Tyler TX Holiday Open House 12/17/09

SMITH COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.

MUSEUM & ARCHIVES • 125 SOUTH COLLEGE AVENUE • TYLER, TEXAS 75702
903-592-5993 • http://www.smithcountyhistoricalsociety.org


*** PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE USE ***

Historical Society to Hold Holiday Open House
Smith County (TX) Historical Society will hold a free holiday open house on Thursday, December 17, 2009 from 4 pm to 8 pm at its museum, located at 125 South College Avenue in downtown Tyler. “The open house will allow visitors to take a break from their holiday shopping, enjoy some refreshments, and learn about the interesting history of our county,” said Robert Reed, Society president. “There are several special events planned.”

In addition to the regular museum exhibits, there will be two special temporary exhibits viewable. The first is titled “Old Toys of Christmas” and displays toys dating from the 1950s and earlier, including some from the Goodman family. The second special exhibit is a display of the history of the Smith County Historical Society, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Local author Robert Reed will be available from 7 pm to 8 pm to sign copies of his photographic history book, Images of America: Tyler, as well as copies of his recently-released book Postcard History: Tyler. Each book will be available for purchase at the museum, as well as other publications and photographs.

Reed said “In addition to us, the other four members of the Downtown Tyler Museum Alliance are also having their own open house at the same time. If you visit all five museums and have a card punched at each, you can enter a free drawing for a great gift basket of donated items. Those other museums are the Cotton Belt Depot Museum, Discovery Science Place, Goodman-Legrand Museum, and Gallery Main Street.”

The Smith County Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1959 to discover, collect, and preserve the history of Smith County, Texas. For more information about this event or the Society, please e-mail info@smithcountyhistoricalsociety.org or call 903-592-5993. A ramp for handicapped access to the museum is located at the north door, which faces the Bank of America drive-thru bank.

Mom's Catch @ Valdez, Alaska

Cemetery Workshop, Quitman TX Library, 9/5/09

From: Lou Mallory
Subject: Cemetery Workshop

Hi All,

A cemetery preservation workshop will be held Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It will be held at the meeting room of the Quitman Public Library, 202 E. Goode St., Quitman TX 75783, www.quitmanlibrary.org (903) 763-4191.

Gerron Hite, cemetery preservation specialist, and his staff will present the program. You may bring a sack lunch or sack lunches will be available for sale. We will provide drinks and snacks, as well as coffee, etc. before the workshop.

There will be no cost unless you buy a lunch which will cost $5. We didn't want to charge so that hopefully more people could come.

Hope to see you there. Please help us spread the news as we hope to have a really good attendance.

Thanks,
Lou Mallory

Anderson County Historical Commission’s Office Open Again

Published in The Palestine Herald: July 23, 2009"

Historical commission to re-open its office

Our Town column

By CHERIL VERNON
The Palestine Herald

PALESTINE — The Anderson County Historical Commission’s office is open once again for residents of Palestine and Anderson County, according to ACHC Vice Chairman Rudy Ramirez.

Hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday at the ACHC office, located at 101 E. Oak St. in the Federal Building in downtown Palestine. The office will be staffed by ACHC volunteers.

“We welcome anyone who is doing research on families, homes, businesses or communities that disappeared years ago,” Ramirez said. “Some of our records goes back to the 1800s.”

The ACHC is currently working on three historical markers to be dedicated this year: Coach Bob Knight, Fredrick Douglass School and Banks School.

The ACHC will hold an open house on Sept. 25-26 from 1 to 4 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.

“Everyone is welcome — both city and county residents — to drop by and visit with us,” Ramirez said.

An Anderson County history book with photos is one of the projects the commission will be working on this fall. In addition, the Cemetery Committee has been working hard. They have been cleaning and photographing all the stones in some cemeteries. The commission is asking the county and city residents to assist in this endeavor. At this time the following cemeteries have been photographed: Roselawn, Old City, New Addition, New Addition Annex, East Hill, Elm Town, Grimes, Cedar Creek, Old Jesse Parker, etc. The commission also will be working on getting markers on some of the historical cemeteries in Anderson County.

The ACHC picnic took place in late May with more than 40 people in attendance. Local historian and author Jack Selden gave a brief talk on his latest endeavor. He is currently indexing the original City Minutes. He told some very interesting things about the beginnings of Palestine.

Louise Spaight donated a handmade quilt to the ACHC and during the annual picnic the drawing was held. Winner was Delandra Johnson who had purchased two tickets. Being a thoughtful daughter, she gave her mother a ticket. That ticket was the winner. Both are from Malakoff.

Eleanore Cresop of Pittsburg, Calif. donated a 41-page document that pertains to a 1963 gas and oil rights from various land owners. This was done for the Fairway (James Lime Unit).

The 2009 ACHC scholarship was awarded to Denisha Tillis, a Palestine High School graduate.

“She has been accepted into Tyler Junior College and is a very worthy recipient,” a ACHC news releases said.

The mission of the Texas Historical Commission is to protect and preserve the state’s historic and prehistoric resources for the use, education, economic benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The protection and preservation of this unique cultural heritage is a partnership between Texans and their government. The main functions of the THC are to identify, preserve, interpret and maintain historic and archeological sites and materials.

The ACHC is an arm of the local county government and the state of Texas. The Commissioners Court appoints ACHC members, who are required to be county residents.

The mission of ACHC is to preserve and protect materials, sites and other historic artifacts associated with Anderson County, and to promote its history. The ACHC works closely with the Texas Historical Commission, a state agency for historic preservation.

