Van Zandt County Genealogical
Library of Genealogy and Local History
County Courthouse Annex, Suite 104 (East End of Building)
250 East Groves Street
P O Box 1388
Canton, TX 75103
903-567-5012
[email protected]
Welcome to the website of the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society and the Van Zandt County Library of Genealogy and Local History! Our most recent events, and upcoming activities can be found on this page, below. Use our navigational toolbar above to get to know us, including our About page regarding our purposes and mission.
Be sure and keep up with us also on our Facebook site.
Library Hours:
Monday through Friday: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Closed Sundays and Holidays
*Please call before travelling a long distance as sometimes there are unforeseen circumstances which call for the library to be closed from time to time.
Looking for the "regular" (non-genealogy) Van Zandt County library? The Van Zandt County Sarah Norman Library is at a separate location, at 317 First Monday Lane, Canton. A wonderful resource! Books, activities, fun for all ages! Visit the main library in person or at vanzandtlibrary.org.
Upcoming Events:
Van Zandt County Genealogical Society
For upcoming events, and for other interesting information, check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VanZandtCountyGenealogy. Most of our monthly meetings are free, they are all open to the public, and refreshments are served.
Celebrating the Season
Cold and rain didn’t stop the Genealogical Society’s annual holiday party for librarians, car parkers and board members. Our dedicated volunteers brought food and drink for a delicious potluck lunch, complete with wassail (non-alcoholic!), a hot chocolate bar, and coffee to finish. Special thanks to Carrie Woolverton, our President, for providing thoughtful gifts and decorations as well as food.
Not all of our volunteers could attend, due to illness and scheduling conflicts, and of course the absence of our departed friend Larry Greer was deeply felt. This is the season for joy and reflection, and in addition to laughs and food, we remembered the many Genealogical Society volunteers, no longer with us, who paved our way.
We are grateful to be able to continue to serve the county, and for the support of our county government officials, especially the county Commissioners Court. A big Thank You also to those who are members of the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society, people who donate to us, and those who attend our meetings. Most of all, we appreciate the support of the public, who use the Genealogy Library and tell their friends about us.
Genealogy and Local History: We celebrate these things every day!
Not all of our volunteers could attend, due to illness and scheduling conflicts, and of course the absence of our departed friend Larry Greer was deeply felt. This is the season for joy and reflection, and in addition to laughs and food, we remembered the many Genealogical Society volunteers, no longer with us, who paved our way.
We are grateful to be able to continue to serve the county, and for the support of our county government officials, especially the county Commissioners Court. A big Thank You also to those who are members of the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society, people who donate to us, and those who attend our meetings. Most of all, we appreciate the support of the public, who use the Genealogy Library and tell their friends about us.
Genealogy and Local History: We celebrate these things every day!
Remembering Larry
Friends, family and colleagues gathered to pay tribute to the late Lawrence O. Greer at the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society’s November 23 meeting at the main library in Canton. (A memorial service for Mr. Greer had been held the previous day at Eubank Funeral Home in Canton.)
Lawrence Greer, who died on August 18, 2024, had a lifelong interest in history and became active in the Genealogical Society and the Van Zandt County Historical Commission, among other organizations, after retiring. The Genealogical Society dedicated its November meeting to Mr. Greer and invited the public to come share their memories. There was an enthusiastic response. The meeting was well-attended by people eager to tell many inspiring and amusing stories about Mr. Greer’s life.
Genealogical Society President Carrie Woolverton led the tribute by presenting a Genealogical Society plaque honoring Lawrence Greer to his daughter, Donna Greer. The plaque noted Mr. Greer’s long service to the community, his commitment to history and scholarship, and his status as a friend and mentor to countless people. Donna told of how her father’s interest in history and genealogy influenced all the family’s vacations. She noted that her father’s obsession with visiting cemeteries and museums wherever they traveled was something she and her two brothers got used to, with the amused support of her mother, Mickie, Lawrence’s wife of 52 years.
Sherrie Archer read Lawrence’s obituary and explained how the members of the Genealogical Society and Historical Commission were the only ones who had called him Larry. She reminded the Genealogical Society members that Mable Cook, former President of the Genealogical Society (and a force to be reckoned with) began to call Lawrence "Larry" and, well, you kind of followed her lead. Jan Crow spoke of how Larry would often bring into the library binders of research information that he had no use for and would say: “If you can use this, great. Otherwise, throw it out!” Many members of the Genealogy Society remembered Larry doing this: He had stacks of materials he’d used on various articles and books he was writing.
