Back in 2016, I posted about the song The Church That Jesus Built by
R. N. Grisham. This song was Dedicated
to the American Baptist Association. Then, I tentatively identified
Grisham as Rufus Norton Grisham (1877–1936), who is buried at the Hickory
Grove Cemetery at Laurel in Jones County, Mississippi. I believe that
identification is correct. A friend on Library Thing has put together some
information that supports this, and I post the following picture of Grisham
with his permission.
R. N. Grisham was co-editor of Songs of Heaven circa 1924, while living
in Greenville, South Carolina. He was an associate editor on Service Songs for Christian Work and Worship,
1929, published by Firm Foundation and Showalter Publishing (edited by J. W.
Gaines). He published Heaven’s Highway
while living in Ellisville, Mississippi and Our
Bells of Heaven while living in Laurel, Mississippi.
Grisham also taught singing schools. For example,
an ad in the Jones County News (November
14, 1912, p. 11) identifies R. N. Grisham as “Principal” of the Analytical and
New Light Music School, to be held at Indian Springs and continuing 6 days a
week for four weeks. When Grisham registered for the World War I draft in
September of 1918, he was living in Greenville, South Carolina. He listed his
occupation as “Vocal Teacher” and his employer as James D. Vaughan of
Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.[i]
The
(Laurel) Morning Call in 1928
describes him as “an evangelistic singer, song publisher and has conducted
several normal schools in the county.” The article also indicates Mr. &
Mrs. Grisham recorded on Columbia Records a song called We’ll Be At Home Again.[ii]
(The Morning Call, March 22, 1928, p.
3)
R. N. Grisham was the son of Isaac Grisham and
Sarah Mason. He married Lavada Bush in 1912. The Bush family was active gospel
singers as well.
Movement
1880, Blackland, Prentiss County, Mississippi (Census)
1915, Lawrenceburg, Lawrence County, Tennessee
(Birth of daughter)
1917, Greenville, Greenville County, South
Carolina (City Directory)
1920, Greenville, Greenville County, South
Carolina (Census)
1924, Greenville, Greenville County, South
Carolina (City Directory)
1930, Ellisville, Jones County, Mississippi (Census)
2 comments:
So enjoyed your read on R.N. Grisham. I have the book published in Laurel MS. Our Bells Of Heaven and also another published in Ellisville MS. entitled Gospel Carols .
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Glad you found the read enjoyable and helpful. Thanks also for mentioning Gospel Carols. I did not have that on the list.
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