Welcome to the Hopkins County Genealogical Society!
Sulphur Springs, Texas

On behalf of our board and members, we are delighted to have you visit our site, where history comes alive through our extensive resources and community of passionate genealogists. Whether you are just beginning your family history journey or have years of research experience, our society offers valuable tools, including access to a vast library, unique archival materials, and expert guidance. We invite you to explore our online records, participate in our events, and consider joining our society to connect with fellow researchers and support the preservation of Hopkins County’s rich heritage. Membership brings exclusive benefits, and we look forward to welcoming you to our growing community!

HCGS is proud to be a Partner Society of the Texas State Genealogical Society.

Join or Renew for 2026 — A Friendly Nudge

Hard to believe 2026 is here — but it is, and that means it’s time to renew your membership with HCGS.

If HCGS has helped you find a clue, a cousin, or a long-lost “wait… WHAT?” moment, please consider renewing for 2026. Dues remain $20 individual / $25 family. You’ll receive all four issues of our quarterly (by e-mail), access to the members only section of our website, plus meeting notices, event invitations, and a full year of learning and good company. If you can, renew today while it’s top of mind. And if you’ve already renewed… bless you, you magnificent enabler of record-hoarding.

From Hopkins County History

Friday, February 15, 1924, page 1 of 4

Important to Patrons-Trustees of Rural Schools

We are now sending out the supplies for taking the scholastic census in the rural school districts and please note the following rules:

1. They are to be taken within the month of March, not a day before, and not a day after.
2. Always enroll in the district in which you live, then if you want to transfer, file a written application with the county superintendent, on or before July 31st and not a day after.
3. Do not enroll your children with more than one census trustee.
4. Census trustees should not go across the district line and enroll children. If they do it will only cause more trouble and delay in making the consolidated census, for they will be taken off of your roll and put where they belong.
5. Return all census reports to the county superintendent’s office on or before April 1st, and not a day later.

B.F. Vanderslice,
County Superintendent

HCGS Note: Mr. Vanderslice may have been in a right tizzy about the Scholastic Census — but lucky you, we’re hoarding the paperwork. Want the story behind all the fuss? See our 👉School Records page.

Back Issues of Hopkins County Heritage

We are now offering for sale  ALL of the Hopkins County Heritage back issues on a single flash drive!! (Includes every issue from the beginning in 1984 to June 2017). Each flash drive contains two folders – one folder contains individual issue PDFs and one folder contains a single PDF of the complete set. It is word searchable so that you can easily locate surnames or search terms in any single issue or in the complete set! And travels with you easily to libraries or on research trips!

The cost is $50 (plus $4 for shipping and handling) and can be purchased by contacting  the HCGS library.

About The HCGS Research Library

Over 8,000 Titles

The HCGS Research Library houses original county records, maps, family collections, scrapbooks, 1000’s of photographs, and numerous original materials. Note, current Saturday hours – open 2nd Saturday of each month from 9:30am to 1:00pm.

Click here for more details about the HCGS Research Library.

FamilySearch.org Affiliate Library

The HCGS Research Library is an affiliate library of the LDS in Salt Lake City, Utah, which houses millions of digitized restricted records covering most counties in the US as well as worldwide. These restricted images, viewable from our computers, allow our patrons to travel to locations and view many records including court house records such as deeds, wills, probate cases, etc. from the convenience of our HCGS library. Use their catalog to discover what records might be of interest. (FamilySearch Help Center topic 55954 helps to explain how to use their catalog.) And if your county/country of interest has not yet been digitized you can contact FamilySearch to request that they digitize specific films. You may request up to 5 rolls of films in one interaction. For specific details on how to do this by phone, chat, or email go to FamilySearch’s Help Center and view help topic 469883.

Hopkins County Texas Research Guide

Professional genealogist and former Hopkins County resident Cyndi Harlin has graciously shared her Hopkins County Texas Research Guide. This expertly created guide gives numerous tips  and areas to explore to help aid your  research in Hopkins County. Check out this useful and  beautiful booklet by clicking here.

Rescue Mission

“Genealogy is a kind of rescue mission, one that often remains hidden. Not everyone can see that our ancestors need to be rescued. Not everyone has the ability or desire to rescue them. But we, as genealogists, see the need and set off on the mission, sure of the merit of our goal. We give voice to our ancestors buried in the silent archives of history. . .”^[1]

^[1] Margaret R. Fortier and Mary Kircher Roddy, “Editors’ Corner,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 112 (Dec 2024).