USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > First Annual Report of the Ohio Valley Historical Association comprising the proceedings of the central Ohio Valley History Conference held at Cincinnati, Ohio, Nov. 29 and 30, 1907 > Part 10
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Granting these premises, and no candid person can deny them as a whole, we have good reason for studying closely the men, manners, and achievements of Colonial times. We find much to applaud and imitate in the vigorous manhood of those days; much to profit by in the ex- amples of sturdy honesty and self-denial then exhibited; much to excite our sympathy and arouse our admiration in the conduct of these founders of our nation.
Our indebtedness to the founders of our social and political struc- ture was duly recognized at the organization of the Society of Colonial Wars in the following terms :
"The Society of Colonial Wars has been instituted to perpetuate the memory of those events, and of the men who in military, naval, and civil positions of high trust and responsibility, by their acts of counsel, assisted in the establishment, defense and preservation of the American Colonies, and were in truth the founders of this nation. With this end in view it seeks to collect and preserve manuscripts, rolls, relic's, and records; to provide suitable commemorations or memorials relating to the American Colonial period, and to inspire in its members the fraternal and patriotic spirit of their fore-fathers, and in the community, respect and reverence for those whose public services made our freedom and unity possible."
With the aims and desires I have just enumerated, the first State Society, that of New York, was instituted August 18, 1892. Similar so- cieties were soon formed in other states; Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Maryland in 1893: New Hampshire, Virginia and New Jersey in 1894; Georgia, 1896: Rhode Island and Delaware, 1897. Before even all of the original thirteen Colonies had been thus represented, the states carved out of the "Territory Northwest of the River Ohio" had
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begun to organize, and even some from the newer region yet - the old Louisiana Purchase. Our own society, that of Ohio, was organized May 13, 1895, less than three years after the movement was first inaugurated. At the close of 1906 there were twenty-seven branches of the General Society, inclusive of that formed in the District of Columbia.
I shall not exhaust your patience by the presentation of mere sta- tistics relating to membership. Our Society, and I use the expression in its broadest meaning, includes a very large number of representative men; in our membership may be found clergymen, statesmen, lawyers, physicians, educators, military and naval officers, bankers, and business men. Some of these have themselves been makers of history during the Civil and Spanish wars. I think we may modestly claim to commemorate the past, its trials and its triumphs, and we also claim to have developed among our own members that fraternal and patriotic spirit of our fore- fathers, so earnestly commended in the constitution of the General So- ciety. Our Society lends its hearty support to the preservation of objects having historical interest, and to the proper identification and marking of spots once famous, from which the original old landmarks have fallen away. Appropriations of money are made from time to time for the purpose of erecting monuments on Colonial battlefields, and placing tab- lets on buildings now occupying historic sites. Much has been done also in the way of preserving old public records, muster rolls, diaries, maps, and books: also warrants, wills, deeds, and other legal instruments. In this way we give practical support to the expression of documentary history.
We bear in mind also that West of the Alleghenies, the period in- mediately following the close of the American Revolution, corresponds closely with that similar formative period in the older colonies, between 1607 and 1775. Indeed the Great West lay in a state of retarded or suspended development from 1607 until the passing of the Ordinance of 1787 and for the most of this vast region, for all practical purposes, the period corresponding to that called Colonial, did not close until some time after the several states of the West and Northwest had been admitted to the Union.
We therefore welcome a movement to arouse greater interest in American history, and especially in the history of that vast region, the great continental basin of North America, whose primeval forests and sun-lit prairies, two centuries ago, were untrodden save by the wild an- imal, or his scarcely less savage foe, the Indian.
We welcome a movement to illumine the dark spots of mnere tradi- tion, and blazon them with the beacon lights of true history. The ma- terials for such illumination are varied but greatly scattered; many an abandoned graveyard, shadowed by pines and cedars and carpeted with myrtle, contains precise information as to men and events, now otherwise remembered only by tradition; the early records of church societies are filled with discussions of questions which may to us appear
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non-essential, but whch were living issues to the active participants and exercised a powerful influence upon their lives and conduct; the family records, portraits, letters and journals of public men are becoming more and more widely scattered and as time passes their recovery will be at- tended with increasing difficulty. More than one instance has come to our knowledge where valuable manuscripts, public and private, were con- signed to the paper mill for want of proper appreciation of their contents.
