Happy Birthday Sarah Josepha Buell Hale!

Two-hundred and twenty-five years ago today, Sarah Josepha Buell Hale was born in Newport, New Hampshire. Widowed at age thirty-four and with five children to support, she turned to writing and editing. In addition to helping make education fashionable for women and campaigning to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, she is credited with penning “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” a rhyme inspired by a neighbor child, Mary Sawyer.

In celebration, here’s a sampler of varied takes on this funny little verse.

Scroll down and enjoy!

Otis Redding’s Version

Tommy Dorsey’s Version

Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Version

Sesame Street’s Comedy Sketch Version

Damielou’s Version

Thomas Edison’s Version

UB Iwerks ComiColor’s Version

The Native American Church Version

Fletcher Henderson’s Version

Fantasia’s Version

The Paul McCartney and Wings’ Version

The Break Room Conversation Version

The Dolly’s Circus Version

The Evil Version

The Southern Gospel Version

The Hanna Barbera Singers 1966 Version

The American Sign Language Version

Happy Birthday, Sarah Josepha Buell Hale. Rest assured the beat goes on!