The East Tennessee Historical Society is unveiling a new family heritage program, Civil War Families of Tennessee. Civil War Families of Tennessee (CWFT) seeks to identify and honor the sacrifices of the valiant soldiers on both sides of the conflict. This lineage program will link current descendants with their Civil War ancestors, encourage new research, and combine the experiences of thousands of individuals and families to tell more fully the story of the Civil War in Tennessee. If you are a direct or collateral descendant of any individual who served in Tennessee during the Civil War-Union or Confederate-you are eligible for membership in CWFT. Service may have been in either a Tennessee unit or any non-Tennessee unit which was active in the state. Membership is also open through an ancestor who served elsewhere but lived in Tennessee either before, during, or after the war. In order to recognize the service of the many young men who died unwed and without children, CWFT offers membership through collateral descent also. Like its sister program, First Families of Tennessee, CWFT applications and membership files will be housed in the Calvin M. McClung Historical Collection (Knoxville, Tennessee) of the Knox County Public Library System where together the two projects will provide an unparalleled resource for family and historical research in the Volunteer State. CWFT members will receive a handsome certificate with the names of the applicant and the ancestor, along with the name of the ancestor's company and regiment. A roster of the members and their ancestors will eventually be published in book form. CWFT members will also be recognized at a grand reunion to be hosted by the East Tennessee Historical Society. For additional information about the Civil War Families of Tennessee project, including a downloadable application form, please visit the ETHS web site at www.east-tennessee-history.org. Anyone unable to download a form may request an application form by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Civil War Families of Tennessee c/o ETHS PO Box 1629 Knoxville, TN 37901-1629 Additional questions about the new CWFT project may also be addressed to civilwar@east-tennessee-history.org (Please note that ETHS does not provide email-based research assistance at this time.) The East Tennessee Historical Society, founded in 1834, is one of the oldest cultural institutions in the state of Tennessee. ETHS, a non-profit organization headquartered in Knoxville, is dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and promoting the history of East Tennessee. The society's programs and activities are made possible through the support of its membership. The society's First Families of Tennessee family heritage program was founded in 1992 and now includes more than 13,000 members in 50 states and eight foreign nations.