The Society of Colonial Wars will cheerfully lend its assistance to this Historical Conference in its effort to remedy existing conditions to the end that the records of the present and the past may be preserved for future generations.
III. OBJECTS AND WORK OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
MRS. JOHN A. MURPHY.
This Society was founded in the year 1890, in the city of Wash- ington, with Mrs. Benjamin Harrison, wife of the then President of the United States, as its first President General. It was incorporated in February, 1896, under the United States Government, the Act of In- corporation being signed by the President, Grover Cleveland, and the Vice President, Adlai Stevenson, and the Speaker of the House, Thomas B. Reed. It is made up of Chapters, at present numbering nearly seven hundred, which are the active units through which the objects of the Society are carried out. The purposes of this Association cannot be told better than in the words of its National Constitution, Article Second, Sections 1. 2 and 3. "The objects of this Society are :
. (1) To perpetuate the memory of the spirit of the men and wo- men who achieved American Independence by the acquisition and pro- tection of historical spots, and the erection of monuments; by the en- couragement of historical research in relation to the Revolution; by the preservation of the records of the individual services of Revolutionary soldiers and patriots, and by the promotion of celebrations of all pa- triotic anniversaries.
(2) To carry out the injunction of Washington in his farewell address to the American people, to promote, as an object of primary im- portance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge, thus de- veloping an enlightened public opinion. and -affording to young and old such advantages as shall develop in them the largest capacity for per- forming the duties of American citizens."
The Thirteen Original States had naturally a greater opportunity to carry out the first section of Article Second of our constitution as read above, because in these states were the homes of our Revolutionary fathers. In them were the scenes of the local disputes between the col-
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onists and British; in them were the battlefields of the Revolution. The eastern Daughters, by their untiring efforts, have created an undying history of the Revolution in bronze and stone from Maine to Georgia by the monuments they have raised, the tablets they have placed, the Revolutionary houses they have bought and preserved, and the impetus they have given to research and study of American history. Many of the sites so rescued would otherwise have been lost to history and be- come mere matters of tradition.
As a condition of admission to this Society, each applicant must show authentic record that she is a lineal descendant of a man or wo- man who rendered aid to the Cause of our Independence. This neces- sity naturally stimulated research into family history, and the resulting records of ancestral patriotic services are yearly printed in lineage books published by the National Board. This has resulted in a great genealogical library, now considered the best reference library on that subject in the country. The chapters of the Middle and Western States having no battlefields or Revolutionary sites to mark naturally turned for their ob- jects to the second section of our constitution as read above.
It would be impossible in the brief time allotted me to enumerate all the things done by this great society. In brief I will say that it has lent its aid to all legislation in direction of good citizenship, and it has certainly been a powerful agent in healing the animosities between the Northern and Southern sections of the country, caused by the Civil War; because yearly women who from all quarters of the Union meet in Wash- ington at the D. A. R. Congress, learn to know each other, to under- stand and respect each other's points of view and to lay the mantle of their common proud inheritance, Revolutionary ancestry, over the graves of the past.
But one thing I can tell you that only a few here know, namely, that our Society is required by the United States Government as an in- corporated part to render to the Government through the Smithsonian Institution, a yearly account of all work done by it. This report is pub- lished by the Government in one volume of the Smithsonian Reports. In it are found records and photographs of all monuments erected, of tablets placed during the year, of all moneys expended for patriotic pur- poses, and of all patriotic educational foundations created ; and I am proud to tell you that anyone incredulous of our usefulness can turn to these pages and be convinced of his error.
