Graduated from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio in
1963. Married Susan Johnston in 1962. Got the M.Ed. in secondary
education and history from Bowling Green State University in 1964, and then
taught history at St. Johns River Community College in Palatka, Florida from
1964 to 1967. One of my students was Murray Miller, Class of '60. We moved to
Syracuse, New York in 1967 so I could earn the doctorate in history at Syracuse
University, which I did in 1970. Our first son, Scott
,
was born there in 1967. We lived in Mexico City during 1969-70 as I did
dissertation research. Taught summers at Syracuse. Accepted a job at Mississippi
State University in 1970, the year Mark
was born in Starkville, MS, where I still live.
Have a very productive career at Mississippi State where I am Professor Emeritus of History. I taught Lain American, United States, and European history and wrote. For those interested, my vita is online.
I divorced Sue in 1986; spent over six years as a
bachelor; and then married Paula Crockett 
in December, 1992. Acquired two stepchildren in the process: Heath (born 1970)
and Heather (born 1974). Mark and Heath were high school classmates. Paula ran a
very large theatre program in the local high school and now is an award-winning
director in community theatre. We share a strong interest in theatre and in travel abroad.
My first grandchild, Jonah Karl Mabry, was born April 7, 2004, the son of Scott and Ingeborg. My second grandchild, Isaac Friedrich Mabry, was born on November 29, 2005. Our third grandchild is due in August, 2007.
In 1988, I became involved in the Internet and its possible uses by historians. One result has been the creation of the Historical Text Archive. This is the most exciting thing I do not just because it provides a service to people interested in history (the HTA even publishes books!), being accessed about 19 million times a year. Besides computing, my interests are reading, travel; dancing; and photography. I'm listed in Who's Who in America although I am not sure why!
I do the alumni (1937-65) Web site and an interactive Beaches History web site. In retirement, more time has been devoted to Beaches history, resulting in the book, World's Finest Beach, and the essays, "A Man and Three Hotels," "Neptune Beach, Florida Before 1931," and "Harcourt Bull's Atlantic Beach, Florida." In addition, I have republished Ed Smith, Them Good Old Days at Mayport and the Beaches.