Pete:

I was checking your posts to this forum in a moment of idleness while at work and came upon this one which is rather old. As you know I'm a member of the ABF (American Banjo Fraternity) and an irregular attendee at the rallies. Elias Kaufman is an, if not the, authority on the history of the banjo as well as being the editor of (and major contributor to) the ABF publication "The FIve Stringer". Eli told me that Harry was at one time a member of the ABF in its early days (c. 1948). He was from Massachusetts and his father was a banjo player and minstrel show performer as well.

I'll likely see Eli either in October if and when I go to the ABF Rally or in December at the Banjo Collectors' Gathering in DC. I 'll see what additional information I can get and pass it along. I have ncouraged you to join the ABF many years ago. I hope if you haven't, you will. The Rallies are interesting, fun and occasionally stressful and the FIve Stringer is terrific. Eli is a fund of information and a fine fellow.

Hope this finds you well. Perhaps we'll run into one another one of these days.

Bob Bell