Frances Jane Crosby (1820-1915) was born to John and Mercy Crosby in Putnam County, New York, in 1820. A month-and-a-half after her birth a quack doctor prescribed hot mustard poultices for a slight eye infection. The cure was unquestionably worse than the disease and eventually resulted in her total loss of sight.

From 1835 until 1858 she lived at the New York Institution for the Blind, first as a student and then as a teacher of English and history. She became quite well known while at the institution, partially because of her poetry (her first book, The Blind Girl and Others, was published in 1844) and partially because of her cheerful, buoyant personality. She knew several American presidents and even addressed Congress. Also during the stay at the institution two major events of her life occurred. First, in November 1850 she committed her life to Christ at a revival meeting held in the Broadway Tabernacle in New York City. Second, in 1858 she married a fellow teacher at the institution, the blind musician and composer Alexander Van Alstyne (?-1902). She continued, however, to be known to her public and later generations as Fanny Crosby.

She wrote her first hymn in 1864 at the request of song publisher William Bradbury. Bradbury's operation was taken over by Lucius Horatio Biglow and Sylvester Main. She remained associated with Biglow and Main for her life although she did some work for other companies. Her capacity for work was incredible and often she would compose in her head six or seven hymns a day. These would usually be transcribed by her husband or by friend Carolyn Ryder or her secretary Eva C. Cleaveland. (Fanny Crosby herself could write little more than her name.) She did not compose the melody for any of her lyrics. During her life her songs were very influential in American Protestant churches as was the example her life gave of cheerfulness and courage in the face of adversity. Among her still popular hymns are Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior, Rescue the Perishing, and Blessed Assurance.