Charitie Bancroft deCheney (1841-1923): Irish-American Hymn Writer

Charitie Bancroft and her most famous hymn

Plot 52B, Lot 119

Charitie Lees Smith—better known in hymnals as the author of Before the Throne of God Above—was born in Dublin, Ireland on 21 June 1841, the daughter of Reverend George Sidney Smith and Charlotte Lees. Her father served in several Church of Ireland parishes and as a canon of Derry Cathedral, while also holding a professorship at Trinity College Dublin.

From a young age Charitie displayed a gift for religious verse, and her hymns were soon published in leading collections across the British Isles. Her most enduring contribution is the hymn Before the Throne of God Above (originally titled The Advocate, 1863), which remains widely sung today. In 1867 she published a collection of poetry, Within the Veil and Other Sacred Poems.

The group Selah, a renowned contemporary Christian vocal trio from Nashville, released their version of “Before the Throne of God Above” on their album Hiding Place on May 25, 2004. This hymn features lyrics written by Bancroft, but with a modern melody composed by Vikki Cook—a setting that has gained widespread popularity in contemporary worship.

In 1869, Charitie married Arthur E. Bancroft, a naval officer from Liverpool, at St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in Edinburgh. The marriage lasted until Arthur’s death in 1881, leaving her widowed at forty. 

A decade later, Charitie remarried in San Francisco on 1 June 1891, taking as her husband Frank de Cheney (also spelled De Chenez), a man thirty years her junior. Their unusual age gap attracted notice, and Frank would later describe the marriage as a “sympathy affair”—claiming that he had been recovering from illness and that Charitie’s kindness during that period led him to wed her.

The marriage proved stormy. According to Frank, Charitie urged him to abandon San Francisco for Moss Beach, hoping to keep him “away from the temptations of a large city.” When he refused, he said, she left him in 1901 for Southern California. By 1912 he had filed for divorce in San Francisco, and by 1915 the case had reached Reno’s district courts. The Reno Gazette-Journal covered the matter with sensational flair, noting her reputation as a “social queen in her younger days” and reveling in gossip about her age difference with Frank, who was known as a gambler and mining speculator in Nevada.

On 28 May 1915, Judge R. C. Stoddard granted Frank’s divorce petition on grounds of desertion. Charitie did not contest the suit and told him there was “no possibility of reconciliation.” Within a month Frank married his third wife, Iris Irene Pawinker, while Charitie returned quietly to her religious and charitable work.

Settling in Oakland, California, Charitie involved herself in prison reform and transitional housing for former inmates. Despite the turbulence of her personal life, she remained committed to ministry and poetry.

She died in Oakland on 20 June 1923, just one day shy of her 82nd birthday. She was by then known as Charitie de Cheney, but her reputation rests on the hymns she composed as Charitie Lees Smith Bancroft—a body of work that continues to inspire Christian worship nearly two centuries later.

Arthur White Greeley (1875–1904): Ichthyologist who died tragically young

Arthur Greeley and a pufferfish named in his honor

Plot 43, Lot 53

Arthur White Greeley, born June 13, 1875, in Oswego, New York, emerged as a promising American physiologist and ichthyologist whose career, though short, left a lasting mark on early marine biology and zoology.

Greeley was the eldest son of Frank Norton Greeley, a Congregational clergyman, and Anna Cheney (Buckhout) Greeley. His younger brother, William, later became Chief Forester of the U.S. Forest Service. 

He graduated from Stanford University in 1898, where he quickly distinguished himself in zoological studies. Pursuing graduate research, he joined two notable expeditions: a fur-seal expedition to Alaska and the Banner‑Agassiz expedition to Brazil, during which he collected a variety of important biological specimens.

Greeley taught briefly at the San Diego Normal School (now San Diego State University) before entering the University of Chicago as a physiology fellow. Under the mentorship of Jacques Loeb, he earned his Ph.D. with a doctoral thesis on the effects of low temperatures on microorganisms. He was then appointed Assistant Professor of Zoology at Washington University in St. Louis.

Grave and Sea Slug named in his honor

During summer sessions, he contributed to the staff of the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole in Massachusetts, teaching physiology—a testament to his growing reputation in academic circles.

Greeley described several new sculpin species, including the saddleback, rosy, fluffy, and bald sculpins. His legacy endures through species named in his honor.    

Genus: Greeleya  

Species: Sphoeroides greeleyi (pufferfish), Diaulula greeleyi (sea slug), Crassispira greeleyi (sea snail)

Tragically, Greeley's promising career was cut short when he died in St. Louis on March 15,1904, at just 28 years old, following an operation for appendicitis. 

 

 

Andrew Derby Smith (1863-1915): Helped Establish California Insurance Department

Grave of Andrew D. Smith and headshot

 Plot 6

Andrew Derby Smith was a prominent figure in early 20th-century Oakland, remembered for his civic leadership, business success, and commitment to the community. Born in 1863 in Newburyport, Massachusetts, Smith moved west in his youth and eventually made Oakland his permanent home.  

Smith first established himself in the wholesale produce trade and shipping, but he became best known for his work in insurance. He rose to prominence as one of California’s leading insurance executives and advocates, working tirelessly to bring professionalism and regulation to the industry. Recognizing the need for a more accountable and transparent system, Smith played an instrumental role in shaping the creation of the California Insurance Department, which provided oversight and consumer protections in a field that had previously been loosely regulated.

As a respected leader in this emerging sector, Smith was a strong advocate for ethical standards in business, fair treatment of policyholders, and the stability of insurance companies. His work helped build public trust in insurance at a time when California was experiencing both population growth and economic expansion.

California’s insurance oversight was originally organized as the Insurance Department within state government. Its purpose was to regulate insurance companies, ensure solvency, and protect policyholders. The head of this agency became known as the Insurance Commissioner. At first, the position was appointed, but in 1988 voters passed Proposition 103, which made the Insurance Commissioner an elected statewide office beginning in 1991. 

Smith also served as president of the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, where he promoted the city as a growing commercial hub on the Pacific Coast. He championed infrastructure improvements, economic development, and civic beautification projects, aligning with Oakland’s aspirations to establish itself as a modern metropolis distinct from San Francisco.

Smith was also active in fraternal and charitable organizations, including the Masons, and lent his time and resources to philanthropic causes. 

Smith married Fanny Derby, with whom he raised a family in Oakland. His sudden death on May 11, 1915, at the age of 52, was widely mourned across the city. The Oakland Tribune and other newspapers remembered him as a man of integrity, generosity, and vision. 

Source: California State Department of Insurance, Find a Grave, Oakland Tribune