Emmet Lavery
(1902-1986) Playwright, screenwriter. Emmet Lavery was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, and died in Los Angeles, California. He was an award-winning screenwriter and playwright.
County: Dutchess
Henry Livingston Jr.
(1748-1828) Poet. Henry Livingston Jr. is now believed to be the author of the famous Christmas poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” There was some controversy over its authorship (Clement Clarke Moore was earlier given credit for writing the poem). Mr. Livingston lived near Poughkeepsie, New York.
Benson J. Lossing
(1813-1891) Historian, illustrator. Benson J. Lossing was born in Beekman, New York. He was apprenticed to a watchmaker in Poughkeepsie in 1826, became editor and joint owner of Poughkeepsie Telegraph in 1835, then moved to New York City in 1838. Works include “Pictorial Field-Book of the American Revolution” (1850-1852), “Pictorial History of the Civil War … Continued
Elizabeth Bishop
(1911-1979) Poet. Elizabeth Bishop attended Vassar College from 1930-34 with Mary McCarthy, Eleanor Clark, Muriel Rukeyser, and others. It was at Vassar that Bishop met the poet/librarian Marianne Moore. She taught at New York University, and was Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1949 to 1950.
Sarah Cleghorn
Poet, writer. “The Haunted Village,” taught at Manumit School, Pawling, in the 1920s.