Pierpont wrote his Christmas classic in the autumn of 1857. You know the song as “Jingle Bells,” but “One Horse Open Sleigh” was its original title. Pierpont wrote it as a Thanksgiving song.

Pierpont later changed the title to “Jingle Bells,” referencing the belled harnesses on horses to prevent collisions in wintry weather. Pierpont’s lyrics depict the sleigh races her ...