Samuel Woodworth (January 13, 1784 – December 9, 1842) was an American writer, literary journalist, playwright, librettist, and poet. He is best remembered for the poem "The Old Oaken Bucket" (1817), but he is also the first American to write a historical novel.
Life Woodworth was born in Scituate, Massachusetts, to Revolutionary War veteran Benjamin Woodworth and his wife Abigail Bryant. He was apprenticed to Benjamin Russell, editor of the Columbian Sentinel. He then moved to New Haven, Connecticut, where he briefly published the Belles-Lettres Repository, a weekly. He next moved to New York City, but recalled New Haven in his A Poem: New Haven."Old New Haven", Juliet Lapidos, The Advocate, March 17, 2005
Woodworth married Lydia Reeder in New York City on September 23, 1810. They had ten children between 1811 and 1829. Woodworth remained in New York for the rest of his life, dying there on December 9, 1842.
Woodworth's son, Selim E. Woodworth, was a U.S. Navy officer who took part in the rescue of the snowbound Donner Party in California. The USS Woodworth (DD-460) was named for him.
"The Old Oaken Bucket"
Woodworth is best known for the poem "The Old Oaken Bucket" (1817). The first stanza reads:
In 1826 the poem was paired with music by George Kiallmark (a song originally written as a setting of a poem excerpted from Thomas Moore's Lalla Rookh). By the early 20th Century it became one of America's most popular songs, and the tune was further adopted for use with other texts. It was recorded in 1899 by The Haydn Quartet, a famous barbershop quartet, and was released on Berliner Gramophone.
The Old Oaken Bucket House The Old Oaken Bucket House in Scituate, Massachusetts is on the National Register of Historic Places. A sign on the house reads: "1630-1930 THE OLD OAKEN BUCKET Homestead and well made famous by Samuel Woodworth in his poem 'The Old Oaken Bucket.' Homestead erected by John Northey in 1675: Poet born in Scituate January 13, 1784. Massachusetts Bay Colony Tercentenary Commission."
The Old Oaken Bucket trophy The Old Oaken Bucket trophy has been awarded every year since 1925 to the winner of the Big Ten Conference college football game between Purdue University and Indiana University. Although Woodworth was not from Indiana, the trophy's name refers to the sentiment that Hoosiers have for their home state.
Works by Samuel Woodworth
Published poetry "The Hunters of Kentucky" The Heroes of the lake : a poem, in two books Ode written for the celebration of the French Revolution, in the city of New York An excursion of the dog-cart : a poem Bubble & squeak, or, A dish of all sorts : being a collection of American poems New-Haven : a poem, satirical and sentimental, with critical, humorous, descriptive, historical, biographical, and explanatory notes The poetical works of Samuel Woodworth Quarter-day, or, The horrors of the first of May : a poem Erie and Champlain, or, Champlain and Plattsburg : an ode "American Music: Remembering Samuel Woodworth" - excerpts of his verse and songs
Plays La Fayette, or, The Castle of Olmutz King's Bridge Cottage : a revolutionary tale founded on an incident which occurred a few days previous to the evacuation of N. York by the British : a drama in two acts The widow's son, or, Which is the traitor : a melo-drama in three acts Bunker-Hill, or, The death of General Warren : an historic tragedy, in five acts The Foundling of the Sea
Opera librettos The deed of gift : a comic opera in three acts The forest rose, or, American farmers : a drama in two acts
Novel The Champions of Freedom, or The Mysterious Chief, A Romance of the Nineteenth Century, Founded on the Events of the War, Between the United States and Great Britain, which Terminated in March, 1815 (1816), the first historical novel by an American author
Hymn Samuel was a founding member of the New York Society of the New Church (Swedenborgian) and one of his poems became a hymn - "Oh for a seraph's golden lyre" - which is still sung by some New Church congregations.
References
External links
Scituate Historical Society A family tree of Samuel Woodworth The Old Oaken Bucket Article about his grave being moved in 1937 including his Bibliography Recording of the song The Old Oaken Bucket Parody of the song by Nat M. Wills Singer songwriter Greg Cherone's 2008 contemporary version of "Old Oaken Bucket." "Introduction to THE POETICAL WORKS OF SAMUEL WOODWORTH"