Frank Custer Edminster Jr. (1903 - 1977) was a soil scientist and conservationist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture who wrote and self-published an exhaustive genealogy of the Edminster name in 1965. Called "The Red Book" among family members, it is not without its faults, but his methodical approach of personally contacting as many family members as possible did return somewhat comprehensive results. I grew up with this book on my grandparents' shelf, and it is an essential reference point for anyone interested in launching a family history journey of their own. Frank did the hard boots-on-the-ground genealogy that cleared the way for the rest of us to dive into the details of history.