ISSN #1055-1891

Volume 9, No. 2                                                                           June 1996

Dear Cousins:

We have an interesting newsletter this quarter, with many items which should be of interest to you all. First, I must apologize for not reminding you that tie March issue was the last a subscriber would receive if he or she had not renewed. Since I failed in that duty, you will receive this June issue as your final one if you have not renewed.

The second item of importance is that we have received from a member of the R/RFHA a copy of her recently published book "Benjamin Cason Rawlings", the story of the first Virginian to enlist in the War Between the States. It's by Byrd Tribble, and is truly a labor of love, full of information on the family of BENJAMIN CASON RAWLINGS who enlisted when he was 16 years of age in the Confederate Army, fought in most of the major battles of the war, was made a Captain at 19, and rather than surrender at Appomattox turned in his gun at Richmond and returned home. His adventures during the war were nothing compared to some of the adventures he experienced later in life. It's a great read of 155 pages. Byrd has done a great job, with photographs and maps, plus a comprehensive index. Should you wish to order a copy, write: Byrd B. Tribble, Gables Laroc 1002, 441 Valencia Ave., Coral Gables, FL 33134. And for those who didn't know about BCR, he is from the JAMES RAWLINS family of Spotsylvania Co., VA. It is interesting to note that the Union General JOHN AARON RAWLINS was also a descendant of that family. He was Chief of Staff to Ulysses S. Grant, later Secretary of War in Pres. Grant's cabinet.

The third item among others is the notification on P. 28 of the Postal Service's "Cease and Desist" order to Halbert's, the publishing company which is always sending out surname publications, an organization which you were warned about in the March 1995 issue of the newsletter. I have received about a dozen requests just recently about whether or not a member should send for one of these publications, and in all cases I have suggested to use caution as these publications do not deliver what they promise. Any questions you might have can be directed to the National Genealogist Society, address on P. 28.