The Wood County Historical Commission will honor county commissioners and some local historians with a reception from 10 a.m.-noon, Friday Nov. 7, at the Archive and Research Center at 115 W. Lipscomb St. in Quitman. It will include an open house for the public.

These historians were honored at the Old Settlers Reunion Saturday for their contribution to the preservation of Wood County history.

A community history project award was given posthumously to Adele W. Vickery and Ida Marie Turner for Cemeteries of Wood County, Volumes 1-4, 1970. It was a transcription of every tombstone in Wood County, including directions and histories of cemeteries, long before computers and the internet.

The commission presented a Guardian of Heritage Award to Joe Dan Boyd and Bro. Fred Morrow. The award was given posthumously to James O. Dear and Sam White. The Guardian award was presented for a lifetime of sharing stories, traditions, people and legends of Wood County. Each of these recipients are known for their stories and love of county history.

Lifetime Achievement Awards were given to Saundra Burge and Sue Hamm. Burge has written two books and is the historian of Alba and its people. Hamm is the unofficial “mayor of Webster” and has preserved the community’s history and cemetery. Posthumous recognition was given to Bill Jones for his infinite number of recorded words in books and articles about the Winnsboro area. Other posthumous recipients were Lou Mallory for her preservation of common school records, Mineola history and many historical markers, and Ulna McWhorter for her shared photograph collection of Quitman, its history and her leadership.  

The WCHC recognized the student winners of the Community History Project competition. The contest was held Tuesday at the Carroll Green Civic Center to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Wood County.

Kindergarten-third grade winners and projects were Cameron Davis, Anthony Johnson, Kallie Pillow and Dylan Zavala with “Winnsboro,” first place; Sophia Hicks and Savannah Hicks with “The Collins-Haines House,” second place; and Galilea Gonzales, Zoe Gonzales and Troy Gonzales with “The Beckham Hotel,” third place. 

Fourth-sixth grade winners and projects were Alexa White and Cooper Jackson, “Mineola,” first place; Weston Williams, “Redland,” second place; and a tie for third place with Jaycee Williams, “New Hope,” and Annabelle Dobbs and Kenneth Dobbs, “Pine Mills.”

Seventh-twelfth grade winners and projects were Cavin Taylor, “New Hope,” first place; Eve Vest, “Winnsboro,” second place; and Padgett South, “Little Hope,” third place.