I appreciate your comments regarding Daniel Ellis, Joan. You should know that there is a bit of controversy regarding his authorship of Thrilling Adventures, which I address in my article, "The Lost Adventures of Daniel Ellis," in The Journal of East Tennessee History no. 74 (2002): 58-68. Your library can probably get you a copy through their Interlibrary Loan service, if you're interested. Also, there are a number of people who maintain that Thrilling Adventures is a pack of lies. As I progress with my book on Ellis, I am finding that such individuals seem to be long on opinion and short on evidence. Still, I want to assure anyone who reads this that I am striving for a fair and balanced appraisal of Ellis, and am interested in all viewpoints. Largely because of the surreptitious nature of his activities, there is little formal documentation of Ellis and his activities. There is, however, much yet to be uncovered from diaries, letters, newspapers, and other works in archives and private hands. No matter how Ellis is portrayed, I want to see it. Please spread the word, folks. I will, by the way, be in Carter County in a couple of weeks conducting research and interviews. Regards, Allen Allen W. Ellis Professor of Library Services W. Frank Steely Library Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY 41099-6101 859-572-5527 Fax: 859-572-5390 E-mail: [email protected] Captain Daniel Ellis Web Site http://www.nku.edu/~ellisa/danielellis ________________________________ From: Gary Williams [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thu 10/6/2005 9:57 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [TNCarter] "Thrilling Adventures" Thank you for introducing this book by Daniel Ellis. I was able to get it from my local library and have spent several intriguing hours reading. I was struck by his articulate writing and knowledge since his education was as he put it "basic" English. Either he enjoyed learning and pursued more than the basic or he had better teaching than he realized. I have mentioned in past messages that I haven't been able to find any information on my Cross family in Elizabethton, Carter Co. so this piece of History gives me a better understanding of the atmosphere of the times. My ggrandfather joined the Union Army and the family story is that his father and brother(s) joined the rebels. He said he didn't believe in the Southern cause. He never returned home after the war, but settled in Ky. where he met my grandmother. He was a blacksmith by trade. I have a posed picture of him in later years with a Civil War pin in his lapel. It's too blurry to read. We don't know what unit he fought with. His birth year was 1847, so he was young when the war began. We don't know when he joined, either. He was very closed mouthed and apparently had a mean streak. My father is 85 and he and I have been trying to get a break through for several years on the line. Joan Williams, Miami, FL. ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx