Society’s e-mail address:   [email protected]  

PURPOSE:  The Texarkana USA Genealogical Society was founded in 1974 to encourage the gathering and preservation of genealogical information for the four states area.  The Society is a non-profit organization (# 501 (C) (3) with all dues and funds raised going to the purchase of books for the library, printing and mailing of publications.

MEMBERSHIP:   Dues are $15.00 for individual or $18.00 for family membership.  All applicants are asked to fill out a membership form, which lists the surnames they are researching and provide the society with an ancestor chart. Each household will be provided with one copy of the bi-annual publication of the society for that year.  Membership is from January to December of each year, with new members being provided the bi-annual publications already printed for that year.

MEETINGS:  The Texarkana USA Genealogical Society meets the fourth Monday of each month with the exception of December.  The meetings are held in the Nelson Room of the Texarkana Public Library.  The business meeting starts at 7:00 pM with program to follow.  Visitors are welcome.

PUBLICATIONS:  The Society will publish a bi-annual publication, for which you may submit Bible Records, Ancestor Charts, Family Histories, old letters and other information of genealogical interest.  We also have available indexes and other books for sale along with some issues of previous quarterlies.

EDITORIAL POLICY:  Any material submitted pertinent to the four states area will be considered for publication.  The Editorial Committee reserves the right to edit material with regard to content and length.  The Texarkana USA Genealogical Society assumes no responsibility for errors or opinions on the part of the contributors, but will print any correction called to our attention.

QUERIES:  Queries are free to all and will be printed as space permits.  Please submit each query on a separate piece of paper.  You may also send them via E-Mail to  [email protected].  Be sure your name and address is on each page.

CHARTER OFFICERS AND MEMBERS OF 

THE TEXARKANA USA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY 

 

Dr. Geraldine Meador Johnson - President/Editor

 

Mrs. Willie Mae Wilson - Vice-President

 

Miss Bunyon Faircloth - Secretary

 

Rev. W. M. Putman - Treasurer

 

Mrs. Myrtle Criner - Librarian 

 

Other Charter Members were:

 

Don Alvis

 

Glenda Alvis

 

Marilyn Autrey

 

Myrline Bowman

 

Paul J. Cauthorn

 

Joyce M. Couch

 

Edward Fitzhugh

 

Lidia Lewis Holland

 

Nancy Watts Jennings

 

Thurma Gene Mathews

 

Billie Mixon

 

Gene Norton

 

Ann Randall

 

Mildred Roberts

 

Floretta Rose

 

Hazel Rutledge

 

Betty Meador Sharp

 

Mrs. Kelly Varner

 

Joseph Vinson

 

Virginia Vinson

 

Kathy Wicks

 

Elizabeth Wilburn

 

Lela Williamson

 

Nell White 

 

History of the Society

The Texarkana USA Genealogical Society was organized in February of 1974 at the Y. W. C. A. building, 3410 Magnolia, Texarkana, Texas.  The Texarkana Public Library agreed to let us use their meeting room, which was located at 901 State Line Avenue.  Mrs. Ann Capshaw was the Librarian at this time. In May of 1975 we became an incorporated non-profit organization. The Texarkana Public Library moved to a new building at 300 West 3rd Street in January of 1980. Miss Alice Coleman, our current librarian, became director of the Texarkana Public Library in March of 1981. In the past we have worked with the Friends of the Library in Old Book Sales and money from that was used to contribute many books, microfilm, and other genealogical materials, which are housed in the Genealogy Room at the Library.

 

The Texarkana USA Genealogical Society is celebrating its 30^th Anniversary this year, 2004. We have published the TEXARKANA USA QUARTERLY from 1974 through 2003. Since 1993 we have combined our Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter issues and had only two issues per year. Our publication is exchanged with over 100 Genealogical Societies all across the United States. Beginning this year, 2004, we have changed the name of our publication to, TEXARKANA USA JOURNAL and still have only two issues per year. We now have about 80 + members and each member receives the JOURNAL as part of their membership.

 

Our Society has published several Census books, Courthouse Records, Funeral & Obituary Index Books, Marriage Index Books, and Family Bible Records. These are for sale and this money goes to purchase more Genealogical Materials for the Library. If you have ever had family in this area, or just interested in the history of the Four States Area, we invite you to join our society and help us in searching and in recording family history or publishing records so that they are not lost to flood, fire, etc.  If you have information that pertains to this area such as Bible, Church, School, Cemetery, Community or Social Records, please send it to our NEW mailing address: TEXARKANA USA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY,  P. O. BOX 6687, TEXARKANA, TX 75505. Or email to: [email protected]. Our Web Page is: https://sites.rootsweb.com/~txkusa/GenSoc.html.

 

Let’s be diligent in our purpose, to encourage the gathering and preservation of all genealogical information from this four states area.  The society is a non-profit organization and all dues and funds raised goes to purchase books for the library, printing, and mailing of publications.