About Collin County Book Co.

Alice Ellison Pitts started publishing books about Collin County, Texas, in 1975, more than 30 years ago. Minnie Pitts Champ, her daughter, is carrying on that career through the company, Collin County Book Co.

On November 15, 2007, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Alice Ellison Pitts will be celebrated, born in Collin County on November 15, 1907. Alice Ellison Pitts began her publishing career with Collin County, Texas, Cemetery Inscriptions. She personally copied Collin County cemetery markers (with two McKinney ladies) for six years in summers and in winters. This book contains all the public cemeteries in Collin County and has become the ‘Genealogy Bible’ for Collin County.

Pitts typed the collected information on a manual typewriter, sorted and prepared the surname index by hand and paid for the publication of the book out of her own personal funds. Until her death on September 27, 1983, she continued to publish and market the books developed from her passion for the history of her native Collin County.

Books published include: Collin County, Texas, Cemetery Inscriptions, Volumes I & II; Collin County, Texas, Marriages, 1846-1888. At the time of her death, she was working on the next book, Collin County, Texas, Families, a collection of family stories submitted by descendants of Collin County early settlers.

Collin County, Texas, Families, by Alice Ellison Pitts (as author and in her memory) was published in 1994 by Minnie Pitts Champ. The next book, Collin County, Texas, Families, Volume II, was published in 1998.

Both Pitts and Champ had many years of experience in genealogy research. With over 35 years of publication information, Collin County Book Co. has a history of producing quality books that contain record-breaking information.