Family members talked about Mr. Greer’s love of Van Zandt County, where his roots ran deep. Larry spent his early childhood years in the Wentworth Community, before his parents moved him and his siblings to Dallas. He later returned and settled on family land. Larry’s daughter-in-law, Katy Greer, reminisced about how he was always driving into Canton for some errand or other, and how she could see why he loved the area.
Ms. Woolverton remarked that Lawrence seemed to know in detail every cemetery in the county: she told of how she had gone to a cemetery with Larry and Benja Mize (Larry’s old friend and a fellow genealogist and researcher), and although Larry professed not to know anything about that particular graveyard, he identified many of the persons buried there. (There really were very few cemeteries he didn’t know.)
James Fuller spoke of Lawrence’s assistance with his research on the Canton Masonic lodge’s history. Ed Bailey praised Mr. Greer’s extensive knowledge of history and genealogy, and noted Lawrence’s generosity in donating books to the Grand Saline Old School Museum. Many people at the meeting spoke of the beautiful walking sticks that Mr. Greer carved and gave away; these sticks are now treasured mementoes. Donna Greer mentioned that her father was an auctioneer—not something many of the crowd were aware of. He was a person of many talents, in addition to the work he actually made a living at—finance and banking.
Janice Haddaway, Lawrence’s sister-in-law, kept the crowd in stitches with stories of traveling with her husband and Lawrence and Mickie, including a month-long trip to Alaska. She shared Mr. Greer’s recipe for the ultimate cocktail: Jim Beam bourbon mixed with a McDonald’s milkshake! Suzie Bass talked of Mr. Greer’s influential presence on the Historical Commission and at the Van Zandt County Genealogy Library, his helpfulness to other researchers, and the many articles and books he wrote—in particular, the book Stories Beneath the Stones, which he wrote with Benja Mize. Ms. Bass noted the long friendship and collaboration between Mr. Greer and Elvis Allen, the President of the Van Zandt County Historical Commission, and how the two of them knew pretty much everything about county history. Many other touching stories were shared by the numerous attendees—before, during and after the meeting, including Robin Touchstone, Kris Gutz, Betty Mull, Pat Wolford, Tracey Neufang, and Ali Genauer.
The meeting ended with a quick show-and-tell session. Jan Crow spoke about her Tabler family, and showed a striking photo of one ancestor standing on his horse’s back—while the horse was sitting down! Imogene Kirkpatrick showed a jar with different layers of soil—representing different home locations. She also read a fascinating collection of postcards recording family members of different ages keeping in touch 100 years ago. It was a fitting finish to a meeting dedicated to a man like Lawrence Greer, whose love of history and family was equal to his love of fun.
Lawrence Greer, who died on August 18, 2024, had a lifelong interest in history and became active in the Genealogical Society and the Van Zandt County Historical Commission, among other organizations, after retiring. The Genealogical Society dedicated its November meeting to Mr. Greer and invited the public to come share their memories. There was an enthusiastic response. The meeting was well-attended by people eager to tell many inspiring and amusing stories about Mr. Greer’s life.
Genealogical Society President Carrie Woolverton led the tribute by presenting a Genealogical Society plaque honoring Lawrence Greer to his daughter, Donna Greer. The plaque noted Mr. Greer’s long service to the community, his commitment to history and scholarship, and his status as a friend and mentor to countless people. Donna told of how her father’s interest in history and genealogy influenced all the family’s vacations. She noted that her father’s obsession with visiting cemeteries and museums wherever they traveled was something she and her two brothers got used to, with the amused support of her mother, Mickie, Lawrence’s wife of 52 years.
Sherrie Archer read Lawrence’s obituary and explained how the members of the Genealogical Society and Historical Commission were the only ones who had called him Larry. She reminded the Genealogical Society members that Mable Cook, former President of the Genealogical Society (and a force to be reckoned with) began to call Lawrence "Larry" and, well, you kind of followed her lead. Jan Crow spoke of how Larry would often bring into the library binders of research information that he had no use for and would say: “If you can use this, great. Otherwise, throw it out!” Many members of the Genealogy Society remembered Larry doing this: He had stacks of materials he’d used on various articles and books he was writing.
