Fanny Crosby : biography
In July 1904, the matter was still not settled, however it came to an end before Fanny Crosby Day in March 1905, after Carleton’s wife, Adora Niles Goodell Carleton, died suddenly.Michigan Historical Commission, Michigan. Dept. of State, Michigan. Bureau of History, Michigan History magazine 65-66 (Michigan Historical Commission, 1981):39.
In 1905 Carleton issued a new edition of Fannie Crosby, Her Life Work, which was both expanded and "newly illustrated", and despite "the greater expense of production, the price remains One Dollar a copy", with Crosby to "receive the same liberal royalty", as the book was "SOLD FOR THE BLIND AUTHOR’S BENEFIT".Will Carleton, ed., Every Where Vols. 17–18 (Every Where Publishing Company, 1905):123, 187, 381. In December 1905 Crosby issued a card protesting the continued sale of Carleton’s book, again denying she was "in distress", as she was in "comfortable circumstances and very active", giving lectures at leat once a week."Miss Fanny Crosby Protests", The New York Times (December 5, 1905), http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=FA0B16FE355F13718DDDAC0894DA415B858CF1D3 Crosby indicated she had received less than $325 from the sale of the book, that her "requests had been disregarded", but that "when these facts are fully known to all, the publishers can sell the book as they desire; only I have no wish to increase its sale for my own benefit, which, of course, is very small".
Despite Crosby’s efforts, Carleton continued to advertise the book for sale until at least 1911.Will Carleton, ed., Every Where, 29–30 (Every Where, 1911):248. In 1911 Carleton serialised and updated Crosby’s life story in Every Where."An Afternoon with Fanny Crosby", Every Where 29–30 (Every Where, 1911):283, but see also 99, 168ff. The 1906 publication of Crosby’s own autobiography, Memories of Eighty Years, which, in contrast to Carleton’s book focused on Crosby’s hymn-writing years, was sold by subscription and door-to-door, and promoted in lectures by Doane, raised $1,000 for Crosby.Blumhofer (2005), p. 326.
For a period Crosby and Knapp were estranged because of the Carleton book, but by early 1905 they had reconciled.Blumhofer (2005), pp. 324, 332–333.
Fanny Crosby Day (1905)
On Sunday, March 26, 1905, Fanny Crosby Day was celebrated in churches of many denominations around the world, with special worship services in honour of her 85th birthday, two days earlier."Fanny Crosby Day", The New York Times (March 27, 1905), http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F30616FF3C5912738DDDAE0A94DB405B858CF1D3 On that day Crosby attended the First Baptist Church in Bridgeport where Carrie Rider was a member, and spoke in the evening service, and was given $85.Blumhofer (2005), p. 328. Because of Carrie Rider’s cancer, in summer 1906 Crosby and Rider moved to 226 Wells Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut.Blumhofer (2005), pp. 332, 342. Carrie died of intestinal cancer in July 1907. On July 10, 1908, Phoebe Knapp died. Weeks later, Ira Sankey died having just sung "Saved by Grace", one of Crosby’s most popular compositions., The New York Times (August 15, 1908). On May 2, 1911, Crosby spoke to 5,000 people at the opening meeting of the Evangelistic Committee’s seventh annual campaign held in Carnegie Hall, after the crowd sang her songs for thirty minutes."5,000 SING WITH BLIND HYMN WRITER; Fanny Crosby, Now 91, Rouses Evangelistic Rally in Carnegie Hall", The New York Times (May 3, 1911), http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=F50A1FFB3F5D16738DDDAA0894DD405B818DF1D3 On her 94th birthday in March 1914, Alice Rector and the King’s Daughters of the First Methodist Church of Bridgeport, Connecticut organized a Violet Day to honor Crosby,"Thrift and Beauty in the Home", The Washington Post (March 24, 1914):7. which was publicised nationally by Hugh Main.Ruffin (1995), p. 231.
