Homer, as you recall, I was one of his grad students. One thing about him that I remember is that he always had time for the students in the History Department, whether we studied under him or just took a class under him. In our old "digs" in Allen Hall, there was a central area in the department we called the "Bull Pen." A receptionist's desk faced the door into the department, and there was a long table with chairs behind her desk. Whenever he was in his office, he would almost always go out into the "Bull Pen," sit in one of the chairs, and chat with any students who chose to sit elsewhere at the table. We learned a lot of things in those informal sessions.

There is a story that used to circulate in the department (and perhaps around campus) that he showed up at one of his Civil War classes dressed in a Union army uniform. To my knowledge, there was no truth to this tale, but many students would go that that class year after year expecting that he might show up in uniform.

Another story that probably is true, but which I did not witness, demonstrates his sense of humor. A person asked him once what the "T" in T. Harry Williams stood for. A funny little smile that was one of his characteristics came across his face as he answered, "The."