Steven,

Shall I have my lawyer get with your lawyer? LOL

I truly *do* want people to enjoy and learn from the information I
posted.  It has been a labor of love.  But I certainly do want to
discourage people from, as my writer cousin who is also a Rev. John
DuBois descendant says, grabbing the info, slapping a title on it and
marketing it as "John DuBois, Slave-Owner" or some such thing.  For a
similar reason, I have not given out a floppy or attached the whole work
in an email--as I have been requested to do--to persons I don't know for
free. This is not meant at all to be mean-spirited, just trying to be
practical and cautious. As for what I am publishing as a whole (I am on
hiatus from forum-posting so that I can get some bill-paying work done)
-- I have been editing these works, adding footnotes and anecdotes, and
am currently preparing for scanning illustrations and photos; I will
also be including a genealogical appendix and an appendix discussing
researching Methodist ancestors.  Much, if not most, of that part of the
work will be original.

What I have posted has been edited, arranged, and added to.  But not for
political correctness. And no historical information was changed. Any
other researcher could--if they are truly enterprising--find these
articles and print them up another way.  But if they try to benefit
monetarily in a way that is disrepectful or disreputable to the fine
person who was the author--Rev. John DuBois--you can bet I'll be
reacting with more than just an email posting.  (I am not talking about
literary criticism here which tends to be protected free speech.)

I intend to donate the manuscript to several historical societies in the
places Rev. John wrote of so that others can benefit.  I only ask that
if others use his materials, that they please remember those rules we
hopefully all learned a long time ago about plagiarism.  Please just
properly attribute your works.  And in this respect, I speak as Rev.
John's gggranddaughter and 20th century editor, not as an author.

At least two other writers on the history of Methodism that I know of
depended heavily on Rev. John's letters for their own works.  I wish
they had more specifically footnoted their works to show just how much
they did in fact depend on Rev. John's works, but at least they gave him
a mention in their Bibliographies.  

Elizabeth

Steven J. Coker wrote:
> 
> Elizabeth,

 You wrote that the material you've been transcribing for us was originally
> written by your ancestor over 100 years ago.  If that is the case, then how can
> you claim a copyright on it?  
> Please explain what legal basis you use to claim a new copyright on this 100+
> year old public domain material?
> Steve Coker

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