L. H. Sigourney

L. H. Sigourney
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Short Name: L. H. Sigourney
Full Name: Sigourney, L. H. (Lydia Howard), 1791-1865
Birth Year: 1791
Death Year: 1865

Sigourney, Lydia, née Huntley. This distinguished name stood at the head of the female poets of America a generation ago, and is still well remembered. Born in Norwich, Connecticut, in 1791, she conducted a school in the same town from 1809 to 1814, when she removed to Hartford, where she was married to Charles Sigourney in 1819. Most of her subsequent life was spent at Hartford, and she died there, June 10, 1865. Her first publication was Moral Pieces in Prose and Verse, 1815. This was followed by 58 additional works. A thorough exploration of these, or of such of them are poetical, would be necessary to trace her hymns with accuracy. They, however, are more numerous than important. Many have been used in the older collections; some are still in use, but few are extensively and none are universally so. The principal hymnbooks in which they appeared were the Congregational Village Hymns, 1824; Kipley's Selection, 1829; and the Connecticut Psalms & Hymns, 1845; the Baptist Additional Hymns by Winchell, 1832; and Linsley and Davis's Select Hymns, 1836; and the Universalist's Hymns for Christian Devotion, by Adams & Chapin, 1846.

Her best known hymns chronologically arranged are:—
1. When adverse winds and waves arise. In Affliction. A graceful lyric, possibly inspired by Sir R. Grant's " When gathering clouds around I view."
2. Blest Comforter divine. Whitsuntide. This is one of four hymns by Mrs. Sigourney, which appeared in Nettleton's Village Hymns, 1824, under the signature of "H." It is sometimes altered to "Thou Comforter divine." Her best hymn.
3. We mourn for those who toil. Death and Burial. This poem on "Mistaken Grief" appeared in Cheever's Common Place Book, 1831
4. Choose ye His Cross to bear. Holy Baptism. This was given in Ripley's Selection, 1829-31.
5. Saviour, Thy law we love. Holy Baptism. In Winchell's Additional Hymns, 1832.
6. Onward, onward, men of heaven. Missions. This missionary hymn appeared in three different books in 1833, including the Christian Lyre Supplement, &c.
7. Labourers of Christ, arise. Home Missions. This was contributed, with nine others, by Mrs. Sigourney, to Linsley & Davis's Select Hymns, 1836. This is one of the most widely used of her hymns.
8. Pastor, thou art from us taken. Burial of a Minister. Sung at the funeral of the Rev. G. F. Davis, D.D., circa 1836.
9. Go to thy rest, my [fair] child. Death of a Child. From a Selection from her poems published in London in 1841.
10. Not for the summer hour alone. Holy Matrimony. In the same Selection as No. 9.
11. Where wilt thou put thy trust? Leaning upon God. In the Connecticut Cong. Psalms & Hymns, 1845.
12. Lord, may the spirit of this feast. Holy Communion. In the same as No. 11.
13. We praise Thee if one rescued soul. Temperance Anniversary. In Adams and Chapin's Hymns for Christian Devotion, 1846.
In addition to these hymns there are several others in the collections named above. As, however, they are not repeated in modern hymnbooks they are omitted from this list. We would add that two hymns, not noted above, "Little raindrops feed the rill" (Power of little things), and "There was a noble ark," are in common use in Great Britain; and that a selection of her pieces is given in the Lyra Sacra Americana, London, 1868. [Rev. F. M. Bird, M.A.]

-- Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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Sigourney, Lydia, p. 1057, ii. Additional hymns are:
1. We thank Thee, Father, for the day. Sunday. This in Stryker's Church Songs, 1889, is dated 1850.
2. When the parting bosom bleeds. For Use at Sea. From Adams and Chapin's Hymns for Christian Devotion, 1846.
3. Prayer is the dew of faith. Prayer.
4. We praise Thee, Lord, if but one soul. An altered form of her hymn on Temperance (No. 13).

--John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)


