J. William Denton – Medium

J. William Denton

Trial By Tomato?

While the tomato is a beloved part of nearly every cuisine worldwide, there was a time when most people viewed it with suspicion. That all…

Jul 25, 2024

Trial By Tomato?

Jul 25, 2024

The Monk of Jazz: Thelonious Monk’s Simple Genius

“Where’s jazz going? I don’t know. Maybe it’s going to hell. You can’t make anything go anywhere. It just happens.” — Thelonious Monk

Oct 24, 2019

The Monk of Jazz: Thelonious Monk’s Simple Genius

Oct 24, 2019

Rose Greenhow — D.C. Socialite and Confederate Spy

On October 1st, 1864, Rose O’Neal Greenhow drowned near the Cape Fear River while trying to break the Union blockade of North Carolina.

Oct 2, 2019

Rose Greenhow — D.C. Socialite and Confederate Spy

Oct 2, 2019

Jack Kerouac’s Inspiration in Rocky Mount

“I transferred to my local bus and instructed the driver to let me off at the country road that wound three miles through the piney woods…

Sep 20, 2019

Jack Kerouac’s Inspiration in Rocky Mount

Sep 20, 2019

Published in
The Historyist

The Curious Case of Lincoln’s Paternity

Anyone who has attended American grade school knows that Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, was born in a…

Sep 10, 2019

The Curious Case of Lincoln’s Paternity

Sep 10, 2019

Published in
The Historyist

What’s in a Name? The Origins of Odd North Carolina Placenames

North Carolina is home to many tongue-twisting and unique placenames. From Lizard Lick to Chocowinity, and to the grammatically vexing…

Sep 6, 2019

What’s in a Name? The Origins of Odd North Carolina Placenames

Sep 6, 2019

Published in
The Historyist

Stagecoach Travel in Early Nash County, North Carolina

In the early days of America, stagecoaches were the only viable way to travel from town to town. Basic infrastructure was essentially…

Aug 27, 2019

Stagecoach Travel in Early Nash County, North Carolina

Aug 27, 2019

Published in
The Historyist

The Secession of the State of Franklin

On August 23, 1784, in what was then the North Carolina counties of Washington, Sullivan, Spencer, and Greene, a group of frontiersmen…

Aug 23, 2019

The Secession of the State of Franklin

Aug 23, 2019

Published in
The Historyist

The Culture of the Native Peoples of Eastern North Carolina

One of the complications faced by historians researching the history of indigenous Eastern North Carolina peoples is the difficulty in…

Aug 22, 2019

The Culture of the Native Peoples of Eastern North Carolina

Aug 22, 2019

Published in
The Historyist

The History of Tobacco in North Carolina — Part 2

By the middle of the 19th century, North Carolina was producing well over 30 million pounds of commercial tobacco thanks to the unique…

Aug 21, 2019

The History of Tobacco in North Carolina — Part 2

Aug 21, 2019

J. William Denton

J. William Denton

J. William Denton is a historian, author, and blogger. His areas of study include ancient and classical history and North Carolina history (BS, MA, Ph.D.)

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