In 1977 Earl Berry, Marion Co AR Historian, complied a book about Marion Co, its history and its people including many early photos. This book has long been out of print and close to impossible to find. The Marion County Historical Society granted permission for the book to be transcribed (excluding all of the family information section) and placed on the Marion Co web site.

In the early part of 2002 the Historical Society granted permission to the Marion County Historical and Genealogical Society to reprint this book. It is now available. Here is the order form. If you have any questions please contact the Marion County Historical and Genealogical Society.

The Baxter Bulletin:

MCHGS publishing silver anniversary edition

ANN WORSTER
Bulletin Correspondent

The Marion County Historical and Genealogy Society (MCHGS) is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the publishing of the History of Marion County by printing a silver anniversary edition, according to Vickie Roberts, chairman of the organization.

Roberts said she and the society's officers -- Mysty McPherson, vice-chairman, Mary Ann Birrer, secretary, and Barbara Holland, treasurer -- had received permission from Lyle Wood, copyright holder, to reprint the book in "celebration of the occasion."

The original book was the project of the Marion County History Committee members Wood, Bernice Smith, Barbara Doshier, Effie Thompson, Marian Burnes, Glen Johnson, Bernice Johnson, Baxter Hurst, Geneva Hurst, Hilda Blankenship, June Young, Jean Hilldebrand, Mary Martin and Cora Taylor, Roberts said.

She said, "The history committee mailed out form letters as early as 1972, asking Marion County residents to contribute to the book by completing and returning the forms providing historical information and family histories." Roberts said the committee compiled the information from many people who had family members who were descended from this area. She added, "The book was edited by Earl Berry, who was given credit for authorship."

Roberts said there was no original manuscript to work from, "So we allowed the printer to use one of the original books, and with the set-up and copying, it ended up being an expensive process." She said no new information has been added. The only difference will be the addition of an index to the book and a picture of some of the original committee members.

According to Roberts, 200 copies will be made in the first printing. The anniversary edition will have a dark green hard cover with silver lettering. She said the books will sell for $75 each, with a $5 shipping charge for those that must be mailed. All proceeds will go into buying more research material for the genealogy room at the Marion County Library.

"We expect delivery on the books in four to six weeks, and we are taking advance orders," she said. Roberts said to order one of the books, customers may contact her at home in the evenings at (870) 449-6195, or e-mail her at whiskers@yellville.net.

Roberts commented, "We have had a lot of inquiries from people about where they can get the history, but we have had to tell them it's out of print."

When asked why the MCHGS wanted to reprint the History of Marion County, Roberts replied, "We simply feel, as a society here in Marion County, this is one of the finest pieces of written history we have, and as caretakers of that history it needed to be preserved."

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"This Page Was Last Updated Wednesday, 19-Mar-2008 09:28:50 CDT"

Karen L. (Hildebrand) Stevens