About 40 years ago, Jim Callahan discovered the Melungeons — the mysterious dark-skinned mountaineers of east Tennessee — after browsing an anthropology article and recognizing a photo of his great-great grandmother sitting by a moonshine still.

“This picture resembled the one that sat on my grandmother’s dresser,” Callahan said. His grandmother had identified this woman as her grandmother.

Callahan discovered his great-great-grandmother, Mahala Collins Mullins, was the matriarch of the mysterious, reclusive peoples who had been studied by anthropologists.

Callahan told his mother of his findings, but she told him not to go to Tennessee to look for the Melungeons because they were all dead.

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“To my mother’s great remorse and dismay, my wife, Ann, and I quietly embarked to east Tennessee — first for a few days, and later up to weeks, to be readily accepted in the very remotest of places by these armed, reclusive, olive-skinned, straight-black-haired isolates,” Callahan said.

His experiences led to research at the National Archives and at most libraries in the east and southeast portions of the country. He attended national genealogical conferences and Southwestern Melungeon conferences, speaking about the Melungeons.

This resulted in Callahan writing the book, “Lest We Forget: The Melungeons of Newman’s Ridge.” The book is still read and quoted by scholars who study the Melungeons, Callahan said.

The only deterrent to Callahan gaining the Melungeons’ trust had been Callahan’s uncle, Connor. “I quickly learned to counter any skeptics by disavowing his bad behaviors as being a black sheep in the family,” Callahan said.

“My further research verified him to be a classic psychopath. I secretly filed the story of his life until those who were concerned were all deceased,” Callahan said.

Uncle Connor was the one who inspired Callahan’s newest book: “Mask of Connor: An Appalachian Enigma.”

“Names have been changed, and now is the time for all to experience a bizarre and exciting adventure,” he said.

Q: In 25 words or fewer, what’s this book about?

A: An enjoyable remote mountain story of the 1930s, featuring a complex and unpredictable Connor, who interprets reality and casts his values on a bewildered and loving family.

Q: What’s your day job?

A: I am retired after 26 years from Del Monte Foods, living all over from Wisconsin to Florida to Mexico. I spent many years in active civic work in little Brown County, including volunteering with the United Methodist Church, Rotary Club, Lions Club, the historical society and the community foundation.

Q: What are your connections to Brown County?

A: I was born in Frankfort, Indiana but drove through Brown County to visit my grandmother in Jackson County. The drive took four hours in the 1930s. I frequently spent the summers at Grandmother’s to experience her cooking on a wood stove, the mystique of an outhouse and her outside water system with a hand pump and dug well. If he was out on parole, Uncle Connor was even there to add some excitement to my experiences in the rustic environment. We moved to Brown County from Irapuato, Mexico. … We enjoy living near nature, in small towns with diverse people and being close to the offerings of a university.

Q: What’s your writing ritual? In what environment do you work best?

A: Slowing down at age 83, I do sit at the computer to record thoughts or insights during rare moments of insomnia. I used to write commentaries for the local papers but now mostly update family obituaries. Our house has multiple facets of my writings spewed about for posterity.

Q: What’s the last book you read? Do you have a favorite?

A: Usually read eight to 10 books at a time. My table space between the lamp and bookend holds that number. On what I consider a good night, I can read one chapter in each book. I enjoy history, various biographies. … I also read books on the Civil War, religions, philosophy and anthropology.

Q: Where can people buy this book, and for how much?

A: Fallen Leaf Books carries both books for $19.95 each.