Ada Ruth Habershon (8 January 1861 – 1 February 1918) was an English Christian hymnist, best known for her 1907 gospel song "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" for which the tune was composed by Charles H. Gabriel.
Ada R. Habershon | |
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Background information | |
Born | Marylebone, Middlesex, England | 8 January 1861
Died | 1 February 1918 Marylebone, London, England | (aged 57)
Genres | Christian hymns |
Occupation(s) | Songwriter |
Years active | 1899-1918 |
Ada R. Habershon was born in Marylebone, England, on 8 January 1861. Her father, Samuel Osborne Habershon, was a noted physician; her mother was Grace Habershon. She was raised in Chelsea, London, in a Christian home. In her twenties, she was a member of the circle surrounding Charles Spurgeon. She met Dwight L. Moody and Ira D. Sankey in 1884 during their preaching tour of England. At their urging, she visited the United States, delivering a series of lectures on the Old Testament that were later published.
Habershon's first foray into hymn writing came in 1899, when she wrote several hymns in the German language. She wrote her first English language hymns in 1901, while ill. In 1905, Charles M. Alexander and R. A. Torrey toured the United Kingdom, and Alexander asked Habershon to write hymns for use during this evangelistic tour. Habershon ultimately sent Alexander over 200 hymns.
Habershon died in Marylebone on 1 February 1918, at the age of 57.[1]
HABERSHON.–On the 1st Feb. at 27 Devonshire Street, W. Ada Ruth, youngest daughter of the late Dr. S. O. Habershon, aged 57.