John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17 1807 - September 7 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets he was influenced by the Scottish poet Robert Burns. Whittier is remembered particularly for his anti-slavery writings as well as his 1866 book Snow-Bound. Whittier was first introduced to poetry by a teacher. His sister sent his first poem The Exile s Departure to the Newburyport Free Press without his permission and its editor William Lloyd Garrison published it on June 8 1826. Garrison as well as another local editor encouraged Whittier to attend the recently opened Haverhill Academy.