Talk:Samuel Francis Smith

Born Where?
Both the Andover, Massachusetts page and the Who's Who reference to that page list him as being born in Amherst. The page listed him before I started adding to it. This page itself lists him as being born in Boston. Can anyone explain the situation to me? Badbilltucker 14:19, 9 August 2006 (UTC)

My Country Tis of Thee
Where is the mention of his authorship of the text for our national hymn, My Country Tis of Thee? Is America the original title or a different song by Smith or simply a mistake? Delbows 20:32, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * They are the same. Smith titled it America, but it is commonly known by its first line.clariosophic 18:28, 23 August 2007 (UTC)

Lowell Mason anecdote
Both this article and the bio at The Cyber Hymnal™ recount the Lowell Mason booklending anecdote in slightly different forms. But the bio page at the Songwriters' Hall of Fame gives quite a different account of the hymn's writing. Not sure which is the more reliably documentable. --Haruo (talk) 00:40, 5 July 2008 (UTC)

lacks documentation. clariosophic 12:11, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Year of writing, My Country, 'Tis of Thee
I know that some websites and books give the year of writing as 1832, but according to Garraty, John A., and Carnes, Mark C., editors, American National Biography, volume 20, New York: Oxford University Press, 1999, p. 281 the correct year is 1831 for writing and first performance and the correct year for first printed publication in 1832. I consider that more authoritative. clariosophic 22:48, 17 September 2007 (UTC)