Mrs. Robert Hemingray listed as Regent of Muncie Chapter

PROCEEDINGS OF THE SIXTH CONTINENTAL

CONGRESS, NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE DAUGHTERS

OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

Morning Session, Monday, February 22, 1897.

THE Sixth Continental Congress of the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution convened in Washington, District of Columbia, at the Columbia Theater, corner of Twelfth and F streets, Monday, February 22, 1897.

Congress was called to order by Mrs. Adlai E. Stevenson, President General, at 10 o'clock.

·

·

STATE DELEGATIONS.

·

·

INDIANA.

State Regent, Mrs. C. C. Foster.

Caroline Scott Harrison Chapter.

Regent, Mrs. Charles F. Sayles,

Mrs. W. J. Holliday,

Mrs. W. J. Richards.

Mrs. W. H. Coleman.

General De Lafayette Chapter.

Regent, Miss Mary E. Bruce,

Miss Sallie Sample,

Mrs. James M. Fowler,

Mrs. Albert Stohl.

Mrs. Wm. P. Stillwell,

General Van Rensselaer Chapter.

Regent, Mrs. Thomas J. McCoy.

Vandeburgh Chapter.

Regent, Mrs. John Ingle.

Spencer Chapter.

Regent, Mrs. Lovina H. Fowler.

Paul Revere Chapter.

Regent, Mrs. R. C. Hemingray.

Vice-Regent, Miss Edith Love.

·

·

STATE REGENTS REPORTS.

·

·

INDIANA.

To the Sixth Continental Congress of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Madam President and Ladies of the Continental Congress: For the third time Indiana has the honor of presenting a report to this honorable body. While Indiana knows that she cannot claim the privileges and prestige that are the inheritance of the Colonial States, she does claim the distinction of being a revolutionary State. In consequence she appreciates the responsibility of cherishing and encouraging all patriotic endeavors to preserve from oblivion the history of her share in the glories of the American Revolution.

It is with pleasure that we report advancement in all directions. The growth of the Society the first of the year was hampered by the great financial depression, and later by the intense political excitement that pervaded all circles, during the recent political campaign.

In addition to these temporary hindrances, the difficulty is very great of awakening an interest in counties remote from the Capital. Although Indiana is traversed by seventy-nine railroads, there are counties entirely isolated.

In spite of these serious impediments, there has been a decided growth upon a firm basis.

The difficulty of tracing lineages entirely by correspondence by residents of these counties remote from the Capital have been, in some cases, too great to overcome.

Through pursuance of the plan reported to you by the State Regent at the last Congress, of appointing Regents as soon as eligible, for counties instead of for towns, districts in all parts of the State have been entered, and the work opened. The State Regent has correspondents seeking information and assistance in becoming Daughters in the thirty of the ninety-two counties of Indiana. Seventeen counties have within their borders Regents regularly appointed. There are six fully organized Chapters.

One very important event of the year is the organization of the Children of the American Revolution. On March 24, 1896, the State Regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Indiana nominated Mrs. Flora Sullivan Wulschner, who was confirmed by Mrs. Mary Harrison McKee, to organize a Society of the Children of the American Revolution, in Indianapolis, without delay.

On March 26, Mrs. Wulschner organized the Mary Gibson Chapter, and officers were appointed. The Society now numbers forty-three members. Under the inspiring influence of the President, monthly meetings are regularly held — the entertainment consisting of patriotic exercises, with music, papers, charades and concerted singing.

On February 6, 1897, the State Regent, at the urgent request of Mrs. Lothrop and Mrs. McKee, appointed Mrs. Wulschner Director of the Children of the American Revolution for Indiana, and under such able management as Mrs. Wulschner's we expect Indiana to be proud of this Society.

The report of this Society of the Children of the American Revolution will be read at their Congress, now in session, by a Daughter of the Caroline Scott Harrison Chapter.

On February 15 Mrs. Wulschner appointed Mrs. Elliott Perkins her successor as President of the Mary Gibson Chapter, of the Children of the American Revolution. This Chapter will soon enter the second year of its existence, with a fine prospect of enthusiastic work.

The first general object that has been started in Indiana is the pious duty of locating the graves of revolutionary soldiers buried in Indiana. In this work the Daughters, Sons, and Children are united. It is proposed to place stones over their graves. The United States Government will furnish these stones free, provided the applicant can give the regiment, company and dates of the record of the soldier, and the applicant is responsible for placing the stone.

