Thomas Brigham Bishop (June 29, 1835 - May 15, 1905) (usually referred to as T. Brigham Bishop) is best known as an American composer of popular music. Various disputed claims have been made by Bishop and others that he authored, or at least contributed to the authorship of, a number of popular 19th-century songs, including ''

John Brown's Body "John Brown's Body" (originally known as "John Brown's Song") is a United States marching song about the abolitionist John Brown. The song was popular in the Union during the American Civil War. The tune arose out of the folk hymn tradition of t ...

'', ''

When Johnny Comes Marching Home "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" (Roud 6637), sometimes "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again", is a popular song from the American Civil War that expressed people's longing for the return of their friends and relatives who were fighting in the ...

'', and ''

Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me ''Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me'' or ''Shew! fly, don't bother me'' is a minstrel show song from the 1860s that has remained popular since that time. It was sung by soldiers during the Spanish–American War of 1898, when flies and the yellow fever mo ...

''. Bishop later had an infamous career as a bucket shop proprietor, among other schemes.

Background

Bishop was born in

Wayne, Maine Wayne is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,129 at the 2020 census. The town was named after Revolutionary War General Anthony Wayne. During the summer, Wayne is home to Camp Androscoggin. A popular recreatio ...

in 1835,(11 June 1905)
Extraordinary Career of Florida Bank Wrecker
''Pensacola Journal'' and began studying music in

Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...

when he was 16. In 1864, he founded a

minstrel A minstrel was an entertainer, initially in medieval Europe. It originally described any type of entertainer such as a musician, juggler, acrobat, singer or fool; later, from the sixteenth century, it came to mean a specialist entertainer who ...

show in Chattanooga, which lasted until Lincoln's assassination.Andreas, Alfred Thomas
History of Chicago, Vol. III
p. 664 (1886)

William L. Slout William Lawrence Slout (July 17, 1923 – February 4, 2017) was an American professor of theater at California State University, San Bernardino. He wrote ''Olympians of the Sawdust Circle'' and other reference books on circus history. Biography S ...

br>Burnt Cork and Tambourines: A Source Book of Negro Ministrelsy
p. 46 (2007)

Songs

While Bishop did publish a number of songs beginning in the 1850s,The World's best music: famous songs and those who made them, Volume 4
(1903) disputes have arisen over his authorship claims as to some of the most famous of those compositions. In some cases, it is fairly clear that Bishop was not the original author of the works in dispute. In other cases the facts are not clear.(23 June 1901)
A Last Minstrel
''

Reading Eagle The ''Reading Eagle'' is the major daily newspaper in Reading, Pennsylvania. A family-owned newspaper until the spring of 2019, its reported circulation is 37,000 (daily) and 50,000 (Sundays). It serves the Reading and Berks County region of Pe ...

'' (very colorful 1901 story about Bishop's musical claims, probably authored by John J. MacIntyre)

"John Brown's Body"

Bishop has often been attributed with authorship of the popular Civil War marching song "

", though that claim is widely disputed.The Oxford companion to English literature
p. 141 (2006)("The author of the song is unknown, but it is most frequently attributed to Thomas B. Bishop (1835-1905) of Portland; set to an old Methodist hymn-tune, it became the most popular marching song of the Federal forces.")Cornelius, Steven
Music of the Civil War era
p. 26-30 (2004)(25 October 1929)

''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' The melody of the song was famously also used for ''

The Battle Hymn of the Republic The "Battle Hymn of the Republic", also known as "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory" or "Glory, Glory Hallelujah" outside of the United States, is a popular American patriotic song written by the abolitionist writer Julia Ward Howe. Howe wrote her l ...

''. In 1916, Bishop's friend John J. MacIntyre published a short book promoting Bishop's authorship of ''John Brown's Body'' and other songs, boldly called ''The Composer of the Battle Hymn of the Republic''.MacIntyre, John J
The Composer of the Battle Hymn of the Republic
(William H. Conklin, 1916) MacIntyre also promoted Bishop's authorship claims in 1935, for the 100th anniversary of Bishop's birth, which was featured in an article in ''

Time magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York City on Mar ...

''.(1 July 1935)
Hymn From Maine
''

Time (magazine) ''Time'' (stylized in all caps) is an American news magazine based in New York City. For nearly a century, it was published Weekly newspaper, weekly, but starting in March 2020 it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New ...

'' Bishop's story of the genesis of the song is that it grew out of a conversation with his brother-in-law around 1858, who "took me to task, remarking that my songs were all written for the devil. Then he said 'I am bound to be a soldier in the army of the Lord.' Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!'" This, according to Bishop, inspired him to the melody and lyrics, and he later modified the lyrics after

John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...

's death at Harper's Ferry in 1859. Bishop claimed he first published the song with John Church of Cincinnati in 1861.

