#folk #Americana #July4th Jilson Oliver, my 5th great-grandfather, served at the Battle of Yorktown. His discharge paper is dated the day after Cornwallis surrendered. His story is one of my favorite discoveries from doing genealogical research. I thought of Jilson today and decided to honor his memory on America's 250th birthday.

You Heard the Bells of Freedom ©2026 - words and music by Sharon Stepler

Just a poor Virginia farmer, Jilson Oliver by name He was out hoeing weeds when the captain’s orders came “Kiss your wife and son goodbye and pick up your gun The Militia has been summoned by General Washington By Washington”

Jilson knew what it meant to answer the call He’d served at Petersburg and he’d seen men fall He’d rather stay and farm his land and watch his baby grow But if the General needed him he knew he had to go He had to go

Jilson, how you swelled with pride When Washington and Lafayette went riding by You did your part to stand against a king And you heard the bells of freedom ring Yes, you heard the bells of freedom ring

It had taken days to walk from Bedford to Yorktown Marching from dawn until the sun went down Thousands of men, more than he had ever seen Assembled across the fields too trampled to be green No longer green

Excitement rippled through the air and spread from man to man After weary years of war, the end might be at hand They all knew the Brits were trapped and cut off from the sea They all trusted Washington to win a victory A victory

Jilson, how you swelled with pride When Washington and Lafayette went riding by You did your part to stand against a king And you heard the bells of freedom ring Yes, you heard the bells of freedom ring

You listened to the Redcoats play “The World Turned Upside Down” You witnessed the surrender by the soldiers of the crown You went back to your farmer’s life but never did forget The thrill of seeing Washington and the brave young Lafayette Young Lafayette

I wonder what you’d think about America today Where a mad king is once again attempting to hold sway I think you’d tell us to stand fast and not give into fear And listen for the bells of freedom ringing through the years Down through the years

Jilson, how you swelled with pride When Washington and Lafayette went riding by You did your part to stand against a king And you heard the bells of freedom ring Yes, you heard the bells of freedom ring

I wish I could stand there by your side And watch Washington and Lafayette go riding by It’s time once more to stand against a king So we’ll still hear the bells of freedom ring So everyone hears bells of freedom ring ’Til everyone hears bells of freedom ring