In 1893 our National Board appointed Mrs. A. Howard Hinkle of this city as the first State Regent of Ohio, for the purpose of founding this Society in our States. Mrs. Hinkle began her work at once by forming chapters throughout the State. On April 27th, 1893, eleven wo- men whose admission papers had been verified and signed by the Na- tional Board met at Mrs. Hinkle's residence and organized a D. A. R. Chapter, electing our late much beloved Mrs. Arnold as its first Chapter Regent, and called it the Cincinnati Chapter. The work of organizing
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Chapters has been carried on until now there are forty-one in our State. But it was not until October, 1899, that Mrs. Granger, the then State Regent called the first Ohio D. A. R. Conference to meet in Zanesville. By this movement she became the first agent towards unifying the work of the state. She appointed the first two state committees, one-of which was on "Historic Sites of Ohio." Through this committee many interest- ing facts of local history were revealed; among others, the existence of graves of Revolutionary soldiers who had emigrated to Ohio after the war and died here. This committee still exists and yearly does good work, chiefly in the direction of verifying and marking these graves in a suitable uniform manner. The second was a committee on the "Ma- ยท nila Free Library," of which committee Mrs. James Kilbourne of Co- lumbus was appointed and still remains chairman. Through its agency, the Ohio Alcove in this far off Manila library was founded and is still supported by our State. Mrs. John A. Murphy, when State Re- gent, added committees on the Smithsonian Report, on the Continental Memorial Hall, on Patriotic Education, and lately the present active State Regent. Mrs. Edward Orton, has added committees on the Juvenile Court, on the Children of the Republic, U. S. A., and one on Child Labor. Good work has been done by all of these committees. But to go more into detail is impossible and so I again refer you to our Smithsonian volume.
I will now ask you to consider with me the more special works of our own chapter. I find in reading the records that its history in its first years is identical with that of all other new chapters. It occupied itself in recruiting new members, in learning how to conduct meetings, in the study of ancestry and in reviving its own knowledge of our national liis- tory. But it was not until the Spanish War came that our chapter sprang up out of its self-absorption into the most enthusiastic patriotic work. In May, 1898, news was received that our soldiers in Florida were suf- fering from climatic conditions and asking for flannel bandages. On the instant fifty dollars were subscribed with which to buy material. A committee with Mrs. Judkins and Mrs. Herbert Jenney at its head, was appointed in charge, and in the short space of three days 400 band- ages were made and delivered at the Army Post in Tampa. In June, 1898, our then Chapter Regent, Miss Annie Laws, called a special chapter meeting to consider a call from our National Board to assist in forming a plan to aid the Government in caring for the soldiers. The National Board had organized the D. A. R. Army Hospital Corps, and the Cin- cinnati Chapter immediately appointed . a Cincinnati Chapter Army Hos- pital Corps Committee, of which Mrs. Wm. Judkins was made Chair- man, Mrs. Frank Wilson, Vice Chairman, Mrs. Arnold, Chairman of Transportation and Mrs. Disney, Treasurer. All during the hot sum- mer this committee was untiring. It sent medicines, money and delicacies to the soldiers and made garments to the number of 2599 and delivered them to army posts. At this time also the chapters called the attention
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of the mayor to the necessity of providing food for sick and wounded soldiers on trains passing through our city. Through the unflagging efforts of Mrs. Frank Wilson during this hot season, aid and comfort were afforded one thousand sick soldiers at the railroad stations. Through our chapter, Miss Laws the Regent, proposed eleven trained nurses to the National Hospital Corps, nine of whom were accepted.
On October 23d, at a chapter meeting, the then Chapter Regent, Mrs. John A. Murphy, presented through the Recording Secretary, her plan of work for the chapter: It was as follows:
That one-half the income from annual dues be held by the Treas- urer as a patriotic work fund. That two committees be appointed by the Regent; the first committee to be on Patriotism in Schools and Col- leges; the second committee on Neighborhood Patriotic Meetings. The object of the first committee shall be to promote patriotism in colleges and schools by offering prizes, by founding scholarships and fellowships and by other means that it might devise that the chapter will approve.
The object of the second committee shall be the establishment of patriotic meetings among the foreign or uneducated classes of the city for the diffusion of knowledge of our history and Government.
