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Rick Wilson, president of the Hopkins County Historical Society, introduces Paula Altenbaumer as Mary Ann Hargrave McLaughlin, a pioneer of 180 years ago.
Annually, the Hopkins County Historical and Genealogical Societies membership holds a joint meeting to discuss upcoming projects and to enjoy refreshments and fellowship inside the Winniford Building in Heritage Park.
Paula Altenbaumer, a member of both societies, staged a historical presentation that was informative and entertaining for the 50-plus members and guests attending. Her depiction was of Mrs. Mary Ann Hargrave McLaughlin, a descendant of one of Hopkins County's earliest settler families. In first person, Paula illustrated how she as a 6-yearold child along with about 18 other family members traveled from Indiana to Texas by ox wagons and arrived in the Old Sulphur Bluff area in 1842. Their first settlement was near the bluff which stood above the South Sulphur River.
The next year, another two dozen of the Hargrave family arrived and settled land, and later some of their offspring would put down roots in what would become the Nelta and Birthright areas in the northern part of the county.
Paula, who has a repertoire of numerous colorful figures of the past, stated that the Hopkins County Genealogical Research Library has a wealth of cataloged information available for anyone who is interested in historical research or tracing their family tree.