Well, I just got back from the library with some background on the Henry Clay. I got this information from Robert Albion's book, The Rise of New York Port.

The Henry Clay was a steamer on the Hudson river in the 19th century. She caught fire and burned on July 28, 1852.

Racing down the river against a rival steamer, she was discovered to be afire near Sing Sing. Apparently her wood work had ignited from the excessive heat of the boilers or stacks. Her captain ran her bow ashore, but most of her passengers were trapped in her stern, which was in deep water. The sixty-odd victims included several prominent New York residents, including the sister of Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Seven men were indicted for manslaughter in connection with the burning of the Hudson River steamer.

A news account I got from a Portland, Maine paper july 29, 1852 stated that a Stephen Allen, former mayor of New York city was among the missing.

I am hoping this information will help narrow the search for the song down. I am assuming it must have been quite popular at one time. Any N.Y. 'catters out there want to take a peek in your local history library?

Maybe we can reconstruct the song ourselves.

Brían.