Clair Barrus comes from a traditional LDS background—raised in South Eastern Idaho, attending Ricks College and BYU. He graduated in Computer Science and is now a Senior Systems Engineer at a large Utah corporation.
He was introduced to Mormon History by Evangelicals interested in saving his soul while he was on a mission in the bible belt, trying to save their souls. His later research in Mormon History shifted him to the left, and he can be found in the back of the chapel on most any given Sunday dozing, or making uncorrelated comments in class.
He is currently working on a database of Mormon History—a collection of chronologies, diaries, minutes, etc… having to do with Mormon history. Each day, a set of computer programs wake up and post to a number of sites about a number of things that Mormon history nerds enjoy (such as what happened Today in Mormon History). He hopes to use this database to make the Mormon past more accessible, and as a research resource. He is always on the lookout for more data, so feel free to make his day if you have some cool chronological stuff.
Other than a few classes in Biblical Hebrew, Clair has no formal training in religious studies. Nevertheless, he continues to explore religion and history and has presented papers at the Mormon History Association Conference, Sunstone Symposium and Mormon Media Studies Symposium on the subjects of Oliver Cowdery, Freemasonry, Divining Rods, and Mormonism on the Internet.
Clair enjoys hiking and skiing. He and his wife are also taking a live, crash course on how to raise twin teenage daughters.
