Lyman Heath

Lyman Heath (misnamed in some accounts as Leonard Heath) (24 August 1804 – 30 July 1870) was an American vocalist and composer.

Heath was born in New Hampshire - the exact location is uncertain, as one source places this event in Bow, New Hampshire,^[1] while another names Lyman, New Hampshire.^[2] He married a daughter of Alexander Albee, and moved to Littleton in 1834, residing there until 1840. He worked as a shoemaker for part of each year, organizing and teaching a singing-school during the winter months.^[2] He taught at Littleton and Lyman, as well as Franconia, Sugar Hill, and Lisbon.^[2] Pupils paid one dollar each for twelve lessons. With rare exceptions, only sacred music was taught, most frequently compositions such as those by Lowell Mason and Henry K. Oliver.^[2]

Heath composed the widely anthologized poem, "The Grave of Bonaparte" with Henry Washburne. Heath was an early advocate of the Hutchinson Family singing group.^[3] He also composed the melody for "The Burial of Mrs Judson."^[4]

References

1. Tawa, Nicholas E. (2001) From Psalm to Symphony: A History of Music in New England UPNE, ISBN 978-1-55553-491-2
2. James Robert Jackson, George Clarence Furber, History of Littleton, New Hampshire (1905), p. 280.
3. Sanjek Russell (1988). American Popular Music and Its Business: The First Four Hundred Years. Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-504310-5
4. Butterworth, Hezekiah and Theron Brown (1906). The Story of the Hymns and Tunes. American Tract Society

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