Wandering and Wondering

Larry Gene Harmon grew up in Sulphur Springs, Hopkins County, Texas. During his retirement he traveled the dirt roads of Hopkins and Delta Counties, researching and interviewing locals for his numerous stories of area history. Searching for information about such places as Gobbler’s Knob and Bucksnort, his old truck was a familiar site roaming the backroads. Days on end he could be found examining old, worn maps and geological surveys that were propped on the hood of his truck as he held a yellow legal pad brimming with notes in his meticulous handwriting. Several of his stories appeared in “Hopkins County Heritage,” a publication of the Hopkins County Genealogical Society where he earned the title “resident historian.”

His Southern roots and love of Civil War history led him to investigate area combatants. Section 1 includes these stories along with others chosen by the author for publication before his death in 2012. Section 2 stories reflect the hardships and challenges of rural families in East Texas. Many of the subjects were rooted in the colorful acquaintances and tales from his youth, where he had been captivated by family lore and eccentric personalities. He passed away before many of the stories were adequately documented and fully competed.  His family continues his love for the East Texas area and can occasionally be caught wandering at one of his favorite haunts.

Wandering & Wondering is a  perfect bind glossy soft-covered edition containing 272 pages  and can be purchased from the Hopkins County Genealogy Society for $30.00 plus $3.00 for shipping. To purchase contact the library at 903-885-8523 or hcgstx@suddenlinkmail. com.