This plan was immediately adopted by the chapter and the Regent appointed Mrs. Brent Arnold, Chairman of the College and Schools Com- mittee, and Miss Annie Laws, Chairman of the Patriotic Meetings Com- mittee.
Mrs. Arnold and the Regent, Mrs. Murphy, had an interview with the then President of the University, Dr. Ayres, and made a proposi- tion to found a Fellowship in American History in the University. It was received with enthusiasm, not only because it would be the first fel- lowship of the University, but because the Daughters would by this move- ment give an impulse in this direction for others to follow. This predic- tion has been fulfilled. Mrs. Arnold told the chapter that our Fellowship would be a Post Graduate one in American History and it would be honorary until we had paid in sufficient capital to earn the honorarium for the fellowship. So she said, "It behooves us to be up and doing," and our chapter was up and doing and worked four years to pay in the re- quisite capital to the Endowment Board of the University. But ever since 1900 our University has had in it a D. A. R. Fellow. Mrs. Arnold and Mrs. Murphy also had a meeting with a delegation from the As- sociation of Principals of the Public Schools. Mrs. Arnold regretted to report that our proposal to offer prizes in the Public Schools for good Scholarship in American History did not meet with the approval of the principals, therefore it had to be abandoned.
From this year, 1900, patriotic meetings were held among the un- educated women of the city. They were taught by maps, by talks, and addresses, and, we think, gained much profit and exercised a good in- fluence over their sons. It was the idea of Miss Laws, the Chairman, that through these women we could reach the boy-, which supposition
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proved ultimately true. These meetings still continue, although the great interest now in this patriotic education work centers in the boys.
In May. 1899, Mrs. Cadwallader presented the chapter with a map showing the authentic site of old Ft. Washington. It was taken from a map made by the United States Engineer of that period, which was found among her great grandfather's papers. The finding of this au- thentic site gave rise to a movement brought forward by Mrs. F. Wilson to invite other patriotic Societies to join with us in erecting a monument on this the early site of our city. Mrs. Wilson eventually accomplished this and a monument was erected on this site, through the combined efforts of The Daughters of the Revolution, The Colonial Dames, The Daughters of the War of 1812, The Sons of The Colonial Wars, The Sons of The Revolution, the Sons of the American Revolution, The May- flower Descendants, and the Loyal Legion. It stands in East Third Street, where it was unveiled June 14, 1891.
In May. 1899, through the initiative of Mrs. Herbert Jenney. the chapter published a collection of patriotic songs for the purpose of using them at our park concerts, hoping by means of open air singing to stimulate greater love of these beautiful songs. Fifteen thousand of these song books were printed, four thousand of which were given to the Superintendent of Parks for the purpose mentioned, one thousand to the Superintendent of Schools, on his request, and many hundreds and dozens were given away in quarters where we thought they would be of use. Many were sold to Daughters of the American Revolution all over the country for their meetings. The last hundred of the fifteen thousand were ordered only two weeks ago by a chapter in Rochester, New York.
