The Franklin County Genealogical Society is a neighborhood resource for researching family history and many of Franklin County’s historical records. Since its formation in 1997 and originally named “Genealogy Division of Franklin County Historical Association”, it has been run by volunteers anxious to help people follow their family tree for generations.
A group of 56 Franklin County residents established the organization and grew it from one room at the Old Fire Station Historical Museum to two large downtown buildings. As the saying goes, a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into their growth and expansion, culminating in the purchase and renovation of two buildings on the square. It was all hands on deck to replace dried-out wood flooring, peeling walls, and falling ceilings. Old medicine bottles and other artifacts found beneath the Crescent Drug floor during its repair are displayed in the Crescent Building.
Martha Hare, a lifetime resident of Franklin County and the organization's first president, was a driving force in bringing FCGS to where it is today. The research rooms and software are filled with records of births, deaths, marriages, family history, land abstracts, and much more. Over the years, members of the organization have compiled a variety of books focusing on local churches, schools, cemeteries, families, etc., that provide a wealth of information to help connect the dots in a family tree or to study areas of interest. Anyone looking for a Mount Vernon yearbook from years past can stop by to check the shelves. If someone wants to locate a grave in a nearby cemetery. FCGS can help.
The old Crescent Drug and Parchman-Meredith buildings, located at 110 E. Main Street in Mt. Vernon, Texas, hold resources for anyone who wants to learn more about their ancestry. A person can spend a few minutes or hours researching their family’s story. The center is open from 10-4:00 Monday -Tuesday and Thursday-Friday and Saturday by appointment only. Memberships are available for $25 per year, which includes a quarterly newsletter. Lifetime memberships are also available for $300.
For more information, contact Fcgenealogy21@gmail.com, www.fcgensociety.org,
(903)537-3931.
