Emily Clark Huntington Miller (October 22, 1833 – November 2, 1913) was an American author, editor, poet, and educator who co-founded ''

St. Nicholas Magazine ''St. Nicholas'' was a popular monthly American children's magazine, founded by Scribner's in 1873 and named after the Christian saint. The first editor was Mary Mapes Dodge, who continued her association with the magazine until her death in 1 ...

'', a publication for children. Earlier in her career, she served as the Assistant Editor of '' The Little Corporal'', a children's magazine and Associate Editor of the ''

Ladies' Home Journal ''Ladies' Home Journal'' was an American magazine that ran until 2016 and was last published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th centur ...

''. Miller and Jennie Fowler Willing were involved with organizing a convention in

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

in 1874, at which the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union was formed. In September 1891, Miller was appointed Dean of Women at

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

Early years

Emily Clark Huntington was born in

Brooklyn, Connecticut Brooklyn is a New England town, town in Windham County, Connecticut, Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of the Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut, Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region. The populat ...

, October 22, 1833, the daughter of Methodist pastor Thomas Huntington and Paulina Clark. She received a liberal education and was graduated from

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1833, it is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational lib ...

Oberlin, Ohio Oberlin () is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. It is located about southwest of Cleveland within the Cleveland metropolitan area. The population was 8,555 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Oberlin is the home of Oberlin ...

in 1857.

Career

Miller showed her literary ability in her school-days. While yet a girl, she published a number of sketches and stories, which attracted general attention. Thereafter, she was a constant and prolific contributor of sketches, short stories, serials, poems and miscellaneous articles to newspapers and magazines. She earned a reputation by her work on '' The Little Corporal''. She gave much time and work to Sunday-school and missionary interests. She was connected with the

Chautauqua Chautauqua ( ) is an adult education and social movement in the United States that peaked in popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Cha ...

Literary and Scientific Circle from its commencement, and served as president of the Chautauqua Woman's Club for four years. She was appointed Dean of Women at Northwestern University, in

Evanston, Illinois Evanston is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States, situated on the North Shore (Chicago), North Shore along Lake Michigan. A suburb of Chicago, Evanston is north of Chicago Loop, downtown Chicago, bordered by Chicago to the south, Skok ...

, where she subsequently resided. Her published literary work included 15 volumes, some of which were republished in England, and all of which found wide circles of readers. Her poetical productions were numerous. Over 100 of her poems were set to music, including her 1865 poem ''Lilly's Secret'', which became the basis for the lyrics to the popular Christmas song Jolly Old Saint Nicholas. In her varied career, she was equally successful as writer, educator, temperance-worker, and journalist. Besides her literary work, Miller prepared and gave lectures on temperance, also on missionary and educational subjects. She was prominently connected with the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...

, and was a Trustee of

Personal life

In 1860, she married John E. Miller. Of their children, three sons survived, including George A. Miller; their only daughter died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Miller moved from

, to

St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 311,527, making it Minnesota's second-most populous city a ...

, where the husband died in 1882.

Selected works

;Author *“Kirkwood series” *“Little Neighbors” *"Captain Fritz” *“Fighting the enemy” *“Highway and Hedges” ;Popular music (lyrics only)
My Good for Nothing
* Jolly Old Saint Nicholas ;Hymns (lyrics only) *Beyond the Dark River of Death *Blessed Are the Children *Easter Hymn *Enter Thy Temple, Glorious King *Father, While the Shadows Fall *Hark, the Chorus Swelling *I Love the Name of Jesus *I Love to Hear the Story *O, Land of the Blessed! *O, Realm of Light *Stay, Trembling Soul, and Do Not Fear *Tell the blessed Tidings *Work and Never Weary *Baby's first Christmas

References

Attribution

* *

External links

* * * http://www.library.northwestern.edu/archives/onthisday/2008/09/sept_1891_mrs_emily_huntington.html * http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/aww_03/aww_03_00823.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Emily Huntington 1833 births 1913 deaths 19th-century American poets 19th-century American women writers 20th-century American poets 20th-century American women writers American Christian hymnwriters People from Windham County, Connecticut Poets from Connecticut Oberlin College alumni Northwestern University faculty Songwriters from Connecticut American women hymnwriters Woman's Christian Temperance Union people American women non-fiction writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers Wikipedia articles incorporating text from A Woman of the Century American women academics 19th-century American women musicians