Thomas Frederick Dixon Jr. (1864-1946) was born in Shelby, North Carolina, and was noted for his academic prowess, earning a master's degree and a law degree by 1885. While still a 20-year old student, he ran for a seat in the North Carolina General Assembly as a Democrat, and won handsomely, despite being too young to vote himself. He resigned from politics after only one session, citing his disgust with the level of corruption he encountered. After that, he practiced as a lawyer and then as a Baptist preacher, before turning his hand to writing. His output included 22 novels, a large number of plays and various essays. He is buried in his home town.