The State Regent requests the Regents in each county to be the applicant to the United States Government for as many stones as they can furnish the required information for and see that they are placed. Over fifty have been located, thirty-three in Dearborn County, ten in Monroe, eight in Owen, one in Marion, one in Rush and two in Jefferson. As soon as the records are secured the memorial stones will be requested from the Government. The report of each Chapter is as follows:

Annual report of the Caroline Scott Harrison Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to Mrs. Harriet McI. Foster, State Regent. — The regular annual meeting of the Caroline Scott Harrison Chapter was held on October 7, resulting in the election of the following officers for the year 1896-1897: Regent, Mrs. C. F. Sayles; Vice-Regent, Miss Eliza Gordon Browning; Secretary, Mrs. Elliott.Perkins; Treasurer, Mrs. William H. Coleman; Registrar, Mrs. Edward H. Dean; Historian, Mrs. James M. Winters.

Since the report of one year ago the Chapter has had the four regular and two called meetings of the whole membership, besides a number of meetings of the Executive Committee.

The entertainment of February 22, 1896, was given at the Propylaeum, and consisted of a display of colonial portraits, the characters assumed by many of the young ladies and matrons of the city. At the other meetings interesting literary programmes have been presented.

The Chapter has added twelve members, there being besides six sets of papers in the hands of the National Society.

The Mary Gibson Chapter. Children of the American Revolution, has been organized under the leadership of one of the Daughters, and has a social membership of forty-three. The interest is growing, and the monthly study of revolutionary history is awakening enthusiasm among its members.

At a called meeting, held January 27, the following delegates were elected to the National Congress : Regent, Mrs. C. F. Sayles; alternate, Mrs. W. J Holliday; delegate, Mrs. W. J. Richards; alternate, Mrs. W. H. Coleman.

Report of the General De Lafayette Chapter, D. A. R., to Mrs. Harriet McI. Foster, State Regent of Indiana, for the season of 1895-96. — The General De Lafayette Chapter of Lafayette, Indiana, met for the first meeting of its third year on September 6, 1896, that date being the birthday anniversary of the distinguished patriot for whom the Chapter is named. The membership then numbered seventy-four; since then nine new members have entered, and the papers of five others are under consideration.

The officers are as follows: Regent, Miss Mary Elizabeth Bruce; Vice-Regent, Mrs. Geneve Ellsworth Stuart; Recording Secretary, Mrs. Harriet Frances Flather; Corresponding Secretary, Mrs. Annette Winter Ball; Treasurer, Mrs. Jessie Vermilya Carnahan; Registrar, Mrs. Mabel Levering Vinton; Historian, Mrs. Jessie Levering Cary.

The outline of American history begun last year has been continued in our programme for this season, and we find interest increasing on such lines. The attendance is good at each meeting, there being seventy- three resident members.

In April, 1896, occurred the death of our "own Daughter," Mrs. Eliza Andrew Brown who, had she been spared until September, would have reached the age of ninety-four years.

The 19th of April being the anniversary of the battle of Lexington, and the 21st of the month that of the formal organization of our Chapter, the members decided to combine the two dates, the 19th coming on a Sunday, and gave a reception to the members and guests at the residence of Mrs. B. Wilson Smith. A short but exceedingly entertaining address was given by Mrs. Emma Mont. McRea, of Purdue University. Each person was presented with a spray of arbor vitas sent from a tree now growing upon the historic field within one hundred feet of the spot where the first minute man fell. Five members of the Chapter are descendants of men who were in that engagement.

On December 6, at the regular monthly meeting a committee was appointed in pursuance of the request of Mrs. Foster to look after the interests of a Chapter of the Children of the American Revolution in our city, the chairman Mrs. Cora Howe Moore. At the same meeting it was voted to present a book to the National Library at Washington on the life of Lafayette by Charlemagne Tower.

New Year's day having been set aside for the "Daughters," the Chapter followed its custom of keeping "open house" to all its friends at the residence of Mrs. Isabel Taylor and her daughter, Mrs. William F. Stillwell. The resident members assisted in entertaining, attired in colonia-style.

At the meeting of January 6, 1897, the following delegates and alternates were chosen to represent the Chapter at the Sixth Continental Congress, February 22, 1897. Delegates — Mrs. Blanche Vinton Stahl, Miss Sally Sample. Alternates — Mrs. James M. Fowler, Mrs. William F. Stilwell.

