Van Zandt County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 1388, Canton, TX 75103http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txvzcgs/vzgs.htm
Vol. V, No. 5...... E Newsletter ............Editor: Sibyl CreaseyMay 2012
May Program
by Lisa McKinneyThe Van Zandt County Genealogical Society will hold its regular monthly meeting Saturday, May 26, 2012, at 2 p.m. at the Van Zandt County Library in the Buchanan Room, 317 First Monday Lane, in Canton. The featured speaker will be Jan Devereaux, an award-winning chronicler of Western history.
Ms. Devereaux will present a program entitled "Pistols, Petticoats, and Poker: The Real Lottie Deno, No Lies or Alibis." The subject of the talk, Lottie Deno, was a larger-than-life character in her own times, beating Doc Holliday at poker and holding her own in the world of the frontier saloon. In time, the former "lady of the night" married and reinvented herself as a respected lady of the towns of Silver City and Deming, N.M. Ms. Devereaux presents the facts as well as the myth surrounding Lottie Deno.
Ms. Devereaux spent many of her formative years in New Mexico, graduating high school in Carlsbad. Her passion is meeting and interviewing old-timers with a connection to the Old West. She has received several prestigious awards for her writings on the Western outlaw and the lawman, and she is a frequent speaker on these topics. She has written a book on Lottie Deno, with the same title as the program. Released in February 2009, it is the culmination of five years of historical research and study.
Society meetings are held the fourth Saturday of each month, with a variety of speakers presenting educational programs throughout the year. Visitors are always welcomed, and refreshments are served.
For further information on society activities, call or visit the Library of Genealogy and Local History, located in the courthouse annex in Canton, 903-567-5012.
Hours of operation are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The genealogy library is also open Thursday evenings until 6 p.m.
April Program Marynell Bryant of Hopkins County was the program speaker for the April meeting of the genealogical society. She is one of our favorite speakers so those who attended enjoyed her excellent program, "Secrets at the Courthouse: Discovering the Case Files." She is a wonderful speaker and very knowledgeable on genealogical research.
Marynell holds bachelor of arts and Master's degrees in journalism from Texas A&M, Commerce, and is a retired journalism teacher from Sulphur Springs High School. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and several other distinguished lineage societies, including the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.
She was president of the Texas State Genealogical Society for three terms and has been president and librarian of the Hopkins County Genealogical Society, currently serving as treasurer for that organization. Having her visit us is meeting with an old friend!
We hope you come back soon, Marynell!
"Our Heritage"Quarterly editor Sue Wilkinson reports that the May issue of "Our Heritage" is at the printers at this time. She always strives to mail out the publication by the last week of the months of February, May, August and November. It is on schedule so you should be receiving your copy soon.
Have You Paid Your Dues?
Annual membership dues for the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society remain at $10 for an individual and $12 for a family. With prices of everything going up and up, this is still a bargain.Remember, if you waited until after March 15 to pay your dues, we ask that you add an additional $5 because of mailing quarterlies individually. The extra $5 does not apply if you are able to pick up issues at the Library of Genealogy and Local History.
New Publication The Van Zandt County Genealogical Society members are always working on publications to preserve county records and to assist researchers with county roots. One in progress is "Early Obituaries and Death Notices, Vol. V." Members Shirley Fuller, Larry Greer, Benja Mize, Sherrie Archer, Nancy Robertson and Ellen Wheeler are busy copying obits from old newspapers on microfilm at the Library of Genealogy and Local History. This book will cover 1919 to possibly 1925. Rita Cherry, Linda Easley and Jan Crow have begun the typing. We wouldn't be able to publish books without these wonderful volunteers! Watch for the publication date!
Good Luck, Researchers! One of our greatest joys here in Van Zandt is helping researchers find that missing information or clue that leads them to finding more about their families.
If you need anything, just let us know and we will do our best to help you find it.
We can also post your queries in the society's quarterly "Our Heritage." Sometimes it takes a while for responses but you never know who is out there with the family information you need. When requesting help, please send your address!
Also, please remember, don't send multiple research requests to multiple people. This is a duplication of effort and it wastes time!
Historical Marker Dedication We are pleased to announce that the Historical Marker dedication honoring Lexie Dean Robertson, held at the Martin's Mill school on May 14, was a rousing success. She was the first woman to be the subject of a historical marker in Van Zandt County. The students and school officials fully supported and participated in the dedication ceremonies which was attended by county and state officials and the entire student body of Martin's Mill School.
Lexie Dean Robertson was born in Lindale, grew up in Martin's Mill, graduated from Canton High School and went on to become the first native born Texan to be named Poet Laureate of the state from 1939 to 1941. She was the daughter of Alexander Green and Lena Ansley Dean, both educators of some prominence. A.G. moved his family to Martin's Mill in the 1890's when Lexie was about three years old.
Concerned about the education of his growing family and the community, Dean built the Lexie Academy with his own funds next to his home in Martin's Mill. The school was named for his eldest daughter and became the largest school in the county at that time. It served the southern area of the county for almost a decade.
Lexie married James Frank Robertson on August 16, 1911 while both were attending North Texas State Teachers College at Denton. She became a teacher, a school principal and a poet, publishing several volumes of poetry including the very popular "I Keep a Rainbow," "Acorns on the Roof," and "Red Heels" which was recommended for use in the elementary grades of the Texas public schools.
She enjoyed a lifetime of poetic acclaim in both Oklahoma and Texas before she died on February 16, 1954 at Abilene and was buried near her home at Rising Star, Eastland County, Texas.
The Computer Swallowed Grandma The computer swallowed grandma,
Yes, honestly, it's true!
She pressed 'control' and 'enter,'
And disappeared from view.It devoured her completely;
The thought just makes me squirm.
She must have caught a virus,
Or been eaten by a worm.I've searched through the recycle bin,
And files of every kind;
I've even used the Internet,
But nothing did I find.In desperation, I tried Googling
My searches to refine;
The reply has all been negative,
Not a thing was found 'on line.'So, if inside your 'Inbox,'
My grandma you should see,
Please 'Copy, Scan and Paste' her
And send her back to me!....read by Martha Heard
October meeting, 2009
Back to Van Zandt County Genealogical Society Home Page You're the 538person to visit this page.
This page last updated May 20, 2012Van Zandt County Genealogical Society Website maintained by Sibyl Creasey
