Dusty Williams

Dusty Williams, is a ninth generation Grayson County resident, author, teacher, and local historian who resides in Van Alstyne, TX.

Born and raised in Grayson County, Dusty Williams, age 36, can trace his roots to almost every little knock about town or community in the before mentioned county. At 14, with the guidance of his grandmother, Kim Williams, he began the study of genealogy and has remained extremely active in the field ever since. Running parallel with this passion is his love for county and local history. In 2006 he founded the Lost and Found Cemetery Preservation, a volunteer group dedicated to documenting and preserving lost and abandoned cemeteries throughout the Texoma region.

He earned two Master’s Degrees, both in education, from Texas A&M at Commerce and began teaching Middle School in 2016, beginning with Science, Social Studies and Reading. However, since 2018 he has taught 7th grade history where he infuses his lesson with the colorful local history. He also teaches adult education (ESL) two nights a week through Grayson County College.

He has served on the board for the Grayson County Historical Commission for many years and became Chairman in 2020. He has also served as President for the Van Alstyne Historical Society for nearly 10 years and under his direction has helped promote the history of Van Alstyne. He has restored the old, dilapidated stones in the Van Alstyne Cemetery. He has repaired many of the stones himself. He has also led and organized several living history tours at the Van Alstyne Cemetery.

He has given many historical presentations throughout the county and North Texas, including local historical societies, DAR/SAR chapters, and other organizations with an interest in history. In 2022 he was elected to city council as an Alderman for the City of Van Alstyne.

In his “spare time” he has remodeled his home in Van Alstyne which was built in 1884, doing all the work himself. He also enjoys going to Lake Texoma and spending time with his two Labrador retrievers, Mags and Ella Mae, as well as his family and friends.

He strives to bring attention to local history and through his articles and writings one is truly captivated by the events of years past.