Edmund Dumas (February 15, 1810 – October 22, 1882) was an American Primitive Baptist minister, politician, and musician today remembered for his association with the Sacred Harp movement. Dumas was the son of Benjamin F. Dumas and Martha Ussery, and through his father was the descendant of Huguenot refugees who had first settled in Jamestown, Virginia in 1700. He was born in a part of Richmond County, North Carolina that is today located in

Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to: Australia * The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania United Kingdom * The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery United States * Montgomery County, Alabama * Mon ...

, but at the age of four moved with his family to Georgia, where they settled in Putnam County. In 1821 they moved again, this time to

Monroe County, Georgia Monroe County is a County (United States), county located in the Central Georgia, central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 27,957. The county seat is ...

. Dumas married Isabel Martha Gibson in 1830; the couple were the parents of thirteen children. A circuit rider, Dumas spent over forty years as a Primitive Baptist minister, founding the Union Primitive Baptist Church in Goggins, Georgia in 1837. He was prominent in the community, being active as a local judge in Montgomery County and serving in the Georgia House of Representatives. A

Mason Mason may refer to: Occupations * Mason, brick mason, or bricklayer, a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork, or who lays any combination of stones, bricks, cinder blocks, or similar pieces * Stone mason, a craftsman in the stone-cut ...

, he also ran a singing school in addition to his other musical activities. Dumas died in Monroe County and is buried in the cemetery of the church which he helped found. Early in his career Dumas composed a comic song entitled "The Botanic Doctor", about the dangers of using calomel; this was published in ''The Organ'' on February 14, 1855. In 1869 he served as a member of the revision committee of ''The Sacred Harp''. He composed a number of

shape-note Shape notes are a musical notation designed to facilitate congregational and social singing. The notation, introduced in late 18th century England, became a popular teaching device in American singing schools. Shapes were added to the notehe ...

tunes, naming some for friends and fellow musicians. These include "White", named for

Benjamin Franklin White Benjamin Franklin White (September 20, 1800 – December 5, 1879) was a shape note " singing master", and compiler of the shape note tunebook known as ''The Sacred Harp''. He was born near Cross Keys in Union County, South Carolina, the twelfth c ...

; "Reese", named for either Henry Smith or

John Palmer Reese John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

; "Edmonds", named for

Jeremiah Troup Edmonds Jeremiah, Modern: , Tiberian: ; el, Ἰερεμίας, Ieremíās; meaning "Yah shall raise" (c. 650 – c. 570 BC), also called Jeremias or the "weeping prophet", was one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible. According to Jewish ...

, and "Mullins", named for the Reverend John Mullins. Other tunes by his hand include "The Gospel Pool", "The Dying Minister", "To Die No More", "Vain World Adieu", "Heavenly Port", and "The Marcellas", as well as an arrangement of "Weeping Savior". "White" is often known by the variant titles "Long Time Travelling" or "I'm a Long Time Travelling Here Below", and has been recorded numerous times under these names. Noted interpreters have included

Frank Proffitt Frank Noah Proffitt (June 1, 1913 – November 24, 1965) was an Appalachian old time banjoist who preserved the song " Tom Dooley" in the form we know it today and was a key figure in inspiring musicians of the 1960s and 1970s to play the trad ...

Peter Bellamy Peter Franklyn Bellamy (8 September 1944 – 24 September 1991) was an English folk singer. He was a founding member of The Young Tradition and also had a long solo career, recording numerous albums and touring folk clubs and concert halls. He ...

, and The Wailin' Jennys, whose version appeared on their 2015 album '' Firecracker''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dumas, Edmund 1810 births 1882 deaths American hymnwriters 19th-century Baptist ministers from the United States Members of the Georgia House of Representatives People from Montgomery County, North Carolina Songwriters from North Carolina People from Monroe County, Georgia Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) 19th-century American composers 19th-century American politicians American male composers Sacred Harp Baptists from Georgia (U.S. state) Baptists from North Carolina 19th-century American male musicians American male songwriters