Little brown church in the vale

There's a church in the valley by the wildwood, no lovelier spot in the dale; No place is so dear to my childhood as the little brown church in the vale. Written by Dr. William Pitts, on his way to visit his sweetheart, he passed lush green growth and trees and gentle rolling hills. At the Cedar River he envisioned a church and 7 years later they built a brown church on that spot. During a rival in the 1900's, his song was rediscovered and it's popularity grew. Dr Pitts, physician, died in 1906.