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| June,
September, November 2020 and February 2021 meetings cancelled due
to COVID-19 pandemic. Next meeting tentatively planned for June 16, 2021, depending on progress against the pandemic. |
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New
Meeting Day and Time
In an effort to get more members to meetings, a
decision was made to change the day of our meetings to the third Wednesday, still the
same months of February, June,
September and November, and the same place, Tom's
Pizza and Steak House in Paris. The time has changed
to 12:30 which will
make our meeting start immediately after adjournment of the
Capt. Charles Barham Chapter Colonial Dames XVII
Century. Since all except one of our regular attendees
are also members of the Colonial Dames Chapter, having both
meetings on the same day will mean members will only have to
get out for the meetings one day during the month.
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 Patricia Glenn Brake Boals - September 18,
1938 - February 24, 2021In addition to DAC, she was a member of numerous lineage society groups. In Colonial Dames XVII Century se was state president 1995-97 and Dame of the year in 1992. In that group at the national level she served as Librarian General, Corresponding Secretary General, Second Vice-President and First Vice-President Pro Tem. she was a member of the National Society of Saints and Sinners, Society of Descendants of Lady Godiva, a life member of Jamestowne Society, a member of First Families of Tennessee, National Society Dames of the Court of Honor, United States Daughters of 1812, past Regent of John Babb Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in Paris, member of Americans of Royal Descent, Colonial Order of the Crown, United Daughters of the Confederacy, Real Great Granddaughters of the UDC, and National Society of Magna Charter Dames and Barrons where she was State Treasurer and State First Vice President. She was a constant positive presence in our Chapter and her ready smile and steady values will leave a definite void in our lives. She was a true Southern Lady. |
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Assembly - March 4, 2021
Due
to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the Tennessee
State Society Daughters of the American Colonists met
"virtually" on computers via the Zoom program. Members
participated in our usual ritual responses and then reports were
given by state and chapter officers and committee
chairmen. Three items of new business were presented and
passed. (1) Due to the pandemic, the Honor Flight from Ft.
Campbell did not take place this year. It was decided that
the money allocated in
the State Regent's project fund for the purpose of
sending a female veteran on the Honor Flight would be rolled
over to the next year in hopes that the Flight will take place
within this year. (2) It was decided to make a $100
donation to the National President's project in honor of our
speaker for the day, Leslie Stillwell, Vice President,
Blue Ridge Section. (3) Approval was given to move the
TSSDAC website to weebly.com at a cost of $144.00 yearly.
This price will give us a place for chapters to easily create
their own websites within the state site and will give us a
"members only" section, accessible only by special login.
A Memorial Service was conducted by Chaplain Sue Groves to
remember those members who had passed away since our last state
meeting. These members were: Emma Doris Manley
Mason, Sarah Dana Abraham Karney, Judith Ann Tyree Bean, Mary
Alice Currey Carmichael, Martha Jean Clarke Cooke, and Florence
Louise Summers Wilder Scott and Patricia Glenn Brake Boals both
of our chapter. Leslie Stillwell gave an interesting
program on the facts and myths about chocolate - with a few
surprises along the way.
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December
Tea held at Heritage Center
 The pandemic seriously impacted attendance at
the DAR Lineage Societies Christmas Tea this year.
Several societies were represented, but only a few members
of each. Chapter Registrar Mary Ann Claxton was the
only chapter member who could attend. Coconut and
chocolate cakes were served as well as coffee and tea.
Rev. Joy Shelby Weathersbee, pastor of First United
Methodist Church in Paris gave a very interesting and
informational program n the history and meaning of Advent,
noting that Advent is more than just the 12 days leading
up to Christmas. Actually extending from the weekend
after Thanksgiving (this year) to Christmas Eve, each of
the 4 weeks has a theme: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love
- represented by the 4 candles of the Advent wreath. |
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 ILLNESS AGAIN LOWERS ATTENDANCE Illness and schedule
conflicts kept attendance down again for the February, 2020
meeting. President Geraldine Sykes called the meeting to
order at 11:10. Chaplain Joy Bland gave the devotional
on John 15 where Jesus speaks of being the vine, God is the
Gardener, and we are the branches. We are to allow Him
to prune our faults, our bad habits and be constantly looking
for ways to improve.
