I'm looking for the Author(I believe early American)and poem title,
and where I can locate the poem that perhaps begins or contains the
words: "The snow had begun in the gloaming, and busily all the night,
had been heaping field? and woodland?, with a mantle? deep and white"
-- or something very close to that.

Hello Shamwari-ga,

Thank you for your question.

The title of the poem you’re referring to is “The First Snow-Fall” 
by James Russell Lowell.


Here is a brief excerpt of the poem. 
  
The First Snow-Fall
  
“THE SNOW had begun in the gloaming,  
And busily all the night  
Had been heaping field and highway  
With a silence deep and white.  
  
Every pine and fir and hemlock 
Wore ermine too dear for an earl,  
And the poorest twig on the elm-tree  
Was ridged inch deep with pearl.  
  
(..)

Then, with eyes that saw not, I kissed her;  
And she, kissing back, could not know  
That my kiss was given to her sister,  
Folded close under deepening snow.”         

You can read the complete poem at the following link at the Bartleby
website.
http://www.bartleby.com/248/351.html

Here is another copy of the poem.
http://www.stjohnsprep.org/teachers/mm_english/winter_poetry/first_snow_fall.html


James Russell Lowell, American poet, critic, and editor was born in
Cambridge, Mass in 1819 and died in 1891.

“He was influential in revitalizing the intellectual life of New
England in the mid-19th cent. Educated at Harvard (B.A., 1838; LL.B.,
1840), he abandoned law for literature. In 1843 he started a literary
magazine, the Pioneer, which failed after two issues. The next year
Lowell married Maria White, an ardent abolitionist and liberal, who
encouraged him in his work.”

James Russell Lowell biography from the Columbia Encyclopedia
http://www.bartleby.com/65/lo/LowellJR.html


Search Criteria:

"The snow had begun in the gloaming"
James Russell Lowell
"James Russell Lowell" "The First Snow-Fall” 


I hope you find this helpful and if there is anything that I've
written that needs clarification, please ask before you rate this
answer.


Best Regards,
Bobbie7-ga

This was a highly valued find...and fast!   My father used to quote
this long ago, and it keeps coming back to me. But, alas, I have never
been able to locate the source.  Lately I learned about Google, and,
voila!  Thank you very much...this has made a precious connection for
me!

Thanks for the rating and tip!
I'm glad to have helped you locate the poem your father used to quote.