October 19th. 1897. Mrs. Murphy now State Regent of Ohio, was able at last to realize her long cherished plan of forming a club of chil- dren of the less fortunate classes for the purpose of developing in them a high order of patriotism and civic virtue. On this date Mrs. Murphy and Miss Burkam quietly collected thirty-five children in the McFarland Street school house and organized them into the first club of The Chil- dren of The Republic. U. S. A. This work was continued without much help until the D. A. R. State Conference met in Cincinnati in October, 1902. Here a stirring paper was read on the need of educating foreign children in American patriotism by Mrs. Knight, of Columbus, and our modest effort on this line was used by her as illustration. The Con- ference was greatly impressed and moved to adopt this work as a "com- mon duty for Ohio Chapters." Our Chapter immediately thereafter adopted it as its special work, appointed a local C. R. Committee, and has from that time continued its protection and support. From this small beginning have grown seven clubs of Children of the Republic in this city. During this year the ladies on this C. R. Committee saw that the boys who had been in our clubs six years were outgrowing the younger and newer members. They therefore resolved to form a Senior Club
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of all the boys who were sixteen years old, from these C. R. Clubs, and to call it The Sons of the Republic. This is to be a sort of post graduate club, to which all boys of C. R. Clubs, when reaching sixteen years of age and being recommended by the Directors, can hope to be promoted. No boy, however, who has not been a member of some C. R. Club can be admitted to the "Sons of the Republic." This Senior Club was or- ganized June 24th of this year and has had weekly meetings ever since. It has, as expected, proved a tremendous stimulus. Our methods, though various, follow a certain system. Each Club is organized by adopting a short constitution made for all C. R. Clubs. It is officered by its mem- bers and its business meetings are conducted by these officers. But its programs are its means of development toward good citizenship. These vary. They have speeches by the boys, debates on public matters, his- tory, games and guesses, mock court trials, drills in parliamentary usage, military drills, subjects assigned on which to hunt up information, cur- rent events, public questions, addresses from outside men and anything the directors and the Club can devise to help attain the Club object, which is, "To study the underlying principles of our government and all that pertains to promotion of good citizenship." On the last Saturday night of each month the eight Clubs hold a mass meeting in the Lecture Room of the Public Library. At these mass meetings, lectures illustrated . by stereopticon views are given by eminent citizens on valuable subjects. These are not only a source of enjoyment and improvement to our boys, but it serves to make them realize that each club is one unit in a real association, though each bears a special name of some dead American hero or statesman. We have now eight clubs in Cincinnati, one large one in Cleveland, two in Columbus, one in Youngstown, one in Spring- field, one in Lima, and one in Sandusky. The movement was made Na- tional by our D. A. R. Congress and a National Committee on Children of The Republic created, of which Mrs. Murphy was made chairman. The National C. R. Chairman has requested the other states to follow Ohio's lead and appoint State Committees on Children of The Republic to prosecute this movement in their states. Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, the two Virginias, Washington, The District of Columbia and Colorado have complied. So we feel that even though slowly, this . teaching of true civic honesty and honor to our poorer boys will eventually become a national work. If the 60,000 Daughters in our Union should finally unite in doing this work, it can be well believed that a great and beneficial impression would be made on our body politic.
Our chapter contributes yearly $100 to the Memorial Continental Hall fund. This is a fund for building a beautiful Memorial Building in Washington to the memory of the soldiers and sailors who died in the war of the Revolution. It is half finished now and its completion is considered a sacred obligation by all our old chapters. It is of white . marble, is of Grecian architecture and will be a great ornament to our already beautiful Capitol. In it will be placed our splendid Genealogical
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Library and our already very considerable Museum of Revolutionary relics. I am glad to tell you that the Congress of the United States three years ago remitted all taxes on this building on account of its purely patriotic character and uses. It is impossible to tell you today of all our contributions to good objects, of all our efforts to secure good leg- islation and of private donations. Only in conclusion I will again refer you to our annual Smithsonian report.
IV.
SONS OF THE REVOLUTION.
JOHN A. BLAINE.
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The Society Sons of the Revolution, while occupying a position peculiarly its own, by reason of its requirements for eligibility to mem- bership, very properly belongs to the class of organizations that have to do with the social life of the present day. The betterment of American citizenship, with its responsibilities, and the education of the great masses coming to us from foreign shores in the value of American Institutions, are the supreme questions that command the attention of many of these organizations, and embrace the great social problems, to which has been given the most profound thought of American scholars and statesmen.
"America," to quote from my distinguished kinsman, the late Hon. James G. Blaine, "America justifies her birthright as she uplifts, en- larges, strengthens, the individual man in the widest organized com- munity. Her peculiar glory is in the masses, their intelligence and dignity, their recognition and due discharge of responsibility, their free- dom from unworthy ambition, their adoption of intellectual, moral and spiritual aims-if in this she does not excel all other nations, America will have been discovered in vain and Christopher Columbus might well have died in the little gray house at Genoa. What our fathers delivered to us, that should we deliver to our children, not only un- diminished, but increased and enriched by our own experience. Every man who falls below his highest, harms not only himself, but lowers the standard of his country, and to that extent falls short of the perfect citizen."
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