Our History
On May 4, 1972, a group of seven women, brought together by a common
interest in family history decided there was a need in the Northwestern
Harris County area for a genealogical society. Since they all lived in
and around the Tomball area, this became home base for the group. The
name given to their new organization was the Labor of Love Genealogical
Society.
Within a few months, the Society was up and running. The first formal
Society meeting was held on September 18, 1972 at the Tomball Branch of the
Harris County Library. The forty-seven individuals who joined prior to Dec.
1, 1972 were given charter member status.
In September of 1974, the Society was renamed Chaparral Genealogical
Society. During this time the Society began publishing
its quarterly, "The Roadrunner". The Roadrunner contained genealogical records
and was
published from 1974 to 1991; back-copies are
available for review at the library. Chaparral has published many books
of records for the Tomball area including: The Klein Funeral Home
Records to 1900, Census and Marriage records of Northwest Harris and
Southwest Montgomery Counties.
On September 5, 1975, our Articles of Incorporation were approved by
then Secretary of State, Mark White. Chaparral became a 501(c)3
non-profit organization on April 26, 1976.
During the first year of operation, the Society owned
forty books. Originally, these books were kept in members’ homes. When
this became too difficult, the collection was relocated to a lone bookshelf in a
backroom of the Tomball Public Library. The years 1975 and 1976 were
ones of continual growth. With close to five hundred
books, a new home was desperately needed. The City of Tomball, allowed the usage of a small, unoccupied room
located in Tomball City Hall.
It quickly became obvious that while this was a wonderful solution,
Chaparral
desperately needed a permanent home. With that, the members rolled up their collective sleeves and went to work on finding
a way to make this dream a reality. The ensuing years were busy with many types of fund raising.
In May of 1982 the Society purchased a small piece of land at 310 North Live Oak Street in Tomball.
We were now proud land owners but almost broke and
still in need of a building to house the growing collection of research
materials.
Providence stepped in with Society members, Harry and Iva Brenneman. The
Brenneman’s had built a small cabin which they used on weekends. Though
only 600 square feet, no plumbing, no air conditioning, nor heating, the
building was ours. The building, which had been flooded many times, was
moved to the land on Live Oak. The Brenneman’s also donated one thousand
dollars to bring the building up to snuff. During June and July of 1982,
volunteers were hard at work turning the weekend cabin into a library.
On Thursday, September 16, 1982, the Chaparral Genealogical Society
formally opened it's Library to the public.
The ensuing years were not always good for our Library. At one point
during
the late 1980’s, members had to take up a collection each month to
simply keep the doors open. Through it all, Chaparral and it's members have persevered,
and can proudly state that our Library has been open to our
Membership and the public, free of charge since 1982 while continuing to
expand it's collection of research material.
In 2006, Chaparral Genealogical Society, Inc. legally changed to
Chaparral Library, Inc. This name change, reflects more accurately the
nature of our resources. We are a research facility open all.
Library members are volunteer librarians and will be happy to assist you
in getting started!
Chaparral Library, Inc.
310 North Live Oak, P.O. Box 606, Tomball, TX. 77377- 0606
Phone: 281 516-7417
Email: Chaparral8041@sbcglobal.net
Library Hours: Mon.- Wed. 10-2 Sat. 10-2
Closed 4th Sat. of every month
| Position | Name |
| President | Mary Williams |
| Vice President | Carolyn Collmorgen |
| Secretary | Anna Martin |
| Treasurer | Clora Heath |
| Librarian | Mary Wallace |
| Parliamentarian | Janis Duhe |
| At Large | Debbie Machac |
| At Large | Peggy Wear |
| Date | Name |
| 2007 - present | Ms. Mary Williams |
| 2002 - 2007 | Ms. Teri Hall Little |
| 2000 - 2001 | Mr. Lynwood Peterson |
| 1998 - 1999 | Ms. Pam Fendley |
| 1996 - 1998 | Ms. Caroline Costelloe |
| 1993 - 1996 | Ms. Delores Newman |
| 1992 - 1993 | Ms. Billie Brautigam Hardee |
| 1990 - 1992 | Ms. Jacabeth Johnston Scott |
| 1989 - 1990 | Ms. Joyce McCharque |
| 1987 - 1989 | Ms. Dixie McRee Streeter |
| 1986 - 1987 | Ms. Billie Brautigam Hardee |
| 1985 - 1986 | Ms. Ella Louise Berkhardt Hill |
| 1984 - 1985 | Ms. Billie Brautigam Hardee |
| 1983 - 1984 | Ms. Flossie Dement Bueckner |
| 1982 - 1983 | Ms. Jacabeth Johnston Scott |
| 1980 - 1982 | Ms. Audra Gray |
| 1979 - 1980 | Ms. Annie M (Billie) Herring |
| 1978 - 1979 | Ms. Flossie Dement Bueckner |
| 1977 - 1978 | Ms. Rebecca Strack |
| 1976 - 1977 | Ms. Charlotte Magee Tucker |
| 1975 - 1976 | Ms. Jeanne Robey Felldin |
| 1975 - 1975 | Ms. Trevia W. Beverly |
| 1974 - 1975 | Ms. Rebecca Strack |
| 1972 - 1973 | Ms. Billie Brautigam Hardee |