Michael Wilson

For those wanting the source material: • Official NC DNCR historical article on John W. Thomas (includes the April 1865 Union soldiers story):
dncr.nc.gov/blog/2024/01/1… • Official NC DNCR historical article on Stuart W. Cramer:
dncr.nc.gov/blog/2024/01/1… • NCpedia biography on Stuart W. Cramer:
ncpedia.org/biography/cram… • WBTV “We the People” piece on Stuart W. Cramer (March 2026):
wbtv.com/2026/03/12/stu…

As we approach our great nation’s 250th anniversary, here’s the story of two generations who helped build the industrial foundation of North Carolina — and the modern South.

Stories like this remind us that real progress often comes from engineers and builders who create infrastructure and solve hard technical problems at scale. @elonmusk

On this July 4th, as we mark 250 years of American progress, it’s worth remembering the engineers and builders who quietly helped make the modern South possible — including a Southern founder who sheltered Union soldiers, and the son born from that union who helped power the industrial rise that followed.

Together, the Thomas → Cramer chain created the physical platform — rails, reliable electric power, and conditioned air — that made scaled manufacturing possible across the Piedmont. This infrastructure contributed to the furniture, textile, and hosiery industries that defined twentieth-century North Carolina.

A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and holder of more than sixty patents, Stuart W. Cramer collaborated with James B. Duke in the development of Duke Power. His most lasting contribution was solving the humidity and temperature problem inside textile mills, allowing factories to operate year-round for the first time.

That Union soldier, John Thomas Cramer, later married Thomas’s daughter Jenny. Their son, Stuart W. Cramer, was born in Thomasville in 1868. He would go on to become one of the most important technical builders in the New South

In April 1865, during the final weeks of the Civil War, Thomas opened his home in Thomasville to shelter many Union soldiers passing through — including 2nd Lt. John Thomas Cramer of the 177th Ohio Infantry. One of those soldiers stayed.

In the mid-1800s, John W. Thomas founded Thomasville in what was then a remote, landlocked section of the Piedmont. He worked to bring the North Carolina Railroad through the area, opening the region’s hardwood, tobacco, and manufacturing resources to national markets for the first time.

@WillBrooks23 @brauf33 Theo was trolling - you can’t actually think he was being serious ????

@WillBrooks23 @brauf33 He has a history of this and my triple great uncle was Stuart W. Cramer and perhaps James “Buck” Duke wouldn’t have had all the funds to fund your endowment without the genius for Duke Power !

UNC AD Bubba Cunningham gives a statement, addressing the court storm. He confirms that at least one person was injured.

@dukebluesamurai Unc beat Kansas and Wilt Chamberlain in 1957 in a triple overtime thriller . Unc also won the Helms Championship in 1924 - so two more national championships - not one - only one more ncaa championship!

#they count a 1957 championship with only 23 teams and say they have more titles than Duke

@CryBabyAubies youtu.be/GMSc_zaKCPk?si…

Hey Carolina fans — notice how Kansas just beat the #1 team in the country and didn’t rush the court? Instead of acting like ignorant fucking idiots and throwing water bottles at the Arizona players... They celebrated with class. That’s what a blue blood program looks like.

@aaron_lubeck @GoodmanHoops Even back in 1998,when Unc #2 destroyed #1 Duke, the court was stormed ! youtu.be/GMSc_zaKCPk?si…

@GoodmanHoops Is there any record of dean dome court stormings? It's pretty rare. I can't remember one vs Duke.

This is insane down on the floor of the Dean Dome. Franklin Street is gonna be wild tonight!!

@ricgolfer70 @BlueDevilNation Boozer repeatedly threw elbows into the chest which is an offensive foul !!

@BlueDevilNation I repeatedly saw UNC holding Duke players trying to work off screens and free themselves. One foul in the 2nd half and 6 FTs for the entire game. Boozer shoots twice that many by himself in a normal game!

I asked Jon Scheyer about the free throw discrepancy where Duke shot six for the game and zero in the second half.

@SethDavisHoops And Boozer gets to keep throwing elbows into the chest all game long? No offensive foul called .

As usual Duke got hosed by the refs

@DukeInDepth Yes Boozer had multiple elbows into the chest multiple times on the same play no offensive foul

For the "dUKe GEts aLl the CalLs" crowd: Fouls: Duke 14, UNC 7 Free throws: Duke 5/6, UNC 11/14

@DukeBlueMBB Your dude isn’t set he’s moving

Lowered the shoulder and extended the arm lol. lmao, even.

@DukeBlueMBB How many times did Boozer throw an Elbow multiple times into the chest for a layup - at least 4 times I counted

@WadeAtState He wasn’t set

This is a joke.

@UpdateDuke Storming vs VA tech is comedy

Rushing the court after claiming the rivalry is dead for years is comedy