Linda May (left), of Van, won first place for excellence for "Reconstruction Records of Van Zandt County" and Sibyl Creasey (right), of Ben Wheeler, won third place for "Early Obituaries and Death Records of Van Zandt County" at the Texas State Genealogical Society conference. Both books were published by the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society. Van Zandt County Genealogical Society members Linda Lantrip Mays, of Van, and Sibyl Creasey, of Ben Wheeler, won top awards for the society during the Texas State Genealogical Society (TSGS) annual conference held in Abilene recently.

"Reconstruction Records of Van Zandt County, transcribed and compiled by Mays won a first place award for excellence in the TSGS annual writing awards competition. Consisting of voter registrations for 1867 through 1869; occupational tax records for 1869 through 1874; and poll tax records for 1872, this book is filled with valuable information on the citizens of the area during a very difficult time from which few records have survived.

With the assistance of several society members, Creasey transcribed and compiled "Early Obituaries and Death Records of Van Zandt County" which won a third place award for excellence from TSGS. This volume contains all the 1884 to 1900 obituaries and death notices found in the collection of old newspapers on microfilm at the Library of Genealogy and Local History.

Both books are available for purchase from the genealogical society by visiting the Library of Genealogical and Local History, located in the courthouse annex in Canton. For further information on costs and mailing, call 903-567- 5012.