Marsh Public School Building, Tyler TX

From a post card in my personal collection:

The post card has "Marsh Public School Building, Tyler TX" printed on it.

From the book "The Proud Century Tyler Public Schools 1882 - 1982" compiled by Zella Lewis, from the appendix I-I:

Marsh Elementary School is Tyler's oldest elementary school. It was constructed in 1889 as a simple eight room building. This building was closed in 1970 and sold to a religious group for a seminary.

The school was named for Bryan Marsh who was born in Alabama in 1832. Mr. Marsh was a soldier, planter, merchant, Texas Ranger and sheriff of Smith County for twenty years. Young Bryan assumed the difficult responsibility of moving his family to Texas in 1854, shortly after the death of his father, thus fulfilling his father's plan.

Although he followed several occupations, his work as sheriff of Smith County for a period of twenty years merited the praise of many people in Smith County and vicinity who were personally acquainted with him. These people seemed to fave a universal affection for the fair-minded, cheerful, optimistic sferiff who never failed to "get his man," although he had lost one arm in the Civil War and never carried a gun. At times his friends expressed concern that he did not carry a gun but he would laughingly remark, "What would a one-armed man do with a gun anyway?" The sheriff would often yell out his name to some desperate law violator and ask him to come out of his place of hiding, and the violater never failed to obey him.

He died in 1901, and a tombstone marks his grave in Oakwood Cemetery in Tyler.

From page 30:

Although on June 7, 1886 the City Council authorized the construction of an eight room frame building for white children in north Tyler, it was not until July, 1889 that the City Council ordered the purchase of a lot for a school in north Tyler and issued a $22,000 bond to build it. On August 15 Architect L. Johnston submitted plans for a building and his plans were accepted. In September sealed bids for building and furnishing the new school were opened. The winning bid was $4,900 for excavation and brick, $5,375 for carpenter work, $325 for painting etc., with a total of $10,590. By April 11, 1890 the building for Northside School was finished and accepted by the board. This school was called Northside for years but later named Marsh School.

When this building was opened on North Bois d'Arc it relieved crowded conditions and housed grades 1-7 in North Tyler. The Hubbard Building then had only the high school students and the elementary ones from South Tyler.

In the words of a former principal in this first school built for white children, "There was no water in the building and none on the school yard.The water was drawn from an open surface well and the children drank from a bucket. Sanitation was most primitive. There were no offices. The principal taught seventh grade and his classroom and the school yard as his office."

On page 165:

When the school doors closed in May, 1970 at Emmett Scott, Marsh and Roberts, they were closed permanently, by order of Judge William Wayne Justice as a means of achieving integration. However, these schools were also chosen because the recent construction of Gentry Parkway caused the enrollment to decline drastically. These students were transferred to Lee, John Tyler and Douglas.

From Texas County Sheriffs by Sammy Tise on page 468 there are several mentions of Bryan Marsh:

• BREANS MARSH was elected on June 25, 1866 and served until November 1, 1867 when he was removed by General J. Reynolds' Special Order # 195. The first name was hard to read and may be spelled wrong. I think it is probably Bryan Marsh.
• BRYAN MARSH was elected a second time on February 15, 1876 and served unil November 5, 1878.
• BRYAN MARSH was elected a third time on November 2, 1886; re-elected November 6, 1888, November 4, 1890 and served until November 8, 1892.

From the Oakwood Cemetery photos at http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemph/oakwood/oakwood_plot2-6/tt01-2-6c430.jpg

Col. Bryan Marsh 17th Tex. Reg. C.S.A. born in Clark Co. Ala. Feb. 9, 1833, died in Tyler Tex. Mar 25, 1901

From http://www.etgs.org/txsmith/histmark/homes.html:

Marsh School/Col.Bryan Marsh/Texas Civil War Manufacturing - 800 North Bois D'arc - Granite Marker - 1965

School Named For Texas Confederate Colonel Bryan Marsh - 1833-1901

Alabama Native, Came To Tyler 1854-1861 Was Captain Co. C. 17th Texas Calvary. In 1863 Confederate Campaigns To Prevent Split Of South Along Mississippi River. He Was One Of The 4,500 C. S. A. Men Attacked By 30,000 Federals At Arkansas Post In Jan. 1863. Taken Prisoner There, He Was Exchanged In May. Put Into Bragg's Army In Tennessee. Later, In Atlanta Fighting Lost Right Arm. Returned To Fight Until Lee Surrendered. In 1880's Was Captain Of Co. B, Frontier Bttn., Texas Rangers. Quelled Riot Between Town And Soldiers At Fort Concho. Ended Gunplay In Railroad Construction Towns. Fought Indians. Was Smith County Sheriff For 20 Years.

Smith County Historical Society Meeting 8/4/09

Sheriff J.B. Smith to Address the Historical Society

SMITH COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.

MUSEUM & ARCHIVES • 125 SOUTH COLLEGE AVENUE • TYLER, TEXAS 75702
903-592-5993 • http://www.smithcountyhistoricalsociety.org


*** PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE USE ***
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION , PLEASE CONTACT ROBERT REED AT E-MAIL TYLERTEXAS@SPRYNET.COM

Sheriff J.B. Smith will give a presentation at the Smith County Historical Society’s August meeting. His talk will include a historic overview of the past jails of Smith County, as well as details of some early shoot-outs.

J.B. was raised in Arkansas with his five siblings. He served in the U.S. Navy, later becoming a San Diego police officer in 1965. In 1970 he became a Tyler police officer. J.B. has been continuously elected Smith County Sheriff since 1976. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Texas, is a graduate of the National F.B.I. Academy, and served as President of the Sheriffs Association of Texas from 2002 to 2003.

