Horatio Gates Spafford

Horatio Gates Spafford (1828–1888) was an American lawyer, Presbyterian church elder, and hymn writer whose personal faith and tragic experiences produced one of the most enduring hymns in Christian worship, It Is Well with My Soul. He was born on October 20, 1828, in Troy, New York, and later moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he became a successful attorney, engaged in real estate and active in church life as a devoted layman. He was closely associated with prominent evangelical figures of his time, including Dwight L. Moody.

In 1871 the Great Chicago Fire destroyed much of Spafford’s real estate holdings, wiping out his financial investments. Already grieving the earlier death of his young son, he and his wife Anna planned a family trip to Europe with their four daughters shortly afterward. Due to urgent business Spafford remained behind in Chicago and sent his family ahead. On November 22, 1873, the steamship Ville du Havre collided with another vessel in the Atlantic and sank rapidly, taking the lives of all four daughters. Anna survived and telegraphed Spafford with the words “Saved alone,” a message that deeply affected him.

While traveling to join his grieving wife, Spafford passed near the site of the tragedy at sea and penned the words that became It Is Well with My Soul, expressing deep trust in Christ despite overwhelming loss. The text was later set to music by composer Philip Paul Bliss and published in Gospel Hymns in 1876. It has since become one of the most beloved hymns across Christian traditions.

After these events Spafford and his family relocated to Jerusalem in 1881, where they helped establish the American Colony, a community dedicated to serving the poor and fostering interfaith relief work. Spafford continued in this humanitarian mission until his death on September 25, 1888, in Jerusalem. His legacy endures through his hymn text, which continues to encourage believers with its message of peace rooted in faith.