Biography

Louis Fitzgerald Benson was born and died in Pennsylvania. From July of 1855 to October of 1930, Philadelphia was Benson's home, and his body was buried in Philadelphia's Laurel Hill Cemetery. Benson attended the University of Pennsylvania and earned a law degree. By 1877, he had completed his studies, passed the Bar, and embarked on the short-lived legal practice of only seven years before embarking on studies at Princeton Theological Seminary. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church, he pastored a congregation in Germantown for six years before leaving that post to work for the Presbyterian Board of Publication. Here, he could follow his passion for hymns. Not only did he edit the Presbyterian Hymnal in 1895, but also its revision in 1911. Benson worked on producing other hymnals, translating Latin hymns into English, and writing original hymns. Benson amassed more than 9,000 hymn-related books and materials, which were bequeathed to Princeton Seminary. Benson also left funds to ensure more books were added to the collection.

Wailand Groenendyk
CCEL Staff Writer