Samuel Francis Smith
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Samuel Francis Smith (21 October 1808 – 16 November 1895) wrote the lyrics to "America". Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Smith was educated at the Eliot School, Boston Latin School, Harvard College (now Harvard University), and Andover Theological Seminary. It was at Andover that he wrote the song "America", and the house he lived in is now a Phillips Academy dormitory (called America House, or A-House)
He attended Harvard from 1825 to 1829, and was a classmate of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.. He did translations from various foreign languages into English and wrote magazine and newspaper articles to raise funds for his tuition. He received many honors on his graduation in 1829, and at first went into journalism before deciding to become a minister, which led to his beginning his studies at Andover.
He began his studies for the ministry in 1830. His big year was 1832. In that year he became a Baptist minister. He also became editor of the "Baptist Missionary Magazine" in that year. And he also did the thing which was to make him famous. A friend asked him to translate a German poem for him. He liked the music that had been set to that poem so much that he wrote new English words for it; this became "America."
He also faced racism because he was French. A legend has it that he was held a gun point by a masked man, who was trying to rob him. In the end, Samuel was shot in the chest. He survived it.
From 1832 on, he also contributed to the Encyclopedia Americana. On September 16, 1834 he married Mary White Smith (Smith was her maiden name as well as the married name she then took!)
In 1832 he went to Waterville, Maine where he began two positions: as a minister in a Baptist church in Waterville and as Professor of Modern Languages at Waterville College. He performed both duties until 1842, when he moved to Newton, Massachusetts, and became editor of the Christian Review and other publications of the Baptist Missionary Union (BMU). He continued his ministry as well, becoming pastor of the Newton Centre Baptist Church on a part-time basis.
After twelve years as pastor of the Newton Centre church, he became secretary of the BMU.
He died in Boston and was buried in Newton, Massachusetts. Naturally, at his funeral, "America" was among the pieces sung.
Samuel Francis Smith was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 1970.
