The
30th North Arkansas Ancestor Fair held Friday and Saturday, May 31
and June 1 in Marshall attracted more people than we’ve seen in a couple of
years. There were 77 who registered, or
were otherwise identified, and probably at least half again as many who did not
leave a paper trail. So the estimated
attendance was at least 120, and probably more.
A quick survey of attendees revealed that about 20 came from Searcy
County, 40 from Arkansas outside Searcy County, seven from Oklahoma, six from
Texas and two each from Mississippi and Missouri. About forty-five attended the Friday night
Mixer-Dinner at the Los Aztecas Mexican Restaurant where they met kinfolk for
the first time and renewed old contacts.
An
unexpected draw was the dedication by the Sons of Confederate Veterans of a
marker recognizing Searcy County men who served in the Confederate Army. They brought a cannon and an honor guard. The marker sits on the Veterans Hall grounds
in Marshall where the Ancestor Fair was held.
Four
counties were represented-Boone, Marion, Searcy and Van Buren, and four
heritage organizations–DAR, SAR, SCV and UDC.
They all offered resources for the researchers and signed up new
members. The Arkansas State Archives
office, Scotland, Arkansas and the Chickamauga Nation, as well as some family
historians, all had tables with information about their purview.
Joshua
C. Youngblood, Outreach Librarian at Special Collections, University of
Arkansas Libraries–Fayetteville gave two well-attended and appreciated talks on
what can be learned by interpreting old photographs and on broadening research
strategies through regional and national collections.
Shirley
Gray managed and produced another well-organized Ancestor Fair for north
Arkansas’s researchers. She has
committed to doing Ancestor Fair 31 on June 5 and 6, 2020 in Marshall,
Arkansas, for which all researchers are thankful. Those interested may keep abreast of Ancestor
Fair 31’s progress on the Ancestor Fair website: www.ancestorfair.us.
