John Greenleaf Whittier

John Greenleaf Whittier was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts in 1807 and grew up on his family’s rural homestead. He became interested in Quakerism and poetry at a young age, and he published his first poem, “The Exile’s Departure,” in 1826. After graduating from Haverhill Academy in 1828, Whittier worked as an editor of various publications. Beginning in the 1830s, Whittier became involved in the abolitionist movement, publishing antislavery poems and pamphlets. After the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery was passed in 1865, Whittier turned the focus of his poetry to other subjects. Whittier published his most famous poem, “Snow-Bound,” in 1866. Later in life, he also became a founding contributor to the magazine Atlantic Monthly.