HILL COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

The Hill County Genealogical Society was formed in 1982 as an outgrowth of the county’s Historical Commission in order to place greater emphasis on the furtherance of genealogy in Hill County. We are a non-profit organization supported by memberships, contributions and gifts.

Our Purpose

Our purpose is to bring together those persons interested in acquiring and disseminating genealogical information. We strive to promote a greater interest in genealogy, genealogical information and education. We assist individuals in searching for and compiling family genealogies. We preserve and perpetuate records of our ancestors and the founders of our county, state and union.

Meetings

Regularly scheduled meetings are held each month at 6:30 P M, the second Monday of each month in Hillsboro at Hill County Courthouse Annex, 126 South Covington, Hillsboro, Texas. On occasion, they may be scheduled at other times or locations having significant historical resources, such as Hill College, the Hillsboro City Library or the Cell Block Museum. Meeting notices are published in the Hillsboro newspaper, The Reporter. Just recently we have started posting notices on Internet America, which is a local Internet server for Hill County, at http:\\www.hillsboro.net.

One-half of the Society’s members reside in Hill or one of it’s surrounding counties. Of special note is the fact that a great many members are knowledgeable descendents of early Hill County settlers. Genealogical expertise varies, but help is always available to those who ask.

Major Activities

* Presenting regularly scheduled monthly programs of genealogical and historical interests. Recent programs have included such topics as: Resources in Texas Libraries and Archives, Hill County Public School Records, Hill County History, Member Reports of Genealogical Research, and Internet Sources for Genealogical Research. On occasion, special workshops are conducted to provide specific training or information to participants.

* We publish a quarterly periodical, The Hill County Crossroads. Issues contain historical material related to Hill county such as births, marriages, cemetery records, family histories, land records, etc. Queries and responses from members and non-members are often included. Contributions of appropriate material are welcomed. Issues of “The Crossroads” are made available to members as a benefit of membership, and copies are exchanged regularly with a number of other genealogical societies.

* We maintain the Genealogical Section of the Hillsboro City Library, where you may find family histories, publications about Texas with emphasis on Hill County; quarterlies of other genealogical societies, microfilms copies of historical newspapers and census. Society volunteers make a significant contribution in this section of the library.

* With a recently acquired grant from the “George G. and Alva Hudson Smith Foundation”, we will be transferring historical newspaper copy onto computer compact discs in order to provide faster retrieval and improved archival storage capacity.

* We respond to selected queries the Society receives concerning ancestors who may have lived in Hill County. This activity provides a valuable opportunity to share knowledge of the Hill County with others.

* We offer others a chance to receive a “Hill County First Family Certificate” if they can provide us the satisfactory proof they descended from at least one person who resided in Hill County at any time during the period 1853-1903. Qualifying historical family information submitted by applicants will be placed in the Hillsboro City Library to be made available to future genealogical researchers. These records will be locked up in file cabinet to protect the records of living descendents. To obtain further information and to learn how to qualify, contact the Society at:

Hill County Genealogical Society

P O BOX 636

Hillsboro, TX. 76645