“Lily Ray” was deposited for copyright on December 9, 1850, by Firth, Pond & Co. of New York.

According to Evelyn Foster Mornweck’s The Chronicles of Stephen Foster’s Family, “Stephen was composing now at a great rate, and there was always a new Foster song for a young swain to present to the lady of his heart. Between his wedding day, and the first of the year 1851, Stephen published ‘The Spirit of My Song,’ ‘I Would Not Die in Spring Time,’ ‘Turn Not Away!’ ‘Village Bells Polka,’ and ‘Lily Ray.’”