Show story of the visit of st nicholas was written for own kin on december 23 1822 dr clem nt int dark clark moore told his children the story of st nicholas and read to them a poem entitled the visit of st nicholas which he had written especially for the occasion dr moore was chagrined when the visit of st nicholas was published in the troy N Y sentinel on december 23 1823 as an anonymous contribution a doctor of divinity he considered the poem beneath his dignity and many years passed before dr moore allowed it it to become known that he was the author thereof no doubt he suspected how the visit of st nicholas had found its way to the sentinel miss harriet butler daughter of the rev david butler had been a guest in the moore home on the night before christmas in 22 and had hastily copied dr moores narration in her album Trea treasuring surina the poem throughout the entire year miss butler sent a copy of it to the I 1 sentinel as the christmas season of 1823 approached ed I 1 |