Rev. Samuel Francis Smith was born in Boston October 21, 1808, and
graduated in the class of ’29 from Harvard University. He enjoyed
the honor of having for his classmate Oliver Wendell Holmes, in
whose beautiful poem, entitled “The Boys,” the name of the author of
“America” is affectionately mentioned.
And there’s a nice youngster of excellent pith;
Fate tried to conceal him by naming him Smith.
But he shouted a song for the brave and the free,
Just read on his medal—“My Country of Thee”!
“America” was written in 1832, the tune being the old one of “God Save
the Queen,” and first rendered on the 4th of July of the same year by
the children of Park St. Church, Boston.