Julia Ward Howe was a 19th century American writer and composer of songs, she was also an activist for women’s rights and most famously the author of the words for the Battle Hymn of the Republic.

She was born in New York City and later when married to Samuel Gridley Howe she lived in Boston.  But as a young girl her family summered in Newport, RI and later she and her husband had  summer homes in Portsmouth, RI, the second of which, Oak Glen,  she maintained after her husband’s death in 1876 up unto the her death in 1910 at the age of 91 .

The following set of songs are from the only published collection of her songs, some of which were written while she summered in RI.  Here is an article I wrote about her for the RI Music Hall of Fame website

Gerry Heroux

Original Poems and Other Verse

set to music as Songs

by

Julia Ward Howe

1._Meet me as you used to meet me 

2. In the Lovely Summer Night

3. Komm mit, O Schone, komm mit zum Tanze

4._Ich singe wie der Vogel singt

5. Dreary Is The Church Today

6. Heartbreak

7. She Dwelt Among the Untrodden Ways

8. Twilight

9. The Courtin’

10. Oh, the Little Bird sang East

11. Mary go and call the Cattle Home

12. Via Felice

13. The Night-Piece, to Julia

14. Seasons have passed Away