author
William Ross Wallace
1819–1881
An American poet of vivid imagination and patriotic feeling, William Ross Wallace is best remembered for “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Is the Hand That Rules the World.” His poems, songs, and literary work made him a familiar figure in 19th-century New York.
1 Audiobook
The Liberty Bell
by William Ross Wallace
About the author
Born in Kentucky in 1819, William Ross Wallace studied at Indiana University Bloomington and Hanover College before reading law in Lexington. He moved to New York City in 1841, where he practiced law while pursuing a growing literary career.
Wallace published poetry, patriotic songs, fiction, and essays, contributing to magazines and newspapers including Godey’s Lady’s Book, Harper’s Magazine, Harper’s Weekly, and the New York Ledger. His popular Civil War-era verses included “The Sword of Bunker Hill,” “Keep Step with the Music of the Union,” and “The Liberty Bell.” Edgar Allan Poe and William Cullen Bryant both praised his poetic talent. Wallace died in New York City on May 5, 1881, after suffering a stroke.