The TxSGS Awards Program presents awards in the categories of books, manuscripts, periodicals, websites, blogs, and student projects. Presidential Awards are also announced during this ceremony.
View recording of 2025 TxSGS Awards Ceremony. coming soon
Entry requirements for all awards can be found on the TxSGS website: https://www.txsgs.org/programs/awards-grants/writing-awards/ and https://www.txsgs.org/programs/awards-grants/website-awards/. We encourage you to begin or continue your writing journey and consider entering in 2026. Judging criteria are subject to change, so please check the website prior to submitting your entry.
Writing Awards
Book Awards – Chair: Bill Buckner
Grand Prize ($400)
No Kings of Prussia: Six Immigrant Families Seek the American Dream in 19th Century Texas Volume 1 Perspectives from Prussian & German Territories (2024) by Derek C. Block
Category I: Books by Non-Professionals / Family History.
1st Place ($200)
Fortitude: Preserving 400 Years of an American Family’s Faith, Patriotism, Grit and Determination 2d ed (2025) by Dale R. Spaulding
2nd Place ($100)
The Legacy of Robert Malone Tyus: Sussex County, Virginia to Freestone County, Texas (2025) by Kelly L. Tyus
3rd Place ($50)
The Life of Howson Hooe IV and His Descendants (2025) by David H. Surles
Category I: Books by Non-Professionals / References.
1st Place ($200)
Van, Texas Oil History ‘The Quiet Boom’ 1929 – 1939 as Told Through the Recorded Events of the Pure Oil Company Its Employees and Families (2025) by Linda Lantrip Mays
2nd Place ($100)
Building Saint Anne’s Church: Behind the Walls (2024) by Jeremy B. Myers
Category II: Books by a Professional. (no entries in 2025)
Category VII: Books Published by Partner Societies.
1st Place ($200)
C.H. Waltersdorf’s History of DeWitt County 1899 and Essays of Rudolph Kleberg 1847-1924 (2024) translated and edited by James Kearney (DeWitt County Historical Commission)
2nd Place ($100)
Galveston County, Texas: A Narrative and Pictorial History (2024) (Galveston County Historical Commission)
3rd Place ($50)
11 Days on the Colorado: The Pivotal Battle Unfought (2023) by James E Brasher, author; Rick McCaslin, TSHA editor (Texas State Historical Association)
Manuscript Awards – Chair: Belinda Brouette
Category III Manuscripts 1. Manuscript published by a local or regional community organization.
1st Place ($100)
“In Search of My Uncle, Claude James Westervelt, and My Introduction to HIPAA” (published in Our Heritage, v. 66, nos. 1 & 2 (Fall and Winter 2024-2025) pgs. 5-11) by L. Charles Westervelt
2nd Place ($75)
“Rooted in Faith, Shaped by Talent: The James Russell Family” (Our Heritage, v. 66, nos. 1 & 2 (Fall and Winter 2024-2025) pgs. 13-21) by Neka Scarbrough-Jenkins
3rd Place ($50)
“Trials, Tragedies, and Triumphs—The Life and Legacy of George Slawson” (published in Our Heritage, v. 65, nos. 3 & 4 (Spring and Summer 2024) pgs. 28-35) by Cassandra Pete
Category III Manuscripts 2. Manuscript published by a state or national organization.
1st Place ($100)
“Herbert Joel Susberry in the U.S. Marine Corps: Pioneering Montford Point” (published in Stirpes V. 64, No. 1 (March 2025) pgs. 11-19) by Tameka Susberry Miller, PhD
2nd Place ($75)
“The First Burial in Dallas, Texas, was Lucy (Gibbs) Young” (Stirpes V. 64, No. 2 (June 2025) pgs. 52-57) by Shirley Langdon Wilcox
3rd Place ($50)
“Quest for a True Death Location: Newspapers Prove to be a Valuable Resource” (published in Stirpes, V. 64, No. 1 (March 2025) pgs. 37-44) by Paula Perkins
Blog Awards – Chair: Jaycie M. Smith
Category IV: Blogs (Individual).