Very active in community service, J.B. serves on numerous Boards of Directors and was a co-founder of the East Texas Crisis Center. In recent years he co-authored the true crime book The Christmas Day Murders with Dana Adams, and they are currently working on a second book. He has become a popular public speaker, and SCHS looks forward to his presentation.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 4, at 7:00 pm in the Payne Auditorium on the second floor of the Carnegie History Center. Located at 125 South College Avenue in Tyler, the Carnegie History Center is the museum and archives for SCHS. Attendees should park on the street and enter the building through the north door, which faces the Bank of America drive-through bank. There is also a ramp for handicapped access at this door, as well as an elevator inside.

The Smith County Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1959 to discover, collect, and preserve the history of Smith County, Texas. SCHS meetings are always open free of charge to all interested members of the public. Various publications and photographs will be available for purchase at the event. For more information about this event or the Society, please e-mail info@smithcountyhistoricalsociety.org or call 903-592-5993.

Battle Of Neches Observance July 11, 2009

From Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph, 7/5/09 page 5D:

Battle Of Neches Observance Slated July 11, 2009

The annual observance of the Battle of the Neches is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. July 11 at the battle site, at Texas Highway 64 and Farm-to-Market Road 4923, about 15 miles west of Tyler, said Sondra McAdams, vice chairwoman of the American Indian Cultural Society Inc.

Andrew Hair will speak on the preservation of historical sites. Danny Hair will perform the smudging ceremony and Chairman Eagle Douglas will tell the story of the battle.

Betty Miller, and a team of genealogists, will assist those who are interested in finding out more about their Native American heritage. Those individuals are asked to bring their information, including family bibles, birth certificates, marriage licenses or anything of historical importance.

This year's event will feature the auction of a year-old quarter horse filly, and proceeds for this donated gift will go toward the renovation of the building on the land.

"We have been working on this for some time," Ms. McAdams said. "When finished, we will have a learning center for children and adults."

The learning center will be a place where the history of the 13 tribes represented at this battle will be taught, she said.

The picnic begins at 5:30 p.m. Those who attend are asked to bring a covered-dish item and lawn chairs. The information/crafts booth will offer information on the 13 tribes, as well as some crafts for sale.

The AICS is 501(c) 3 organization and owns the site of the Battle of the Neches, also known as the "Last Battle of the Cherokee" in the state of Texas. The AICS provides tours of the site for adults, as well as schoolchildren and scout groups, offers classes on the Cherokee language and holds the annual memorial service in July for those who died there.

For information, e-mail Douglas at Eagle1839@hotmail.com or Ms. McAdams at 2feathers2@msn.com or call 903-425-8581.

A Century of The History of Troup, Texas 1850s-1950s

From Tyler Paper - Tyler Morning Telegraph

Shared via AddThis

New Book Chronicles 100 Years In Troup's History


By KELLY GOOCH Staff Writer

TROUP - Willie Wilkinson remembers a time when Troup was a booming agricultural town here people came to catch trains. Although those days are over, Wilkinson can relive them by reading a newly released book about the history of Troup called "A Century of The History of Troup, Texas 1850s-1950s."

"I think it's one of the nicest things that's happened to Troup in the last 100 years," he said of the book. "Anyone who had anything to do with the history of Troup will enjoy owning one."
The 299-page hardback book is a result of efforts made by the Troup Genealogical/Historical Society, Inc. and Friends of the Library.

Mildred Steele, a committee member who worked on the book, said genealogical/historical society officers came up with the idea for the book 11 years ago. However, the idea was put off until an official committee was formed about two-and-a-half or three years ago, she said.
Committee members who worked on the book are Deborah Burkett, Mary Anne Coney, Bobby Neel, Navoleine Roddy and Ms. Steele. Bonnie Hinkle did the editing and typing.
Each person on the committee was assigned a chapter, but everyone ended up working on all of the chapters, Ms. Steele said.

"None of us had ever been involved in writing a book. It was a much bigger job than we ever imagined," she said.

The book's 11 chapters are filled with photographs and information on various subjects, including early settlers, the arrival of the railroad, business, civic and local government, social and fraternal organizations, education and churches and cemeteries.

In the last chapter, Gerald Sadler is one of the many contributors who share their own stories about Troup. "I distinctly remember riding my horse Dolly right through the middle of town when I went to the movies on Saturdays," Sadler writes. "It cost 10 cents to get in, and I could tie my horse at the O'Neal Blacksmith Shop on Chicken Alley (North Georgia) while I was there."

Ms. Steele said she learned a lot about Troup while working on the book. At the turn of the 20th century, she said, Troup was the second-largest town in Smith County and had 11 saloons.
There also were once five cotton gins in Troup, and the town was known as the Bell Pepper Capital of the World, Ms. Steele said.

She said Troup grew in the 1930s when the oil boom hit, but growth and agriculture eventually died down. During its heyday, Ms. Steele said, people could get everything they needed in Troup without having to go to Tyler or Jacksonville.

Neel said he learned Troup was originally spelled "Troupe" because that was the railroad station's name. According to the book, the name of the post office was spelled "Troup," and the "e" was dropped after the Legislature required railroad stations to have the same name as the towns' post offices.

People still have an opportunity to get a copy of the book to further their knowledge of the city.
Melanie Brumit, library director at the Cameron-J. Jarvis Troup Municipal Library, said about 700 books have been sold so far.

