Kirkpatrick praises genealogists Plaster thanks commissioners

A copy of a book outlining the history of Hillcrest Cemetery in Canton titled, “Stories Beneath the Stones,” was presented by two members of the Van Zandt County Genealogical Library to the VZC Commissioners Court Nov. 15 during the court’s regular meeting.

Benja Mize and Lawrence Greer from the VZC Genealogical Library did the research on the book and made the presentation to VZC Judge Don Kirkpatrick and the commissioners court.

“We will also be presenting this book to the Canton City Council at their next meeting,” pointed out Greer. “This book is about the people who are buried at Hillcrest Cemetery. This book is actually written as an extension of the Hillcrest Cemetery preservation project that was started by the City of Canton in 2012. It covers biographies of everyone buried in that cemetery. We took this project on because we just felt like it needed to be done.”

Greer emphasized that among those buried in Hillcrest Cemetery include two U. S. congressmen, four state representatives, one district attorney, six county commissioners including the person that served in more county offices than anyone else in the history of VZC, 10 county judges including the longest serving judge in the history of VZC, five county clerks, three district clerks, eight county treasurers including the longest serving treasurer in the history of VZC, six tax assessor-collectors and three county surveyors including the longest serving surveyor in the history of VZC.

“These people were the backbone of this city and this county and nobody remembers them and that is a shame,” said Greer. “We have tried to correct that with this book. We would like to present a copy of this book to you.”

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