to the
Minstrels of the United States.
"Old Virginia Shore" (1886)
Word by J. H. S.
Music by J. High Stauffer.

Cincinnati, OH: The John Church Co., 74 W. Fourth St.
Chicago: Root & Sons Music Co., 200 Wabash Ave.
New York: J. Church & Co., 19 East 18th St.
Plate No. 4783-4
[Source: 1886-MUM00682_103]

1. I come from old Virginia,
The place you oft heard tell,
I wish that I was bak again
I love that place so well,
For there was good old Martha
She was was joy and pride,
But one day she went away
Give up de ghost and died.

CHORUS 1-3.
We were all so happy,
Oh, so happy,
Yes, we were happy on de old Virginia shore. 

2. And there was good old Dinah
And Clementina Snow,
I used to set beside them both,
And play de old banjo
But now they both am dead and gone,
I’ll nebber see them more,
We all met together
On de old Virginia shore.

3. I soon shall wander back again
Where I was born and bred,
To friends of dem dats living,
And to graves of dem dats dead,
It’s dere I libbed for many a year,
It’s dere  I grieved and sighed,
And now I shall return again,
Where good old massa died.

4. And when de cruel war broke out
It was a cruel day
De darkies day were scattered round
And then they went away,
And some to de East and some to de West
And some will ne’er be found.
Day all come together
When the judgement day come’s round.

CHORUS 4.
Den its all so happy,
Oh, so happy
Yes, we’ll be happy, when de Judgement Day comes round.