Born: December 31, 1837, West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Died: April 10, 1899, Chester, Pennsylvania.
Buried: Chester Rural Cemetery, Chester, Pennsylvania.
Sweney’s musical gift showed itself at an early age. While still a boy, he began to teach music in the public schools and lead Sunday school performances. At age 19, he started studying music in earnest under Professor Bauer, a celebrated German teacher. He took lessons on the violin and piano, and about this time was chosen leader of a choir. He was also in constant demand for children’s concerts and for conducting glee clubs.
At age 22, Sweney was called to teach in Dover, Delaware. When the American civil war broke out, he took charge of the band of the Third Delaware Regiment. After the war, Sweney became Professor of Music at the Pennsylvania Military Academy in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He worked there over 25 years, and received the degrees of Bachelor of Music (1876) and Doctor of Music (1886).
Sweney composed more than 1,000 hymn tunes, and collaborated on a number of hymn collections. His works include:
* The Wells of Salvation: Songs for the Sabbath School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: John J. Hood, 1881) (with William Kirkpatrick)
* Songs of Redeeming Love No. 2 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: John J. Hood, 1887) (with C. C. McCabe, Tullius O’Kane & William Kirkpatrick)
* Winning Songs (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: John J. Hood, 1892) (with William Kirkpatrick & Henry Gilmour)
* Songs of Love and Praise, No. 3 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: John J. Hood, 1896) (with William Kirkpatrick & Henry Gilmour)
Sources
* Hall, pp. 149-52
* Randel, pp. 892-3
Music
1. Adopted
2. All Glory Be Thine
3. As the Bird Flies Home
4. At the Breaking of the Day
5. Awake! Awake!
6. Awake, Awake! O Heart of Mine!
7. Balm in Secret Prayer
8. Beulah Land
9. Blest, Blest Forever
10. Break Forth, O Joyful Heart
11. By the Grace of God We’ll Meet
12. Calvary
13. Close Thy Heart No More
14. Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace
15. Come in, O Blessèd One
16. Conquering Now and Still to Conquer
17. Everlasting Song, The
18. Falter Not
19. Fill Me Now
20. From the Cross to the Crown
21. Go Work in the Vineyard
22. God’s Holy Church Shall Triumph
23. Golden Key
24. Good News
25. Handful of Leaves, A
26. He Feedeth His Flock
27. His Love Passeth Knowledge
28. Holy, Holy, Is What the Angels Sing
29. How Oft We Are There
30. I Have a Friend
31. I Have Entered Beulah Land
32. I Live but in Thee
33. Jesus Leads
34. Jesus Will Welcome Me There
35. Joyfully Sing
36. King’s Highway, The
37. More About Jesus
38. Morning Draweth Nigh, The
39. Music of the Angels
40. My Rest
41. My Savior First of All
42. No Cross for Me?
43. No Voice But Thine
44. O Blessed Word
45. O Church of God, Arise!
46. O Fly to Him
47. On Let Us Go
48. Only a Beam of Sunshine
49. Only Once You Pass This Way
50. Onward, Ye Pilgrims
51. Out in the Sunshine
52. Out on the Desert
53. Peace to My Soul
54. Praise, Praise His Name
55. Precious Moments
56. Press On, Press On, Ye Workers
57. Rainbow Round the Throne, The
58. Redeemed, and with the Price of Blood
59. Revive the Hearts of All
60. Savior with Me, The
61. Seek Ye First
62. Send Out the Sunlight
63. Shepherd’s Fold on High, The
64. Shout in the Camp, A
65. Showers of Blessing
66. Simple, Earnest Prayer, The
67. Sing Once More of Jesus
68. Singing of Jesus
69. Smile from Jesus, A
70. Speak for Jesus
71. Sunshine in the Soul
72. Sweet Assurance
73. Sweet Story of Jesus
74. Take the World, but Give Me Jesus
75. Tell It Out with Gladness
76. Tell Me the Story of Jesus
77. Tell the Whole Wide World
78. Till the Boat Comes By
79. ’Tis Summer in My Heart
80. Unsearchable Riches
81. Wait on the Lord
82. Waiting for the Promise
83. Walking in the Good Old Way
84. We All Can Do Good
85. We Are Nearing
86. When Each Others Face We See
87. Will There Be Any Stars?
88. Will You Come?
Source: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/bio/s/w/e/sweney_jr.html
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