John Donald Wade (September 28, 1892 – October 9, 1963) was an American biographer, author, essayist, and teacher.
Since Harvard didn't have a concentration in American literature at that time, Wade completed his Doctorate at Columbia University in 1924, studying under Dr. Trent.
Wade was a teacher at the University of Georgia between 1919 and 1926 where he was a key founder of the graduate program in American literature.
Wade researched and wrote 116 biographical sketches for the Dictionary of American Biography and served as an assistant editor for that work in 1927 and 1928.
By 1930 Wade was teaching at Vanderbilt University as a member of the English faculty and became involved with the Southern Agrarians.