Ms. Steele estimated nearly 400 people pre-ordered the book, which was published by Best of East Texas Publishers in Lufkin.

"They're very impressed with it. They love the pictures and reading the stories," Ms. Brumit said.

Neel echoed her comments, saying "It's a good book, (and) everybody's just thrilled to death with it."

He said he even mailed a copy of the book to his uncle in Atlanta.

The book costs $35 and is available during normal business hours at the library, Steele's Feed and Seed and Aunt Lillie's Antiques & Gifts.

For more information about ordering the book, visit www.trouphistory.org.

ETGS Meeting July 11, 2009

East Texas Genealogical Society

Saturday, July 11, 2009, 2:00 p.m.

Tyler Public Library—Taylor Auditorium

Program: “Tax Records”, or “Why Did Scarlett Make A Dress of Her Mother’s Drapes?”

Speaker: Kelvin L. Meyers

For most genealogists a tax list is merely a substitute for a missing census, but there are many other uses for a tax list. You can determine when an ancestor comes of age, estimate the time of death of an ancestor, or maybe identify a nameless wite. Learn what your ancestor’s social standing was in the community. Maybe you can determine the short stay of a family in a county between decennial censuses, as well as give positive clues to the location of land owned in that county. Also learn where to find these tax lists and how to access them.

Kelvin L. Meyers is a contract forensic genealogist, researcher, author and lecturer. From 1986 to 1996 he was employed in the Genealogy Department, History and Social Science Division, Dallas Public Library; Lloyd Bockstruck, supervisor. From 1996 to present, he has served as a Contract Forensic Genealogist with attorneys, banks, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services, and heir searching companies, locating lost /missing heirs to estates and oil and gas leases.

Mr. Meyers is a past president of the Dallas Genealogical Society and and a member og the Texas State Genealogical Society. Currently, he is president of Lone Star Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

He graduated in 1984 from Texas Tech with a B.A. in History, and in 1989 and 1990, attended Samford IGHR where he completed two courses” Course IV in “Advanced Methodology” and Course V in “Advanced Library Research.” He has presented a variety of programs at over twenty genealogical societies, nationwide. Be sure to join us.

~.~

Computer Interest Group
Rick Featherston, Director

There will be no CIG Meeting in July.

Hopkins County (TX) Heritage Quarterly V26#2

June 2009 - Sandy Lewis Noe, Editor

• The Bankhead Highway
• Dr. and Mrs. H. R. Thomas House in Pine Forest
• United States Patents Issued to Hopkins County Residents
• Beans and Cornbread - Come and Eat (Friday July 31, 2009)
• Bonnet Diagram
• Bonnet Specifications by Frances E. Thornton of Sulphur Springs
• Gleanings from Newspapers in Hopkins County
• Hopkins Church Dates Back to Early Times
• New on the Shelf
• Deputy Sheriff Killed
• History of Fire Bell Recalled
• Early Day Religious Activities Recalled
• Churches to Hold First Event Sunday
• More This and That
• American Legion Post Contibutes to Life
• Still More This and That

Hopkins County (TX) Genealogical Society Web site

E-mail the society hcgs at verizon.net

Our Heritage Quarterly V30#2 Van Zandt Co. TX

May 2009 - Sue T. Wilkinson, Editor

Contents:

• President's Letter from Cheryl Vaughn
• Editor's Page
• F.Y.I.
• Divorce Records of Van Zandt Co. by Quana Barber (Granted after December 1921)
• Major Epidemics
• Mixed Up and Confusing Dates by Dave Tunnell
• First Families of Van Zandt County Certificates by Benja Mize
• Bonnie and Clyde
• Mrs. Hamm Dies
• Historical Commission Report by Sibyl Creasey
• Stanger Letter by Sibyl Creasey
• Oldsmobile Takes a Trip by Linda Faegan Harwell
• Donations and Memorials
• Important Events in America by Irwin Unger, Ph.D.
• The Grand Saline Sun by Shirley Ann Fuller
• Good Ole Days
• ETGS/VZCGS Seminar with Desmond Walls Allen
• Announcing a New Publication - Early Obituaries and Death Notices of Van Zandt County, Volume II
• 100 Hundred Years Ago by Shirley Ann Fuller
• Biographical Sketch (J. P. Westmoreland) by Sibyl Creasey
• Kiddie School Graduate
• In Memorium
• Died, and Other News by Shirley Ann Fuller
• Queries by Sibyl Creasey

Van Zandt County Genealogical Society Web site

Email the Society vanzandtgensoc at etcable.net

Smith County Historical Society Meeting 7/7/09

SMITH COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.

MUSEUM & ARCHIVES • 125 SOUTH COLLEGE AVENUE • TYLER, TEXAS 75702
903-592-5993 • http://www.smithcountyhistoricalsociety.org

*** PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE USE ***
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION , PLEASE CONTACT ROBERT REED AT
E-MAIL TYLERTEXAS@SPRYNET.COM

Beverly Abell to Address the Historical Society

Beverly Abell, director of the City of Tyler’s Main Street department, will give a presentation at the Smith County Historical Society’s July meeting. Her program will cover such recent events as Main Street becoming a city department, its upcoming move to the square, the Spring Avenue fire, and the Moore Grocery Lofts.

