Preserving the rich history of the area isnot an easy task, but that’s just what the Lincoln CountyHistorical and Genealogical Society aims to do.

    At the society’s meeting Monday night, a large group of attendeesheard from two speakers who talked about some of the old familiesfrom the Brookhaven area.

    The first speaker was local real estate agent Betsy Penn Smith.

    Smith talked about the Penn family and had many artifacts forattendees to view. She said the Penn family came from Vicksburgaround 1876 and were all musically talented.

    Phyllis Spearman was the second speaker and she went over historyfrom the McGrath, Johnson and Moreton families.

    Spearman said the Moretons saw the importance of lumber in the areaand started a lumber company.

    John McGrath was a civil engineer who worked on the railroad,according to Spearman. McGrath’s sons, Willie and Tom, started astore in town that was very innovative and successful.

    The Johnson family was responsible for the first hospital in thearea as Harvey Fletcher Johnson was a doctor. Once Johnson retiredfrom the medical field, he became president of Whitworth Collegeand brought it out of the large amount of debt it had accumulated,according to Spearman.

    After the presentations, attendees enjoyed cakes made from thecirca 1904 cookbook the society recently had re-published as afundraiser.

    One attendee was impressed with the speakers’ knowledge.

    “I enjoyed Ms. Spearman’s presentation very much,” said JohnPerkins. “She was very well prepared. I wasn’t as familiar with theJohnson family as I should have been, so I learned a few thingsabout them.”

    Spearman said she relished the opportunity to share some historywith others.

    “There were so many more things that I would have loved to havesaid,” said Spearman. “I was very glad to have an opportunity totell about my family.”

    Society board member Rita Rich said she expected a large crowd.

    “I knew with the topics we had tonight and the names involved thatwe would have a nice crowd,” said Rich. “This was a differentprogram than we’ve done in the past, but we enjoyed it.”

    Rich said the next historical society event will be in March withother meetings coming in April and May.