Land Grant Genealogy 5 Now Available

Published in 2016 and still available to order. Land Grants on Elk River in southern middle Tennessee is a continuation of previous Land Grant Genealogies and covers the waters of the Elk River.

Review the LGG5 web page by   Clicking here

Send check payable to Jack Masters for $49.00 plus $6.00 S & H to:

Jack Masters
1049 Robertson Road
Gallatin, TN 37066

Jack Masters

Doug Drake's Death

We regret to inform our readers that Bernard Douglas "Doug" Drake passed away January 14, 2014. Doug was co-author for our first volume "Founding of the Cumberland Settlements".

We extend to Doug's widow, Brenda Neely Drake, our sincere sympathy for her loss.

TSLA Prominently Displays Pioneer Books

Those entering the main reading room at the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville have access to what one employee termed as "some of our patrons favorite books".

We highly recommend our good friend Paul Clements new book, Chronicles of the Cumberland Settlements which is displayed along with our three atlases.

We appreciate our long relationship with Paul, who we have collaborated with many times during the writing of our books.

Jack Masters & Bill Puryear

Book Signing and Sale in Columbia

L-R Joe D Brooks and Bill Puryear

Joe Brooks and Bill Puryear discuss our newest Atlas, "The First South West" recently at the Maury County Archives at Columbia.

Special thanks to Michelle Cannon and Bob Duncan at the Archives for their work in making this event one of the best ever!

The First Southwest Received and being Shipped

We received our order of books last Monday.  After placing book plates in over 500 books we started shipping to those who previously ordered Wednesday.  We'll continue today until we get the books shipped.

We regret the delay from our plan but know everyone will be pleased with the continuation of the strict attention to quality which we have subscribed to for the publication of our books.

Newly received orders will be processed and shipped within a few days.  We value our customers and want you to know that we will continue to ship orders in a timely fashion as long as our stock of books last.

Jack Masters, Bill Puryear & Steve Giddens

The First Southwest Delivery Update

Not good news - - - arrival now is estimated to be early next week. It is still our plan to have all books shipped from the warehouse by next Wednesday, October 31st.

We will still have our planed book signing event this Saturday at the Gallatin Public Library. Those wishinig to have personalized inscriptions will be able to have the book plates signed and we will make sure those plates are affixed on the books before mailing.

We will have available copies of all our previous books for those wishing to purchase as well as Land Grant Genealogy 4 which accompanies The First Southwest.

Thanks for your understanding. 

Jack Masters, Bill Puryear & Steve Giddens

The First Southwest Delivery Update

Upon receiving preview copies of The First Southwest we found the laminate on the front cover distorted the image of the beautiful art work David Wright created. Based on the quality standards of our previous books and your expectations, we made the decision to reprint the cover of the entire print run. This major change slowed the shipment of the books by about four weeks.

At this time we are expecting the books to arrive next week (the week of October 22).

Here is our plan based on that arrival:

We will have several hundred books available for our major book signing at the Gallatin Public Library on Saturday October 27.  Those who have ordered books and are able to attend the signing and sale, will be able to pick up their books and we would be available to sign as we originally planned.  We will also have an ample supply for those wishing to purchase books at the event.

We will ship the remaining book orders from the warehouse on October 29th. Not the schedule we wanted but we will still be within our goal of shipment in the month of October.

We are pleased to report that we are again being given prime coverage in the November issue of the CEMC Tennessee Magazine. We have seen preliminary copy of the article and these folks continue to do amazing work with their magazine.

Thanks for your understanding in working through this delay. 

Jack Masters, Bill Puryear & Steve Giddens

Recent UDC sponsored Genealogy Seminar benefitting Trousdale Place

L-R Seated: Katheryn Hopkins, Bill Puryear, Laine Sutherland
Standing: Betty Callis, Martha Gann, Virginia Watson & Nancy Parker

Bill Puryear displays advance copies of The First Southwest at the event recently held in Gallatin.

Everything is on Schedule for October Delivery!!

All book files have been sent to the printer and we are on target to have The First Southwest in our warehouse for shipment in early October, 2012

Books may be ordered by calling The Book Foundry at 1-615-330- 9013.

David Wright presents cover painting for Vol 3

David Wright's just completed "DRIFTING DOWNRIVER Flatboats on the Cumberland" is previewed by authors Bill Puryear and Jack Masters

Feature Article in "The Tennessee Magazine"

The folks at "The Tennessee Magazine" feature our NEW Volume 2 book Thoroughfare for Freedom in the November 2011 issue. The magazine is distributed monthly to over 500,000 members by Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation.

They did an exceptional job in photography and layout. You can see the entire article by:   clicking here

Bill Puryear to appear on "A Word on Words"
Be sure and watch John Seigenthaler's interview with Bill on local NPT Sunday September 25th at 10:30am.

Jack Masters & Bill Puryear

TSLA Prominently Displays our Pioneer Books

Display at Tennessee State Library and Archives
Patrons entering the main reading room at TSLA in Nashville are greeted with our books on display.   A recent visitor, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, commented that he had both books in his personal library.

We appreciate our relationship with the the staff at TSLA - - where we also spend a lot of time researching.

Jack Masters & Bill Puryear

Houston County Public Library receives New Books

Nina Finley and Kay French
Jack Masters met recently with representatives in Houston County and discussed the work being accomplished to be able to place North Carolina Land Grants in Houston County.

North Carolina Land Grants on the Cumberland River from Kentucky all the way to Gainesboro, Tennessee, are a part of Volume 3 expected to be available mid 2012.

Jack Masters & Bill Puryear

Thoroughfare for Freedom now Available

Co-Author Jack Masters signs his newest book Thoroughfare for Freedom for Society President Joe Davenport at the most recent meeting of Cannon County Historical Society.
A Program dealing with North Carolina Land Grants was presented to an enthusiastic Society Membership in conjuction with the regular meeting of the Cannon County Historical Society last Monday May 10th. The new books were received the day of the meeting and will be mailed to those who previously ordered starting in the next few days.

Jack Masters & Bill Puryear

Image courtesy of Donna Nichols

Thoroughfare for Freedom now available in pre publication

Volume II of our series is now available in pre publication sales. To be delivered in May, this work represents the second of three volumes centered on early Cumberland River Valley Pioneers.

Order yours now by clicking here

Pre publication sales will continue thru April at a discounted price.

Jack Masters

Historical focus on James Robertson

L - R David Wright, Kaki Johnston, Bill Puryear, Jack Masters & Aubrey Preston
These folks got together at Animalia in Leipers Fork recently to discuss Aubrey Preston's concept of historical focus on pioneer James Robertson.

Schedules Announced for Future Publications

After a very busy year and a half your authors have determined a target schedule for Publication of Volume II & III.

Volume II along with Data Supplement 3 for the next set of counties will be available for purchase in May 2011.

Volume III along with Data Supplement 4 for the next set of counties will be available for purchase in October 2011.

We'll announce the schedule for ordering with pre-publication pricing as soon as possible - - meantime we will be very busy completing this book project.

Our web site has been updated to reflect all future publication plans.

Regards - your authors

Jack Masters & Bill Puryear

Reprints of Volume I have arrived

Reprints of Volume I have arrived and are being shipped as ordered effective immediately. Thanks to those who have ordered - Enjoy our previously sold our Atlas!!!

Our Atlas receives Tennessee History Book Award, 2009

Jack Masters accepts award on behalf of Doug Drake & Bill Puryear from Carol Roberts

The "Tennessee History Book Award, 2009" was presented by the Tennessee Library Association and the Tennessee Historical Commission at the annual TLA meeting in Memphis on March 19, 2010.