On April 19 1969, a meeting of interested people was held for the purpose of forming a Historical Society for DeKalb County. Those in attendance were Dorothy Caldwell, Associate Editor of the Missouri historical Review, published by the State historical Society, Mrs. Dayle C. Mc Donough, President of the Missouri Federation of Women's Clubs, Bessie L Whiteaker, Lora Lockhart, Ruth Lybarger and Martha Spiers.
A constitution and by-laws were written, a slate of officers was drawn up and the place and time of the organizational meeting was considered.
The following day, April 20, 1969, 34 people who were interested in the preservation of the county's history met in the Community Room of the courthouse and formed a Historical Society. Mrs Dayle McDonough presided as temporary chairman and her husband, Judge mcDonough, read the proposed by-laws and conducted the discussion after which the Society accepted the corrected form.
A motto, which had been suggested by Harley Fisher, was chosen, "A county that forgets its past will never have a future." The purpose of the DeKalb County Historical Society is to "study, preserve and record our heritage."
By the end of 1969, 167 members from many areas of the United States had joined the Society.
President - Sharon Martin
Vice President Martha Shireman
2nd Vice President Beulah McManus
Recording Secretary Bev Maltsberger
Corresponding Secretary Janice Bennett
Treasurer Barbara Owen
Financial Secretary Sharon Murphy
President Emeritus Earlene Vaughn 1987 - 1989
President Emeritus Ruth Owen 1989 - 2003
Adams - Ken & Margie Bray
Camden - Kyle Bridgman, Vola Castle
Colfax - Anne Wolfe, Noma Vaughn
Dallas - Mike & Carol Wolf, Harold & Jackie Allison
Grand River - Keith Meek
Grant - Marilyn Haley & Kelly Mc Millen
Polk - John Jr. & Rose Hutchcraft
Sherman - June Lippold, Joyce Shirk
Washington - Sharon Murphy, Joe Stevenson
*denotes Chairperson
Museum-Kenneth Rhodes, Roberta Dice (Co-curators)
Heritage - * Beulah Mc Manus, John & Sharon Murphy, Joyce & Bert Sherard, Karen Anderson, Janice Bennett
Membership - *Beulah Mc Manus, Sharon Murphy, Martha Shireman, Janice Bennett
Memorial Fund - Joyce Sherard
Genealory - Chet Owen, Joyce Shirk, Frank Pettijohn, Charlotte Carpenter
Records Preservation -Chet Owen
Building - *Chet Owen Kenneth Rhodes, Gene Newkirk, Charles Martin, Galen Castor, Frank Pettijohn, Mike Wolf, Roger Bennett
Heritage Park - Vola Castle, Gene Newkirk, Frank Pettijohn
Financial - * Sharon Martin, Martha Shireman, Linda Walker, Betty Vinson, Anne Wolfe
Our staff are all volunteers. They are dedicated to preservation of the history of DeKalb County MO
Membership is established yearly and costs $15.00.
Membership entitles the member to four quarterly published issues of The Heritage, a newsletter of the Historical Society that includes information, updates and articles relating to the latest activities of the DeKalb County Historical Society.
Membership also gives a discount on photocopies of research files.
Membership helps to provide financial support for the ongoing work of the Historical Society.
To become a member of the DeKalb County Historical Society click on the "Contact Us " tab at the top of the page and drop us an email or send us a letter with a check for $15.00 to the address on that page.