Alexander Van Alstyne

Overview

Alexander Van Alstyne was a blind musician and teacher active in nineteenth-century New York. Because he shared his father's name, English-language sources sometimes refer to him as Alexander Van Alstyne Jr. He is better known as the husband of Fanny Crosby than in his own right. Crosby, who wrote thousands of hymn texts, became officially known after their marriage as Mrs. Van Alstyne, that is, Frances Jane Van Alstyne.

Life

Van Alstyne was born in Manhattan, New York, in 1831. Blind from youth, he studied at the New York Institution for the Blind, a school for blind students in New York City. Fanny Crosby had also studied at the school and, after graduating, taught there from 1847 to 1858.

The two were married on March 5, 1858. Records indicate that they had one child. Van Alstyne died in Manhattan in July 1902; sources differ on the date, giving either July 19 or July 22. He was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Maspeth, New York.

Ministry and Work

Like his wife, Van Alstyne taught at the New York Institution for the Blind. As a musician, he was reportedly a skilled organist and was regarded as one of the leading organ players in New York in his day. Few verified sources, however, document the churches at which he played, how long he served there, or what compositions he left.

Influence on the Korean Church

There is no record of Van Alstyne having exercised any direct influence on the Korean church. Korean Christians know his name because of his wife, Fanny Crosby. Several of the hymns for which Crosby wrote the words have been translated into Korean and are reportedly included in the Korean hymnal. His name is often mentioned in sermons and devotional books that discuss the background of these hymns when they describe Crosby's married life.

Assessment

Most assessments of Van Alstyne have come down to us as part of biographies of Crosby. The prevailing view among them is that he was a blind musician who carried on a career in teaching and performance. Available sources shed little light on the musical works he left or on the extent of his involvement in Crosby's hymn writing, which makes it difficult to evaluate his independent achievements.