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177 Acknowledgments When I conceived of the idea that J. D. B. De Bow would make a good topic for my dissertation I did not realize that he would become an almost constant companion in my life for the next eight years. Although my friends and family might have tired of him long ago, I have enjoyed my time with De Bow and his readers. Yet I did not get to this point without the aid and support of others, and now I can thank those who have helped me along the way. I will begin with Robert J. Norrell, Stephen Ash, and Dan Feller, who oversaw my dissertation and helped me become a better historian. I would also like to thank Will Bolt, Fashion Bowers, Travis Hardy, and especially Aaron Crawford for their companionship and their willingness to read anything I put in front of them. Likewise, Chris Paysinger and Tom Reidy have logged many hours reading drafts of chapters and listening to my ideas. My colleagues at the University of Alabama in Huntsville have also made this process easier with their support, as have many of my students who have taken an interest in southern history. Diana LaChance spent hours picking out my grammatical mistakes and challenging me to be a better storyteller. My Huntsville friends kept my stress levels low with long summer nights on top of Monte Sano and B&G days that usually meant more fun than work for me. Thanks to all of you. I also want to express my special gratitude to Michele Gillespie, Anne Dean Watkins, Bailey Johnson, and the anonymous readers at the University Press of Kentucky. Michele has been overly kind to me, and I hope to pay that same kindness forward to someone else in the future. They have made this a wonderful experience. Finally, I want to thank my family for all they have done to help me along the way. I have been blessed with great parents who have supported me throughout my life. Jim and Kathy Kvach have never waivered as my beacons of love and happiness. My sister, Jenny, has always believed in me regardless of how much I have teased her. She and her family have provided me with much love and laughter. I have also been lucky enough to have in-laws who made me part of their family without hesitation. Gib and Kate 178 Acknowledgments Verkamp have meant the world to me, and, although my mother-in-law did not live to see my book on a shelf, she never doubted me and always reminded me that I had the luck of the Irish on my side. I would also like to thank Max and his family for their love and support. Most importantly, I want to thank my two sons, Ben and Tom, for bringing me so much joy in life. The “Three Club” has meant a lot to me, and I look forward to new adventures with my two best friends. They have changed my life and made me a better person. And, finally, I want to thank my wife Ann because her support has been essential to everything that I have accomplished since the day that I sat next to her on an airplane and realized that my future was with her. Some joke that she has earned early sainthood for being married to me, but for me she is the earthly embodiment of grace and beauty. Thank you to the three most important people in my life. The debt I owe each of you cannot be repaid, so instead I will just try to be the best father, husband, and person that I can be and hope that is enough. ...

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