Clement Clarke Moore (July 15, 1779 - July 10, 1863) was a writer and professor and is credited with writing "A Visit from St. Nicholas" for his children. Originally published anonymously on December 23rd, 1823, the poem that would come to be known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," was responsible for the creation of the Santa Claus myth as it is known in the United States and much ofthe English-speaking world.