Preface

This book has been a long time in the making, with information compiled and pieces written by my father, Elton A. Watlington, and mother, Janice Threadgill Watlington, over the past forty years. I see much of its structure and content in a (literal) carbon-copy of the ``Hammond-Jameson Papers'' that they brought together in 1974. Much of this information has also been serialized over the years in their ``Watlington-Hammond Chronicles'' newsletter. The first edition of this book is being published in honor of the author's 80th birthday.

The majority of this book is the author's writing. There are, however, a number of historical texts by other authors included: the ``Recollections of the Hale-Hammond Pioneers'' starting on page , the Othello W. Hale letter starting on page , Mercy Jane Hammond Steffens' recollections starting on page , Charles N. Hammond's Civil War Letters and Diary in Ch. 3, and O. W. Hammond's Letters to Mary Eliza Jameson starting on page . In addition, parts of chapter 4 were originally published in an earlier book by the same authors: ``Watlingtons of West Tennessee'', which further details the recent descendants of the Hale-Hammond line introduced here.

A book such as this is never really finished. In addition to the correction of errors, there is always new information being discovered. Our hope is that further editions will be forthcoming on a regular basis. We welcome your corrections and discoveries! The authors contact information is listed in the Bibliography on page .

-- John A. Watlington, Editor
Sept. 2005