Clement Clarke Moore

Clement Clarke Moore was an American scholar from a prominent family, well-known in his day as a professor at both Columbia College and the General Theological Seminary. The Manhattan neighbourhood of Chelsea was named after the Moore family property. Today, however, he is remembered as the author of the Christmas poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, also known by its first line "'Twas the Night Before Christmas". Moore's authorship of the poem was disputed at the end of the 20th Century, and the question has not yet been resolved.

A Visit from St. Nicholas helped revive interest in the holiday, and provided a popular image of Santa Claus. The story is often read during Advent; the reading at New York's Church of the Intercession is the oldest continuing Christmas tradition in that city.