Yes, I was pleased to find that bio. The style and language tell a good bit about the time as well. As to your comment on the thesis...no, unfortunately it has not gone as far as I would prefer it had. It is not exactly on a genealogical slant, though it does have a connection. It is on concepts of shared authority applied to archives of religious institutions and is exactly as exciting as that sounds. The genealogical aspect comes into play as I make the argument that, in some types of institutions, it may be appropriate to take the needs and desires of researchers into account when designing policies for archival institutions. In many cases this is contrary to current archival theory, though it is a well known (if not always accepted) concept in Museum Studies. I have been training in both museums and archives and I am hoping to show ways that theories of the two different fields can be better mixed. I have been doing user studies and evaluations of collections and policies of reference and access. Unfortunately, as with many projects that require doing research with the public, I have had delays. Now I have to find the time to write while working full time at a paying job, part time as the historian/archivist for a church, and spending time with my wife and dog. Granddad is fond of saying, "this too shall pass." As to my grandfathers lockbox (not my uncle), I don't push him. He is 96 and not that interested in making the trip to the bank that often. I will have access to all eventually. He only has 2 kids, my father and aunt, and they have been sure to send me what they get their hands on. He has already given me the family Bible, some old pictures, his mother's scrapbook, a lot of stuff from the Havron side of the family. On my wall is a framed "memoriam", a handwritten bio/eulogy given to Nancy C. Cowan on the death of her husband by his church. (I intend to transcribe it and post it.) I have scanned a few letters from Rev. Cowan to his son, Dr. J.B. Cowan, dated from early in the War, as well as some account records and a contract for the loan of a slave belonging to another family. (Reading such things always gives me a peculiar feeling.) The other letters will have to wait. I did get a partial run of his father's newspaper, the Cumberland Presbyterian Banner, that is in very bad shape. I am practicing my newly acquired restoration skills on this, but it will take a long time. I have also been promised his bound copy of the first version of the Confederate Veteran, which was published for a year or so (1891, I think) by T.A. and W.H. Havron before they relinquished (sold?) the operation to Sumner Cunningham. All good stuff. I am way ahead of you on recording the stories. I have a shelf full of video and audiotapes and have been writing notes since I was a boy. I am taking steps to preserve them all. Eventually copies will likely be given to the Gore center at MTSU and made available for research. He is a valuable asset and was my primary inspiration as a historian; he was taking me to cemeteries when I was 3 years old. He is a lawyer who keeps his files far better organized than I and actually has names and dates on most all the pictures he has. I am trying to get Comcast to fix the FrontPage extensions on my tiny, personal Website so I can put a few pictures up for those who may wish to view them. Jim Jim --- Laura Cowan Cooper <lauracowancooper@comcast.net> wrote: > Jim, > > That is one of the best Bio's that I have seen done > and you can tell that > he knew him. That was in 1888!!!!! Thanks for taking > the time to share > that!!!!\ > > Laura > Laura Cowan Cooper of Kodak, TN > lauracowancooper@comcast.net > > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com