Emily Clark Huntington Miller (October 22, 1833 – November 2, 1913) was an American author, editor, poet, and educator who co-founded '' St. Nicholas Magazine'', 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 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 century in the United States. In 18 ...

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

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

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 is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

Early years

Emily Clark Huntington was born in

Brooklyn, Connecticut Brooklyn is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,450 at the 2020 census. The town center village is listed by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place. The district of East Brooklyn is listed ...

, 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. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...

Oberlin, Ohio Oberlin is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States, 31 miles southwest of Cleveland. Oberlin is the home of Oberlin College, a liberal arts college and music conservatory with approximately 3,000 students. The town is the birthplace of the ...

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 ( ) was an adult education and social movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua bro ...

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, suburb of Chicago. Located in Cook County, Illinois, United States, it is situated on the North Shore along Lake Michigan. Evanston is north of Downtown Chicago, bordered by Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, Wil ...

, 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 "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" is a Christmas song that originated with a poem by Emily Huntington Miller (1833–1913), published as "Lilly's Secret" in ''The Little Corporal Magazine'' in December 1865. The song's lyrics have also been attribute ...

. 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 on a national basis. In ...

, 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 (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center o ...

, 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
*

;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