The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-09-08
A SWEET SINGER.
THE MOST POPULAR SONG
WRITER IN AMERICA.
Career OF stephen c. Foster. Author
Of "My ola kentucky Home"
"Suwance River aud Other
Well-known Melodies,
VC UWANEE RlBBERo anj

~
effect by the colored dele
gates to the Republican National Con.
Vention, shows the extent of the recent
revival in popularity of these famous
old Southern melodies, snys the New
Orleans Picayune. Hand in hand
with this announcement comes the
news that "a National fund for the
erection of monument over the ncs-
lectcd grave of their talented com
poser, at PittsbWg, Penn, is to be
made. 1t already extends throughout
Pennsylvania
Forty years ago no name among
American song writers was so well
known as that OF Stephen Collins Eos
ter AS the writer of comic songs he
had no superior, and the songs that
he wrote at the dawn of the Civil War,
IN the dialect of the colored man, who
was then working among the cotton
Snd the cane in the far South in slay-
cry, caught the popular fancy and
made Foster n name that will live for
time immemorial. Nilsson, Patti and
all the greatest singers of the day have
won their lnurels through rendering
some OF his compositions, and his
name stands pre- eminent among those
OF Pay ne, author of clone, Sweet
Home, and other leading composers.
This Is the fame and the reputation
OF man whose grave to-day occupies
an unfrequented spot in the old ALLIE
gheny Cemetery ut Plttsburg, which
the sexton could scarcely point out to
me. Although his friends and nc.
quaintances live all about him, vet
they might visit the cemetery every
day with never thought that in part
OF 1t lay the remains of him who was
once so famous. For what man or
woman or man or child in the country
to-day but can "carry the tune" OF
"Old Folks at Home, which, however,
may bc better known as "Way Down
Upon the Suwanee Ribher," or has
heard the plaintive notes of cold
Black Joe, or laughed at the humor
IN 80, Susanna, Don't You Cry for
Me, which are only few of the many
things which came from the facile pen
OF this man.
The songs which were written by
Foster always found n prominent place
IN the campaign issues of the day, and
some OF his songs, which were rewrit-
ten and used in the political BATTLES of
half century ago, will be used in the
campaign, and will continue to be
used so long as the United States re.
mains a free country.
During his career MS n song writer.
Foster wrote SO many compositions
that no complete record of them has
been kept. 1t is estimated, however.
that $50 of them became famous
which list includes such popular dit.
ties ms "My Old Kentucky Home,
Come Where My Love Lies Dream.
ing, Good Night" cold Uncle
Ned" go, Susanna, Don't You CRY
for Me" "Way Down South, cold
Folks at Home" willie, we Have
Missed YOU" "Open Thy Lattice,
Love, '"Old Black Joe, go, LemueI, "
cold Dog Tray" "Hard Times Come
Again No More" Maggie at NY
Side," Jennie With the Light Brown
Hair, ""I See Her Still in My Drer ms, :"
and "Mossa's in the Cold, Cold
Ground"
Foster was born in that portion of
Plttsburg known as Lawrenceyille, on
July 4, 1926, This patriotic birthday
was in keeping with the services rem
dered the country by his illustrious
grandfather, William Barclay Foster.
founder and for long time the owner
OF Lawrenceville. His vast estates in
Guided the present site of the United
States arsenal, for which the Govern
ment paid him n snug sum. The house
IN which the future song writer was
born Is still standing, and is situated
between Thirty fifth and Thirty-sixth
streets, on PsDa aYenuc.
At the ege of thirteen Foster was
sent 10 Towauda, Penn, TO school. and
two years afterwarl TO Athens, Ohio.
at both places he gained the reputa
tion of being the quietost and most
modest boy in the school. These
traits chung TO him through life, and
his iricnd1 IN Pittsburg remember him
as being rs gentle rs q woman" He
completed his education Mt Jefferson
College, Canousburg, where he gradu.
nted with credit. Foster then dis
play ed on aptitude for mercantile life.
aud was sent to- Cincinnati, where he
secured position as clerk. Here he
remained for some months, but after
the success of his first song, he re-
turned TO Pittsburg and remained uu.
til his departure for New York. i'm
1860. He was resident of tho latter
CITY until his death, on July 10, 1864.
Foster manifested his musical bent
carly in life. When hardly able TO
walk ne displayed keen enjoyment
of all kinds OF music, and os ne grew
older was quick and correct i'm catch
ing tunes. While at Townndn he
wrote his first musical composition.
"Iioga Waltz" which was published
before the youthful author had
reached his fourteenth birthday. For
this he received the munifcent reward
Of twenty-five copies of the piece for
distribution among his friends. While
clerking IN Cincinnati h. wrote his
first song, "Opcn Thy Lattice, Love.
which was published for him by u Bal.
timore house in 1912. a few months
aftcrword cold Folks nj Bone" his
greatest success. made it's appear
ance. II achieved such Instant
popularity that Foster Yves paid
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