Civilla Durfee Martin (August 21, 1866 – March 9, 1948) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

writer of many religious

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

s and gospel songs in the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Biography

Civilla Durfee was born in Jordan, Nova Scotia on August 21, 1866. Her husband,

Walter Stillman Martin Walter Stillman Martin (1862 – 1935), was an American Baptist minister who studied ministry at Harvard University. But he later switched to the denomination of Disciples of Christ. He was married to Civilla Durfee Martin (August 21, 1866 &ndash ...

(1862–1935), studied ministry at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

, where he became a

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

minister but later switched to the

Disciples of Christ The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States and Canada. The denomination started with the Restoration Movement during the Second Great Awakening, first existing during the 19th ...

. Together they created hymns and songs which have become widely known. Some of her most popular pieces include "God Will Take Care of You", "One of God's Days", "Going Home", "The Old Fashioned Way", and "

His Eye Is on the Sparrow "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" is a gospel hymn written in 1905 by lyricist Civilla D. Martin and composer Charles H. Gabriel. It is most associated with actress-singer Ethel Waters who used the title for her autobiography. Mahalia Jackson's recordi ...

". She died at her home in Atlanta on March 9, 1948, and was buried at

Westview Cemetery Westview Cemetery, located in Atlanta, Georgia, is the largest civilian cemetery in the Southeastern United States, comprising more than , 50 percent of which is undeveloped. ( Georgia National Cemetery, for military veterans and their families, ...

References

External links

Therestorationmovement.com

at the Cyber Hymnal * 1866 births 1948 deaths American Disciples of Christ American Christian hymnwriters Canadian emigrants to the United States American women hymnwriters American women non-fiction writers {{US-songwriter-stub