Nye, Bill (1850-1896), was a popular American humorist. He became famous for his clever essays and anecdotes (brief stories) on a variety of subjects ranging from the American West to journalism. Nye was also a successful comic lecturer.
Nye was born on Aug. 25, 1850, in Shirley, Maine. His full name was Edgar Wilson Nye. In 1876, Nye moved to Wyoming. He first gained national fame as a columnist for the Laramie Boomerang, a newspaper he founded in 1881. In 1886, Nye moved to New York City and wrote humorous columns for the New York World newspaper. His books include Bill Nye’s History of the United States (1894) and Bill Nye’s History of England (1896). Both were widely popular for their satirical treatment of the past. Nye and the American poet James Whitcomb Riley wrote Nye and Riley’s Railway Guide (1888), a book of poems and witty prose sketches. Nye died on Feb. 22, 1896.
