The Bland County Historical Society has been searching for many years for copies of two "Bland County" books to add to their collection. Many Bland County citizens, and some that live out of the area, have these out-of-print books, and it is understandable that the owners want to keep their copies. Searching for these books for sale on the Internet and at rare book stores has been futile. The Society was hoping, after putting a request on their web page, that someone "out there" would have copies they no longer need and would be willing to donate them to the Bogle Library. The search is now over, and the Society’s wish has come true!

Copies of THE HISTORY AND GENEALOGY OF THE NEWBERRY FAMILY, 1066-1943, published in 1943 by John Allen Newberry, and EAGLE OAK AND OTHER POEMS, published in 1906 by Samuel Henderson Newberry, were mailed to the Bogle Library last week, all the way from Salem, Oregon by Archie M. Mustard. The books are in very good condition and are two of the most cherished additions to the Bland County archives. And, to state that these two books came full circle is absolutely correct as the books were a gift to Archie from Parke Coleman Bogle, for whom the Historical Society Library is named. This is truly an extraordinary example of "pass it forward."

The benefactor, Archie Mustard, and Parke Bogle were both descendants of great-great grandparents Harvey R. and Mariah Wohlford Mustard of Bland County, VA. Archie’s great-grandparents were William Samuel and Hester Adeline Newberry Mustard, and his grandparents were William Glen and Mable Rose Warwich Mustard. Archie’s parents were Archie C. and Stella C. Heine Mustard of Powell Butte, Oregon.

Archie is married to Marcia E. Smith Mustard and they have one son and two daughters. He graduated from Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI after graduation from Oregon State University. His military service was as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Naval Reserve with the Pacific Fleet. His wife, whom he met while at OCS, was a student nurse at Rhode Island Hospital School of Nursing. She is retired after 30 years of nursing. Archie is also a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the Sons of the American Revolution.

Parke Bogle and Archie crossed paths as they were both working on genealogical research in 1999, and at first, he was not aware that he had relatives in Bland County. Since that time, he has made several trips to Virginia, and to Bland County to visit Parke before her death.

In a note with the books, Archie states, "I am very pleased to have been able to present these books to the Historical Society. They were gifts to me from Parke and I hope they will be of interest and value to historians/genealogists in the future."