Beverly began her Main Street career in the early 1990s as manager of the Woodward Main Street Program. She went on to work for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Center in Washington D.C. While living in England, she did consulting work with the Civic Trust in establishment of Main Street-type programs in Cambridgeshire. She also managed local programs in Cushing, Oklahoma and Greeley, Colorado. Today she is director of the City of Tyler Main Street Department and the non-profit Heart of Tyler. In addition to her local duties, she serves as vice president of the Texas Downtown Association Board of Directors.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 7, at 7:00 pm in the Payne Auditorium on the second floor of the Carnegie History Center. Located at 125 South College Avenue in Tyler, the Carnegie History Center is the museum and archives for SCHS. Attendees should park on the street and enter the building through the north door, which faces the Bank of America drive-through bank. There is also a ramp for handicapped access at this door, as well as an elevator inside.

The Smith County Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1959 to discover, collect, and preserve the history of Smith County, Texas. SCHS meetings are always open free of charge to all interested members of the public. Various publications and photographs will be available for purchase at the event. For more information about this event or the Society, please e-mail info@smithcountyhistoricalsociety.org or call 903-592-5993.

Starrville Cemetery Meeting, Smith Co. TX 6/14/09

From Tyler Morning News, June 12, 2009, Page 3B:

“Starrville Cemetery Annual Meeting Set Sunday

Starrville Cemetery Association's annual meeting is scheduled for Sunday [June 14, 2009] at the cemetery, event spokesperson Rosemary Brizendine said.

The Capt. William Barron Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, will participate in the meeting on Flag Day, at the historic Starrville Cemetery, located on FM 757.

Chapter members will be dressed in Revolutionary War uniforms, will post the Colors, and Color Guard Commander Tommy Copeland will give a presentation on the history of the American Flag, Ms. Brizendine said.

Meeting will begin at 12:30 p.m. A brief business meeting will immediately follow the SAR presentation.

Those who plan to attend should bring chairs.

For more information, contact Jill Howard at 903- 618-9592.”

Transcriptions of the cemetery:
http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/starrville.txt
http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/strvilup.txt

Some photos of the cemetery:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/tsphotos/cems-s.html#NE19

Other photos of the cemetery (Watch out for URL wrapping):
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=1034868&CScn=starrville&CScntry=4&CSst=46&CScnty=2731&

Map to cemetery:
http://usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemeteries/northeas/bk5-map4.html#anchor94311

Information on Starrville, Texas:
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/SS/hns80.html

Smith Co. TX Historical Society Meeting 5/5/09

May Membership Meeting of the Smith County (Texas) Historical Society May 5, 2009 at 7 pm at the Carnegie History Center in the Payne Auditorium, 125 S. College Ave., Tyler TX.

The featured speaker will be Andy Bergfeld. Andy was born and raised in Tyler. He graduated from SMU with a B.A. in History then from South Texas College where he earned his Doctorate of Jurisprudence. He has served on the boards for Tyler I.S.D., Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, Heart of Tyler, Historic Tyler, and Tyler Salvation Army. In 2004 he received Lucille Terry Award, given by the East Texas Historical Association, for his restoration of the Dewberry House in Teaselville. He is the owner of Bergfeld Realty Company.

Andy's presentation will cover his family's history in Tyler. He is the great-great-grandson of Rudolph Bergfeld and the great-great-great-grandson of Julius Pabst, which makes Andy a sixth-generation Tylerite.

Membership meetings are free and open to all interested members of public.

Sneak Preview of the June Meeting - The "Ice Cream Social" will be held at the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum.

Anderson County TX Tombstone Photos

New Photos of Anderson County Texas Tombstones:

New Addition Annex, Palestine City Cemetery, Anderson County, Texas:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/anderson/cemph/newaddannex/newaddition.html

The 3117 photos of New Addition Annex photos were contributed by Karla Lang and the Special Collection Room of the Palestine Library.

Main Section, Roselawn Cemetery, Anderson County, Texas:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/anderson/cemph/roselawn/roselawn/roselawn.html

Catholic Section, Roselawn Cemetery, Anderson County, Texas:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/anderson/cemph/roselawn/roselawncatholic/roselawncatholic.html

Masonic Section, Roselawn Cemetery, Anderson County, Texas:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/anderson/cemph/roselawn/roselawnmasonic/roselawnmasonic.html

The main section of Roselawn contains 1989 photos, the catholic section has 35 photos, the masonic section has 78 photos for a grand total of 2102 photos. All the photos were taken and contributed by Beverly Bailey Odom. The html page was created by Kathryn Moore Odom.

I have previously posted a link to the New Addition, Palestine City Cemetery, Anderson County, Texas but have had to alter it. The new link is:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/anderson/cemph/newaddition/newaddition.html

There are 2845 photos contributed by Karla Lang and the Special Collection Room of the Palestine Library.

Sabine Cemetery Assoc. Meeting May 3 2009

Sabine Cemetery Association Sets Meeting Sunday

The annual meeting of the Sabine Cemetery Association is scheduled for Sunday, event spokesperson Barbara Smith said.

The service will begin at 11 a.m., followed by a business meeting. A potluck lunch will be served "on the grounds." The event is open to the public. The cemetery is located at the intersection of FM 452 and FM 4122 in Smith County.

For a listing of burials, go to:http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/sabine.txt

ETGS does not have photos of this cemetery and would welcome any.

From: http://www.etgs.org/txsmith/histmark/cemeteries.html

SABINE CEMETERY - Northeast of Lindale - Subject Marker - 1985
Sabine CemeteryThe Sabine Methodist Church was organized in 1894 by the Rev. L. L. Pate. This congregation was named for its proximity to the Sabine River. Land for the church, school and cemetery was donated by Joe Crone.

