James McGranahan was a nineteenth-century American musician and composer, most known for his various

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. He was born 4 July 1840, in West Fallowfield or

Adamsville, Pennsylvania Adamsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 67 at the 2010 census, down from 117 in 2000. Geography Adamsville is located in southwestern Crawford County at (41.510643, -80 ...

, and died 9 July 1907 at his home in

Kinsman, Ohio Kinsman (also known as Kinsman Center) is an unincorporated area, unincorporated community and census-designated place in Kinsman Township, Trumbull County, Ohio, Kinsman Township, Trumbull County, Ohio, Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. The p ...

. He composed over 25 hymns. For example, in one work he is listed as the composer of three notable songs: "He Will Hide Me" by Mary Elizabeth Servoss, "Revive Thy Work, O Lord" by Albert Midlane, and "Come" by a "Mrs. James Gibson Johnson"; and he composed the music for at least 39 of the 79 hymns in a work co-authored with Ira D. Sankey. McGranahan composed most of the tunes for the lyrics of Major

Daniel Webster Whittle Major Daniel Webster Whittle (November 22, 1840, Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts - March 4, 1901, Northfield, Massachusetts) was a 19th-century American gospel song lyricist, evangelism, evangelist, and Bible teacher. Life and career Whittle was a ...

, including EL NATHAN, the tune associated with Whittle's "I Know Whom I Have Believèd" (written 1883). The music of his hymn "My Redeemer," written for lyrics by

P. P. Bliss Philip Paul Bliss (9 July 1838 – 29 December 1876) was an American composer, conductor, writer of hymns and a bass-baritone Gospel singer. He wrote many well-known hymns, including "Hold the Fort" (1870), "Almost Persuaded" (1871); "Hallelujah, ...

, is used as the accompaniment for the

Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

hymn "

O My Father "O My Father" (originally "My Father in Heaven",Eliza R. Snow"My Father in Heaven" ''Times and Seasons'', vol. 5, p. 1039 (15 November 1845). also "Invocation, or The Eternal Father and Mother")Eliza R. Snow, ''Poems, Religious, Historical, and Po ...

."See also

Calon Lân "" () is a Welsh hymn, the words of which were written in the 1890s by Daniel James (Gwyrosydd) and sung to a tune by John Hughes. The song was originally written as a hymn, but has become firmly established as a rugby anthem, associated with ...

. In Hawaii, McGranahan is noted for writing the music to the hymn "I Left It All With Jesus." The melody was given new lyrics, written sometime prior to 1886 by

Lorenzo Lyons Lorenzo Lyons or "''Makua Laiana''" (April 18, 1807 – October 6, 1886) was an early missionary to the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was a songwriter who wrote the lyrics of "''Hawaii Aloha''", which was inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame in ...

, an early missionary to Hawaii, and given a new title, "Hawai'i Aloha." Lyons was known as "Makua Laiana" or simply "Laiana." By the end of the 20th century "Hawai'i Aloha" had become one of Hawaii's best known and best loved songs. It is often sung at the close of public political, spiritual, educational and sporting events.

References

External links

*
The Cyber Hymnal
has a small article and a large collection of midi files of his music. 1840 births 1907 deaths American Presbyterians American Christian hymnwriters 19th-century American writers People from Kinsman, Ohio {{US-composer-19thC-stub