Karen Pilgrim, president of the Wood County TX Genealogical Society (WCGS), was busy setting up chairs before the 40th anniversary meeting last Saturday.

“Why are you setting-up so many?” she was asked. She later explained, “It was an event where everything just came together so well.”

Fifty people came through the Quitman Public Library to participate in the anniversary event.

“We were completely astonished at the number of folks who came,” Pilgrim stated.  

According to Pilgrim, the society is benefitting from the efforts, kindness and interest of the community. That involvement was evident in so many ways at the 40th anniversary.

Early this summer, three newcomers had come to a monthly meeting to hear Alba historian Sandra Burge. Those three ladies – Letha Luttrell, Sarah Smith and Vicki Medina – each volunteered to get involved in planning the anniversary.

The anniversary featured guest speaker, Larry Wade, who in addition to being the president of the Smith County Genealogical Society, also has forebears in the Quitman area.  Wade spoke on his search for his family tree in Wood County.

Deason Hunt, a long-time member of the Wood County Society, distributed a 12-page pamphlet which he drafted on the history of the WCGS.

“He does so much for us,” Pilgrim stated, “that we couldn’t have done the event without him.”    

Logan Thompson was present and brought along information regarding this discovery of the Mineola Post Office time capsule.

Charter member of the society, Dorothy Harbin, graced the event and was presented with a beautiful corsage in honor of her detailed work assimilating society records.     

Pilgrim also noted that librarian Delene Allen opened the library last Saturday just to host the event. 

Quitman Mayor Randy Dunn also attended and presented a proclamation to the society. That gesture, Pilgrim related, was the result of Vicki Medina’s initiative.  

Members of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) received certificates of appreciation for their work in cataloguing the thousands of documents in the society’s holdings. The cataloguing of all present holdings is now complete. 

Pilgrim specifically noted the contributions of DAR members Susan Few, Linda Haddock, Christine Headrick, Brenda Martinez, Susan Nelson, Kathy Royall, Mary Sockwell and Vera Spencer.  

She also expressed her thanks to the anniversary committee members Deason Hunt, Letha Luttrell, Laura McBroom, Vicki Medina and Sarah Smith.  

The most meaningful occurrence of the anniversary celebration may have, however, occurred on the day prior. 

Some family members had made their way to the library to begin searching for lost relatives. They were advised to return on Saturday and, as it came to pass, they were able to identify a long-lost family member who had come to attend the anniversary event.

The society hopes to continue building membership and will soon begin offering individual counseling on genealogical searches. The group meets on the third Monday of each month at the Quitman Public Library.