1st Place ($100)
“Fortitude” by Dale R. Spaulding (https://dalespaulding.com/blog/)
2nd Place ($75)
“Leaves on the Tree,” by Nancy Gilbride Casey (https://myleavesonthetree.blogspot.com)
3rd Place ($50)
“My Trails Into the Past” by Lisa S. Gorrell (https://mytrailsintothepast.blogspot.com)
Category V: Blogs (Partner Societies).
1st Place ($100)
Austin Genealogical Society (https://www.austingenealogicalsociety.org/blog/) Max Trenck, Blogger
2nd Place ($75)
South Central Chapter Association of Professional Genealogists (https://southcentralapg.org/home/page/)
3rd Place ($50)
San Angelo Genealogical and Historical Society (https://saghs-tx.org/blog-php?sid=4) Jana Jenkins, Blogger
Periodical Awards – Chair: Karen Stein Daniel
Category VI: Official Periodicals of Partner Societies / Newsletters.
1st Place ($100)
DCGS News, Denton County Genealogical Society, Nancy Gilbride Casey, editor
2nd Place ($75)
SAGHS Newsletter, San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society, Carol Thompson, Editor, and Amanda Pagan, Graphic Designer
3rd Place ($50)
Los Portales Newsletter, San Elizario Genealogy and Historical Society, Lillian Trujillo, editor
Category VI: Official Periodicals of Partner Societies / Quarterlies.
1st Place ($100)
Heart of Texas Records (Central Texas Genealogical Society), Mary Bullard, editor
2nd Place ($75)
Hopkins County Heritage (Hopkins County Genealogical Society), CarolAnn Dixon, editor
3rd Place ($50)
Our Heritage (Van Zandt County Genealogical Society), Jan Crow, editor (Nov 2024); Carrie Woolverton, editor (2025)
Category VI: Official Periodicals of Partner Societies / Journals.
1st Place ($100)
Our Heritage (San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society), Kathryn Messec Jones, editor (Spring and Summer 2024) Julia George, Larry Luckett, and Kitty Massey, Associate editors (Fall and Winter 2024-2025); Charles Brussells, Graphic Designer
2nd Place ($75)
Stalkin’ Kin In Old West Texas (San Angelo Genealogical and Historical Society), Allen Wright, editor
3rd Place ($50)
Keys to the Past (The Genealogical Society of Kendall County), Kathryn Adam Hurst, editor
Student Projects – Chair: Becky Villareal
Category VIII – Student Projects. Elementary Grades 4-6.
1st Place ($100)
Christian Monsen (Sponsor: Patti Huff Williams)
2nd Place ($75)
June Monsen (Sponsor: Patti Huff Williams)
Category VIII – Student Projects. Intermediate Grades 7-9. (no entries in 2025)
Category VIII – Student Projects. Secondary Grades 10-12. (no entries in 2025)
Website Awards
Website Awards – Chair: Randy Whited
Category I: Website for a Partner Society
1st Place ($100)
San Angelo Genealogical and Historical Society (www.saghs-tx-org), Jana Jenkins, webmaster
2nd Place ($75)
Hopkins County Genealogical Society (https://hcgstx.org), Larry Pettit, webmaster
3rd Place ($50)
Bay Area Genealogical Society (www.TxBayAreaGen.org), Polly Swerdlin, web editor
Category II: Website for an Individual (personal genealogy). (no entries in 2025)
Category III: Website for an Individual (General Genealogy)
1st Place ($100)
Betsy Mills, Lamar County part of the TXGenWeb Project www.lamarcountytx.org
Presidential Awards
Emily Coffman Richardson, TxSGS President
Volunteer of the Year
Cindy Shipman, Erath County Genealogical Society
Certificate of Appreciation
Joanna Evans, TxSGS First Families Project
J. Mark Lowe, TxSGS Live! Host during 2025 TxSGS Family History Conference
Barbara Coakley, TxSGS Conference Committee
Nancy Gilbride Casey, TxSGS Conference Committee
Presidential Citation
Laura Douglas, Stirpes Study Group Liaison and TxSGS Secretary
Betsy Mills, TxSGS Treasurer
Presidential Commendation
Sandra J. Crowley, Director of Development