The fellowship was served first by circuit preachers but in 1922 began sharing a minister with the Lindale Methodist Church. In 1969, the Sabine and Lindale congregations merged. Throughout its history, Sabine Methodist Church has placed an emphasis on christian education and has provided fellowship for members who often live miles apart in the surrounding rural area.

Bradford Cemetery Assoc Meeting May 3 2009

The annual meeting of the Bradford Cemetery Association will be Sunday, May 3, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. at the Cameron-J. Jarvis Troup Municipal Library, 102 S. Georgia, Troup, Texas 75789, (903) 842-3101, http://www.trouplibrary.org/ .

Bradford Cemetery is located in the 600 block of North Jarvis Street [FM346] Troup, Texas.

For more information on the Bradford Cemetery go to:
http://usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/tsphotos/lgcems/bradford.html http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/bradfd.txt
http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/bradfda.txt
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=1285387

Bradford Cemetery Association
PO Box 424
Troup TX 75789

Smith Cemetery, Smith County, Texas Confederate Marker Dedications

Confederate Marker Dedications

At Historical Smith Cemetery

Saturday, April 25, 2009 @ 11 a.m.

Honoring the service of:

• J. Henry Smith, Pvt. Co. H 27th Texas Cavalry
• Frank L. Johnson, Sgt. Co. F 10th Texas Cavalry
• William J. Smith, Capt. Co. C 14th Texas Infantry
• Franklyn Young Smith, Pvt. Co. C 14th Texas Infantry

And a re-dedication of a grave marker for James F. Dark, Pvt. Co. D 15th Texas Infantry

For more information and/or directions please contact Bettye Baty at bettyebaty@suddenlink.com or call (903) 939-1431.

Sponsored by the R. B. Levy Chapter 1070, UDC and assisted by the Walter P. Lane Camp, SCV, Longview, Texas.

Smith Cemetery is located at back of Rose Lawn Memorial Park, 2003 Blue Mountain Blvd., Tyler, TX on the East side of 8800 Old Jacksonville Highway off of South Loop 323.

For more information on Smith Cemetery

http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/cemetery/smithsw.txt
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/smith/tsphotos/cems-s.html
http://www.etgs.org/txsmith/cemeteries/restoration/smithsw/smithsw2.html
http://www.rose-lawn.com/roselawn_019.htm
http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20081016/NEWS08/810150379

9th Annual Family History Fair @ Tyler TX

9th Annual Family History Fair

No Charge!!

Saturday, April 11, 2009
9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. - Registration Begins: 8:30 a.m.

Co-Sponsored by:
The Tyler Stake Family History Center and East Texas Genealogical Society

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 Morning Sessions with Marynell Bryant, President of Texas State Genealogical Society

Session 1 – "Getting Started with your Genealogy Quest"
In this session, participants will learn organizational skills and basic research techniques. Topics in this session will include ancestor and family group charts, family resources, library resources, courthouse records, genealogical books and periodicals, evidence and documentation.

Session 2 – "Census Taker to Census Reader: Assembling a Family"
In this session, participants will learn how to make the most of available census records including online availability. Also, correlating maps of the US with each census year will demonstrate the migration settlement and types of information requested on census forms.

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch -- Free Lunch Provided --

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Afternoon Session with Tami Glatz

Session 3 – “Internet Researching”
In this session, participants will discover ways to locate seemingly hidden genealogical information on the Internet using a variety of often overlooked or underutilized websites. Learn tips and tricks for using search engines effectively, as well as some of Google® tools for genealogists.


THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
1617 Shiloh Road, Tyler, TX 75703
(903) 509-8322

For more information, contact:
Ken Stegall, (903) 262-0276, k.stegall@att.net
June Everheart, (903) 877-4501, 1stvp@etgs.org, www.etgs.org
Or Email: TylerFamHist@aol.com

St. Joseph Cemetery, Anderson County, Texas

St. Joseph Cemetery, Anderson County, Texas

I have uploaded 883 photos of the St. Joseph Cemetery in Anderson County Texas to the TXGenWeb Archives Project.

Courtesy of members of the Anderson County Cemetery Preservation Group - Karla Lang, Beverly Odom, Sheron McLaney, and Paula Trigg.

http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/anderson/cemph/stjoseph/stjoseph.html

Spirits of Oakwood Cemetery Tour

Spirits of Oakwood Cemetery Tour

The Oakwood Cemetery Restoration Committee is presenting the "Spirits of Oakwood Tour" from 1:30 to 6 p.m. April 4 at the cemetery, located at the corner of Palace and Oakwood streets.

Some of these people will be brought to life at the Spirits of Oakwood Tour. A variety of intriguing tales will be presented at designated grave markers by individuals who will become that person, and will present their life story. The event is intended to be entertaining and historical. The presenters will be dressed in period clothing.

Tours will begin approximately every 15 minutes, and will be led by a tour guide dressed in period attire. The cost is $5 per person; children under age 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Parking will be available across the street at the True Vine Baptist Church. Parking attendants will direct you to the main entrance of the cemetery.

Oakwood Cemetery is a city maintained cemetery, but the city is barred from spending public money for the repair of broken markers. Over a period of time many of the markershave been broken. The Oakwood Cemetery Restoration Committee began the 'Spirits of Oakwood' tours as a way to raise the needed funds for the repairs, to educate people about the history of Tyler and Smith County, and to let them see that the cemetery is a place in which all Tylerites should be very proud.

For more information, call Mrs. Maxine Herbst at 903-593-4642, or cemeterian Jerry Wilson at 903-531-1207.

