Adaline Hohf Beery
"A Woman of the Century"
Born	Adaline Hohf (1859-12-20)December 20, 1859 Hanover, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	February 24, 1929(1929-02-24) (aged 69) Kane, Illinois, U.S.
Resting place	Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Author newspaper editor songbook compiler hymnwriter
Language	English, Pennsylvania German
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Mount Morris College
Spouse	William Beery ​ (m. 1888)​
Children	Leon Felix Beery, Judith Beery Garber
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Adaline Hohf Beery (née, Hohf; after marriage, Beery, sometimes misspelled Berry; December 20, 1859 – February 24, 1929) was an American author, newspaper and magazine editor, songbook compiler, as well as a hymnwriter. Born into a Pennsylvania Dutch community, her first job after graduating from Mount Morris College in Illinois was as a compositor in a printing office. She served as the editor of The Golden Dawn magazine and The Young Disciple child's paper; compiled a song-book, Gospel Chimes; and was employed by the Brethren Publishing House.

Early life and education

Adaline Hohf was born in Hanover, Pennsylvania, December 20, 1859.^[1] She was of mixed ancestry. Her father, Michael Hohf (1821–1881), was of Dutch extraction, and her mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Bucher (1821–1914), was of Swiss ancestry. Her siblings were Emanuel (1853–1864) and Martha (1864–1948). Born in a Pennsylvania Dutch community, the Pennsylvania German language was the first she learned to speak. She removed with her parents, at the age of four years, to Frederick, Maryland,^[2] where she spent her childhood days amid the rural sights and sounds along the Linganore Creek. In 1870, her family removed to Iowa, where, as a school-girl in her teens, she first attempted verse.^[1][3]

She completed the academic course of Mount Morris College in 1882.^[4]

Career

A talent for composition began its development in her teens. Sketches, in the form of both poetry and prose, found their way into the local papers. She gave no particular evidence of a tendency to rhyme until 1884, at which time she resided in Illinois, when the death of a friend called forth a memorial tribute, which received such commendation from personal friends as to encourage her to continue to work in verse. Poems were frequently written by her afterward.

About six months after graduation from Mount Morris College, she entered a printing office as compositor, working there more than four years. In May, 1885, Beery undertook the editing of The Golden Dawn,^[5] an excellent but short-lived magazine published in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.^[1][3]

On June 20, 1888, she married William Beery (1852–1956), an instructor in vocal music, and soon after rendered him valuable assistance in compiling an excellent song-book, Gospel Chimes, writing hymns and some music for it. She and her husband were located in Huntingdon, where she edited a child's paper known as The Young Disciple.^[1][3] Later, the husband and wife worked together in the Brethren Publishing House in Elgin, Illinois.^[6]

Personal life

Her family consisted of a son, Leon Felix Beery, born in February 1891,^[1][3] and a daughter, Judith Garber, born in 1897.^[6] Beery died on February 24, 1929, in Kane, Illinois. She was buried at Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin.^[7]

Selected works

Books

• Poems of a decade, 1897
• The rostrum : a collection of original recitations, dialogues, motion songs, etc. for day-schools and Christmas entertainments, 1900
• Christmas rainbow; a play for four girls and four boys six or seven years old., 1908
• A home for the Christ, an exercise for eleven boys., 1908

Hymns

She wrote the music for the hymn "The Holy Bible", and the lyrics for many more hymns:^[8][7]