Pastoral Elegy
Encyclopedia
The Pastoral Elegy is a hymn from the "Old Missouri Harmony Songbook". The Town of Corydon
, Indiana is named after a person in this hymn. The mournful, period song tells the tale of a young shepherd boy named Corydon who died.
Governor William Henry Harrison
of the Indiana Territory
would visit frequently the land the area that would become Corydon. He owned 400 acres (1.6 km²) in present day Harrison County
, even the land on which the Corydon Capitol building was built on. According to the story, Governor Harrison was at the house of Edward Smith, a friend of his. Governor
Harrison said, he was planning on establishing a town in the area, but he had no thought of a name to call it yet. Edward's daughter Jennie suggested the name "Corydon" after his favorite song that she sung to him whenever he visited there. He said, "I shall do so" and thus the Town
of Corydon
was born.
Words of the Pastoral Elegy (1st stanza):
"What sorrowful sounds do I hear,
Move slowly along in the gale,
How solemn they fall on my ear,
As softly they pass through the vale.
Sweet Corydon's notes are all o'er,
Now lonely he sleeps in the clay,
His cheeks bloom with roses no more,
Since death called his spirit away."
Corydon, Indiana
Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States, founded in 1808, and is known as Indiana's First State Capital. After Vincennes, Corydon was the second capital of the Indiana Territory from May 1, 1813, until December 11, 1816. After statehood, the town was the...
, Indiana is named after a person in this hymn. The mournful, period song tells the tale of a young shepherd boy named Corydon who died.
Governor William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
of the Indiana Territory
Indiana Territory
The Territory of Indiana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1800, until November 7, 1816, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Indiana....
would visit frequently the land the area that would become Corydon. He owned 400 acres (1.6 km²) in present day Harrison County
Harrison County, Indiana
Harrison County is a county located in the far southern part of the U.S. state of Indiana along the Ohio River. It is divided into twelve townships, and the county seat is Corydon, the former capital of Indiana. The county is part of the larger Louisville/Jefferson County, KY–IN Metropolitan...
, even the land on which the Corydon Capitol building was built on. According to the story, Governor Harrison was at the house of Edward Smith, a friend of his. Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Harrison said, he was planning on establishing a town in the area, but he had no thought of a name to call it yet. Edward's daughter Jennie suggested the name "Corydon" after his favorite song that she sung to him whenever he visited there. He said, "I shall do so" and thus the Town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Corydon
Corydon, Indiana
Corydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States, founded in 1808, and is known as Indiana's First State Capital. After Vincennes, Corydon was the second capital of the Indiana Territory from May 1, 1813, until December 11, 1816. After statehood, the town was the...
was born.
Words of the Pastoral Elegy (1st stanza):
"What sorrowful sounds do I hear,
Move slowly along in the gale,
How solemn they fall on my ear,
As softly they pass through the vale.
Sweet Corydon's notes are all o'er,
Now lonely he sleeps in the clay,
His cheeks bloom with roses no more,
Since death called his spirit away."