William Batchelder Bradbury (October 6, 1816 – January 7, 1868) was a musician who composed the tune

Hymn tune

A hymn tune is the melody of a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Musically speaking, a hymn is generally understood to have four-part harmony, a fast harmonic rhythm , and no refrain or chorus....

 to Jesus Loves Me

Jesus Loves Me

Jesus Loves Me is a Christian hymn set to words by Anna Bartlett Warner. The lyrics first appeared as a poem in the context of a novel called Say and Seal, written by Susan Warner and published in 1860. The tune was added in 1862 by William Batchelder Bradbury who found the text of "Jesus Loves Me"...

and many other popular hymns.

Biography

He was born on October 6, 1816 in York, Maine

York, Maine

York is a town in York County, Maine, United States at the southwest corner of the state. The population in the 2000 census was 12,854. Situated beside the Atlantic Ocean on the Gulf of Maine, York is a well-known summer resort. It is home to three 18-hole golf clubs, three sandy beaches, and...

 where his father was the leader of a church choir. He had a brother, Edward G. Bradbury.

He moved with his parents to Boston

Boston

Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

 and met Lowell Mason

Lowell Mason

Lowell Mason was a leading figure in American church music, the composer of over 1600 hymn tunes, many of which are often sung today. His most well-known tunes include Mary Had A Little Lamb and the arrangement of Joy to the World...

, and by 1834 was known as an organist. In 1840, he began teaching in Brooklyn, New York. In 1847 he went to Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, where he studied harmony, composition, and vocal and instrumental music with the best masters.

In 1854, he started the Bradbury Piano Company, with his brother, Edward G. Bradbury in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

. William Bradbury is best known as a composer and publisher of a series of musical collections for choirs and schools. He was the author and compiler of fifty-nine books starting in 1841.

In 1862, Bradbury found the poem Jesus Loves Me

Jesus Loves Me

Jesus Loves Me is a Christian hymn set to words by Anna Bartlett Warner. The lyrics first appeared as a poem in the context of a novel called Say and Seal, written by Susan Warner and published in 1860. The tune was added in 1862 by William Batchelder Bradbury who found the text of "Jesus Loves Me"...

. Bradbury wrote the music and added the chorus: "Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus Loves me ..."

He died on January 7, 1868 in Montclair, New Jersey

Montclair, New Jersey

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...

 at age 52. He was buried in Bloomfield Cemetery

Bloomfield Cemetery, Bloomfield

Bloomfield Cemetery is located at 383 Belleville Avenue, Bloomfield in Essex County, New Jersey. The telephone number is 748-0131.-Notable burials:...

 in Bloomfield, New Jersey

Bloomfield, New Jersey

Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 47,315. It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District.-History:...

.

Works

He composed many tunes, including those for He Leadeth Me, Just As I Am, Without One Plea

Just As I Am (hymn)

Just as I Am is a well-known hymn, written by Charlotte Elliott in 1835, first appearing in the Christian Remembrancer, of which Elliott became the editor in 1836. The final verse is taken from Elliott's Hours of Sorrow Cheered and Comforted ....

, Sweet Hour of Prayer, Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us and The Solid Rock, all of which can still be found in hymmbooks and songbooks today.

Publications

• Cottage Melodies (1859)
• The Golden Chain (1861)
• Hold On Abraham! (1862)
• The Key-Note and Pilgrim Song (1863)
• The Golden Censer (1864)
• Golden Trio (1864)
• The Shawm (1864)
• The Jubilee (1865)
• Temple Choir and Fresh Laurels (1867)
• Clairiona (1867) compilation of previous works

External links

• Free scores Mutopia Project
  Mutopia project
  The Mutopia Project is a volunteer-run effort to create a library of free content sheet music, in a way similar to Project Gutenberg's library of public domain books.The music is reproduced from old scores that are out of copyright...