The Resume

(October 21, 1808-November 16, 1895)
Born in Boston, Massachusetts
Baptist minister, journalist, educator and hymnist
Edited ‘Christian Review’ and other publications of the Baptist Missionary Union
Professor of Modern Languages at Waterville College
Compiled the Baptist hymnal ‘The Psalmist’
Wrote lyrics for the song ‘America’ a.k.a. ‘My Country ‘Tis of Thee’ (July 4, 1831)
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1970)

Why he might be annoying:

He wrote over 150 hymns, but ‘America’ is the only one of songs that is remembered.
He decided to put patriotic American lyrics to the tune of the British national anthem.
When his former classmate Oliver Wendell Holmes recommended that Harvard give him an honorary degree, the university declined (1893).

Why he might not be annoying:

His former home became a dormitory at Philips Academy, known as the America House, or A-House.
He made many trips to Europe, Turkey, India, Burma and Sri Lanka to visit missionary outposts.
Setting your patriotic lyrics to the tune of another country’s national anthem is still a step up from setting your patriotic lyrics to the tune of a drinking song from another country.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Breeders [Have 5 or More Kids] (Ranked: 6)
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 62]
• I Attended Harvard
• IDs Ending in 00 (Ranked: 38000)
• Look at Me, My Picture Is Art
• Millennium IDs (Ranked: 38000)
• Profiles 37751-38000 (Ranked: 38000)
• Smith Versus Jones

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 11 Votes: 27.27% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 85.71% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 120 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying