Samuel Francis Smith

American Baptist minister, journalist and author (born 21 October, 1808 in Boston, Massachusetts — died 16 November, 1895, in a train en route to Readville) He is best known for having written the lyrics to "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", which he entitled "America". Smith was a twenty-four-year-old Baptist seminary student in Massachusetts when he wrote the lyrics of “America." In 1831, while studying at Andover Theological Seminary, Smith was asked by composer Lowell Mason to translate some German song books. Inspired by one of the German songs—“God Bless Our Native Land” (set to the tune of “God Save the King”)—Smith set out to write an original patriotic song for America set to the same melody. The result was what Smith called “America” and what would eventually be better known as “My Country, ’Tis of Thee.” The song was first performed on July 4, 1831, by a children’s choir in Boston, and would serve as an unofficial national anthem for nearly one-hundred years.