Jesus our great High Priest was slain

Author: Jeremiah Ingalls

Jeremiah Ingalls USA 1764-1838. Born at Andover, MA, his father died of hardships from the American Revolutionary War when he was thirteen. In VT, he worked as a farmer, Cooper, Taverner, and choirmaster. He mastered the bass viol (similar to a cello) and became a composer. He moved to Newbury, VT, in 1787, and in 1791 he married Mary (Polly) Bigelow of Westminster, MA, and they had eleven children (nine living to adulthood): Smith, Jeremiah, Joshua, Jeremiah, Mary, Moses, Elizabeth, John, Almyra, Isaac, and Hannah. He taught singing and began leading the singing at the First Congregational Church there. The choir became well-known, and people came from miles around to hear them sing. In 1800 he built and operated a tavern. He also… Go to person page >

The poem is an acrostic of the name of Judith Brock who died in 1797 at the age of 13. Ingalls also wrote the tune LAMENTATION, and probably also the text, which was sung at her funeral.

Dianne Shapiro, from "History of Newbury, Vermont" by Frederick P. Wells, The Caledonian Company, St. Johnsbury, Vt., 1902" p. 475 and p. 582