Lewis Redner

Lewis Henry Redner was an American musician from Philadelphia, best known for composing the tune commonly called “St. Louis,” used for “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Sources consistently describe him as a real-estate professional who also served as a church organist for many years.

He spent a long stretch at Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia, where he worked with Phillips Brooks and helped build up the Sunday school. That partnership led to his most lasting contribution: in 1868, Brooks asked him to set his new Christmas text to music, and Redner’s melody went on to become one of the best-known carol tunes in the United States.

Some sources disagree on whether he was born in 1830 or 1831. The most commonly repeated date in the sources I found is December 15, 1831, and he died on August 29, 1908. Even with the date mismatch, the picture that comes through clearly is of a practical, community-minded church musician whose one famous tune earned a lasting place in Christmas music.