Pat, I just borrowed the book from my brother, and I am putting aside my present read to tackle this book first. It sounds like a book I will really enjoy. Thank you for clearing up my errors; I am sure others enjoyed hearing the facts, as well. Can you believe the style of his writing? This was a "backwoods" man?! I am sure we would be surprised at the level of expression from many of our ancestors. Delores

Hi Delores: I recently loaned my copy to a friend to read, so I can't check; but I think in the front of the book it says his story was told by him, but actually put on paper by someone else. Education was pretty minimal for most people in those days. Sam Thomas Shade wrote: > Pat, I just borrowed the book from my brother, and I am putting aside my > present read to tackle this book first. It sounds like a book I will > really enjoy. Thank you for clearing up my errors; I am sure others > enjoyed hearing the facts, as well. Can you believe the style of his > writing? This was a "backwoods" man?! I am sure we would be surprised at > the level of expression from many of our ancestors. > Delores > > ==== MDGARRET Mailing List ==== > If you need help with this list, make sure to email the list administrator, Carol Hepburn, at chepburn@cox.net.

Sam, The introduction to Browning's book , Stabler says: "Having been in some degree instrumental in introducing the following pages to the public, it may not be improper to inform the reader of the circumstances which led to my connection with their publication." As for truthfulness of Meshach's stories, he wrote: "He is not the man to indulge in fiction, in any manner, or on any occasion. Though uneducated - having had less then six months tuition, and that when quite a boy-- he has filled important and responsible positions in his own county, no only with credit to himself, but with advantage to the public." Edward Stabler's comments; "My task, though a "labor of love," is comparatively a very humble one, and has been mainly confined to the correction of grammatical errors; for I desired as much as possible to preserve the easy and rather peculiar style of the Author, as it came form his own sturdy and un-practised pen, ......................................" Comments by F. P. Blair: "I advise its publication, just as given with his own sturdy pen, barely correcting the grammatical errors with which it abounds. ..................." Judge Thomas Perry, of the Fourth Judicial District of the State........ vouches for Meshach's honesty.