ABOUT THE SOCIETY
Following is an article by Dr. Reedus Back from the January 2009 Back-Bach
Genealogical Society Newsletter, reprinted from the January 2004 issue. Dr.
Back was president of the Society from 1993 to 2008.
--
At our Tenth Annual Meeting in 2003, I had an inquiry about the origin of our
Back-Bach Genealogical Society. Specifically, the question concerned the
date of the founding of the Society and the names of the voting descendants
who were present. These questions can be answered specifically but some
background information on the formation of the society is both interesting
and helpful to all descendants.
Prior to our present Back-Bach Genealogical Society, there was a forerunner
organization. Starting in the late 1980’s, a loosely organized group of
descendants, primarily from Eastern Kentucky, began meeting with a goal to
write a Back Genealogy book. Troy Back chaired the meetings and the group
became known as the Book Committee due to the nature of its goal. On May
31, 1990, Custer Back and Troy Back called a one-day meeting in Morehead,
KY. They invited the members of the Book Committee, plus selected
descendants from various parts of the country. The purpose of the meeting
was to assess the progress in the Back Family book preparation. Soon after
this meeting, Custer and Troy asked me to take on the major responsibility of
getting the project completed. This responsibility included chairing the book
committee, coordinating the work of the authors, organizing and editing the
manuscript and getting the book published. This last responsibility, getting
the book published, led in part to the founding of the Back-Bach
Genealogical Society.
When the manuscript was near completion, I checked on the cost to get a
two-volume set of books published. The cost was prohibitive, so I had to
look at self-publishing, which was much more reasonable. I then consulted
with an attorney about the requirements for a group to self-publish and sell a
book. His advice was that we needed an organization with an identifying
name. The Book Committee did not satisfy that legal requirement. The new
organization would need a set of officers, a constitution, and bylaws, a
business address, and a tax number.
These legal requirements led me to work on an earlier idea which I had for
an organization of Back descendants. That idea was that we could get
together, get to know each other, and enjoy being family. Since the
possibility of such an organization would also satisfy the legal requirements
to self-publish and sell the upcoming book, another strong incentive was
added for moving forward.
At a meeting of the Book Committee on June 16, 1993, in Jackson, KY, I
proposed that we consider founding an organization of Back descendants
and promote membership throughout the country. My specific
recommendation was that we found the Back Genealogical Society, later
changed to the Back-Bach Genealogical Society. Kenneth Back moved and
Ray Back seconded the motion to become a genealogical society. After
discussion, the vote to approve the motion was unanimous. Thus the Back-
Bach Genealogical Society was officially founded on June 16, 1993. Those
present at the founding were: Josephine Bach, Custer Back, Kenneth and
Mary Back, Linda Back, Ray and Beulah Back, Reedus Back, Troy Back, Verna
Back, Hazel Craft, Jean and Preston Farrar, Blanch Landrum, Mona Proctor,
and David Risner. At least three of the Book Committee members were
absent: Carrie Back, Dexter and Louisa Dixon.
The first society officers were: Reedus Back, President; Kenneth Back, Vice-
President; Mary Back, Secretary; Bill Banks, Financial Secretary; Mona
Proctor, Technology Director; and Hassie Helton, Newsletter Editor. Bill
Banks and Hassie Helton soon resigned. Their positions were filled by Stella
Elam, Financial Secretary, and Minerva Back Craft, Newsletter Editor. Later,
Kenneth Back resigned as Vice-President and was replaced by James Gary
Back. The first address was: P. O. Box 273, Morehead, KY 40351.
The next step was accomplished shortly thereafter – a statement of
constitution and bylaws was prepared and adopted, and a tax number was
obtained.
The first major task of the Society was to self-publish and sell A Back Family
History: The Story of a Major Branch of the Back-Bach Family. With that
major task looming, we never lost sight of the very important and ongoing
function of bringing the descendant families closer each year. Our annual
reunion and the newsletter help to accomplish that. To illustrate that this
function was always a part of our planning, our first annual meeting was
October 1, 1994 – approximately a month before the books arrived from the
printers.
Looking back, I realize that the founding of the Society was the easy part.
Getting it up and running required much hard work from a group of dedicated
descendants. This group became known as the Steering Committee. The
members are listed in your newsletter.
Now that the Back-Bach Genealogical Society is soundly established and
doing well, I feel good that I was in a position to provide leadership to those
descendants who established form and function to the organization. J
Certainly, our Society has been brought about by group effort. No single
individual could have accomplished so much.
Finally, I sincerely hope that the tenth anniversary that we celebrated in 2003
will be a tiny fraction of the life history of our Society. There are generations
of Back-Bach descendants yet to come who should have the opportunity to
enjoy the activities of the Society as much as those of us who are members
today.
Editor: Thanks to the leadership of Dr. Back, the Society is now in its 15th
year.
