Katherine Hurt Peacock
Do you know how many cemeteries are in Cass County? How about when the Daughters of the American Revolution was formed in Cass County? Or how about when the Cass County Genealogical Society started? Kathy Peacock can tell you because she was instrumental in forming both the DAR and the CCGS here in Cass County! The first question she knows well also. The answer is 268 cemeteries are located in Cass County.
Kathy Peacock will be honored at the CCGS June meeting for the 50 years she has been a founding member of the group. She states that she has held every position in the society from President to Secretary. When asked how she became interested in genealogy here is her response. ”My mother’s first cousin wanted to know about her ancestors. At the time, you could look up people in the courthouse logs and I went to investigate for her. I was directed to seek out Myrelene Bowman with the Cass County Historical Association. We became friends and I learned how to research. At that time, the library was in the Police Station and the library had 1 book on genealogy and a few brochures. There were some old books about East Texas, but they just had history in them. That is when we decided to form the CCGS. We put a notice in the newspaper and at the first meeting about 8-9 people showed up. That was 50 years ago”. And since that time, Kathy Peacock has been the educator and researcher that most of the Members of CCGS will call or speak to in regard to a gravesite that they can’t find, or where should one look up to find out if they have any Indian relatives or a host of questions too many to list. As a retired teacher, she is still teaching and is planning a program for Queen City High School right now. This will involve the Old Liberty Cemetery. Old Liberty was opened she believed in the 1840s and she states there have been only 10 burials there since WW2.
When asked about what she would tell young people about researching their families past she states. ”Sunday after church we would sit around with our family and listen to them as they recalled the past. Take the time to sit with your parents and grandparents and ask questions. You might just find out to whom you could be related.”
Please come and join us at the June 8th meeting and congratulate Kathy Peacock on her 50 years!
The meeting is the Cass County Genealogical Society’s 50th Anniversary Founders Day Picnic that will be held June 8th in the Fellowship hall of The Methodist Church of Queen City at Marietta and Fourth Streets from 12 noon- 2 pm.