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Selene · 11-07-2003, 12:17 PM

Thanks. I posted some of those responses below if anyone is interested...

I don't know if this is really what's behind it, but it's an educated guess. Stephen Collins Foster (1826 - 1864) was a composer (Oh Susanna, Beautiful Dreamer, and others). He also wrote "Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair", a tribute to his wife, Jane McDowell Foster. Theirs was not a happy marriage, and they separated twice. Perhaps GL's song refers to the separation and some parallel event in his life. It may be all circumstantial evidence, but it's the best I can come up with. Hope it helps. I got my info from this site: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/foster/...p_jfoster.html
[This message has been edited by Brian 57 (edited June 09, 2002).]

Stephen and Jane Foster had what appears to be a very difficult relationship. They separated several times during the early years of their marriage. For the last three and half years Stephen lived in New York and Jane in Pennsylvania. Jane worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad as a telegraph operator and visited New York frequently until Stephen's death in 1864. "Your Love's Return" poignantly communicates the emotion of their relationship which was so tormented by the "minstrel’s misfortune"

11-07-2003, 12:17 PM	#4
Selene Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 48	Thanks. I posted some of those responses below if anyone is interested... I don't know if this is really what's behind it, but it's an educated guess. Stephen Collins Foster (1826 - 1864) was a composer (Oh Susanna, Beautiful Dreamer, and others). He also wrote "Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair", a tribute to his wife, Jane McDowell Foster. Theirs was not a happy marriage, and they separated twice. Perhaps GL's song refers to the separation and some parallel event in his life. It may be all circumstantial evidence, but it's the best I can come up with. Hope it helps. I got my info from this site: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/foster/...p_jfoster.html [This message has been edited by Brian 57 (edited June 09, 2002).] Stephen and Jane Foster had what appears to be a very difficult relationship. They separated several times during the early years of their marriage. For the last three and half years Stephen lived in New York and Jane in Pennsylvania. Jane worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad as a telegraph operator and visited New York frequently until Stephen's death in 1864. "Your Love's Return" poignantly communicates the emotion of their relationship which was so tormented by the "minstrel’s misfortune"