Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (1858-1932) was born in a farming family in Iowa, USA.  He had no formal musical training, but taught himself to play the family organ.  He had a natural ear for music and composed hymns and songs using many pseudonyms, as well as editing books of songs for choirs, congregations and children.  He considered his best work to be a cantata for adult voices, "Saul, King of Israel".