SOURCE URL: https://web.archive.org/web/2024/https://www.henrylivingston.com/xmas/witnesses/hlbli-jan10-1900.htm   [page path reconstructed from the site's relative links]
DOCUMENT: Henry Livingston (1837-1906), editor of the South Side Signal, Babylon, to Cornelia G. Goodrich, 10 Jan. 1900 (Thomas Collection): his father Sidney Montgomery Livingston (1796-1856) "claimed that his father (Henry, Jr.) was the author ... when he was about eight years old, which would be about 1804, or 1805"; manuscript "with many corrections" given to Edwin; "destroyed when his sister Susan's home was burned at Kaskaskia, Wis., about 1847 or 8"; "never brought up, to my knowledge, until after 1862".
PROVENANCE OF THIS TEXT: henrylivingston.com transcription of the manuscript (Thomas Collection, now New-York Historical Society, unless stated).
VERIFICATION STATUS: [S] SECOND-HAND transcription (not checked against the original)
RETRIEVED: 2026-09-14
NOTES: Live site henrylivingston.com fails TLS in this environment; page fetched from the Internet Archive Wayback Machine (2024 capture) and converted HTML->text; site navigation lines removed. The site (Mary S. Van Deusen, Livingston descendant) transcribes manuscripts of the Thomas Collection / New-York Historical Society; transcriptions are SECOND-HAND and have not been checked against the manuscripts.
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From Henry Livingston of Babylon LI to Cornelia Griswold Goodrich, Jan 10, 1900
Transcription
Office of "The Signal,"
A Local Paper for Live People Independent in Politics
Impartial in Religion "Square" in Business
HENRY LIVINGSTON, SON & CO.
Proprietors and Editors.
Babylon, N.Y., Jan. 10, 1900
Cornelia G. Goodrich
Dear Friend:
I was surprised and pleased to receive your letter, written (or at least postmarked) Jan 3, 1900.
The question of the authorship of the poem "The Night Before Christmas" was never brought up, to my knowledge, until after 1862, when it was published and credited to Clement C. Moore. Moore was then a very old man, and died the same year. It does not appear, however, that he ever laid claim to the authorship, and it is said he was displeased at first when it was attributed to him!
My father, (Sidney Montgomery) as long ago as I can remember, claimed that his father (Henry, Jr.) was the author: that it was first read to the children at the old homestead below Poughkeepsie, when he was about eight years old, which would be about 1804, or 1805. He had the original manuscript, with many corrections in his possession, for a long time, and by him was given to his brother Edwin. Edwin's person effects were destroyed when his sister Susan's home was burned at Kaskaskia, Wis., about 1847 or 8.
I think the poem was first published in the Knickerbocker Magazine early in this century, but whether the author's name was attached or not I do not know. The Magazine is on file in the Astor Library, & some time I mean to hunt it up- If I find it as I expect I will certainly inform you. I thank you most heartily for your kindly letter. Wish you every happiness, I am truly yours,
Manuscript
Thomas Collection