Monthly Meetings

The Society meets the third Thursday of each month at the HCGS Research Library, 611 N. Davis St., Sulphur Springs, TX, 75482, at 7:00 p.m.

Programs during these meetings are free and visitors are always welcome. The Society does not meet in June, July or December.  The August meeting is usually a joint meeting with the Hopkins County Historical Society at Heritage Park.

Live too far from Sulphur Springs to come to the HCGS monthly meetings?

Join us via Zoom! Registration in advance is required. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. HCGS members and supporters who are on our email distribution list already receive our monthly meeting notices. If you are not currently on our distribution list and would like to receive the monthly meeting notices, please send an email to hcgstx@suddenlinkmail.com

HCGS does not permit the recording of presentations at our meetings under any circumstances or in any form or media, including but not limited to audio recordings, video recordings, or literal transcripts, except by specific written permission. Screen captures or photos may not be taken for any reason without the prior consent of the speaker.

2025 Speakers List

May 15th – Kenny Sivard

Kenny Sivard is coming from Oklahoma to bring us the story of the “Battle of Honey Springs,” a Civil War battle fought in Indian Territory. He may even augment his talk by dressing in period costume!

Kenny is a 7th generation resident of McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Currently he is the president of the McCurtain County Historical Society and serves on the board of directors of the Oklahoma Historical Society where he sits on the organization’s Research and Publications Committees. He also serves on the executive board of the Friends of Fort Towson Historic Site and the board of directors of the Friends of Honey Springs Historic Battlefield. Kenny was formerly a history writer for the Oklahoma Edge Magazine and has written history articles for the McCurtain Gazette newspaper for over ten years.

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Apr 17th – Gerald Davis

Gerald Davis was born in 1965 in Clarksville to Loreane Reeves and Hertis Davis. He has been doing genealogy for at least 46 years. He will be speaking to us about North East Texas slaves and the history of Texas.

Gerald says his research has taken him all over Texas (Red River, Lamar, Cass, Marion, Hopkins, Fannin, Grayson, & Harrison Counties), Oklahoma, Arkansas (Hempstead, Lafayette, Sevier, Miller, & Little River Counties), Louisiana (Caddo, Bossier, & DeSoto Parishes), Mississippi (Adam, Wilkinson, Yazoo, Issaquena, Hinds Counties), Tennessee (Montgomery, & Davidson Counties), and Kentucky (Todd, & Christian Counties). He has family dating back as early as July 1818 in Spanish Texas, coming out of Madison County, Alabama.

Gerald is a 1984 graduate of Clarksville High School. He attended Paris Jr college in 1989. In 1992 he relocated to Ft. Worth, Tx. In January of 2011 he moved back to North East Texas (Clarksville). Since 2017 he has been living in Lamar County and often fills in when needed at the Lamar County Genealogical Society library.

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Mar 20th – Emily Coffman Richardson, Ed.D

Our speaker, Emily Coffman Richardson Ed.D., is a professional genealogist and lecturer based in Denton, Texas. She began her genealogy journey alongside her mother, searching courthouse records and cemeteries for their Ohio and Pennsylvania ancestors. After retiring from a career in higher education in 2019, she moved to Texas and revived her mother’s genealogy business, Kinsearchers. Her work includes lineage society applications and solving family tree conflicts, particularly name discrepancies.

Emily is currently serving a two-year term as president of the Texas State Genealogical Society (TxSGS), beginning January 1, 2025, after previously holding roles as secretary and Director-at-Large. She also oversees the production of the new TxSGS podcast, Lone Star Family Trails. In addition to her leadership roles, Emily chairs programming for the Robson Ranch Genealogy Club and teaches genealogy courses for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of North Texas. She frequently lectures at genealogy societies across Texas.