"When Johnny Comes Marching Home"

The Civil-War tune "

" is usually attributed to composer and bandmaster

Patrick Gilmore Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore (December 25, 1829 – September 24, 1892) was an Irish-born American composer and bandmaster who lived and worked in the United States after 1848. While serving in the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War, Gilmore ...

(though from a melody derived from the older Irish song ''

Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye" (Roud 3137), also known as "Johnny We Hardly Knew Ye" or "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya", is a popular traditional song, sung to the same tune as "When Johnny Comes Marching Home". First published in London in 1867 and writte ...

''), but other attributions to Bishop have also been made.Program- Cleveland Orchestra
(1943)Hart, James D. & Leininger, Phillip
The Oxford companion to American literature
p. 70 (6th Ed. 1995)Cazden, Norman et al
Folk songs of the Catskills
p.367-69 (1982). An 1863 publication of the song attributes authorship to a "Louis Lambert." According to Bishop, he wrote the melody for the song in 1850, as "Johnny, Fill Up the Bowl," Gilmore wrote new lyrics for it in 1863, and both brought the song to their publisher, who reportedly suggested that the Lambert pseudonym be used on the sheet music.

"Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me"

According to Bishop's account, he wrote "

" during the Civil War while assigned to command a company of black soldiers. One of the soldiers, dismissing some remarks of his fellow soldiers, exclaimed "Shoo fly, don't bother me," which inspired Bishop to write the song. The company, we are told, generated the line "I belong to Company G". Yet, the song was reportedly "pirated" from Bishop and he made little money from it.(8 November 1905)
The Author of "Shoo Fly"
''

'' (stating that T. Allston Brown, had vouched for this account) Bishop did publish a sheet music version of the song in 1869, which includes the caption, "Original Copy and Only Authorized Edition."Shoo Fly
Duke University library collection Other sources, however, have credited Billy Reeves (lyrics) and Frank Campbell, or Rollin Howard, with the song.The blue book of Tin Pan Alley
p. 9 (1965) The first group to popularize the song was

Bryant's Minstrels Bryant's Minstrels was a blackface minstrel troupe that performed in the mid-19th century, primarily in New York City. The troupe was led by the O'Neill brothers from upstate New York, who took the stage name Bryant.Mahar 38. History The eldest ...

in 1869–70.Cropsey, Eugene H
Crosby's Opera House: symbol of Chicago's cultural awakening
p. 270 (1999)

MacIntyre's reporting

Writer John J. MacIntyre's 1916 short book, ''The Composer of the Battle Hymn of the Republic'', about Bishop's songs, appears to be written largely based on Bishop's self-reporting to MacIntyre many years after the fact. MacIntrye reports therein that he first met Bishop in 1897 in New York. Perhaps the most amazing of the claims in the book is that Bishop had a small part in the writing of one of the

Stephen Foster Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826January 13, 1864), known also as "the father of American music", was an American composer known primarily for his parlour music, parlour and Minstrel show, minstrel music during the Romantic music, Romantic ...

's best known songs, ''

Old Folks at Home "Old Folks at Home" (also known as " Swanee River") is a minstrel song written by Stephen Foster in 1851. Since 1935, it has been the official state song of Florida, although in 2008 the original lyrics were revised. It is Roud Folk Song Inde ...

'' ("Swanee River"). Bishop claims that he ran into Foster in a music publishing house, where Foster had already composed the lyrics and basic melody, and whistled it to Bishop, who "put it down" on paper for him, and arranged it for piano by adding basic chords. Then, according to Bishop, famed blackface performer E.P. Christy walked in, heard the song, and paid Foster $30 for it on the spot. Thus, the song was attributed to E.P. Christy when it was published (which, at the very least, is true; the original sheet music, dated 1851, attributes authorship to Christy). If any of this story was true, Bishop would have been only about 16 years old at the time of this event, and it contradicts other sources which make no mention of Bishop.

Business endeavors

By the 1880s, Bishop became engaged in the " bucket shop" business—essentially a betting business based on the stock market. Bishop reportedly became the "leader" of the shady (and eventually illegal) trade in New York City, and also specialized in female customers.(4 November 1882
Advertisement
''New York Daily Graphic'' ("T. Brigham Bishop & Co. (of Boston) have opened a special banking house for ladies.") Bishop was arrested in mid-1890 for charges arising out of legal proceedings brought against him for taking $2,000 from a Julie E. Hetsch in 1885,(25 July 1890)
Should Have Staid Away
''

''(25 July 1890)
T. Brigham Bishop Jailed
''Meriden Daily Republican'' but was able to skip town once bond was posted. He was again arrested in

Jersey City, New Jersey Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.Ludlow Street Jail The Ludlow Street Jail was New York City's Federal prison, located on Ludlow Street and Broome Street in Manhattan. Some prisoners, such as soldiers, were held there temporarily awaiting extradition to other jurisdictions, but most of the inm ...

