History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Part 50

Author: Chester E. Bryan
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1207

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The most beautiful gift the Ohio Daughters of the American Revolution have to bestow fell to the honor of London chapter when, at the continental congress in Wash- ington in April, 1911, Mrs, Annette Phelps Lincoln was elected state regent for Ohio, her appointment of Mrs. Victor W. Reese as state secretary and Mrs. Perry C. Rowland as member of state regent's council gave us three representatives in state work. Mrs. Lincoln took up her new work with great vigor, giving to the office all the knowledge and experience gained from a life ever interested in public affairs. But the work so splendidly begun was cut short by her untimely death, which will ever be a haunting memory to us all.

"To live in hearts we leave behind, is not to die;" so recites the little sentiment on our "In Memoriam" page-the saddest in our history. Inscribed upon this page we find the names of Mrs. George (Theodora Annette Phelps) Lincoln, 1911; Mrs. William ( Harriet S. Thomas) Farrar, 1911; Miss Mary Webster Thomas. 1912; Mrs. Elmer E. (Esta Coover) Harvey. 1913; Miss Adah Bertha Coover, 1915. and Mrs. James ( Adeline Chamberlin) Hamilton, 1915. These women were foremost in many lines of educational

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and philanthropic work; but a rich legacy in inspiration and steadfast devotion to high ideals has been bequeathed to the members of our chapter. "Enjoy what thou hast inherited from the sires, if thou wouldst really possess it."

In the year-book for 1915-1916 the names of the present officers read as follow : Regent, Mrs. Victor W. Reese; vice-regent, Mrs. Homer E. White; recording secretary, Mrs. J. R. Loofbourrow; corresponding secretary. Miss Florence Thomas; treasurer, Mrs. Horace G. Jones; registrar, Mrs. Charles E. Gain; historian, Miss Rosalind Wood, and custodian, Mrs. A. G. Kulp.

Our present membership of sixty-seven includes these names: Mrs. Edwin M. (Annette Emery) Baird, Miss Mary Caroline Baird, Mrs. Edward (Bessie Dungan) Bauer, Mrs. William Morrow (Lucy E. Wilson) Beach, Mrs. Forrest A. (Mary Beach) Bidwell, Miss Jennie Black, Miss Bonnie Ann Bonner, Mrs. Rollin G. (Eleanor Wilson) Bradley, Mrs. Walter (Mattie Bryan) Bryan, Mrs. Marion L. (Lizzie R. Cheney ) Burn- ham, Mrs. Jesse ( Adah Beach) Chance. Miss Geneva Burnley Chance, Miss Gertrude Burnley Chance. Mrs. Rea (Louise Watson) Chenoweth, Miss Margaret A. Converse, Mrs. Walter ( Frances Emery) Converse, Miss Martha Crabbe, Mrs. Peyton (Anna Gould) Emery, Mrs. Colburn (Massey Harrison) Farrar, Miss Zella Harrison Farrar, Mrs. John W. (Laura Wilson) Foster, Mrs. Frank (Olive Black) Feather, Mrs. John (Blanche Morgridge) Florence, Mrs. Walter (Cleo Emerson Thompson) Florence, Mrs. Charles E. (Rose Susan Markley) Gain, Mrs. Arnold W. (Florence Irene Lohr) Gard- ner, Mrs. Samuel (Amanda Sherman) Garrett, Miss Grace N. Hamilton, Mrs. John W. (Margaret Myers) Ingram, Miss Clara Johnstin. Mrs. Albert (Flora Price) Jones, Mrs. Edward (Cora Thompson) Jones, Mrs. Horace G. (Lizzie Houston) Jones, Mrs. Omer E. (Carrie Warrington) Jones, Mrs. William M. (Lucy A. Pancoast) Jones, Mrs. William J. (Mary E. Mckinley) Kinniard, Mrs. Albert G. (Carrie Thompson) Kulp, Mrs. Ross K. (Jeanette Rowland) Loofbourrow, Mrs. Charles G. (Mary Sibley) Markley, Miss Irene H. Martin. Mrs. Harry S. (Gertrude Smith) Mitchell, Miss Arabelle Morse, Miss Edna Morse, Mrs. Frank E. (Laura Smith) Noland, Mrs. Victor W. (Julia Mathews) Reese, Mrs. Pearl O. (Elizabeth Lane) Robinson, Mrs. Richard H. (Haysel Jones) Robison, Mrs. Perry (May Morgridge) Rowland, Miss Jean Rowland, Mrs. Charles B. (Minnie Tyler) Shough, Miss Helen Louise Shough, Miss Hattie D. Smith, Miss Jean- ette Smith, Mrs. Luke D. (Grace Mayne) Smith, Mrs. William (Bessie Neff) Speas- maker, Mrs. Cilton (Elizabeth Gregg) Stoll, Mrs. Ogan K. (Lucile Jones) Stroupe, Mrs. John R. (Alice Ingram) Tanner, Mrs. Mark S. (Mary M. Florence) Taylor, Miss Florence Farrar Thomas, Mrs. Charles O. (Grace Sifrit) Thompson, Mrs. Pierre (Helen Wil- son ) Voorhies, Mrs. Lawrence Reed (Jessie Farrar) Watts, Mrs. Homer E. (Ida Far- rar) White, Mrs. Den W. (Martha Frances Glenn) Winchester, Mrs. Francis J. (Cora Parrett Wood, Miss Rosalind Wood.