Following the devotional Geraldine led the Pledge of Allegiance, Mary Ann Claxton led the American's Creed and Pat Boals read the Object of the National Society. After the ritual, Mary Ann gave the National Defense message about the growing threat of mainland China against Taiwan. China has long wanted control of the island nation but has lacked the military strength to achieve it. That is changing as China's military strength increases. With these changes, this may be a critical year for deepening our relations with Taiwan and improving their future security. Secretary Frances Spillman could not be at the meeting, but she left a copy of the minutes. Joy moved that we dispense with reading the minutes, Mary Ann seconded and it was agreed that the minutes were to be filed. Geraldine then gave the treasurer's report in the absence of Treasurer Beverly Wood. The first order of business was Geraldine's announcement of our article which appeared in the latest issue of the Colonial Courier. Mary Ann had sent the articles from the last newsletter which was then printed in the Courier. Next Geraldine said that we are in need of a new Secretary for the chapter since Frances now has a conflict and cannot attend our meetings. At this point no one has offered to fill the position, so this newsletter will serve the dual purpose of also being the minutes subject to correction by those present at the meeting. Any member wishing to fill the position should contact President Geraldine. Geraldine also reminded us that chapter committee reports are due immediately. A copy should be sent to the state chairman of the committee and also to Geraldine for her chapter report. Next Geraldine reported that she had sent in the delegate report for the upcoming state assembly. Named as delegates were Mary Ann Claxton, Pat Boals, and Aline Roberts. Alternates are Janice Webb and Berdie Maie Foy.  Following the business meeting, Mary Ann presented an interesting program on Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson's retreat in the Virginia mountains south of Lynchburg. Mary Ann chose this topic because of the National President's project which was helping to fund publication of the children's book Colonial Klaus in Thomas Jefferson's House written by Laura Macaluso. In the book Klaus is a long-haired Dachshund who - like Alice in Wonderland - chases a rabbit into a hole in a tree and emerges - wearing a wool tricorn hat with a feather in it - in a strange world which turns out to be Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest plantation. Written from Klaus' point of view, we meet Jefferson and his two granddaughters as well as some of the slaves who worked on the plantation. All of the characters in the book are based on real people and a biography of each of them - as well as one of Klaus who is a real dog in today's world - are given in the back of the book. Also |
included are definitions for words such as
"allee," "reverie," and "visitant."
The book also provides the reader with a description of the house  Poplar
Forest (pictured here looking at the back) - named so
because of the huge stand of Tulip Poplar trees which
stood on the land when it was originally purchased.
Mary Ann went into more detail about the house than the
book did. It was probably the first perfectly
octagonal house built in the U.S. Jefferson, an
architect among his many talents, designed the house as a
retreat from the busy life at Monticello. Poplar
Forest was a three days' ride from Monticello and was the
place where Jefferson and his family retreated when the
British invaded Charlottesville in 1781, though the house
was not yet built and the family probably stayed in the
overseer's house.
The house which we see today (viewed here from the front)
was completed in 1816 and Jefferson visited there at least
once a year for anywhere from a few days to week long
stays, frequently accompanied by his granddaughters, Ellen
and Cornelia Jefferson Randolph, who appear as themselves
in the Colonial Klaus book.The octagonal design of the house is characteristic of what came to be called Jeffersonian Classicism. The center dining room is a perfect cube 20' x 20' x 20'. There are four octagonal rooms leading from the dining room - the east and west apparently bedrooms and a parlor on the south (back) side and on the north the main entrance with a narrow entrance hall and two chambers leading off on either side. In the book Klaus sees beds "suspended between walls" which  can be seen in the floor plan pictured at
right here.Jefferson never lived there, but got his grandson, Francis W. Eppes and wife Mary Elizabeth, to move there after their marriage in 1823. Jefferson's last visit there was in 1823 - he died in 1826. The property then was sold to William Cobbs whose son-in-law, Edward Hutter, became manager in 1840. The Cobbs and Hutter families kept the land in the 1940's. In 1946, under the James Watts' family, it was a dairy farm, and they worked to try to restore the house to the way it was in Jefferson's time. Eventually in 1984 the nonprofit Corporation for Jefferson's Poplar Forest purchased the 50 acres and remaining structures and began slowly reacquiring land within the original plantation boundaries, owning 617 acres by 2008. Jefferson's architectural designs include Monticello, the Virginia state capitol, the University of Virginia - which he founded after his retirement in 1809 - and Poplar Forest. Though smallest of his designs, Poplar Forest may possibly be his most beautiful for its symmetry and, at the same time, its functionality. Definitely an early American treasure. |
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MARKERS PLACED BY OUR CHAPTER
At the Summer Board
meeting in 2017 we were given forms on ten plaques and grave
markers placed by our chapter. We were to check on each
