Clement Clarke Moore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clement Clarke Moore
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| Born | July 15, 1779 |
| Died | July 10, 1863 (aged 83) Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.
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| Education | Columbia University (BA, MA) |
| Spouse(s) |
Catharine Elizabeth Taylor
(m. 1813; |
| Parent(s) | Benjamin Moore Charity Clarke Moore |
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Clement Clarke Moore (born July 15, 1779 – died July 10, 1863) was an American writer, scholar, and real estate developer. He is most famous for writing the beloved Christmas poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas." This poem is special because it was the first to name each of Santa Claus's reindeer, helping to create the Santa Claus we know today.
Moore was also a professor at the General Theological Seminary in New York City. He taught about ancient languages like Greek and Hebrew, and also about religious studies. The seminary was built on land that Moore generously donated. He also became quite wealthy by developing parts of his family's large estate into what is now the Chelsea neighborhood in New York City. For many years, he served on the board of trustees for Columbia College (which later became Columbia University). He also helped with the New York Society Library and the New York Institution for the Blind.
The poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" was first published without an author's name in 1823. It later became very well-known by its first line, "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." Moore publicly said he wrote the poem in 1837. While most people believed him during his lifetime, some scholars today discuss if another person might have written it. They look at old writings and handwriting to try and figure it out.
Contents
Who Was Clement Clarke Moore?
Early Life and Learning
Clement Clarke Moore was born on July 15, 1779, in New York City. His family lived at "Chelsea," a large estate that belonged to his mother's family. His father, Benjamin Moore, was an important religious leader. He was a bishop in the Episcopal Church and also served as the president of Columbia College. Clement's mother, Charity Clarke Moore, came from a family that owned a lot of land in Manhattan.
Clement's maternal grandfather, Major Thomas Clarke, was an English officer. He stayed in America after fighting in the French and Indian War. He owned the "Chelsea" estate, which was then countryside north of New York City. Clement's parents inherited this estate and later gave it to him in 1813. This land made him very wealthy as he developed it into a neighborhood.
Moore was a very bright student. He graduated from Columbia College in 1798 as the top student in his class. He earned a Master of Arts degree in 1801 and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1829.
A Professor and Developer
In 1820, Moore helped Trinity Church start a new church called St. Luke in the Fields. He later gave a large piece of land from his Chelsea estate to the Episcopal Diocese of New York. This land, which was an apple orchard, became the site for the General Theological Seminary.
Because of his generous donation and his book on Hebrew and English words (published in 1809), Moore was asked to be a professor at the Seminary. He taught about the Bible and ancient languages there until 1850.
Shaping the Chelsea Neighborhood
After the seminary was built, Moore started to develop his Chelsea estate into a residential neighborhood in the 1820s. He worked with a builder named James N. Wells. They divided the land into many smaller plots and sold them to wealthy New Yorkers. The sales agreements included rules about what could be built on the land. These rules helped create a planned neighborhood with specific architectural styles. For example, stables, factories, and businesses were not allowed in this new development.
Moore also served on the board of trustees for Columbia College from 1813 to 1857. He was the clerk of the board for many years. From 1840 to 1850, Moore was also a board member for the New York Institution for the Blind. He published a collection of his poems in 1844.
The Famous Christmas Poem
The poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas," is one of the most famous verses ever written by an American. It was first published without an author's name in a newspaper in Troy, New York, on December 23, 1823. A family friend of the Moores likely gave the poem to the newspaper's editor.
At that time, it was common for poems to be published without the author's name. But as the poem became more popular, people became curious about who wrote it. In 1829, the newspaper editor hinted that the author was a scholar and writer from New York City.
In 1837, Clement Clarke Moore was publicly named as the author in a book called The New-York Book of Poetry. He had submitted other poems to this book. In 1844, he included "A Visit from St. Nicholas" in his own collection of works called Poems. His children, for whom he originally wrote the poem, encouraged him to publish it. In 1855, one of Moore's daughters, Mary C. Moore Ogden, created beautiful illustrations for the first color edition of the poem.
Moore's estate, named Chelsea, was on the west side of Manhattan Island. Before the 1820s, it was mostly open countryside. His maternal grandfather, Major Thomas Clarke, bought the land in 1750. Clarke named his house after the Royal Hospital Chelsea in London, which cared for war veterans. Moore's parents inherited the estate in 1802 and later gave it to him.
When New York City planned its street grid for Manhattan, Ninth Avenue was designed to go through the middle of the Chelsea estate. Moore helped plan how his land would be divided and developed. He acquired more land from relatives and neighbors. Eventually, he owned all the land from Eighth Avenue to the Hudson River, between 19th and 24th Streets. He worked with builder James N. Wells to create the neighborhood.
He also donated a large piece of land for the General Theological Seminary, which began construction in 1827. The seminary still operates on the same site today. Ten years later, Moore gave more land for the construction of St. Peter's Episcopal Church. The neighborhood in Manhattan is still known as Chelsea because of his family's estate.
Family Life
In 1813, Clement Moore married Catherine Elizabeth Taylor. Catherine's family had important connections; her father was a lawyer who served as chief justice of Jamaica, and her aunt was related to a prominent New York family. Clement and Catherine had nine children together:
- Margaret Elliot Moore (1815–1845)
- Charity Elizabeth Moore (1816–1830), who passed away when she was young.
- Benjamin Moore (1818–1886)
- Mary Clarke Moore (1819–1893)
- Clement Moore (1821–1889)
- Emily Moore (1822–1828), who also passed away when she was young.
- William Taylor Moore (1823-1897)
- Catharine Van Cortlandt Moore (1825–1890)
- Maria Theresa ("Terry") Barrington Moore (1826–1900)
Moore began spending his summers in Newport, Rhode Island, with his daughters Mary and Terry and Mary's family. He passed away on July 10, 1863, in Newport, just five days before his 84th birthday. His funeral was held in Trinity Church, Newport. His body was later moved to Trinity Church Cemetery in New York City.
Lasting Legacy
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- Since 1911, the Church of the Intercession in Manhattan has held a special service before Christmas. It includes a reading of "A Visit from St. Nicholas" and a procession to Moore's tomb at Trinity Church Cemetery. This tradition continues every year.
- Clement Clarke Moore Park, located at 10th Avenue and 22nd Street in Chelsea, is named after him.
- A playground opened in this park on November 22, 1968, and was officially named for Moore the following year. It was renovated in 1995 with new trees. Local residents gather there every year on the last Sunday of Advent to read "Twas the Night Before Christmas."
- PS13 in Elmhurst, Queens, a public school, is also named after Clement C. Moore.
See also