Links to material on Oakwood Cemetery, Tyler, Smith County, Texas:
History of Oakwood Cemetery
Map of Oakwood Cemetery - Key to map
Decoration of Confederate Graves circa 1899
History of the Confederate Monument
Confederate Monument
Listing of Marker - Plots 1-4 & Jewish Section and Plot 5 & Unmarked Graves
Photos of Tombstones

ETGS on the Road with John Sellers

East Texas Genealogical Society


Saturday, March 14, 2009, 2:00 p.m.

Rusk County Public Library,
106 East Main Street, Henderson, TX

Program: “Was Grandpa His Brother’s Keeper?”

Speaker: John A. Sellers

Have you ever been curious about Freemasonry because mention was included in your relative’s obituary or because you found it on a gravestone? The oldest and largest fraternity in the world, it has existed in its current form since 1717. Throughout the past 300 years, men of good character have been attracted to Freemasonry. Get ready with all of your questions.

The March program will detail a study of the Masonic Fraternity and what records may be available for genealogists. It will include a development and history of Masons in the United States. Terminology and recognizing all of the symbols will be discussed. Records and their access will be reviewed, including the use of records for proof of residence and possible death dates. Sometimes it is possible to verify age, occupation, place of residence, and dates of Masonic degrees of an individual member.

John Sellers, a genealogist since 1985, is a fifth generation native of Hopkins County, Texas and a graduate of Texas Tech University. He was a speaker at the FGS National Conference in 1997 and 2004, and NGS in 1994. He was the featured speaker at the Daughters of the Republic of Texas of Texas Genealogical Seminar at the Alamo in 2002 and 2003, and the Louisiana Historical and Genealogical Seminar in Baton Rouge in 2007. Mr. Sellers has been a faculty member for Angelina College Genealogy Conference in Lufkin since 1999. In 2006, he was a featured speaker at the Dallas Summer Institute. As always, John provides an informative and entertaining program.

Following the program there will be a tour of the Rusk County Library.

Co-Sponsored by:
Rusk County Library and East Texas Genealogical Society

For more information contact:
Kathy Ballow, (903) 657-8557, netexfarm@gmail.com
June Everheart, (903) 877-4501, 1stvp@etgs.org

Chandler Memorial Cemetery, Henderson County, Texas

Chandler Memorial Cemetery, Henderson County, Texas

Doug Crabtree recently completed a new transcription of this cemetery that I have uploaded to Henderson County TXGenWeb Archives site. You can find it at:

http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/henderson/cemetery/chandlermemorial.txt

Coming soon - Doug also photographed the cemetery. We will upload the photos as soon as we complete the html page. Hopefully soon.

Henderson County Texas TXGenWeb Archives

Henderson County Texas TXGenWeb Archives

I recently took over the management of Archives Project from Bunny Freeman. Bunny is the coordinator of the Henderson County TXGenWeb Project website http://www.txgenweb2.org/txhenderson/.

Bunny had received a majority of the Texas Confederate Pension Files from Henderson County Texas. They had been uploaded and I created a home page for them at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/henderson/csapensions/csapensindex.htm

These files are in Adobe PDF format and can be quite large.

There are a few files missing that I hope to upload soon.

New Addition, Palestine City Cemetery, Anderson County, Texas

I uploaded 3117 tombstone photos to the Anderson County TXGenWeb site. Thanks to Karla Lang of the Palestine Public Library and Beverly Bailey Odom, my co-coordinator of this site for all of their hard work. To view go to:

http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/anderson/cemph/newaddition/newaddition.html

African American Genealogy Workshop

African American Genealogy Workshop

The Roots That Bind

Saturday, February 28, 2009 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the East Waco Library, 901 Elm Ave., Waco TX. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.

Presentations include:

• Keynote Presenation: African American Genealogy Basics with Historian Donald Payton
• Local Family Historian Presentations by James Elliott, Evelyn Garfield & Mary Evans
• "Heading to the Courthouse: Deed, Probate & other Records of Genealogical Interest" by Leon Martin
• National Archives Resources by Aaron Holt, Southwest Regional Archives, NARA
• "Oral Tradition: Pass It On" by Lois E. Myers, Baylor University Institute for Oral History

Sponsored by Waco-McLennan County Library in cooperation with the Friends of the East Waco Library and Central Texas Genealogical Society.

For registration or additional information call Bill Buckner at (254) 750-5945.

Texas State Genealogical Society Scholarship

Texas State Genealogical Society Scholarship

A $1,000 scholarship will be awarded annually to the best qualified applicant. The winner will enroll as a full-time student and submit a receipt for tuition from the school of choice to the TSGS treasurer. The first $500 payment will be made to the university registrar. At the conclusion of that semester the winner will submit proof of a 3.0 GPA and a receipt for tuition for the next semester. The TSGS treasurer will make the second $500 payment to the university registrar.

Scholarship Requirements:
Applicant should be a senior in an accredited high school or home school program or be enrolled in college.
Applicant should provide a certified transcript of all high school and/or college courses or proof of course mastery if in a home school program.
Applicant should be a relative of a TSGS member of two years standing or be recommended by a partner society.
Applicant should plan to major in history, government, library science, or education.


Applications will be submitted to the Scholarship Committee by May 1, 2009.
Mail the application packet to TSGS, P.O. Box 7308, Tyler TX 75711-7308.

Application Packet:

Resume should contain the following information:
1. Personal information (name, birth date, parents’ names, small photo, address, telephone number and email address).
2. Educational experience
3. Work experience
4. Sports and extracurricular activities at school
5. Community activities
6. School, community, or church awards received

Recommendation letters from three non-family adults who have personal knowledge of the applicant’s qualifications should be included.