A dedicated storyteller, Emily is working to preserve her ancestors’ histories—a request from her mother, who focused on the research side. She is completing a four-volume work on the descendants of her 5th great-grandfather, Melchior Yoder, who arrived in the U.S. in the 1750s. This project is part of her role as coordinator for the non-Amish branch of the Yoder Family Newsletter. Emily will be speaking on collateral research.

Collateral Research: Using Nine Children and DNA to Develop the Story
Thorough genealogical research often requires exploring individuals beyond direct ancestors—collateral relatives such as aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings of grandparents and great-grandparents. Examining their lives can provide crucial context, uncover hidden family connections, and help resolve  gaps in research.

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Feb 27th – Patty Massey Williams

This meeting has been rescheduled to Feb 27th due to the expected weather.

Have you ever wondered what life was like in the 1800s?  Well, it often began with a shiver! Rich or poor, in city dwelling or farm laborer’s cabin in the western frontier of Texas, the first step out of bed was likely to leave you cold. The wealthier class would have coal or wood burning fireplaces in their bedrooms, but these were rarely lit. Come and explore with Eliza Bullard Butler the practicalities of living in East Texas during the Victorian Era.

Patty Massey Williams, a sixth-generation American, descends from ancestors who fought in every war since the American Revolution. She earned a Master of Education from Stephen F. Austin State University and taught for 37 years, spending 27 years in early primary education (Kindergarten through Second Grade) and the last decade training teachers to integrate advanced technologies into their classrooms.

Patty now presents historical interpretations for schools, genealogical and historical societies, and events like the Spirits of Oakwood Cemetery in Tyler and Voices of Longview’s 150th Celebration. She has published award-winning historical articles.

She is an active member of the Tyler chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution and United Daughters of the Confederacy, currently serving as chapter President. Patty also serves on the Oakwood Historical Cemetery Preservation Committee and is a member of the Smith County Historical Association.

Raised in Hawkins, northeast of Tyler, Patty’s ancestors have lived in Wood, Hardin, and Brazoria counties for generations. After marrying her college sweetheart, Monty Williams, they settled in White Oak to raise their two daughters, Laura Horn and Joanna Schinkle. Their families remain in East Texas, and the grandchildren cherish time at Meme and Gramps’ house.

Patty’s love for reading and family history research began with her grandmothers in the 1960s, continued by her parents through the 2000s, and now rests with her as the family historian. Her home is filled with cherished antiques and heirlooms. Passionate about teaching the true stories of our ancestors, Patty says, “I am continuing this legacy for my own children and grandchildren.”

Jan 16th – Jerry Tittle

Jerry’s topic will be:  “Growing Up in the Franklin County Jail with Dad Sheriff and his Grandfather Sheriff Before That”.

He was born and reared in Mt. Vernon, Tx. While his dad Junior Tittle, was sheriff of Franklin Co , Jerry lived in the family quarters on the bottom floor of the Franklin Co Jail. Jerry graduated in 1964 from Mt. Vernon High School. He put his college days at East Texas State College on hold after a brief time, and he and his high school sweetheart, Sue Martin were married December 1965. They recently celebrated 59 years together. Jerry enlisted in the US Army to serve from January ,1967 to January ,1970, spending 13 months in Korea and 23 months in Seattle, Washington. After the Army Jerry, Sue and their young daughter Holli, relocated to Sulphur Springs. Jerry used his Montgomery G.I. Bill to earn a BA degree in English and Journalism, and later a MS degree in Counseling and Guidance, all from East Texas State, later named East Texas State University. Jerry worked a couple years as Sports Editor and Sunday Feature writer for the News Telegram in Sulphur Springs. Going forward, Jerry and Sue had two additional children Jeff and Sloane. Jerry taught 10th grade English for five years and was a school counselor for 27 years, all at Sulphur Springs High School, where he retired in 2012. After that date , Jerry worked as a Middle School Counselor for 6 years at Princeton ISD. Jerry says he always longed to write, but watching life play out through a keyhole in a locked jailhouse door was where he really honed his craft.

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