Texts by L. H. Sigourney (114)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
Admitted where Thy truths are taughtLydia H. Sigourney (Author)5
All hail, ye blessed bandL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
All hail, ye servants of the LordMrs. Sigourney (Author)11
And can I yet delayMrs. Lydia Sigourney (Author)English1
Appear for my defence, my GodMrs. L. H. Sigourney (Author)2
Around a table, not a tombLydia H. Sigourney (Author)English4
As bowed by sudden storms, the roseL. H. Sigourney (Author)16
As crushed by sudden storms, the roseL. H. Sigourney (Author)3
At life's early mornLydia H. Sigourney (Author)English2
Blest Comforter divine!Mrs. L. H. Sigourney (Author)English103
Bright morn hath shut her eyeMrs. Sigourney (Author)1
Check at their fountain headSigourney (Author)5
Choose ye His cross to bearL. H. Sigourney (Author)English14
Clime beneath whose genial sunLydia H. Sigourney (Author)7
Come listening Spirit, comeL. H. Sigourney (Author)4
Come see the grassy bed, where our companionL. H. Sigourney (Author)1
Dark night away hath rolledLydia H. Sigourney (Author)14
Die Leiden, welche grausam droh'nLydia H. Sigourney (Author)German2
Do the clouds around thee gatherLydia H. Sigourney (Author)2
Down to unfathomed depthsL. H. Sigourney (Author)English2
Father, a weary heart hath come to Thee for peaceMrs. Sigourney (1792-1865) (Author)English1
Fill the Easter font with careLydia H. Sigourney (Author)5
Full flowed Bethesda's mantling poolL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
Go to thy rest, my childLydia H. Sigourney (Author)English61
Go, when the morning shinethMrs. Sigourney (Author)English1
God gave to Afric's sonsMrs. Sigourney (Author)4
God of the ever rolling deepL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
God of the year, with songs of praiseL. H. Sigourney (Author)English16
Hath the Almighty handsLydia H. Sigourney (Author)2
He who spread out the skyL. H. S. (Author)1
Hear, dwellers on the stable landL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
High we raise our hallelujahsLydia H. Sigourney (Author)5
Home, home, its glorious thresholdL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
How beauteous the morning appearsLydia H. Sigourney (Author)3
How hath he loved us, Ask the starMrs. Sigourney (Author)3
Hush, little Christian childLydia H. Sigourney (Author)English8
Hushed be the battle's fearful roarLydia H. Sigourney (Author)5
I saw a little girl, with half uncovered formL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
It was a fearful nightSigourney (Author)2
Laborers of Christ, ariseMrs. Sigourney (Author)English93
Like her who in Samaria's boundH. (Author)5
Little raindrops feed the rillL. H. Sigourney (Author)English17
Lord, lead my heart to learnMrs. Sigourney (Author)16
Lord, may the spirit of this feastLydia H. Sigourney (Author)English18
Lord, teach my heart to learnL. H. Sigourney (Author)1
Lord, the shades of night surround usL. H. Sigourney (Author)English2
Lowly and solemn beMrs. Sigourney (Author)English3
Man hath a voice severeLyida Huntley Sigourney (Author)English2
My child, look upward to the skyLydia H. Sigourney (Author)2
My glorious home in heavenLydia H. Sigourney (Author)2
My soul, thy hasty censure spareH. (Author)4
Native land, in summer smilingLydia H. Sigourney (Author)5
Night wraps the realm where Jesus wokeLydia H. Sigourney (Author)3
Not for the summer's hour aloneLydia H. Sigourney (Author)10
Now, is the voice that nature breathesMrs. Sigourney (Author)English8
Now mercy's light-winged pageL. H. Sigourney (Author)4
O Christian love, be strong, be strongSigourney (Author)English3
O if to Afric's sable raceLydia H. Sigourney (Author)4
O thou who biddest the sunMrs. Sigourney (Author)3
O thou who dwellest in the heavens highL. H. Sigourney (Author)4
Oh! lift the hand, and Peace shall bearL. H. Sigourney (Author)English2
Only this once, the wine cup glowedLydia H. Sigourney (Author)10
Onward, onward, men of heavenLydia H. Sigourney (Author)English55
Parent, who with speechless feelingLydia H. Sigourney (Author)3
Pastor, thou art from us takenL. H. Sigourney (Author)English17
Peace was the song that [the] angels sangSigourney (Author)5
Philosophy of old her ponderous tomesL. H. Sigourney (Author)3
Plants of our country's hopeLydia H. Sigourney (Author)3
Plants of the heart we bringL. H. Sigourney (Author)5
Prayer is the dew of faithL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
Prayer may be sweet in cottage homesLydia H. Sigourney (Author)19
Ruler of the earth and skyL. H. S. (Author)3
Savior, Thy law we loveL. H. Sigourney (Author)English39
Scorn not the darken'd browMrs. Sigourney (Author)English2
Servants of Christ, ariseMrs. Lydia H. Sigourney, abr. (Author)English16
Still in the forming hour of youthLydia H. Sigourney (Author)3
Temperance, tell the listening worldLydia H. Sigourney (Author)6
Thanks for the Sabbath's holy rayLydia H. Sigourney (Author)2
That mighty angel to whose handH. (Author)English9
The best of days has comeLydia H. Sigourney (Author)3
The holy dead! why weep ye soMrs. Sigourney (Author)1
The long lost [prodigal] son, with streaming eyesLydia H. Sigourney (Author)English38
The Lord is on his holy throneL. H. Sigourney (Author)4
The mighty angel to whose handLydia H. Sigourney (Author)7
The sun hath [has] gone to restLydia H. Sigourney (Author)12
There sprang a tree of deadly nameLydia H. Sigourney (Author)13
There was a bird like creatureLydia H. Sigourney (Author)2
There was a noble arkLydia H. Sigourney (Author)10
There's a draught that causeth sadnessLydia H. Sigourney (Author)3
They dread no storm that lowersLydia H. Sigourney (Author)2
Thy father, why with locks of snowL. H. Sigourney (Author)3
True prayer is not the imposing soundMrs. Sigourney (Author)2
'Twas near the close of that blest dayLydia H. Sigourney (Author)3
Up at the Gospel's glorious soundL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
Waft not to me the blast of fameL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
Watcher! Who wakest by the bed of painMrs. Sigourney (Author)4
We are the boys who love the truthMrs. L. H. Sigourney (Author)2
We have a goodly climeL. H. Sigourney (Author)3
We mourn for those who toilL. H. Sigourney (Author)4
We praise Thee, if one rescued soulLydia H. Sigourney (Author)English13
We praise Thee, Lord, if but one soulL. H. Sigourney (Author)English13
We thank thee, Father, for the dayLydia H. Sigourney (Author)4
We'll not forget to thank youL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
When adverse winds and waves ariseL. H. H. Sigourney (Author)English29
When injured Arfic's captive [captives] claimLydia H. Sigourney (Author)4
When renovating grace beginsL. H. Sigourney (Author)5
When the parting bosom bleedsMrs. Sigourney (Author)6
When with unclouded ray Shines the bright sunLydia H. Sigourney (Author)English9
Where wilt thou put thy trustMrs. Lydia Howard Huntley Sigourney (1791-1865) (Author)English26
Who knoweth of his safety, LordLydia H. Sigourney (Author)4
Why wilt thou cast thy careLydia H. Sigourney (Author)4
Why wilt thou put thy trustL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
Wrapped in the robe of faithL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
Yet who this fearful deed hath wroughtL. H. Sigourney (Author)2
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