Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Williams.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Mary. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
In 1972, Billie Hardee, deceased, gathered some Tomball area friends together. Those seven women decided the area needed a genealogy group, and formed the ‘Labor of Love Genealogy Society’. The first formal meeting was September 18, 1972. By December 1st of 1972 there were 47 Charter Members. In September of 1974, the Labor of Love Genealogy Society became the ‘Chaparral Genealogical Society’.
The Society was proud of its collection of 40 books that it had collected during that first year. After close to 40 years of growth and several moves within the City of Tomball, the Society moved its library to Magnolia, in Montgomery County. Chaparral Genealogical Society will soon start its 45th year with 4,500 books plus a large collection of periodicals. Chaparral has been blessed to receive quite a few books from the estates of people who were family historians.
Chaparral has been recognized as a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization by the IRS since 1976.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
From the beginning, the Society has struggled to have a suitable place to house the library. During the first year, the 40 books were kept in member’s homes. This became too difficult, so the books were relocated to a lone bookshelf in a back room of the old Tomball Public Library.
In 1975, Chaparral leased a small room in the Tomball City Hall and once again moved their books, which now were close to 500.
It soon became obvious that Chaparral needed a home of its own. After years of fund raising, the Society was able to purchase a small lot in Tomball. Chaparral now owned land but was almost broke and still in need of a building. Society members Harry and Iva Brenneman donated a 600 sq. ft. weekend cabin which was moved into town. Volunteers spent many weekend hours during the summer of 1982 making the building useable; it finally became the home of the Society on September 16, 1982.
In the early 2000’s it again became obvious that Chaparral had outgrown its space. After many false starts and dead ends, Chaparral has been blessed by Montgomery County and the Magnolia community with the opportunity for Chaparral to establish a new home for our society and library.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Chaparral Genealogical Society and Library – what should we know?
The Chaparral Library is a genealogical research library.
Part of Chaparral’s purpose is to maintain a non-profit library devoted to the collection and dissemination of factual family history data. The Library of Chaparral Genealogical Society has remained an independent entity during its existence, controlled only by the elected officers and Board of Directors of Chaparral Genealogical Society. The officers and Board of Directors are elected by the membership each year.
Chaparral holds monthly meetings at the Amegy Bank in Tomball. These meetings are free of charge and open to all persons who are actively interested in, or engaged in, researching family history. Guest speakers provide educational programs at the meetings.
We are not trying to compete with The Montgomery County Library in Conroe, nor Clayton Library in Houston. Chaparral and its members want the library to be another source of genealogical information for people in and around Magnolia and anyone else who wishes to come in – no matter where they live.
One thing that sets us apart is that the Library has no paid employees. Everything is done by volunteers from the Society’s membership.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
During the past 47 years, there have been many people who have played a big role in the longevity/success of Chaparral. The elected officers of the past, especially the presidents, have laid the ground work for the current officers.
Several members are able to turn their volunteer hours in to corporations who encourage employees/retirees to be volunteers within their community. The monetary gifts from these corporations are a big help.
Chaparral’s Library is able to open because of the Society members who are library volunteers.
Contact Info:
- Address: 31350 Friendship Drive
Magnolia, Texas 77355
(Parking and entrance in back of building) - Website: www.chaparralgensoc.org
- Phone: 281-259-7500
- Email: chaparral8041@sbcglobal.net
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChaparralGenSoc
Image Credit:
All images provided by Chaparral
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