John Henry Gower

GOWER, John Henry.  b. Rugby, Warwickshire, England, 25 May 1855; d. Denver, Colorado, USA, 30 July 1922.  He was an organist and composer, remembered especially for the hymn tunes GOWER’S LITANY and MEDITATION. Gower was the second son of the Rev. Herbert Gower (1803-1875) and Elizabeth (née Holder) Gower (1826-?), who were married June 6, 1839.  The father received the BA (1821) and MA (1825) from Oxford University. At Oxford, he was a chorister at Christ Church (1812-17) and St John’s College (1816-17). He was ordained in 1823. The 1861 England Census shows the family living in Reading, Berkshire, with Herbert’s occupation listed as “Clerk without Cure”; i.e., a clergyman in the Church...