author
John Trotwood Moore
1858–1929
A lively Southern storyteller, journalist, and local historian, this Tennessee writer turned rural life, folklore, and humor into poems, short stories, and novels. He also helped shape the state’s historical memory through years of work as librarian and archivist.
2 Audiobooks
The Bishop of Cottontown: A Story of the Southern Cotton Mills
by John Trotwood Moore
Jack Ballington, Forester
by John Trotwood Moore
About the author
Born in Marion, Alabama, on August 26, 1858, he became known as a writer, editor, and journalist whose work drew heavily on Southern settings and speech. After teaching and studying law, he built a literary career that included poetry, fiction, and magazine work, earning notice for books such as Songs and Stories from Tennessee and other stories rooted in everyday life.
He later settled in Tennessee, where his connection to the state grew even deeper. From 1919 until his death in 1929, he served as Tennessee’s state librarian and archivist, a role that matched his strong interest in local history and preservation.
His legacy is mixed and very much tied to his time: he was celebrated as a popular regional author and historian, but modern readers may also note that some of his views reflected the racial attitudes of the Old South. He died in Nashville on May 10, 1929.