marker, note whether it is still in place, its condition, and
current contact information. Also Mary Whyane Miles
reported that the Union City chapter had marked three
sites. Mary Ann Claxton worked on this project and located
and/or has pictures for all but one of the markers which is in
Union City. Below is a list of the markers that have been
placed.THE COLUMNS - (G. T. Ingram Home) Built 1860. A hospital during Civil War. Note: Elizabeth Ingram was a chapter member. She passed away in 1995 at the age of 102 and her home was donated to the Foundation. Location: W. McNeal Street, Bolivar, TN. Dedicated 12 MAR 1986 FIRST FREE LIBRARY - Jackson's First Free Library. Built by grant from Andrew Carnegie. Now The Carnegie Center for Arts. Location: 305 East College Street, Jackson, TN. Dedicated 10 NOV 1990. GRAVE OF MALISSA WILSON HUMPHREYS - Malissa joined the Francis Billingsley Chapter and when the chapter disbanded transferred membership to Col. Gideon Macon Chapter. She maintained her membership until her death on 18 AUG 1990. Location: Maplewood Cemetery, Paris, TN. Dedicated 9 NOV 1991. E. W. GROVE HIGH SCHOOL - Built in 1905. First privately endowed public high school. First high school in the nation to receive agriculture teaching funds under the Federal Smith Hughes Act, and had the first Future Farmers of America Chapter. Location: 215 Grove Blvd., Paris, TN. Dedicated 10 SEP 1994. PARIS-HENRY COUNTY HERITAGE CENTER - Home of O. C. Barton built in 1914. Now a museum for cultural and historical activities to enhance the present and future. Location: 614 N. Poplar St., Paris, TN. Dedicated 14 SEP 1996. GRAVE OF ELIZABETH MORGAN MCCUTCHEN - Elizabeth joined the chapter in 1980 and remained a member until her death on October 31, 1997. Location: Ridgecrest Cemetery, Jackson, TN. Dedicated 6 JUN 1998. GRAVE OF PETER J. SWINK - Peter and wife Malinda operated the Stage Coach. Location: George W. Swink land on Tenn. Hwy. 18 at the north city limit of Medon, 12 miles south of Jackson and just south of the intersection of Riverside Dr. and Main St. in Medon. Dedicated 12 SEP 1998. BEMIS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PARSONAGE - Built by J. M Bemis, founder of Bemis Brothers Bag Company as a home for the first manager of the mill, J. B. Young. This home was occupied by members of the Young family until 1961, when it was given to the Methodist Conference to be used as a parsonage for the Bemis United Methodist Church. Location: Corner of 5th Street and Massachusetts Ave., Bemis, TN. Dedicated 14 SEP 2002 (marker says 11 NOV 2001). ROBERT E. LEE ACADEMY FOR THE ARTS - Formerly Robert E. Lee School, it was built in 1893 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Original brick building built in 1848 burned in December 1891 when it was City High School. In 1892 a movement began to rebuild it and it reopened in September, 1893. The name changed to Robert E. Lee School about 1910 and it remained a school until 1975. In 2001 the Robert E. Lee School Association took over the building and began restoration. In 2003 it became the Robert E. Lee Academy for the Arts. Location: 402 Lee St., Paris, TN. Dedicated 9 OCT 2011. HENRY COUNTY COURTHOUSE - Built in 1896. West Tennessee's oldest working courthouse. Court - first held in Peter Wall's home in 1821. A log courthouse built in Clifty in 1823. Two story brick courthouse erected on this land in 1825 and replaced in 1852. The county's first murder led to the landmark "State vs. Grainger" case (1830) that set a precedent for self defense as the basis for appeal. During the Civil War, Confederate military units were organized here in 1860 and also 1861. Union forces occupied the courthouse in 1862. Troops were sent from here in WWI and WWII. Silver dollars donated by citizens are melted in the bell in the tower. Location: 101 East Washington St., Paris, TN. Dedicated 21 JUL 2012. MARKERS PLACED BY UNION CITY CHAPTER OLD CAMPGROUND CEMETERY - Established about 1833. Buried here are families who founded Obion County in 1824. Dedicated in 1984. Location: outside of Troy, Obion Co., TN. BETHLEHEM CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - Location: outside of Union City, Obion Co., TN on Bethelehem Rd. REELFOOT LAKE - Location: was located at Air Park Inn on Reelfoot Lake, Lake Co., TN, but Air Park Inn has since been torn down and the marker has now been installed at Spicer Park in Samburg, Lake Co., TN. Dedicated 29 MAR 1985. Rededicated at the new location May 27, 2017. MARKERS PLACED BY ISAAC DAWSON CHAPTER MT. VERNON METHODIST CHURCH - Organized in 1823 in the log cabin home of John Bradshaw with Reuben Edmonston, Bradshaw's brother-in-law, and a few neighbors. Location: three miles west of Sharon, TN. Marker dedicated March 19, 1982. NEW SALEM CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - Organized in 1849, the building that is standing today was built in 1893, one of the oldest landmarks in Weakley Co., TN. Location: Sharon, TN. Marker dedicated October 28, 1989. FREE PEDIGREE CHART FORM POSTED
I have been frustrated
recently in trying to find free pedigree chart forms which could
be filled out online and then saved to my computer. Sites
let you fill out the form, but, though you can print it out, you
can't save it, or they want money to let you save it. So I
have created a 5 generation pedigree chart form in MS Word which
you can download from this site, save to your computer, and use
as many times as you want to. Blanks are provided in the
form where you can type in the information - just like on other
online forms - but you can save this to your computer, and even
print out a blank form if you need to. This
is the link to the form. If you have any questions,
feel free to e-mail me (see Chapter Web Design e-mail link
below)
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