To G. Kunkle Esq.
of the Nightingales.
"Ole Uncle Samuel" (1854)
A Negro Song by
Alf[red]. Burnett, Esq.

When dis darkey yet was young--
  Oh! 'twas long, long ago
I knew an aged culller'd man,
  Wid wool as white as snow;
Dey call'd him Uncle Samuel,
  He was a fisherman;
He caught de Lobster and de Eel--
  De Oyster and de Clam;

Music by E. Thomas.

Cincinnati, OH: W. C. Peters & Sons
Cleveland, OH: Holbrook & Long
New York, NY: W. Hall & Son
St. Louis, MO: Balmer & Weber
Louisville, KY: Peters, Webb & Co.
Plate No. 2111--4
[Source: 023/035@Levy]

1. When dis darkey yet was young,
’Twas long, long ago;
I knew an aged culler’d man,
Wid wool as white as snow.
Dey call’d him Uncle Samuel—
He was a fisherman;
He caught de Lobster and de Eel—
De Oyster and de Clam.

CHORALE [sung after each VERSE]
Poor Ole Samuel now is dead—
He ne’er will fish again;
And oh! to tell of his sad fate,
Fills all our hearts wid pain.

2. He went a fishing on bright day,
Before the sun was riz:
Twas de last we eber saw in life
Ob Uncle Samuel’s phiz.
Dat night in hauling in de nets
Which dat poor darkey own’d;
Dey found his berry black remains,
And all de darkeys groan’d.

3. Den straight de Coroner was call’d;
Who gove dis verdict in,
Dat Uncle Sam would not have drown’d,
If he’d been larn’d to swim.
A coffin den we made for him,
And put him in de ground,
And evry darky’s eye grew dim,
As close dey gather’d round.