October 21, 1842

Will Carleton was born.

Born near Hudson in Lenawee County, Will Carleton authored “Over the Hill to the Poorhouse,” which was one of the most popular poems in Michigan during the late nineteenth century. Carleton’s popularity led the state legislature to declare his birthday a state holiday. According to Harper’s Weekly, Carleton was one of America’s “most popular poets and the one whose writing have been more widely read and appreciated than those of any poet since the days of Whittier and Longfellow.”

Thank you Michigan Start Pages for this glimpse into our past.  See more here.