The Marshall County Genealogical Society was organized September 1976, and the first Wednesday of each month was set as the regular meeting day.  The purpose of this organization was to bring together persons interested in doing family research.  For the first few years, the Society used the conference room at the Marshall County Library in Benton as their regular meeting place.

Charter Members were Hilda Williams, Blanche Stice, Barbara Sirls, Pat Record, Billye Maddox, Elvira Lewis, Frances Farmer, Jessie Dunn, Joe G. Dunn, Clara Darnall, Clara Creason, and Thelma Breezeel.  The first officers were Elvira Lewis, President; Frances Farmer, Vice-President; Pat Record, Secretary-Treasurer.

In 1981 the Society released for sale their first publication, Marshall County Marriages Volume I.  This was the first of several books to be published by the society; other publications include six more volumes of Marshall County Marriages, a book of Marriage Consents, a Will Index book, a reprint of the 1894 Lemon’s Handbook of Marshall County, a reprint of the 1933 Freeman and Olds History of Marshall County, and the most ambitious project to date, the publication of the 1984 History of Marshall County.  The Society also publishes a quarterly newsletter.

In 1985, the Society renovated the old county jail, located in the basement of the Court House, and established the County Archives.  Realizing the fact that genealogy and history go hand in hand, the Society in 1987 added Historical to their name and became the Marshall County Genealogical and Historical Society.

The Society has grown in the past few years, and the membership roster includes persons across the country, from Florida to New York to California.

Meetings are currently held every other month, starting in January, on the first Wednesday of the month at 10:00 AM in the Archives Room.  The County Archives, staffed by volunteer workers who are members of the Marshall County Genealogical and Historical Society, is open three days a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 9:00 – 3:00.