Ellen Jane Lorenz

Ellen Jane Lorenz Porter ( – ) was an American composer, music publisher, and authority on handbells. She was editor in chief of the Lorenz Publishing Company from 1940 to 1963.

Early life and education Ellen Jane Lorenz was born on in Dayton, Ohio, one of four children of Karl Kumler Lorenz, business manager of the sheet music publisher Lorenz Publishing Company, and Caroline Bloat Lorenz, composer and playwright. Karl Lorenz was the son of the founder of Lorenz, E.S. Lorenz. Lorenz began studying music at age eight. with a bachelor's degree in 1929, where she earned the Billings Prize for Musical Talent,

Upon her retirement, she returned to school to get a masters from Wittenberg University and a Ph.D. from Union Graduate School; she was 71 years old when she earned her Ph.D. Her dissertation was on camp spirituals and was published as a book, Glory Hallelujah! The Story of the Campmeeting Spiritual, in 1980.

Career In 1932, she joined Lorenz Company, a publishing company founded by her family, where she would work as editor in chief from 1940 until 1963. Lorenz also composed music,

Personal life She married James B. Porter in 1938.