Ada J. Blenkhorn (1858-1927) was a

Canadian-American Canadian Americans () are Citizenship of the United States, American citizens or in some uses residents whose ancestry is wholly or partly Canadians, Canadian, or citizens of either country who hold dual citizenship. Today, many Canadian American ...

hymnwriter who wrote the lyrics to many well-known Christian

hymns A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

including “Let the Sunshine In” and "

Keep on the Sunny Side Keep on the Sunny Side (Roud 10082, also known as Keep on the Sunny Side of Life), is a popular American song originally written in 1899 by Ada Blenkhorn (1858–1927) with music by J. Howard Entwisle (1866–1903). The song was popularized in a ...

" also known as "Keep on the Sunny Side of Life" in 1899 with music by J. Howard Entwisle (1866–1903). Blenkhorn was born in

Cobourg Cobourg ( ) is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario east of Toronto and east of Oshawa. It is the largest town in and seat of Northumberland County. Its nearest neighbour is Port Hope, to the west. It is ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

on February 22, 1858, as the tenth of eleven children of William and Sarah (Helm) Blenkhorn, and Blenkhorn was raised as a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

and never married as an adult. In 1884 Blenkhorn moved with her family to

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–United States border, Canada–U.S. maritime border ...

. At age thirty-four Blenkhorn began a prolific career writing hymns after being encouraged by a friend not to quit. In 1899 Ada Blenkhorn was inspired to write the

Christian hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

, "Keep on the Sunny Side" by a phrase used by her nephew. Blenkhorn's nephew was disabled and always wanted his wheelchair pushed down "the sunny side" of the street. Blenkhorn began working her brother's Henry's, real estate business in 1904 as a secretary, and after he died in 1923, she took over as president of the business. She died on May 7, 1927, and was buried in

Lake View Cemetery Lake View Cemetery is a Private property, privately owned, Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Rural cemetery, garden cemetery located in the cities of Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Cleveland Heights, and East Cleveland, Ohio, East Cleveland ...

in Cleveland."Latter-day Saint Hymnology: Ada Blenkhorn (1858-1927)" ldshymnology.wordpress.com/2019/06/30/ada-blenkhorn-1858-1927/(accessed 2/5/2023)

References

1858 births 1927 deaths People from Cobourg Musicians from Cleveland American women hymnwriters American Methodist hymnwriters {{US-writer-stub