Meet the American Who...

LIFESTYLE 7 mins ago

Meet the American who rowed Washington across the Delaware on Christmas, sailor-soldier John Glover

General John Glover was a fishing captain-turned-Revolutionary War hero. He led the Marblehead militia, which ferried General Washington across the Delaware on Christmas 1776.

LIFESTYLE December 15

Meet the American who wrote 'Jingle Bells,' James Lord Pierpont, dashing dreamer and scandalous rebel

James Lord Pierpont, a Boston native, penned the renowned holiday classic song "Jingle Bells" in the 1850s. The original song was more revealing than it appears today.

LIFESTYLE December 8

Meet the American who scripted 'A Christmas Story,' Jean Shepherd, big-city shock jock and cultural contrarian

Beloved family-friendly movie "A Christmas Story" sprung from tales that New York City shock jock Jean Shepherd first shared on late-night radio and in Playboy magazine.

LIFESTYLE December 1

Meet the American who launched Cabbage Patch Kids, Xavier Roberts, dolls ignited Christmas shopping craze

Xavier Roberts, an artist from rural Georgia, created Cabbage Patch Kids in the 1970s, which then caused a consumer frenzy during the Christmas shopping season in 1983.

LIFESTYLE November 23

Meet the American who made cranberries a Turkey Day tradition, Marcus Urann, farmer with can-do spirit

Marcus L. Urann turned the hyper-local cranberry into a staple of the Thanksgiving dinner table when he pioneered a way to can the sauce and sell it around the nation.

LIFESTYLE November 17

Meet the American who gave the nation our Thanksgiving origin story: Pilgrim Edward Winslow

Mayflower passenger Edward Winslow wrote the only contemporary account of the Pilgrims' first year in Plymouth, including the story of the first Thanksgiving in 1621.

LIFESTYLE November 10

Meet the American who founded the American Legion, Theodore Roosevelt Jr., privileged to fight and to serve

Theodore Roosevelt Jr., oldest son of President Teddy Roosevelt, founded the American Legion after World War I; he received the Medal of Honor in World War II.

LIFESTYLE November 3

Meet the American who defined a new national identity, Noah Webster, New England patriot armed with the pen

Noah Webster was America's patriot armed with the pen. He defined 12,000 new words, while using language to establish a powerful new national identity.

LIFESTYLE October 27

Meet the American who conjured up 'Legend of Sleepy Hollow': Washington Irving, first US celebrity author

Washington Irving was born in New York City in 1783, just 18 months after his namesake George Washington led America to independence with victory over the British at Yorktown.

LIFESTYLE October 20

Meet the American who gave us Nashville hot chicken, Thornton Prince, man of many passions

Thornton Prince was a legendary Nashville lothario who was served a plate of insanely hot fried chicken as revenge by a crossed lover. It's now known as Nashville hot chicken.