Joseph M. Scriven
Irish philanthropist (1819–1886)
Joseph Medlicott Scriven (10 September 1819 – 10 August 1886) was an Irish-born Canadian poet, best known as the writer of the poem which became the hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus".
Life
Joseph Scriven was born in 1819 of prosperous parents in Banbridge, County Down, Ireland. He graduated with a degree from Trinity College Dublin in 1842. His fiancée accidentally drowned in 1843, the night before they were to be married. In 1844, at the age of 25, Scriven left his native country and migrated to Canada, settling in Woodstock, Ontario. He left his country feeling a spiritual calling to serve the Lord in his Plymouth Brethren faith. He only remained in Canada briefly after becoming ill, but returned for good in 1847.
For two or three years he conducted a private school at Brantford. In 1855, while staying with James Sackville in Bewdley, Ontario, north of Port Hope, he received news from Ireland of his mother being terribly ill. He wrote a poem to comfort his mother called "Pray Without Ceasing".
The public source identifies “Joseph M. Scriven” as irish philanthropist (1819–1886). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Joseph, Scriven and Irish.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Joseph M. Scriven”, the useful work is to connect “irish philanthropist (1819–1886)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 19, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q705227. VIAF identifies the subject as 70281966. The Library of Congress control number is n82125115. 3 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1819, 1886, 1842 and 1843.
Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Joseph M. Scriven”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Joseph M. Scriven primary sources, Joseph M. Scriven archive and Joseph research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Joseph M. Scriven”?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Joseph M. Scriven” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.