The first known melody written for the song was sent in by Silas Pratt when the poem was published in The Congregationalist.
ðə fˈɜːst nˈoʊn mˈɛlədi ɹˈɪʔn̩ fɚðə sˈɔŋ wʌz sˈɛnt ɪn baɪ sˈiːləz pɹˈæt wɛn ðə pˈoʊᵻm wʌz pˈʌblɪʃt ɪnðə kˌɑːŋɡɹɪɡˈeɪʃənəlˌɪst.