Ira D. Sankey Collection

Born in Edinburg, PA, to a Methodist family, Ira Sankey (1840-1908) loved music from an early age. At 16 he was saved at the King’s Chapel revival meetings. At 21 he volunteered for the Union in the Civil War. At 23, he married Fanny Edward, and later became president of the New Castle YMCA.

In 1870, Sankey came to Indianapolis as a YMCA delegate. The singing was not going well, so a friend asked Sankey to jump in. D.L. Moody was so impressed he said to Sankey, “I have been looking for you for the last eight years!”

Sankey travelled with Moody from 1871 until Moody’s death in 1899. In Britain Queen Victoria came out to one of their meetings. Sankey composed the music for many beloved gospel songs, including “Hiding in Thee,” “The Ninety and Nine,” “Faith is the Victory,” “Simply Trusting,” and “Under His Wings.”

His melodion (travelling organ) and many of his songbooks are on display at the Lawrence Co. Historical Society

Home to the travelling organ of Ira Sankey as well as many of his published music works.

From https://www.lawrencechs.com/museum/collections/ira-d-sankey-collection/

Throughout the English-speaking world, Sankey and Moody were the greatest team of evangelists of the 1870s, ’80s and ’90s. Sankey’s inspiring baritone voice was heard in Egypt. Jerusalem, Rome, Mexico and in most of the cities of America, England and Scotland. While in England in 1873, Sankey printed a little pamphlet of 23 of his favorite “Sacred Songs and Solos.” It was well received, and eventually grew to a book of 1,200 pieces. At one time Sankey’s books of hymns had sold more copies than any book save the Bible. One publisher sold more than 80 million copies. Only some of the hymns were written by Sankey. Most were composed by other writers, many of whom were his friends and contemporaries.

His most famous hymn, “The Ninety and Nine,” is a poem written by Elizabeth Clephane. Called upon by Moody for an additional solo at a service in Edinburgh, Scotland, Sankey was inspired to play on the organ the melody not previously composed as he sang the words he had clipped from the newspaper a few days earlier. Another of his favorites, sung many times, including at a memorial service for Queen Victoria’s grandson, was “Sometime We’ll Understand,” the words of which were written by Rev. Maxwell N. Cornelius, D.D., a native of North Beaver Township, Lawrence County. Ira D. Sankey died Aug.13, 1908 in Brooklyn.