Joseph Medlicott Scriven 1819-1886
Born and educated in Ireland, Scriven was a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin. He emigrated to Canada in 1847 and during the 1850's became tutor to the family of Capt. Robert L. Pengelley, R.N., a retired British naval officer who had settled in this vicinity. A deeply religious man, he published a book entitled "Hymns and Other Verses" in 1869. However the poem entitled "Pray Without Ceasing", for which he was to become famous, was first published in a local newspaper. Set to music by Dr. Charles C. Converse, it gained international recognition under the title "What a Friend We Have in Jesus".
Plaque via Alan L. Brown's site Ontario Plaques. Full page here.