Crosby, Fanny Jane

American, 1820–1915. A native of Putnam County, New York, she was completely blind almost from birth. She triumphed over this handicap to become one of America’s best-loved writers of gospel songs. Her poetic talents at first took a different direction— she wrote the words for the popular song “There’s Music in the Air”—but at age forty-four she began writing religious verse. It is estimated that she wrote more than eight thousand religious poems. She married Alexander Van Alstyne, a blind musician.

Behold! A Royal Army, 251 (Text)