Our plans as outlined for the forthcoming year will consist mainly in fitting up the "relic room", set apart in the woman's club house and dedicated to our use through the generosity of our deceased member, Miss Bertha Coover. It has been voted to place the portrait of Miss Coover in the public school building as a fitting memorial from the chapter for her splendid services rendered years ago as a member of the school board

October 26. 27. 1915. London chapter was hostess to the seventeenth Ohio state conference of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Greater significance attached to the event since it marked the twenty-fifth anniversary-or silver jubilee-of the founding of the national society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the largest, body of patriotic women in the world.

In the records of a society as in those of a. person's life. there are always inci- dents, the outcome of which we would have different. There are things that might

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have been done, difficulties that might have been overcome, no doubt, but as we look over the record of the London chapter for the last six years, we can only say that at all times we honestly strove to do that which seemed best. Patriotic spirit is very active in the hearts and minds of us all, and anything which promotes the interest of our society and the objects for which we are banded together is sure of this chapter's support. An honor recently was conferred upon this chapter in the appointment of Miss Florence Thomas, chapter historian, as a member of the national committee on historical research. She promises to try and bring to light every item and fact of the history of our own ancestors that we may weave a chain from the days of 1776, which shall be of interest and instruction for those who will take our places in a few years in the largest society of patriotic women ever formed.

The historian general says: "The whole country of America is now flung open for historians." More impressive still are her words: "I grow more amazed each day at the lamentable ignorance of American history."

WOMAN'S ELECTIVE FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION. Contributed.

Equal suffrage is merely a phase in the evolution of the human race. Women have always, at one time or another, taken a prominent part in the world's work. But it remained for them to take up the line of thought and action declared by men in the Magna Charta, .June 15, 1215, and later, in the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, and call for the representation of their sex in the various departments of civilized life.

The representation of the race by. men alone had resulted in a variety of abuses and shortcomings to which even the men could not close their eyes, and many of them, of the most enlightened and judicial mind, united with the women in asking for equal rights.

From the time when women were refused seats as delegates in conventions, and forbidden to speak in public because of sex, were even denied any save the most rudi- mentary education, and when they came out in opposition to this treatment were hooted at on the street, assailed with rotten eggs, and otherwise persecuted, to the present day, when one-half the territory of the United States gives equal suffrage to its women, is an interesting story.

Whatever progress has been made or advantage for women gained, it has always been accomplished by women who were working in the equal suffrage cause. Many injustices to women and children still remain to be remedied in Ohio and the other states where women have not yet attained the ballot.'

Thirty years ago the present Ohio State Suffrage Association was organized. Through efforts of this body, school suffrage was granted the women of Ohio in 1894. This was reason enough for popular study of the subject, in the opinion of Katharine Dooris Sharp (Mrs. H. J. Sharp) of London. She inaugurated the work in Madison county by a series of articles, "Woman and the Elective Franchise" in the Daily Nickel- Plate, published by Albert Heintzelman, in London. A public meeting of the women was called and on November 19th the Woman's Elective Franchise Association was organized. The charter members are Mrs. Katharine Dooris Sharp, founder and first president; Mrs. Lucy Beach, first vice-president; Mrs. Caroline Ross, second vice-presi- dent; Mrs. Georgia Gould, secretary ; Mrs. E. J. Dixon, Mrs. A. E. Chance, Mrs. Vir- ginia Clark, Mrs. J. A. Ewalt, Mrs. Howard Snyder, Mrs. Rosanna Kepler, Mrs. C. W. Pringle, Miss Nettie Snyder.

