Featured Singing "New" Older Songs

Farther on - Farther On, a Beautiful Shape-Note Hymn: Free Hymn Sheet Music

 

I found this version in a book called Joyful Sound, showing an 1875 copyright in Precious Songs.

 

Less than two miles from where I work, there is an historic stone church that was used in the war between the states as an emergency hospital. Inside there is an ancient piano with a framed sign on it telling of the backstory of the hymn, "Leaning On the Everlasting Arms", and how this piano was used in the making of the song. It was first performed at this church.
Old Stone Church Museum | Ringgold, Georgia

 

Here's a pic I took a few years ago-

 

Thanks for that. I was going to ask you for the details, but you beat me to it! Did Showalter live near Ringgold? I've always associated him with Dalton, but sounds like that may have just been where he had his business?

 

That reads like an "improved rewrite" of the Alaskans' version.

 

I'm not sure. Wikipedia states he was an elder in the Presbyterian church in Dalton but he died in Chattanooga. Dalton, Ringgold, and 'nooga are all so close together anyway.

 

According to Stanley Brobston in his book Daddy Sang Lead, Showalter was a relative of Joseph Funk (and therefore probably also Aldine S. Kieffer). He says Showalter was sent to Dalton to establish a branch of the Ruebush-Kieffer Company and later severed his ties with that company and established his own music company. Brobston says Showalter's most popular song book was Class, Choir and Congregation, published in 1888 and selling 400,000 copies by 1911. A few years ago this book was still used in some singing conventions in Alabama. Not sure whether it still is.

Showalter was born in Virginia. I found someone who had posted some genealogical info on him. The censuses show he was still living at home in 1870, and married (found his wife in Texas) and living in Virginia in 1880. In 1900 he lived at 14 S. Thornton Avenue in Dalton, Georgia (genealogist says this is now a parking lot in the business district of town). In the 1920 census he was living at the Chestnut Northern Hotel on the corner of 8th Street and Chestnut in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

All that is interesting to me. Maybe will be to someone else.

 

Wow. That Dalton address is in the very heart of downtown, adjacent to the courthouse. If I'm not mistaken, there is a commemorative plaque on the courthouse lawn mentioning Mr. Showalter. I'll definitely have to get over there and confirm that. Seeing that he was a Virginia native, as am I, I am even more interested now. Maybe in my visits of local areas and churches I'll be able to find one of those hymnals. If I do, I'll share. Thank you rl!