Born and raised in La Follette.  Graduate of LMU (Marketing, B.A.) and MTSU (Communications, B.S.). 20-year veteran of various tourism initiatives including— the Louie Bluie Festival, the White Lightning Festival and Discover Tennessee Driving Trail, the Tally Town Italian Festival, and the Civil War sesquicentennial Trail program. Currently employed by Enterprise Rental Car (10 years) and serving on the board of the Campbell Co. Historical Society and Tourism Council.  Formerly, a manager of two record stores, one in Knoxville and one in La Follette.

Bill we be discussing the Semiquincentennial Celebration 2026 in honor of the 250th Birthday of the United States.

Sam Maner, Certified Genealogist:

I have been researching for thirty-eight years, both on a professional and personal level. I have served as the registrar for the Sons of the Revolution (three years), county historian for Sevier County (three years), and registrar for the European Society Sons (2000-current).

Worked for the Department of Indian Affairs for 5 years researching applications for roll admissions.

While I was a county historian, I founded the Sevier County Public Library’s History and Genealogy department. I have traveled many times for research to England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Ecuador, Rome, and the Vatican.

At this time, I have written 30 genealogy-related books. I have also written a history book entitled “The Generals of the First Commander and Chief.”

I currently have researched well-known people, helping them find their roots as Former President s Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Former Congressmen John J. Duncan,Sr, Former Senator Lamar Alexander, Judge Rex Henry Ogle, Judge Gary Wade, John Herzog (Director for Schindler’s List), and Dawn Wells (Mary Ann from Gilligan’s Island). I have taught genealogy at Pellissippi State Community College for 15 years. Tellico Village Public Library 8 years and serve as their in-house genealogist as well as Kettering Community Center Archive.

• Lived and worked at National Archives in Canada for five years
• Lived and worked in Scotland for one year
• I lived and worked in France for one year
• Worked in the Vatican Archive for six months
• Worked in Jerusalem and Poland copying records for LDS
• I am certified through the Latter Day Saints Archive Salt Lake City, Utah.

I have experience in the following subjects:

• Genealogy (family history)
• Data recovery
• Adoption name research, country-wide as well as in Europe
• Hereditary historical memberships research
• Daughters of the American Revolution
• Sons of the American Revolution
• Sons of the Revolution
• Sons of Cincinnati
• Society of 1812
• Colonial Wars
• Colonial Dames
• Founders and Patriots
• Society Magna Charta dames and barons
• Crown lines of Charmaine
• Native American Research
• State Notary

I can provide personal contacts for any references:

Sam Maner Certified Genealogist
Tennessee Research Co.
306 West Rockwood St
Rockwood, TN 37854
tnresearcher1779@gmail.com

Ronolda Evon (Griffin) Dooley was raised in Oliver Springs, Tennessee.  While she briefly attended the Oliver Springs Colored School, she was the first African American to graduate from Norwood Elementary School.  Nolda graduated from Clinton High School and the University of Tennessee.  She earned her Masters degree from Catholic University in Washington, DC where she majored in Behavioral Science.  Nolda retired from the federal government several years ago where she specialized in Cybersecurity.  However, her greatest accomplishment was serving in the mission field with her husband for several years.  They built and renovated bible schools and churches all over the world including in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa.  Nolda moved back to Oliver Springs over five (5) years ago and has been actively involved in the Museum in her role as Vice President.  She has a passion and desire to understand the history of African Americans  (NOTE: her grandfather, Walter Griffin, was a coal miner for over forty years in the local area) in the local area and the impact of their accomplishments in Tennessee and the Nation as a whole much of what is being reflected in the Museum.

Josh Anderson is a native of Anderson County. He is a 2002 graduate of Anderson County High School, and a 2006 graduate of The University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics and Business. He became interested in genealogy, history, and politics at an early age. Since 2018, he has served as a County Commissioner for Norris, Andersonville, Fairview, and Glen Alpine, serving for three years as Chairman. He also chairs the Anderson County Library Board, is a past president of the Norris Historical Society, and serves on the advisory board of the Norris Area Community Foundation. His family farm was recognized as a Century Farm last year by the State Department of Agriculture.

Isaac White is a native son of West Virginia, yet since 2021 he has embarked on making a name for himself by portraying one of Tennessee’s favored sons: David Crockett. From an early age, Isaac’s father instilled in him a love for History, the outdoors, and keeping the old ways alive by means of primitive craft. Since then he has taken those passions even farther than his father could have imagined, engaging in and demonstrating skills such as knife and tomahawk making, woodcraft, and hide tanning. However, what he considers to be his crowning achievement, is having become the tour guide and Historic Interpreter for the Crockett Tavern Museum in Morristown, TN, as of May, 2024.

Tim was first elected Anderson County Register of Deeds in 2002. He has served as the President of the TN Registers Association and the County Officials Association of Tennessee.

He was named Register of the Year for the East Tennessee Registers Association and the Tennessee Registers Association.

Tim was also named the County Official of the Year for the State of Tennessee.

He will be discussing the upgrades the office has implemented over the past year, and how it can be used to find and locate documents for research.

Stephanie Wells has served as the Director of Tourism for Anderson County, Tennessee since 2001, where she has passionately promoted the region’s outdoor recreation and historical sites.  With a deep love for the natural beauty of East Tennessee, Stephanie has been instrumental in positioning Anderson County as a premier destination for off-roading, hiking, mountain biking, watersport and heritage tourism.

In addition to her leadership role, Stephanie is a dedicated advocate for conservation and sustainable tourism. As a co-creator and volunteer with the Norris Lake Project, she actively works to preserve the natural beauty and ecological health of the area. Through community clean-up efforts and educational programs, she emphasizes responsible tourism that respects the environment. Her work with the Norris Lake Project reflects her commitment to ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy the region’s outdoor experiences.

A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Stephanie has a background in marketing and community development, which she utilizes to collaborate with local businesses and organizations, boosting the county’s economy through tourism. Her efforts have not only increased visitor engagement but also highlighted the unique attractions that make Anderson County a year-round destination.

Stephanie is married to an outdoorsman and has a teenage son with a passion for history. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Tennessee’s mountains, waterways, and historical landmarks with her family while trying to carve out some time to read. Together, they share a goal of visiting every state park in Tennessee and every national park in the country.

Cathy L’Altrelli has been doing genealogical research since she started a correspondence with her paternal grandmother as a pre-teen.  She and her husband relocated to Maryville in 2018. Coincidentally, it’s where her 4th Great Grandfather and his brothers-in-law had been for a time after the Revolution.

Christy Martin is a retired public school educator and holds three degrees from the University of Tennessee. After spending 30 years in Blount County Schools as a teacher and administrator she worked as an instructor at most of the area’s higher education institutions teaching in both undergraduate and graduate programs at Pellissippi State, Tusculum, LMU, and ETSU. She officially retired in 2020 after working as a coordinator of a social services program for youth aging out of foster care. Since 2023 she has written historical articles for The Daily Times and been on the board of the Blount County Historical Museum. In January of 2024, she started another writing journey through Patriot Legacies which is a team attempting to write the history of each Revolutionary War Patriot that is buried in Blount County. She and her husband Gary have a proud 7 generation history in Blount County.