One of the highlights of the East Tennessee Historical Society’s upcoming Genealogy Conference and Family Reunion Celebration will be the unveiling of the Society,s newest book, FIRST FAMILIES OF TENNESSEE: A REGISTER OF EARLY SETTLERS AND THEIR PRESENT DAY DESCENDANTS.

This book is a culmination of the First Families of Tennessee (FFT) bicentennial project started by the East Tennessee Historical Society in 1992 to recognize the state’s early residents and to identify their descendants.

FFT membership is open to those who can prove descent from a person living in any part of Tennessee by 1796. FFT members now number almost 13,000 and are in all fifty states and eight foreign countries.

This new volume promises to be a valuable reference work featuring the names of 2200 of the state’s first residents (as registered by their descendants) with birth and death dates and places, name of spouse, date and county of first settlement and proof of residence. Also included will be a register of FFT members, a spouse index, and selected photos of FFT ancestors and descendants.

The accompanying history of Tennessee from earliest settlement to statehood is rounded out with maps of Tennessee county creations from 1777-1796 and a listing of all Tennessee counties with creation dates and parent counties.

The 450 page hardbound book will be available before May 1, 2000, at the pre-publication price of $49 plus $4 shipping for first book, $2 for each additional one. There is no quantity discount at the pre-publication price.

After May 1 the price will be $55 each with a quantity discount price (three or more copies) of $50.

Orders may be placed with East Tennessee Historical Society, P.O. Box 1629, Knoxville, Tenn., 37901 or by telephone at (865) 215-8824. Checks, Visa and Mastercard are accepted.

DOES ANYONE KNOW…..

n Bobbye Williams Davis (14081 Co. Rd 520, Greenwood, Miss. 38930, e-mail bobbye@microsped.com) is researching the DANSBY family who migrated to Newton County, Mississippi about 1846 and is looking for any descendant still living of Aubrey Lawrence Dansby who was born 27 October 1893 in Decatur, Newton County, Miss. and died in February of 1963. Aubrey Lawrence is the son of Robert Ridgeway Dansby and Mary Lou WALKER. He has the following siblings: Lewis R. (born December of 1895), Robert E. (born April 1900) and Louise (born March 1899). In 1900 Robert R. and Mary Lou are still in Newton County, however both parents die shortly after this. In 1920 Lawrence is in the home of Matthew LANGHAM. On 14 December 1936, Lawrence applies for a Social Security card and is employed at Adams-Edgar Lumber Company in Morton, Miss. Does anyone have any information on these families? Contact with any living member as well as the sibling families would be appreciated.

n Bettye B. Gleason (218B West Virginia Drive, Clinton, Miss. 39056, email-Bgle11@aol.com, 601-592-1866) is looking for information on DAVID W. WRIGHT who was born about 1828. He was shown on the 1850 Shelby County, Tennessee, census at age 22 living in the home of Mr. and Mrs. R.M. Horsley. He married MARTHA ANN WOODS (21 August 1831-30 March 1895), daughter of Major Archibald Woods (20 February 1804-April 1874) of Jackson County, Alabama and Sallie GOODLOE CAPERTON Woods (died 13 January 1852). David W. Wright and Martha Ann had a son, David G. Wright, born about 1857. In August of 1860, when David W. Wright was a 32 year old farmer in McNairy County, Tenn., he was stabbed to death. This was shown in the 1860 Tennessee Mortuary Tables. No record of his burial place has been found. It is assumed that like many others who died in the period of the Civil War, he may have been buried in an unmarked grave. Does any reader have any information on David W. Wright?

Please send announcements and queries to FAMILY TREES, 900 Main Street, Natchez, Miss. 39120 or e-mail to FamTree316@aol.com. All queries printed free of charge. We look forward to hearing from you!

Family Trees is a weekly column written by Nancianne Parkes Suber of Natchez.