Samuel Willoughby Duffield

author

Samuel Willoughby Duffield

1843–1887

An American Presbyterian minister and hymn scholar, he is remembered for bringing the stories and history behind church hymns to life. His writing helped preserve a rich tradition of English and Latin hymnody for later readers and singers.

1 Audiobook

The Latin Hymn-writers and Their Hymns

by Samuel Willoughby Duffield

About the author

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1843, Samuel Willoughby Duffield was an American clergyman, author, and hymn scholar. He was the son of the Rev. Dr. George Duffield and became known for his deep interest in church music and devotional literature.

Duffield served as a Presbyterian minister and wrote about hymns with both learning and affection. He is especially associated with English Hymns: Their Authors and History and The Latin Hymn-Writers and Their Hymns, works that helped readers understand where beloved hymns came from and why they mattered.

He died in 1887 at the age of 43, but his books continued to circulate after his death. Today he is remembered less as a novelist or poet than as a careful guide to the history of Christian hymn writing.