Kevin Jones
Jacksonville Daily Progress
JACKSONVILLE —
In may of 1975 a continuing education class which was held at Jacksonville College in Jacksonville started a craze in that time for genealogy. Through the world renowned book "Roots" and the TV show which was just as popular, the 70's brought in a decade of poeple who were interested in their relatives, from that point on the Cherokee County Genealogical society existed.
"After the college course was finished, a group of ladies got together and started the society in May of 1975," said Editor of the societies publications Gordon Bennett. "They started publishing monthly and or quarterly newsletters since that time, we've got 35 years of magazines published since 1935."
Bennett said there were about twenty ladies who were the first charter members and of those members Mary Marsh is still an active member. Also he said, In addition to the monthly and quarterly magazine, the society has published 78 books about genealogy. His job as editor is to make sure they are in print.
"The thing about research is that is a never ending process, you begin by telling about yourself, documenting all of that, then your siblings and parents," Bennett said. "After that you begin with your parents brothers and sisters and parents. The further you go back, the harder things are to find.
Bennett said that you must use many different types of resources to get very far in your search such as: Boat passenger records, census record, immigration records, birth records, death records and probate records.
"There is a wide variety of information that is available, it's all about just doing the search," Bennett said.
The group runs about 100 total membership and they share with other societies and libraries so that they can get further and further in their attempts to find new undiscovered family members.
Membership for the group is $15 for an individual and $20 for a couple. For more information on the society contact Gordon Bennett at 903-586-0135
