Clement Clarke Moore

Clement Clarke Moore was an American scholar, professor and poet born in New York City in 1779. He is best remembered as the author of A Visit from St. Nicholas, more commonly known by its opening line 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, a poem first published anonymously in 1823 that has become one of the most beloved and widely recited works in the English language. The poem is largely credited with shaping the modern popular image of Santa Claus as a jolly, rotund figure who travels by reindeer-drawn sleigh and delivers presents on Christmas Eve. Moore was a professor of Oriental and Greek literature at the General Theological Seminary in New York, and he was also a significant landowner in Manhattan. Beyond his famous poem, he published scholarly works on Hebrew and contributed to the intellectual life of early nineteenth-century New York. His audiobooks and books ensure that his most famous work continues to delight new generations of listeners and readers during the festive season. He died in 1863.