J. H. Fillmore (1849–1936)

Son of a Di­sci­ples of Christ min­is­ter, Fill­more be­gan sup­port­ing his fam­i­ly at age 16 by run­ning his fa­ther's sing­ing school, af­ter his fa­ther's death. In 1874, he and his bro­thers found­ed the Fill­more Bro­thers Mu­sic House in Cin­cin­na­ti, Ohio. An author, composer, and editor of music, composing hymn tunes, anthems, and cantatas, as well as publishing 20+ Christian songbooks and hymnals. He issued a monthly periodical “The Music Messsenger”, typically putting in his own hymns before publishing them in hymnbooks. Jessie Brown Pounds, also a hymnist, contributed song lyrics to the Fillmore Music House for 30 years, and many tunes were composed for her lyrics. He was instrumental in the prohibition and temperance efforts of the day. His wife died in 1913, and he took a world tour trip with single daughter, Fred (a church singer), in the early 1920's. He died in Cincinnati. His son, Henry, became a bandmaster/composer.