Devereaux D. Cannon, Jr. is a seventh generation Tennessean. His ancestor, Devereaux Gilliam, settled in the Tennessee country in 1785. It comes as no surprise, then, that he has had an avid interest in history since his early childhood. As a child, his interest led him to be an active member of Children of the American Revolution and Children of the Confederacy. As an adult, his fascination with history has led to an interest in politics as well. Cannon, a lawyer, has been an alternate delegate to a Republican National Convention, a candidate for the Tennessee General Assembly, and a member of the Planning Committee for Nashville Jefferson Meeting on the Constitution. His interest has also manifested itself in his books. His books, in turn, have earned this avid flag collector much respect as a historian and vexillologist. The Wall Street Journal called The Flags of the Confederacy