Linked to this letter is a questionnaire I hope you will complete and return for the Finnell Family Archives. This is a project that continues the work of Harry L. Keller of Plant City, Florida, and Eva Finnell of Monticello, Indiana, now both deceased. In the summer of 1996 I was able to purchase the old files and research notes of Harry Keller from a cousin in California. These files contained a questionnaire very much like the attachment that Mr. Keller sent out to Finnell Family members from the 1930's to the 1960's. Much of this information is very valuable and important in that it contains clues and materials of older generations now lost.
I have myself been doing research on the Finnell family for over 35 years and have a fairly large collection of notes and files. Merlin and Eva Finnell of Monticello, Indiana, also did lots of research on the Family and most of their notes and papers are in the Fort Wayne/Allen County Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I have copies of much of her work also.
It is my hope and that of several others that we will be able to compile a History of the Finnell Family in America some time in the future from the materials we have and from the enclosed questionnaires. If it would help, you can view an outline of my Finnell lineage to help you see a cousin connection.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do let me know. I hope that you will be able to help, and have interest in helping, to preserve the Family Heritage. We have a very interesting Family--lots of very common people who served their country and were good honest members of their community.
I am looking forward to hearing from you and sharing with you some of our Finnell History.