'Twas the Night Before Christmas in Sing Sing

This article explores the connection between Clement C. Moore, author of the famous Christmas poem, and the village of Sing Sing (now Ossining), New York.

According to historical records, Moore "had once contemplated making a summer home on the Hudson. In 1839, he bought a beautiful estate at Sing Sing." He subsequently gave the property to his son Benjamin, and the poet made periodic visits to see his son and daughter-in-law there.

The Moore family maintained a prominent presence in Ossining from approximately 1839 into the early twentieth century. They resided in "Moorehaven," one of the town's oldest houses, originally constructed around 1740 by a Dutch family named Auser near the river in the Brayton Park area. The residence had witnessed a Revolutionary War skirmish between American raiders and British forces pursuing them from the Bronx.

While Clement Moore himself was primarily a visitor rather than a permanent resident, his family became well-integrated into the community as Trinity Church members. Notably, they donated the church's clock and chimes in 1894.