Following is an article by Dr. Reedus Back from the January 2009 Back-Bach
Genealogical Society Newsletter, reprinted from the January 2004 issue. Dr.
Back was president of the Society from 1993 to 2008.
--
At our Tenth Annual Meeting in 2003, I had an inquiry about the origin of our
Back-Bach Genealogical Society. Specifically, the question concerned the
date of the founding of the Society and the names of the voting descendants
who were present. These questions can be answered specifically but some
background information on the formation of the society is both interesting
and helpful to all descendants.
Prior to our present Back-Bach Genealogical Society, there was a forerunner
organization. Starting in the late 1980’s, a loosely organized group of
descendants, primarily from Eastern Kentucky, began meeting with a goal to
write a Back Genealogy book. Troy Back chaired the meetings and the group
became known as the Book Committee due to the nature of its goal. On May
31, 1990, Custer Back and Troy Back called a one-day meeting in Morehead,
KY. They invited the members of the Book Committee, plus selected
descendants from various parts of the country. The purpose of the meeting
was to assess the progress in the Back Family book preparation. Soon after
this meeting, Custer and Troy asked me to take on the major responsibility of
getting the project completed. This responsibility included chairing the book
committee, coordinating the work of the authors, organizing and editing the
manuscript and getting the book published. This last responsibility, getting
the book published, led in part to the founding of the Back-Bach
Genealogical Society.
When the manuscript was near completion, I checked on the cost to get a
two-volume set of books published. The cost was prohibitive, so I had to
look at self-publishing, which was much more reasonable. I then consulted
with an attorney about the requirements for a group to self-publish and sell a
book. His advice was that we needed an organization with an identifying
name. The Book Committee did not satisfy that legal requirement. The new
organization would need a set of officers, a constitution, and bylaws, a
business address, and a tax number.
These legal requirements led me to work on an earlier idea which I had for
an organization of Back descendants. That idea was that we could get
together, get to know each other, and enjoy being family. Since the
possibility of such an organization would also satisfy the legal requirements
to self-publish and sell the upcoming book, another strong incentive was
added for moving forward.
At a meeting of the Book Committee on June 16, 1993, in Jackson, KY, I
proposed that we consider founding an organization of Back descendants
and promote membership throughout the country. My specific
recommendation was that we found the Back Genealogical Society, later
changed to the Back-Bach Genealogical Society. Kenneth Back moved and
Ray Back seconded the motion to become a genealogical society. After
discussion, the vote to approve the motion was unanimous. Thus the Back-
Bach Genealogical Society was officially founded on June 16, 1993. Those
present at the founding were: Josephine Bach, Custer Back, Kenneth and
Mary Back, Linda Back, Ray and Beulah Back, Reedus Back, Troy Back, Verna
Back, Hazel Craft, Jean and Preston Farrar, Blanch Landrum, Mona Proctor,
and David Risner. At least three of the Book Committee members were
absent: Carrie Back, Dexter and Louisa Dixon.
The first society officers were: Reedus Back, President; Kenneth Back, Vice-
President; Mary Back, Secretary; Bill Banks, Financial Secretary; Mona
Proctor, Technology Director; and Hassie Helton, Newsletter Editor. Bill
Banks and Hassie Helton soon resigned. Their positions were filled by Stella
Elam, Financial Secretary, and Minerva Back Craft, Newsletter Editor. Later,
Kenneth Back resigned as Vice-President and was replaced by James Gary
Back. The first address was: P. O. Box 273, Morehead, KY 40351.
The next step was accomplished shortly thereafter – a statement of
constitution and bylaws was prepared and adopted, and a tax number was
obtained.
The first major task of the Society was to self-publish and sell A Back Family
History: The Story of a Major Branch of the Back-Bach Family. With that
major task looming, we never lost sight of the very important and ongoing
function of bringing the descendant families closer each year. Our annual
reunion and the newsletter help to accomplish that. To illustrate that this
function was always a part of our planning, our first annual meeting was
October 1, 1994 – approximately a month before the books arrived from the
printers.
Looking back, I realize that the founding of the Society was the easy part.
Getting it up and running required much hard work from a group of dedicated
descendants. This group became known as the Steering Committee. The
members are listed in your newsletter.
Now that the Back-Bach Genealogical Society is soundly established and
doing well, I feel good that I was in a position to provide leadership to those
descendants who established form and function to the organization. J
Certainly, our Society has been brought about by group effort. No single
individual could have accomplished so much.
Finally, I sincerely hope that the tenth anniversary that we celebrated in 2003
will be a tiny fraction of the life history of our Society. There are generations
of Back-Bach descendants yet to come who should have the opportunity to
enjoy the activities of the Society as much as those of us who are members
today.
Editor: Thanks to the leadership of Dr. Back, the Society is now in its 15th
year.
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