Steffe, William

Composer

mid-19th c. The name traditionally given as that of the author commissioned by a Charlestown ‘fire company’ c1852 to write a shanty; Steffe was organist and choirmaster for the annual camp meetings at Indian Fields, S Carolina; probably borrowing from existing folk melodies or gospel songs, he may have adapted the music to match new words and published both in a Sunday School song book. His d.o.b. was given (mistakenly?) as 1855 in at least one edn of The Church Hymnal for the Christian Year, but the source is often labelled ‘Anon’; see notes in EP Vol 1 and in the Companion to Church Hymnal (2005) p186. No.292.