to send a bit of family history back into a family’s hands, Barry. Thanks for letting me know you’d found it.

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