A 500-word essay on “The Importance of Family History” should be included.

African American Program in Tyler TX 2/14/09

ETGS to Dedicate Meeting to Remembrance of Versie Terrell
The East Texas Genealogical Society will celebrate African-American Month on Saturday, February 14, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. in the Tyler Public Library’s Taylor Auditorium, 201 S. College Ave. The program will be dedicated to the remembrance of ETGS member Versie Isabell Terrell. Ms. Terrell, a native of Smith County, a graduate of Texas College, and a retired teacher died in Tyler on January 5, 2009. She and her husband, Claude Terrell, Jr. had been active in the community in the study of and preservation of African-American family records for many years.
The featured speaker will be Gwendolyn McMillan Lawe, director of A.C. McMillan African-American Museum in Emory, Texas and 2003 Smithsonian Fellow. Ms. Lawe will speak on the genealogical research on her family and other African-Americans in Rains County.
Following refreshments ETGS President Sam Kidd will present a video titled “Lester’s Trip of 1,500 Miles and 120 Years,” the story of the research of an African-American family in Canada for their Smith County, Texas roots. The video will be aired on Canadian television later this year, and includes research provided by members of the Smith County Historical Society and East Texas Genealogical Society. Much of the video was filmed in Smith County and concludes with Lester Mapp’s meeting with his Smith County cousins.
Persons interested in African-American family research and friends of Ms. Terrell are encouraged to attend. ETGS meetings are free and open to the public. For more information about ETGS go to our web-site: www.etgs.org or contact June Everheart, Publicity Director at 1stvp@etgs.org or 903-877-4501.

Texas State Genealogical Society

At the annual conference last year at Abilene, Texas, Texas State Genealogical Society honored three people for their contribution to the fields of genealogy or history by making them Fellows of the society.

1. Lloyd D. Bockstruck - he is one of the most prominent and well-known author, columnist, lecturer and most importantly, librarian in the state of Texas. He has supervised the building of the Dallas Library’s genealogy section into one of the top ten genealogy libraries in the United States if not the world. Lloyd is especially generous with his time and expertise at the library and as a lecturer to many local societies especially genealogy societies but also lineage and others.
2. Archie P. McDonald – he recently left the directorship of the East Texas Historical Association as of September 1st; a position he had held since 1971. He has authored many books and edited many more. He and Bob Bowman have a weekly column called “All Things Historical” that runs weekly in many East Texas papers. He is a professor of history at Stephen F. Austin State University and a past president of the Texas State Historical Association.
3. Betty Dunquez – currently the TSGS web master, a past president of TSGS, and co-chair of the FGS conference in Austin in 2004. She has been an active Board member since the early 1990’s serving in several officer positions as well as committee chairmanships. Her most recent and significant contribution to TSGS has been the project of getting the index to the First Families certificates online. She completely revised and edited the original index TSGS published.

Fellows already conferred include the following:
Mrs. Harry Joseph Morris, Mrs. Murray Ezzell, Gifford E. White, Dr. Chester V. Kielman, Miss Marion Day Mullins, Dr. Malcolm D. McLean, Mrs. Kelley E. McAdams, Dr. Dorman H. Winfrey, Mrs. Edna Perry Deckler, Dr. Ronald Ely Marcello, John I. Coddington, Winston DeVille, Christopher LaPlante, Milton Rubican, R.T. Williams, C. George Younkin, Dr. David B. Gracy II, James Patrick McGuire, Paul R. Scott, Jack Maguire, Mrs. Buford C. Curtis, Mrs. Denzil Austin Mattoon, Truett Latimer, Dr. James M. Day, Mrs. Dorothy D. Wilkinson, William Hunter McLean, Rev. Dr. Albert C. Walling, Mrs. Ralph A. Bickler, Mrs. Joe E. Ericson, Mrs. Raymond Ulmer, Bill R. Linder, Mrs. J.B. Golden, Mrs. Walter Speakman, Mrs. J.M. Wood, Richard S. Lackey, Michael J. Dabrishus, Ruth Murphy Harlow, Mary Smith Fay, Dorothy Dillard Hughes, H. Martin Soward III, Marynell Bryant, Frances Pryor, Jean Halden Walker, Wanda Lambert Donaldson, Richard L. Hooverson, Doris Cozart.

East Texas Historical Association

East Texas Historical Association's Spring Program is set for February 20-21, 2009 at the Holiday Inn & Suites in Paris Texas.

For more information go to: http://www.easttexashistorical.org/events/springmeeting.html or call (903) 785-5545.

Some of the speakers scheduled to present include: Archie P. McDonald, Milton Jordan, Greg Mitchell, Paul E. Sturdevant, Kyle McGrogan, Jim Steely, Jack Herrington, Dawn Letson, Tom Killebrew, Jeffrey Owens, Judy Falls, Dr. John Douglas Osburn, Eddie Trapp, Dee Rinkes Marshall, Gail Beil, Deborah Porter, Sue Lazara, Philip Pope, Mika Robertson-Smith, Krystal A. Humphreys, John Lundberg, David Raley, Claire Evans, Bill O'Neal, Alvie Walts, Stacy R. Webb, Cyndie Goins Hoelscher & Harwood P. Hinton.

East Texas Historical Association

East Texas Historical Association is starting an e-mail newsletter for its members.

To sign up go to: http://www.easttexashistorical.org/newsletter/