The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-01
"NELLIE GRAY"
How Ben Handy Wrote a Song That
Once Was Widely Popular.
From the Columbus Dispatch.

From the Columbus Dispatch.
Ben Handy, the author of "Nellie
Gray" is buried in Ottarbein cemetery,
Westerville, o., and much sentimental
interest naturally attaches to the town
from this fact The story of Hanby's
tender, passionate little song has often
been told, although seldom, perhaps,
truthfully. Like many brilliant famous
composers of words and music, it was
the creation of an hour, and it's sudden
and astonishing success was altogether
unexpected by the author. The inspira-
ton came to young Handy while he
was passenger on railroad train be-
tween Cincinnati and Hamilton. He was
listlessly reading a newspaper when he
found an account of the manner in which
a beautiful quadroon girl had been torn
from the arms of her lover and taken
to the southern slave market to be sold
on the auction block. The quadroon's
name was given as Nellie Gray. The
story filled Handy with horror, for he
was naturally gentle and kind, and, being
of northern birth, the iniquities of such
features of slaveholding were appalling.
SO impressed was he that with pencil
and paper, used as best he could on the
1olting and swaying car seat, he jotted
down the words of a song in which the
incidents OF the story were utilized. THIS
was done simply for the relief of his own
mind and his overburdened heart, and at
that time there was not the remoteSt de-
light of day.
BY the time Handy had reached his
destination he had practically compile
ted the few verses of the song. 1t was
thrown carelessly with his baggage, and
soon after his return to his home in West
erville it was tossed among some other
papers in his desk and there forgotten
for six months or more. One day he came
across the manuscript, and sent it to
We'll known firm of music publishers in
Chicago, with note saying that If they
saw anything in the song they might
The song sprang at once into populari-
ty, and Hanley, like Byron, awoke one
morning to find himself famous. But this
awakening did not come for many months
after the pathetic melody of his song
had poured from thousands of tuneful
hearts throughout the world. His pub
fishers never even acknowledged the re-
ceipt of the manuscript. They made a
fortune from its sale, but of all the thou
sands of dollars that poured into their
cent. When he wrote to them they sent
his six printed copies of the song, with
out the formality of thanks for the man.
While his song was gaining popularity
and daily growing dearer to hundreds or
thousands of tender hearts, Handy was
rural life. He has yet to learn his fame.
Several months after the music for his
song had become familiar as household
Columbus and requested her to sing for
him. She began, and, greatly to his sur
prise, Handy recognized the words ana
music of his Nellie Gray" 1t was the
first intimation he had that the song had
been published.
Handy came of a musical as well as
highly descended and cultured family. His
father was a bishop in the United Bretn-
rem church. and was the compiler of
hymn book which Is still in use. Young
Handy composed number of songs sew
eral of which We're published. none, how
ever. receiving the remarkable reception
which was given to Nellie Gray" few
years after the war Handy died. as he
had lived. in obscurity and poverty, and
the fact that he was the author OF the
famous song was known to few save the
family and Intimate friends.