Daniel Belknap

Daniel Belknap (9 February 1771-3 October 1815), the son of Jeremiah Belknap, Jr., and Hepzibah Stone, was born in Framingham, Massachusetts. Belknap was a farmer, mechanic, militia captain, poet and singing teacher in his native town. He taught his first singing school at the age of eighteen. He was a Mason, and composed "A View of the Temple," a Masonic ode, for the installation of the Middlesex Lodge of Framingham. In 1812 he and his family moved to Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where he died. He compiled four sacred tunebooks in the years 1797-1806, and also issued a book of secular songs with music. His first published tune Lena was printed in The Worcester Collection, 5th edition (1794).

Publications of Daniel Belknap

1. The Harmonist's Companion. Boston: printed by Thomas & Andrews, Oct. 1797. 32 pp.

2. The Evangelical Harmony. Boston: Thomas & Andrews, Sept. 1800. 80 pp.

3. The Middlesex Collection of Sacred Harmony. Boston: Thomas & Andrews, Nov. 1802. 112 pp.

4. The Village Compilation of Sacred Musick. Boston, printed for the author by J.T. Buckingham, 1806. 152 pp.

5. The Village Compilation of Sacred Musick. Second edition. Boston, printed for the author by J.T. Buckingham, 1806. 152 pp.

6. The Middlesex Songster. Dedham: printed by H. Mann, 1809.
   [ Contains secular songs with music. ]

7. [Justin Morgan]. Judgment Anthem. Dedham: printed by H. Mann, for D. Belknap, 1810. 10 pp.

The Collected Works of Daniel Belknap, edited by David Warren Steel, is available from Routledge Publishers.

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