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Acknowledgments
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ix acknowledgments this book began as an idea formulated in a graduate seminar in Charlottesville , virginia, many years ago. from there it developed into a doctoral dissertation and then a book manuscript. as such, it was on my mind when i fell in love, landed a job, got married, and had two children. it has even accompanied me all the way down the tenure track and beyond. Now, as i write these final words and look back on the process of its development, i am amazed (and i must admit a bit embarrassed) by its long gestation period. as with any creative endeavor, i encountered challenges along the way, as well as many moments of joyful discovery. i am delighted now to have reached the point where i can acknowledge and thank the numerous people and institutions who assisted and supported me through this process. all works of scholarship depend on a strong foundation of evidence, and i appreciate the efforts of those who helped me gain access to the rich evidentiary sources for this book. i am grateful to all the archival institutions i visited for permitting me to quote from their collections without limitation or charge. the staff at the special Collections library of the university of virginia assisted me more times than i can remember in the years i spent researching there. Margaret hrabe and regina rush were especially notable for their good cheer and their willingness to hunt down documents and field questions long after i had left the state. elizabeth Dunn at Duke university’s rare book, Manuscript, and special Collections library not only made my research trip to Durham successful, she also helped facilitate a research grant that offset the costs of my travel. the virginia historical society awarded me two andrew W. Mellon research fellowships over the course of several years. it is always a treat to visit that fine institution x Acknowledgments and be guided by its excellent staff. Nelson lankford, frances Pollard, and particularly John McClure deserve special mention for their efforts. the university of virginia’s graduate school of arts and sciences and Middlebury College’s faculty Professional Development fund also provided funds to support my research. i thank Dr. John b. harrison of huntsville, alabama, for graciously allowing me to use information about his virginia ancestors. once i moved from virginia to vermont, i depended on a few research assistants to help tie up the loose ends of my story. anna Crome-lukens and Katie shively served as my eyes and ears at virginia’s special Collections library, hunting down obscure bits of information and locating appropriate photographs for the book. anna Kasupski assisted with periodical research at Middlebury, and Kerstyn haram, another Middlebury undergraduate , deserves my utmost gratitude for the tedious work of checking and rechecking decades of census data on virginia planters. occasionally i found it necessary to travel south again to conduct more intensive research myself, and at those times i relied on the hospitality of friends and family . Margaret Perry gave me a comfortable place to stay in North Carolina and the opportunity to remember fun college memories. the schuylers welcomed me into their hectic household several times in Charlottesville. My siblings, Jan Crowell, Meg Wallace, and tim and terri feely, opened their homes to me when i made extended stops in richmond and northern virginia. When i needed an escape from the solitary activities of research and writing, i depended on loved ones and friends for company and moral support . andy trees, andy Morris, sarah hand Meacham, and lisa severson swales provided laughter and camaraderie in the university of virginia’s history Department. bruce and annie Coffey offered good conversation and entertaining distractions down i-64. My graduate school days were also infinitely better because of aaron sheehan-Dean and lori schuyler, two talented people who could talk shop when i needed them to but who also knew when other things mattered more. they and their spouses, Megan and ridge, respectively, made Charlottesville feel like home. i treasure their friendships to this day. i am also fortunate to have landed in Middlebury, vermont, and to be a part of the town as well as the college community here. James and elizabeth Davis, Jessica and steve holmes, and ian and Dana barrow made [3.91.176.3] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 10:59 GMT) Acknowledgments xi settling in here very easy. My colleagues in Middlebury’s history Department , especially Kathy Morse, bill hart, Jim...