Clement Clarke Moore

Born in New York City on July 15, 1779, Clement Clarke Moore was a Columbia-educated scholar, writer, and real estate developer. He taught Oriental and Greek literature, divinity, and biblical learning at the General Theological Seminary, donating part of his inherited Chelsea estate for the school’s development.

Moore is traditionally credited with writing “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” first published anonymously in 1823 and later known by its opening words, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The poem helped shape the modern image of Santa Claus and famously introduced names for Santa’s reindeer.

He publicly claimed authorship in 1837, though scholars have continued to debate whether Moore or Henry Livingston Jr. wrote the poem. Moore died in Newport, Rhode Island, on July 10, 1863, leaving a literary and lasting urban legacy in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.