In an old volume of bound music in the college library is a song called "Father Abbey's Will," which has a curious history. The words were written in 1730, and represent the various donations of Father Abbey, or, as the college records show, of Father Abdy, the originator of that famous system of "goodies" with which every student has since had experience. On the first page of the song are these words : "Cambridge, Dec., 1730. Some time since died Mr. Matthew Abbey in a very advanced age; he had for a great number of years served the college in the quality of Bedmaker and Sweeper. Having no child, his wife inherits his whole estate which he bequeathed to her by his last will and testament as follows :" The words of the song were published early in this century in pamphlet form by J. L. Sibley, librarian emeritus of the college, and then in 1825 were set to the tune of Yankee Doodle, published in music form, and "dedicated to the graduates of Harvard University."
Read more in News
The Harvard Portfolio.