, where the ''New York Times'' critique of Bishop's financial career was withering: "Bishop has had a long career as a confidence man, bunko steerer, and general crook. He has made Massachusetts, Ohio, and Florida too hot to hold him."(6 November 1891)
A Long Career As A Crook: Bucket-Shop Keeper Bishop in Ludlow Street Jail
''

''Fayant, Frank
Fools and Their Money
''

SUCCESS (magazine) ''Success'' is a business magazine in the United States published by Success Enterprises, LLC a subsidiary of eXp World Holdings, Inc. According to the company, the magazine "focuses on people who take full responsibility for their own development ...

'' (January 1907) In 1881, Bishop built a 200-room hotel near

Silver Springs, Florida Silver Springs is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Marion County, Florida, United States. It is the site of Silver Springs, a group of artesian springs and a historic tourist attraction that is now part of Sil ...

. After fires in 1894/95, he rebuilt on the site as the "Brown House." Also in Florida, he helped found the Palatka National Bank, which failed after a few years.Norman, Rob
Ocala National Forest
p. 61 (2010)(8 November 1891)

''

'' (anecdotes about one reader's interactions with Bishop at his Florida hotel, including that Bishop claimed he was related to

Brigham Young Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his ...

) In 1901, Bishop was embroiled in yet another scheme, this time promoting the "New England Wireless Telephone Company", which was one of a number of companies formed as a supposed competitor to Marconi, which were later exposed as a fraud.

Personal life and death

In 1867, Bishop married "Sarah A.", who was possibly a former actress.(17 December 1891)
T. Brigham Bishop's Wife
''

'' From 1886 to 1894, they had a house in Dundee Park,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

.Scott, William Winfield
History of Passaic and its environs (Volume 1)
p. 616 (1922) Bishop died in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

on May 15, 1905, suffering from

locomotor ataxia Locomotor ataxia is the inability to precisely control one's own bodily movements. __TOC__ Disease People afflicted with this disease may walk in a jerky, non-fluid manner. They will not know where their arms and legs are without looking (i.e. a f ...

.(18 May 1905)
Obituary - Thomas B. Bishop
''

New York Tribune The ''New-York Tribune'' was an American newspaper founded in 1841 by editor Horace Greeley. It bore the moniker ''New-York Daily Tribune'' from 1842 to 1866 before returning to its original name. From the 1840s through the 1860s it was the domi ...

''(17 June 1905)
American Topics
''Japan Daily Mail'' As one Florida obituary of Bishop noted (while detailing Bishop's various exploits), "by the death in Philadelphia last week of Thomas Brigham Bishop, a curiously picturesque and extraordinary career extending more than half a century was closed." Bishop was buried in

Mount Peace Cemetery Mount Peace Cemetery is a cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that is owned and operated by the Odd Fellows organization. It was established in 1865 and is located at 3111 West Lehigh Avenue, near the Laurel Hill Cemetery. The cemetery prope ...

in Philadelphia. His widow Sarah died in 1924 and was interred with him.

Other notable songs

*"If Your Foot Is Pretty, Show It" (1857) - Has been credited to Bishop, though the original 1857 sheet music only lists Bishop as "composer" and does not identify the author of the lyrics.If Your Foot is Pretty, Show it- Sheet Music
(1857) ("music by T. Brigham Bishop") *"Kittie Wells" (1861) - Has been credited to Bishop, but it was published twice previously, by Charles E. Atherton in 1858, and Thomas Sloan Jr. in 1860.
csufrenso.edu, Retrieved September 20, 2011 *"Sweet Evelina" (1863). Has been attributed to Bishop as composer, the song was first published in 1863 as "words by M." and "melody by T."Sweet Evelina sheet music
(1863), Levy Sheet Music CollectionMatrix BVE-39790. Sweet Evelina / Phil Reeve ; Ernest Moody
Encyclopedic Discography of Victor Recordings (1927 recording of the song credits Bishop as composer) *"Leaf by Leaf the Roses Fall" (1865). The lyrics to this song were penned by Caroline Dana Howe in 1856. It appears Bishop originally claimed complete authorship of the song, but when confronted with proof that the lyrics were from a poem by Howe, he gave full credit for the lyrics to her and made sure credit was given to her in future publications of the song.The Magazine of poetry and literary review, Volume 1 No. 3
(1889)
/ref> *"Pretty as a Picture" (1872) (lyrics by George Cooper) *"On the Down Hill of Life"

References

External links

*
Sheet music by Bishop at Levy Sheet Music Collection
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bishop, Thomas Brigham 1835 births 1905 deaths Songwriters from Maine People from Wayne, Maine Burials at Mount Peace Cemetery