Local author has Saturday book signing

The window display this month at the Kingdom of Callaway Historical Society is full of works by local authors.

From 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, historical society staff will host a book signing with Carolyn Paul Branch, who will bring her recently published murder mystery, "Tangled Roots." Branch has been busy researching, compiling, editing and writing several books.

Her works include "Branch Family History," "Fulton MO 1820-1920," "Fulton MO 1920-1960," "South Callaway, MO Pioneer Settlers & Settlements," "Mary Virginia Baker," "Snakes in the Kitchen," and now the first in a series of mysteries.

Author Griffith A. Hamlin came to Fulton as a religion professor at Williams Woods College in 1961. He taught at William Woods until his retirement in 1982. During his career, he also served as pastor at the Christian Church and was an author of at least 15 published books. Of that number, five were written as historical documentation of Fulton entities. He also wrote two about the history of William Woods - "In Faith and History" (1965) and "The Cutlip Years" (1980) - and the First Christian Church in Fulton - "A Heritage of Frontier Discipleship" (1983). Other works included "A Community and Its Schools" (1984), which is about the Fulton Public Schools. Many of his books are often used in doing research for visitors to the historical society's museum in downtown Fulton.

Another local author, Stanley, was born in 1849 in Callaway County to Dr. Rufus and Mary Abbot. Her father was a doctor at the Fulton State Hospital at the beginning of the Civil War. The family later moved to Cass County, which was an area greatly affected by the military order No. 11 during the War. Her most popular novel was titled "Order #11" (1904).

In 1919, Stanley was in Fulton visiting with her childhood friend, and she was interviewed by the local newspaper. She told about writing her novel and how she was rejected by the publisher because it had too much history associated with order No. 11. At first, she refused to rewrite the story but then gave in and did as they had asked. The original copy is not available.

Museum officials would like to know if people are aware of other Callaway authors. For more information call 573-642-0570.