Silas Jones Vail (1818-1884) was born in Brooklyn, New York City, and became a prominent and successful businessman, a manufacturer of hats. He later became a piano dealer in Brooklyn. He was an amateur musician and composer with close relationships with well-known musicians and song writers of the time including William Bradbury and Fanny Crosby. He wrote many songs and hymns and published a number of song collections. His Athenaeum Collection (1863) contained unpublished songs by the well-known American composer Stephen Foster. He died in Brooklyn.

All are mixed chorus unless noted; some contain divisi.