Francis Edward Abernethy is Regents Professor Emeritus of English at Stephen F. Austin State University, the former executive secretary and editor of the Texas Folklore Society, the curator of exhibits for the East Texas Historical Association, and a member of the Texas Institute of Letters. In addition to having edited numerous Texas Folklore Society publications, he has written Singin ' Texas, Legends of Texas' Heroic Age , and all three volumes of the Texas Folklore Society history, published by the University of North Texas Press.