Henry Clay Work - Hartford, CT
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 41° 47.033 W 072° 40.805
18T E 692784 N 4628382
The grave of author, poet, and songwriter Henry Clay Work is located in Spring Grove Cemetery at at 2035 Main St, Hartford, CT.
Waymark Code: WMW34M
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 07/04/2017
Views: 0
The grave of Henry Clay Work is marked by a granite monument in the form of a truncated obelisk which has affixed a bronze plaque. A smaller well worn marble headstone. The bronze plaque is inscribed:
HENRY CLAY WORK
AUTHOR AND COMPOSER
OF
MARCHING
THROUGH
GEORGIA
AND MANY OTHER POPULAR
SONGS AND MELODIES
BORN IN MIDDLETOWN CT. 1832
DIED IN HARTFORD CT. 1884
ERECTED
BY POPULAR SUBSCRIPTION
MCMIX
The headstone is inscribed:
HENRY C. WORK
Born
Oct. 1, 1832
Died
June 8, 1884
{indecipherable epitaph}
Henry Clay Work was born in Middletown, CT on October 1, 1832. He was an ardent abolitionist and supporter of the Union cause. A self taught musician, he composed music in his head without the benefit of a piano. He is most famous for writing the Civil War anthem "Marching Through Georgia."
During his life, Work composed over 80 songs, both military and secular. His first song, "We Are Coming, Sister Mary", was published in 1853. His last song "Drop the Pink Curtains" was published in the year of his death (1884). His most popular songs include: "Brave Boys Are They!" (1861), "Kingdom Coming!" (1862), "Grafted into the Army" (1862), "Little Major" (1862), "God Save the Nation" (1862), "Babylon Is Fallen!" (1863), "Come Home, Father!" (1864), "Marching Through Georgia" (1865) and "Grandfather's Clock" (1876).
Henry Clay Work was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.