'Roots Of Elvis Presley'

Native Mississippians, Julian Riley and Rachel Ann Harden have been researching the genealogical roots of Elvis Presley since 2007. Riley, a historian and genealogist, and Harden, an Elvis fan, have joined forces to create a website loaded with information about both sides of Elvis' family. These two researchers are the foremost authorities concerning questions on the complete Elvis Presley family tree. The site contains extensive research of the Presley, Hood, Smith and Mansell family lines. Over 16,000 names are in the family tree.

The purpose of the research isn't to sensationalize people or events. The purpose is to record an extensive family tree that no one else had done before, correct misinformation concerning past research and to give readers a better appreciation of the lives of rural families in Mississippi after the War for Southern Independence.

The War had left Mississippi and other Southern states devastated economically. Surviving day to day was hard in Mississippi, particularly for women. Thousands of young men had been killed, maimed or mentally scarred. There were few young men for women to marry. Often, women married men as much as forty years older than themselves. There were no social programs to rely on such as minimum wage, welfare, food stamps, social security, or medicare.

An intriguing discovery was determining who the father of Jesse Dee Presley was. For years, outsiders have wondered who the father of Jesse Dee Presley was. Others have speculated. Many have disagreed. Some people just kept quite. Now, we believe the true father of Jesse Dee has been documented.

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Whether you are an avid Elvis fan or a casual Elvis fan, there is one thing you cannot deny. Elvis has a way of leaving you wanting more, be it his music or his biography. If you have visited Tupelo and Elvis’ birthplace, then you have already committed yourself to wanting to know more about Elvis’ early life without even realizing it! Up until now, there has been very little written about this time in Elvis’ life. We all have read that he was a shy child, loved his mama, was poor and attended church and school on a regular basis. But what came before this? Who exactly were Elvis’ relatives, who because of being in a certain place at a certain time became family to the most celebrated entertainer/musician of all time? Julian C. Riley has given us answers to this question.

He and Rachel Ann Harden embarked on a four year adventure researching the genealogical roots of Elvis Presley. The product of their findings is a delightful book entitled "The Roots of Elvis Presley". Mr. Riley is a local historian and genealogist from Mississippi. Ms. Harden is an avid Elvis Fan.

This perfect combination has created a very comprehensive overview of all those folks who made it possible to enjoy the Elvis Presley that we have come to love and enjoy over all these years. Along the way as you read about Elvis’ relatives, you are given an insight into the life and times of these people. This book is not a finished project. Additional books are planned and the author is interested in finding others out there who may have stories that up until now have been unknown. It is really a work in progress. Please visit www.rootsofelvispresley.com to read more about the concept behind this book and to find information on ordering your copy. I purchased my copy at Tupelo Hardware when I visited Tupelo, Mississippi during this past Elvis Week 2010.

After reading this little gem, I felt a closer connection to Elvis. I had a much deeper respect for what Elvis’ family weathered over their history, enjoyed stories told by relatives and friends and got a feel for Elvis’ interaction with both his mother’s and father’s families. And if by some chance you are from Mississippi, and find some of Elvis’ relatives familiar to you, by all means contact Mr. Riley.

The book has many interesting photographs that have been tucked away until now in family albums. The photographs alone tell a wonderful story. So, as I said in the title of this review, this book is well worth the read!!!

For more details and purchase information click here to their website

Go here to purchase via Amazon

Review by: Barbara Garton
We Remember Elvis Fan Club, Pittsburgh
President, Jamie Aaron Kelley Fan Club ~ Easterners

Go here to Barbara Garton's 'It's Time for Elvis' website

-Copyright EIN September 2010
EIN Website content © Copyright the Elvis Information Network.

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