Whittier, John Greenleaf, poet, was born near Haverhill, Mass., Dec. 17, 1807. He was educated in the district school and when only nineteen years of age wrote the "Exile's Departure," which was published by William Lloyd Garrison, and encouraged by him Whittier went to Boston at the age of twenty-one years and engaged in journalism. Subsequently he became editor of the Haverhill Gazette, then of the New England Weekly Review, published at Hartford, Conn. Although Whittier was never a resident of Kansas, he was deeply interested in the efforts to make it a free state and sympathized with those who were struggling to accomplish that end. He wrote "The Kansas Emigrant's Song," beginning,

To the air of Auld Land Syne this song could frequently be heard, as it was sung with spirit by parties of emigrants from the free states on their way to Kansas. Whittier is regarded by many as the most American of all American poets. He died at Hampton Falls, N. H., Sept. 7, 1892.