1831–1902

Introduction

illustration

Born: May 23, 1831, Stock­bridge, Ver­mont.

Died: Jan­ua­ry 13, 1902, Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts.

Buried: Tafts­ville Bu­ry­ing Grounds, Tafts­ville, Ver­mont.

Biography

William was the son of Or­son Per­kins and Han­nah Rust, and bro­ther of Hen­ry Per­kins and ope­ra sing­er Ju­li­us Ed­son Perk­ins.

He at­tend­ed the Kim­ball Un­ion Aca­de­my in Me­ri­den, New Hamp­shire, then stu­died mu­sic in Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts; Lon­don (with J. Q. We­the­rbee); and Mi­lan, It­aly (with Giu­sep­pe Pe­ri­ni).

Settling in Bos­ton, he found­ed a mu­sic aca­de­my and pub­lished a num­ber of hym­nals. He lived in Bos­ton 1857–84, then moved to New York Ci­ty.

Hamilton College award­ed him an hon­or­ary doc­tor­ate of mu­sic de­gree in 1879.

Works

Sources

Lyrics

Music

Help Needed

If you know where to get a good pho­to of Per­kins (head & shoul­ders, at least 200×300 pix­els),