Joseph Funk (1778–1862) was a pioneer American music teacher, publisher, and an early American composer. He invented a

shape note Shape notes are a musical notation designed to facilitate congregational and Sing-along, social singing. The notation became a popular teaching device in American singing schools during the 19th century. Shapes were added to the noteheads in ...

system in 1851 for the

Harmonia Sacra ''Harmonia Sacra'' is a Mennonite shape note hymn and tune book, originally published as ''A Compilation of Genuine Church Music'' in 1832 ( Singers Glen, Virginia) by Joseph Funk (1778–1862). The original publication was a "four-shape" shap ...

Biography

Funk was born April 6, 1778 (though his gravestone states March 9, 1777), in

Bucks County, Pennsylvania Bucks County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 646,538, making it the List of counties in Pennsylvania, four ...

, the son of Henry and Barbara (Showalter) Funk, and a grandson of Bishop Heinrich Funck, a German Palatine settler of Bernese Swiss descent. Bishop Funck came to America in 1719, and was the first Mennonite bishop in America. As a boy, Joseph moved with his parents to

Rockingham County, Virginia Rockingham County is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 83,757. Its county seat is the Independent city (United States), independent city ...

, and spent the rest of his life there. In 1804, Funk married Elizabeth Rhodes, and they had five children. After her death, he married Rachel Britton, and they raised nine children. He was a member of the Mennonite Church. In 1847, he established the first Mennonite printing house in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, at Mountain Valley, Virginia (renamed Singers Glen in 1860). Funk and his sons were active in organizing and teaching many

singing school A singing school is a school in which students are taught to sightread vocal music. Singing schools are a long-standing cultural institution in the Southern United States. While some singing schools are offered for credit, most are informal progr ...

s in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

. Funk died December 24, 1862, and is buried in the cemetery at Singers Glen. Funk compiled and published seven books and periodicals: :*''Ein allgemein nützliche Choral-Music'' (1816) :*''A Compilation of Genuine Church Music'' (1832) :*''The Confession of Faith'' (1837) :*''A Collection of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs'' (1847) :*''The Reviewer Reviewed'' (1857) :*''The Southern Musical Advocate and Singer's Friend'' :*''J. and D. Brenneman, Hymns'' The 1847 fourth edition of Funk's ''A Compilation of Genuine Church Music'' was the first publication by Joseph Funk and Sons at Singers Glen. The name was changed to ''

'' in 1851. The book is still is in use by Mennonites today. ''The Southern Musical Advocate and Singer's Friend'' was a 16-page monthly periodical published by Funk from 1859 to 1861. It was a forerunner of ''The Musical Million and Fireside Friend'', a periodical published by Funk's grandson, Aldine S. Kieffer. Joseph Funk's sons continued the printing business after his death. The Ruebush-Kieffer Company purchased the press in 1878. The Joseph Funk House was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1975.

References

1778 births 1862 deaths American male composers American composers American Mennonites American music publishers (people) American people of Pennsylvania Dutch descent American people of Swiss-German descent Mennonite writers Mennonitism in Virginia Musicians from Virginia Hymnal editors Musicians from Bucks County, Pennsylvania People from Rockingham County, Virginia Shape note Mennonite musicians {{US-composer-stub