Doane, William Howard

Composer

b Preston, Connecticut, USA 1832, d S Orange, New Jersey 1915. Educated at the Woodstock Academy, conducting the school choir at 14. He came to faith in Christ at the Baptist Ch, Norwich, Conn; in that town he later conducted the Harmonic Society choir, 1852–54. After working in his father’s cotton and cloth manufacturing business he joined the J A Fay Co, inventing and making woodworking machinery, in 1860. Moving to Auburn, Ohio, he became the Baptist Sunday School Superintendent there for 25 yrs and a civic leader. He composed over 2000 gospel song tunes as well as cantatas, ballads, and music for secular works. Sabbath Gems (1861, for Sunday Schools) was the first, and Silver Spray (1867), the most successful, of over 40 songbooks he compiled. In 1883 he edited the Baptist Hymnal. Moody Bible Institute in Chicago has a Doane Memorial Music Building, financed partly from his legacies. He was Fanny Crosby’s main collaborator: see Author index under ‘Alstyne’. Nos.676, 683.