Born: October 20, 1828 Died: September 25, 1888
Who Was Horatio Gates Spafford?
Horatio Gates Spafford (1828–1888) was a 19th-century American lawyer, devout Presbyterian elder, and aspiring Job impersonator. Born in Troy, New York, and later based in Chicago, Spafford seemed to have it all — a successful legal practice, a happy family, a strong faith, and a penchant for real estate. And then, in true biblical fashion, everything fell apart.
He’s best known today as the author of the hymn “It Is Well with My Soul,” which he wrote after a sequence of tragedies that could humble even the most melodramatic Victorian novelist.
The Series of Unfortunate (and Very Real) Events
First, in 1871, the Great Chicago Fire reduced his real estate investments to ashes — quite literally. Then, in 1873, his wife and four daughters boarded the SS Ville du Havre to travel to Europe. Spafford stayed behind due to business concerns (because who doesn’t have pressing real estate matters after a citywide inferno?).
Tragically, the ship collided with another vessel mid-Atlantic and sank. All four of his daughters drowned. Only his wife, Anna, survived — and she sent him the now-famous telegram: “Saved alone.”
On his journey across the ocean to reunite with his grieving wife, Spafford passed near the location where his daughters had perished. It was there, amidst unimaginable grief and the deafening silence of the sea, that he wrote the hymn “It Is Well with My Soul.” Because when you’re sailing over the graves of your children, apparently that’s when inspiration hits.
Beyond the Hymn: From Chicago to Jerusalem
You’d think that would be the end of the story, but no — Spafford doubled down on the whole “mysterious ways” thing. A few years later, the Spaffords — along with a small group of like-minded individuals — left the U.S. and founded a Christian utopian society in Jerusalem known as the American Colony.
No, really.
The colony became a sort of spiritual commune focused on philanthropy and humanitarian work. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it gained a reputation for caring for the sick and poor in Jerusalem — and somehow didn’t turn into a cult, which, given the time period and circumstances, was a small miracle in itself.
His Legacy (and Why We Still Sing His Words)
While Horatio Spafford may not be a household name today, his words continue to be sung in churches, funerals, crisis vigils, and the occasional off-key family reunion. “It Is Well with My Soul” has transcended denominations, cultures, and musical genres, offering a strangely calming reminder that even in the darkest night of the soul, there might be a scrap of light — or at least a verse and a chorus.
And that, perhaps more than anything, is what makes Spafford so memorable: He turned unspeakable grief into timeless hope. Which is more than most of us manage to do with a bad Tuesday.
Fun (and Slightly Odd) Facts
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His middle name, Gates, was likely in honor of General Horatio Gates from the Revolutionary War. No pressure there.
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He and his wife had three more children after the tragedy — though sadly, one also died of illness in early childhood. Tragedy was apparently a frequent houseguest.
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The American Colony’s work lives on through the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem, once the Spaffords’ residence, now a historic luxury hotel.
