Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

On September 16, 1830, Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote the poem "Old Ironsides" as tribute to the 18th-century ship the USS Constitution. An excerpt from the article:

"Holmes was educated at Phillips Academy and Harvard College. He graduated from Harvard College in 1829, and then briefly studied law before turning to the study of medicine. His medical education and training took place at Harvard and at Paris, France medical institutions. In 1836, he received his medical degree, the M.D., from Harvard Medical School. Following his medical training, he joined the Medical School faculty at Dartmouth, and later returned as a faculty member to the Harvard Medical School, where he later also served as Dean of the Medical School.

While engaged in his medical studies, Holmes began writing poetry. One of his earliest works, and also one of his most famous pieces, was “Old Ironsides”, which was published in 1830, only one year following his graduation from Harvard College. He would continue to write poetry and prose during the remainder of his life. However, he did much of his writing after he retired from Harvard Medical School in 1882. He then continued writing poetry, novels and essays until his death in 1894."