c. Sir Walter Scott
Scott is the celebrated Scottish writer of such historical fiction as Ivanhoe and Rob Roy. He wrote the narrative poem "Lady of the Lake" in 1810. Its popularity led to its adaption into a stage play with portions of it set to music.
Someone at the White House must have found the music catchy because it kept popping up at presidential events through the early 19th century until it became a tradition.
The original words for which the music was composed do not make much sense as a theme song for the President since they are all about Scottish history. A new Americanized version of the lyrics was later written, but it is rarely sung.
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