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He was a hymn writer, theologian, music teacher and
priest born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His father was also John Henry Hopkins and he was the
Bishop of Vermont. He studied
at the University of Vermont in
the late 1830s and worked as a reporter for the New York Times after
graduating in 1939. He had
planned to take up law as a career but changed his track and went to study
at the General Theological Seminary.
He graduated from there in 1850 and five years later began working there
as a music teacher. At the
same time he also held the position of editor of the Church Journal from
1853 to 1868, was ordained deacon in 1850 and was rector at the Trinity
Church in Plattsburg, New York and Christ Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
from 1876. He was instrumental
in the establishing of the dioceses in Pittsburgh, Albany and Long Island
in 1868. He published Carols,
Hymns and Songs, Canticles Noted with Accompanying Harmonies and Poems
by the Wayside, and was also the writer of the popular Christmas carol "We
Three Kings of Orient Are". He died when he was 70 years old in Hudson, New
York.
We Three Kings of Orient Are recordings
Leroy Anderson
and His Orchestra
Decca B0003552-02 (CD: A Leroy Anderson Christmas)
Sources:
- http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/h/o/p/hopkins_jh.htm
- http://www.famousamericans.net/johnhenryhopkins/
- http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hymns_and_Carols/we_three_kings_of_orient_are.htm
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