Moore, Clement Clarke (1779-1863), an American scholar, is generally considered the author of the popular Christmas ballad “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas.” The ballad is also known as “A Visit from St. Nicholas” and by its first line, “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” According to tradition, Moore wrote the poem in 1822 as a Christmas present for his children. The poem was first published anonymously in the Troy (N.Y.) Sentinel on Dec. 23, 1823. Some people have claimed that Henry Livingston, Jr., actually wrote the poem. Livingston was a New York land surveyor who also composed poetry.
Moore was born on Jan. 15, 1779, in New York City, New York. He was a Biblical scholar and taught Greek and Oriental literature in the Episcopal seminaries of New York City from 1821 to 1850. He died on July 10, 1863.
