Haldor Lillenas
Haldor Lillenas (19 November 1885 – 18 August 1959) was "one of the most important twentieth-century gospel hymn writers and publishers" and is regarded as "the most influential Wesleyan / Holiness songwriter and publisher in the 20th century". Additionally, Lillenas was an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene, author, song evangelist, poet, music publisher and prolific hymnwriter, who is estimated to have composed over 4,000 hymns, the most famous being Wonderful Grace of Jesus. In 1931 Lillenas was the producer of Glorious Gospel Songs, the first hymnal for the Church of the Nazarene. In 1982 Lillenas was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Haldor Lillenas was born on 19 November 1885 on Stord Island, near Bergen, Norway, the son of Ole Paulsen Lillenas (born May 1854 in Norway; died 24 July 1926 in Hennepin County, Minnesota), a farmer and storekeeper, and his wife Anna Marie Lillenas (born March 1851 in Norway; died c. 1906 in Minnesota), and brother of Paul Olson (born 27 March 1879 in Norway; died 18 May 1934 in Hennepin County, Minnesota), Johanes O. (born July 1882 in Norway), Katrine G. (born July 1888 in North Dakota), and George M. (born 11 March 1896 in Astoria, Oregon).
The Lillenas family farm comprised 15 acres (61,000 m2) of rocky ground, which was sold to allow the family to migrate to the United States. While Anna and her three children lived temporarily in a home south of Bergen, Ole Lillenas migrated from Norway to the United States of America via Canada in 1886, where he bought a farm in Colton, South Dakota. After Ole finished constructing a sod house, Anna, and the three children were re-united with him in 1887. In 1889 the Lillenas family relocated again to a farm on the Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon. While living in Astoria, Lillenas learned English and began to attend school. In 1900 the family moved to Roseville, Minnesota. While in Roseville, Lillenas began attending high school in a Lutheran school at Hawick, Minnesota. At the age of 17, Lillenas began a four-year correspondence course from the International Correspondence Schools in chemistry and chemical analysis with private tutors. Lillenas worked as a farm labourer most of the year, but during winter he concentrated on his studies. About 1906 Anna Marie Lillenas died, and Ole decided to relocate the family to North Dakota, however Lillenas decided to move back to Astoria, Oregon, where he finished his correspondence course and found employment in a chemical factory.
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