Family members talked about Mr. Greer’s love of Van Zandt County, where his roots ran deep. Larry spent his early childhood years in the Wentworth Community, before his parents moved him and his siblings to Dallas. He later returned and settled on family land. Larry’s daughter-in-law, Katy Greer, reminisced about how he was always driving into Canton for some errand or other, and how she could see why he loved the area.
Ms. Woolverton remarked that Lawrence seemed to know in detail every cemetery in the county: she told of how she had gone to a cemetery with Larry and Benja Mize (Larry’s old friend and a fellow genealogist and researcher), and although Larry professed not to know anything about that particular graveyard, he identified many of the persons buried there. (There really were very few cemeteries he didn’t know.)
James Fuller spoke of Lawrence’s assistance with his research on the Canton Masonic lodge’s history. Ed Bailey praised Mr. Greer’s extensive knowledge of history and genealogy, and noted Lawrence’s generosity in donating books to the Grand Saline Old School Museum. Many people at the meeting spoke of the beautiful walking sticks that Mr. Greer carved and gave away; these sticks are now treasured mementoes. Donna Greer mentioned that her father was an auctioneer—not something many of the crowd were aware of. He was a person of many talents, in addition to the work he actually made a living at—finance and banking.
Janice Haddaway, Lawrence’s sister-in-law, kept the crowd in stitches with stories of traveling with her husband and Lawrence and Mickie, including a month-long trip to Alaska. She shared Mr. Greer’s recipe for the ultimate cocktail: Jim Beam bourbon mixed with a McDonald’s milkshake! Suzie Bass talked of Mr. Greer’s influential presence on the Historical Commission and at the Van Zandt County Genealogy Library, his helpfulness to other researchers, and the many articles and books he wrote—in particular, the book Stories Beneath the Stones, which he wrote with Benja Mize. Ms. Bass noted the long friendship and collaboration between Mr. Greer and Elvis Allen, the President of the Van Zandt County Historical Commission, and how the two of them knew pretty much everything about county history. Many other touching stories were shared by the numerous attendees—before, during and after the meeting, including Robin Touchstone, Kris Gutz, Betty Mull, Pat Wolford, Tracey Neufang, and Ali Genauer.
The meeting ended with a quick show-and-tell session. Jan Crow spoke about her Tabler family, and showed a striking photo of one ancestor standing on his horse’s back—while the horse was sitting down! Imogene Kirkpatrick showed a jar with different layers of soil—representing different home locations. She also read a fascinating collection of postcards recording family members of different ages keeping in touch 100 years ago. It was a fitting finish to a meeting dedicated to a man like Lawrence Greer, whose love of history and family was equal to his love of fun.
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Van Zandt County Courthouse Annex
Our BuildingWe are inside the second door on the left side of the building, up the steps .
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The Library offers four computers with internet access, Ancestry.com (Ancestry Library), History Geo, newspapers online, microfilm of local county newspapers, marriages licenses, various other county records, and microfilm Census records (if you like researching the old-fashioned way). We offer quite a few books relating to Van Zandt County specifically, and books of other Texas counties as well as other states. We are a great little library for genealogy research.
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Useful Genealogy & History Links
Van Zandt County Historical Commission www.vanzandthistoricalcommission.com/
Texas State Genealogical Society www.txsgs.org/
Van Zandt County, Texas History (Facebook): www.facebook.com/VZTXHistory
Texas Historical Commission www.thc.texas.gov/
East Texas Genealogical Society www.etgs.org/
The Portal to Texas History texashistory.unt.edu/
Texas State Library and Archives Commission www.tsl.texas.gov/arc
Texas General Land Office www.glo.texas.gov
Texas State Genealogical Society www.txsgs.org/
Van Zandt County, Texas History (Facebook): www.facebook.com/VZTXHistory
Texas Historical Commission www.thc.texas.gov/
East Texas Genealogical Society www.etgs.org/
The Portal to Texas History texashistory.unt.edu/
Texas State Library and Archives Commission www.tsl.texas.gov/arc
Texas General Land Office www.glo.texas.gov