Background
Hanby, Benjamin Russel was born on July 22, 1833 in Rushville, Ohio, United States. Son of William and Ann (Miller) Hanby.
Hanby, Benjamin Russel was born on July 22, 1833 in Rushville, Ohio, United States. Son of William and Ann (Miller) Hanby.
Graduate Otterbein University, Westerville, O., 1858.
The most famous of his compositions are "Darling Nelly Gray", the Christmas songs "Up on the House Top", "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas", and the hymn "Who Is He In Yonder Stall?". He moved to Westerville, Ohio in 1849, at the age of sixteen, to enroll at Otterbein University. He was involved in the Underground Railroad with his father, Bishop William Hanby.
Hanby composed "Darling Nelly Gray" in 1856 in what is now a state historical site, the Hanby House, located at 160 West Main Street in Westerville, adjacent to the campus of Otterbein University.
In 1860, he became principal of Seven Mile Academy in Seven Mile, Ohio. In 1864, he was minister of a church in New Paris, Ohio, but by Christmas 1864, Ben was no longer working as a pastor, but operating a singing school in New Paris.
He composed "Up On The Housetop" as a Christmas sing-along. lieutenant was originally titled Santa Claus.
The following year, Chicago publisher George Frederick Root published "Up On The Housetop" and brought Hanby to Chicago to pursue other publishing ventures.
Hanby died from tuberculosis in Chicago on March 18, 1867. He is buried in Otterbein Cemetery in Westerville.
Married Mary Kate Winter, June 1858.