Kissin’ Kuzzins

(1) The Newton County Historical Commission, John Jefferson, Chairman, is pleased to announce its Newton County Genealogy Conference on Friday, Feb. 21, and Saturday, Feb. 22, respectively. The first day of instruction, Friday, Feb. 21, will take place at the Iris and Anne Howard Civic Center on 213 East Court Street in downtown Newton, to the left of the Newton County Museum History Center and Genealogical Library. The next day of genealogical, history, and family history presentations will be delivered in a different location:  Eagles’ Landing on the campus of Newton High School. The cost of the Conference — for both days — is $20, which includes breakfast snacks and box lunches as well as the cost of the conference. To pre-register, contact Terri Woods before Feb. 10 at 409-379-2109 or terri.nchc@yahoo.com. At 2 p.m., Carolyn Spears will discuss “George Louis Crocket,” followed by Stanley Fletcher, of Leesville, on “The Inlaws and Outlaws of the Neutral Ground.” At 4 p.m., John Johnson, co-chair of the Jasper County Historical Commission, will hold forth on “The Railroads of Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Louisiana.” The next day, Saturday, Feb. 22, opens with Stanley Fletcher discussing “Steamboats of the Sabine River” at 9 a.m. and Nelta Nolen talking about “Researching in Louisiana” at 10 a.m. At 11 a.m., either Mary Elizabeth Fortenberry and/or Alene Dunn will explain “The Intricacies of Applying to DAR,” and at 11:30 a.m. Kathy Hillman and others will tell the audience about “Applying to Civil War Heritage Societies (for North and South).” Conference organizer Dickie Dixon will serve as the keynote speaker during the lunch break between 11:50 a.m. and 1 p.m., elaborating the details of “Mechanics Liens: A Wealth of Information for Genealogists, Historians, and Preservationists.” Sherrie Leach is the speaker at 1 p.m. on “My Family’s Connections to the Texas Revolution,” and Patti Huff Smith is on tap at 2 p.m. on “Family Patterns.” Dr. George Avery will end the day with his discussion “Adding Archeological Context to Genealogy: Excavations at Shankleville.”  

(2) Jamie Carter Bollich and Herman Wright will server on a panel discussion on freedom colonies in Texas at the Feb. 28, meeting of the Texas State Historical Association in Austin. Some of the land Herman owns in Jasper County was once the location of the Mount Union freedom colony.  For more information, contact Jamie at jamiebollich@yahoo.com.  

(3) Herman Wright of Jasper and Jamie Bollich of Beaumont will serve as members of a panel discussion called “A Celebration of Freedom Colonies” at 4 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17, for the Angelina County Genealogical Society meeting in the Community Meeting Room of Kurth Memorial Library on 706 South Raguet in Lufkin. It is hoped that residents and/or historians from Trinity County will serve also to talk about Nigton as a freedom colony. Herman now owns the land where the Mount Union freedom colony was outside of Jasper.  

(4) At 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17, former Lufkin ISD administrator Joe Deason will discuss his first historical novel about his life Legacy at the Fellowship Hall of Keltys United Methodist Church on 1867 Old Mill Road in Lufkin Texas. For more information contact Reverend Cindy Doran at 936-852-4123 or keltysumc@hotmail.com or Dickie Dixon at 936-671-1419 or dixonhershel51@gmail.com.

Please send your queries about your family to dixonhershel58@gmail.com by phone to 936-671-1419 or by mail to Kissin’ Kuzzins, P.O. Box 151001, Lufkin, TX 75915-1001.