The third Chapter organized was the General Van Renssalaer Chapter, on February 19, 1896, just too late to be included in the State report. The charter was secured November 6, 1896. The Regent, Mrs. Thomas McCoy, has been very enthusiastic. This Chapter has begun an exhaustive study of American history, and is ready to unite with all endeavors to promote the work of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The fourth Chapter to organize was the Vanderburgh Chapter, of Evansville. It was organized November 18, 1896. This Chapter was named for Captain Henry Vanderburg, a revolutionary soldier from New York, who settled in southern Indiana after the war. Mrs. John Ingles is the Regent. Monthly meetings are held and the reading of American history begun.

The fifth Chapter to organize was the Paul Revere Chapter, of Muncie, Indiana. The State Regent had the pleasure of being present at the organization, and read a paper, "The Development of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution." The Regent, Mrs. R. Hemingray, who manifested great energy in organizing this Chapter, declined to serve another year as Regent, and appointed Mrs. J. A. Heinsoln as her successor. Mrs. Hemingray will serve as Vice-Regent. The State Regent was royally entertained by the new Chapter.

The sixth Chapter to organize was the Spencer Chapter, of Owen County. The organization of the Chapter took place on the 23d of January, at the residence of the Regent, Mrs. Lorina H. Fowler. On the 10th of February the State Regent accepted an invitation to visit this Chapter, and give instructions to the newly appointed officers. She also gave a history of the National Society. The most valuable feature of the afternoon was a paper, read by the Regent, giving a list of the revolutionary soldiers buried in Owen County, with many interesting details of their lives. A delightful reception was held after the meeting. A large number of invited guests were present.

The Sarah McCalla Chapter, of Monroe County, Mrs. Laura D. Worley, Regent, has six accepted members. One Daughter, Miss Kate McCalla Hight, has written a beautiful biography of her brave ancestress, for whom this Chapter was named. This biography is entered for the prize contest. The Regent, Mrs. Worley, has been principally devoted to locating the graves of the soldiers of the American Revolution buried in this county. She has found the graves of ten. These graves are decorated on Decoration Day, and stones will be placed as soon as the dates can be secured. The Regent has secured much valuable historical information, and is untiring in her efforts to promote every branch of the work of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The Laurenceburgh Chapter (Mrs. Caroline M. Hayes, Regent) has four Daughters. The Regent has succeeded in finding a list of thirty-three revolutionary soldiers buried in Dearborn County. A number of ladies are expected to become Daughters soon.

The Terre Haute Chapter, Mrs. Mary Konolly McNutt, Regent, has four Daughters. Terre Haute has a bell on the court house that was presented by Colonel Vigo, which is a valuable relic.

The Crawfordsville Chapter, Mrs. C. L. Thomas, Regent, has six members almost ready to be accepted. It is expected that this Chapter will certainly organize soon. It will be a valuable addition, as Crawfordsville has been called the Athens of Indiana, because of its great intellectual activity. The Regent of the New Albany Chapter reports that the interest is growing, and a number who are eligible express a desire to become Daughers. So a Chapter will probably be organized before another Congress.

The Chapter Regent of Brazil, Mrs. Abigail Hawkins, has not been able to organize a Chapter, but keeps alive patriotic endeavor by celebrating revolutionary anniversaries.

The Fort Wayne Chapter Regent, Mrs. S. B. Brown, has been bereaved of her husband, Dr. S. B. Brown, the president of the Indiana Sons of the American Revolution. She has, in consequence, been prevented from organizing this Chapter.

The Jonathan Jacques Chapter, of Poseyville, Mrs. V. P. Bozeman, Chapter Regent, has been able as yet to accomplish very little.

The Chapter Regents who have been appointed since the last Congress are Mrs. Kate Keyes Stormont, of Princeton; Mrs. Flora R. Frazer, of Warsaw, and Mrs. Zella Kenyon Mix, of Mishawaka. These ladies are taking an enthusiastic interest in the work, and are valuable additions to the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Before concluding, I beg leave to present my sincere thanks to those members of the National Board of Management, with whom I have had such pleasant correspondence, for their unfailing kindness and courtesy.

Respectfully submitted,           HARRIET MCINTIRE FOSTER,

State Regent of Indiana.