Sarah "Sally" Lancaster (April 28, 1834 – April 13, 1918) was an American composer in the

Sacred Harp Sacred Harp singing is a tradition of sacred choral music that originated in New England and was later perpetuated and carried on in the American South. The name is derived from ''The Sacred Harp'', a ubiquitous and historically important tun ...

tradition. Three of her songs were published: "The Last Words of Copernicus", "I'm on My Journey Home", and "Sardis".

Biography

Lancaster was born in

Talbot County, Georgia Talbot County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. The 2020 census showed a population of 5,733. The county seat and largest city is Talbotton. History Talbot County was created from a portion of Musc ...

, April 28, 1834. Her parents were James Lupo Lancaster and Charity Lancaster, formerly of

Edgecombe County, North Carolina Edgecombe County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 48,900. Its county seat is Tarboro. Edgecombe County is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area ...

. Through her father she was a descendant of the Italian Jewish musician

Peter Lupo Peter Lupo (c. 1535 – 1608) was an Italian viol player and composer active for 40 years or more at the court of Elizabeth I of England. Born in Venice to Ambrose Lupo and his first wife Lucia, he and his brother Joseph first went to Antwer ...

, who had emigrated to England and was active at the court of

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...

. She had two sisters, Anna Lucinda Maria Atkinson Lancaster, known as "Ann", and Priscilla R. Lancaster, known as "Sid"; all three were musical, and both others contributed hymns to editions of the ''Sacred Harp''. All three were students of

Benjamin Franklin White Benjamin Franklin White (September 20, 1800 – December 5, 1879) was a shape note "singing master", and compiler of the shape note tunebook known as ''The Sacred Harp''. He was born near Cross Keys in Union County, South Carolina, the twelfth ch ...

and

J. P. Reese James Patrick Reese (born December 21, 1980) is an American mixed martial artist. He bases his training at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. Amateur wrestling career J.P. Reese began wrestling at Rochester Adams High School in Roches ...

, the latter of whom assisted them in their compositions. Sarah studied in

Hamilton, Georgia Hamilton is a city in, and the county seat of Harris County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Columbus, Georgia-Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,680 at the 2020 census, up from 307 at the 2000 census. As of 20 ...

, likely at the Hamilton Female Institute, where she expressed an interest in music and took piano lessons. It appears that she boarded with White's family during this time in her life; she also developed the habit of sending original compositions to friends and family along with her letters. She married George Washington "Wash" Hagler on November 28, 1866, bearing him five children. In 1876 the family left Georgia, arriving in

Butler, Freestone County, Texas Butler is a historic, unincorporated community in Freestone County, Texas, United States. The community is southeast of Fairfield and approximately 14 miles outside city limits on U.S. Route 84. Demographics The community has a total populat ...

, early in 1877. They remained there until sometime in the 1880s – they are listed as residents there in the 1880 census – but by 1886 had moved to

Oakwood, Texas Oakwood is a town in Leon and Freestone counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 389 at the 2020 census. It was founded in 1872 as a stop on the International Railroad. Geography Oakwood is located in northeastern Leon Count ...

; there she died and was buried in the town cemetery. Lancaster continued to send music home after her move, and would inquire in letters to family about "the singings" she had left behind. It was said of her that she was a "sweet singer" and "a Christian woman, of a lovable disposition".

Legacy

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...

sampled a 1959

Alan Lomax Alan Lomax (; January 31, 1915 – July 19, 2002) was an American ethnomusicologist, best known for his numerous field recordings of folk music of the 20th century. He was also a musician himself, as well as a folklorist, archivist, writer, s ...

recording of "The Last Words of Copernicus" in his song "

Death to My Hometown "Death to My Hometown" is a song written and recorded by American musician Bruce Springsteen and was the third single from his album, ''Wrecking Ball''. It is a protest song, as well a prominent example of Springsteen's experimentation with Celti ...

"; M.I.A. incorporates a fragment of the same recording into her single " Tell Me Why".

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lancaster, Sarah 1834 births 1918 deaths 19th-century American composers People from Talbot County, Georgia People from Oakwood, Texas Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) Songwriters from Texas Sacred Harp American people of Italian-Jewish descent American Christian hymnwriters American women hymnwriters 19th-century American women musicians 19th-century women composers