Stephen Collins was born in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania back in 1826 to William and Elizia. He attended several schools receiving an education in English grammar, diction, the classics, penmanship, Latin, Greek and mathematics.
He taught himself to play the clarinet, violin, guitar, flute and piano. In 1846, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where he worked as a bookkeeper. In 1860, he moved to New York City where in 1864 he became ill with a fever. He fell in his hotel cutting his neck, he died three days later at 37. His wallet contained a scrap of paper with 38 cents in Civil War scrip with 3 U.S. pennies.
Of course, you probably don’t recognize Stephen Collins but you surely know Stephen Collins Foster. Among his works are Oh! Susanna, Camptown Races, Old Folks at Home, My Old Kentucky Home, Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair and of course, Beautiful Dreamer. Until tomorrow pass on your smile to someone in need.
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