Mixsonian Larry   

John Leslie Mixson
and the Publishing of the
Mixon-Mixson Books

Publishing Book 1
Page 9

In February of 1972 John still had not received the final books and wrote Mr. Travis saying, “Please don’t let my books get delayed any longer, I have suffered a lot of metal stress, strain and anguish the past two years or so, about the delays and shortages on my old contract, which obligation has been, I understand, assumed by you and Mrs. Barnett and which I was told would have been satisfied long ago.”[f16-d59]

On February 28th, 1972 the final 104 books were shipped to John.[f16-d60] But not all was well for the shipment only contained 102 books which John reported back to ARP. Mitzi replied in March saying,

“We have three books in the library, but neither are the two that were supposed to have been in the shipment picked up at Mrs. Manney’s. I paid her for 104 books, and there were supposed to have been 104 in what was shipped to you. If you could ever see her shop, you would know there was no hope for her finding the other two books if she had them. I am sorry that it was short two books, but I believe in view of all the problems and expense I have been out on this book that we can call it square. Your book is listed in the new family history catalog. P.S. It is a policy of our company to keep one copy of each book we list in our catalogue as a review copy. The other two copies we have here will be used to fill any orders. Will send you a check for them when they are sold.”

In May of 1972 Betty Fields in the Order Department of ARP sent John a letter enquiring if John’s second Mixon-Mixson book was available and for they could answer inquiries about it.[f16-d63]

In June of 1972 John sends a certified letter to ARP which he says,[f16-d64]

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Barnett: This letter will cancel any sales agreement had with you on the Mixon-Mixson books.

I will appreciate a statement and settlement for my books sold (if any)and a return to me of any books you have on hand. All books you shipped me back late February (102)I have checked carefully, and I fine on section of a few pages that 1/2 inch shorter than all other pages in the book. I had a lot of research and travel expense tied up in Vol.I. about six dollars a book, and paid you over six dollars a book for publication. Then paid you 40% per book commission for those you sold- you might know I have made no money for all my work through the years for which I should have some renumeration.

My second book is now in the hands of the printers, all of which I plan to sell myself. Best wishes, I am                        
                             Most sincerely,
                             J.L. Mixson

The final letter from ARP on June 26, 1972, Travis Barnett congratulates John on his new book and says they have four remaining books two of which he will send to John. The other two copies, one is in their files and the other in the ARP library.   He goes on to say that they paid for an ad in the Genealogical Helper advertising the Mixon-Mixson book and it was to late to remove it so any orders they received they will return to the customer marked “no longer available”.[f16-d65]

Publishers came to an end.  In October of 1970 John received Certificate of Copyright for his book “The Mixon-Mixson Family” although the notice did not appear in the printed copies of the book.[f20-d01]

For the Mixon-Mixson Family Volumes II and III John did all the typing and editing of the pages. John published Volume II in August of 1972 using Paragon Press, Montgomery, Alabama.  He released Volume III in September of 1975 which he used Skinner Printing Company, Montgomery, Alabama.

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