On March 9, 1895, a convention of the women of London was called by the Woman's Elective Franchise Association and two candidates were nominated to be voted on by the electors at the spring election. Miss Bertha Coover, who became a member of the

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Woman's Elective Franchise Association before her nomination, was elected to the posi- tion of member of the school board and held that position for one term, 1895-'98. Other women of the association who have been members of the school board are Mrs. Minnie Willis Bonner, 1896-'99; Mrs. Esta Coover Harvey, 1908-'12.

MEMBERSHIP AND OFFICIARY.

A state life membership in the suffrage cause may be secured by the payment of twenty-five dollars. State life members are Mrs. Lucy Beach, Miss Anna Ebner, Mrs. Sarah H. Farrar, Miss Mellie Mark, Mrs. Joanna Nedds, Mrs. Katharine Dooris Sharp; memorial state members: Mrs. Minerva Acton, Mrs. Esta Coover Harvey, Mrs. Georgia Gould, Mrs. Caroline Ross and Miss Bertha Coover; list of ex-presidents: Mrs. Kath- arine Dooris Sharp, Mrs. Caroline Ross, Mrs. Georgia Gould, Miss Anna Ebner, Mrs. Lucy Beach, Mrs. Isabell Morgan, Mrs. Vinnie Phifer, Mrs. Esta Coover Harvey, Miss Bertha Coover, Mrs. Emelyn Richmond, Miss Mary Clark; state corresponding secre- tary, Miss Bertha Coover, 1903-12.

This organization is governed by an adapted form of the constitution of the Ohio Woman Suffrage Association and "Roberts' Rules of Order" is accepted as parliamen- tary authority.

Officers 1915-16: Mrs. Katharine Dooris Sharp, president; Mrs. Lucy Beach, first vice-president ; Mrs. Josephine Locke, second vice-president; Dr. Effie B. Koontz, third vice-president ; Mrs. Mary Shields, fourth vice-president; Mrs. Ina Tenney Foster, sec- retary, and Mrs. Orpha Morris, treasurer; assistant treasurers, Miss Sallie Dooris, Miss Florence Ronemus; custodian, Mrs. Orpha Morris; assistant custodian, Mr. E. E. Har- vey ; auditors, Mrs. Rilla Hornbeck, Miss Margaret Dooris; committee on flowers, Mrs. Minerva Caylor, Mrs. Hornbeck, Mrs. Joanna Nedds, Miss Anna Ebner; committee on literature, Mrs. Sharp, Mrs. Forest Bidwell, Miss Emma Richmond, Mrs. Kate F. Wil- son; board of directors, Mrs. Josephine Locke, Mrs. Minerva Caylor, Mrs. Grace War- ner, Mrs. Phoebe Simpson, Mrs. Emelyn Richmond, Miss Sallie Dooris. The officers and directors constitute the executive committee. Regular meetings are held the first Friday of the month, beginning with October and ending with April, unless otherwise voted.

During the current year each member will contribute a free-will offering, to be not less than twenty-five cents, which is the sum payable to the state association, and which may be any larger sum convenient to the donor. That which is given to a good cause is twice blessed, "and look, whatsoever he [or she] doeth, it shall prosper."

One hundred and sixty names have been recorded on the register of this club since its organization. Some of these have passed on to their reward. Among these none have been more missed from the work than Mrs. Esta Coover Harvey, who died Decem- ber 5. 1912. and her sister, Miss Bertha Coover, who died on February 5, 1915. Among other bequests made by Miss Coover is the sum of one thousand dollars to the state suffrage work. and of one hundred dollars to the Woman's Elective Franchise Associa- tion. It is sometimes said by persons of no great depth of thought that only single women want the ballot, but the fact is, that wives and mothers are so faithful to their home duties that they delegate the work to those who have more freedom from those cares. Miss Coover was well fitted for the role she undertook so cheerfully, and which became her life work. This club is honored in having been the means of bringing to fruition qualities of heart and mind which singled Miss Coover from the ordinary mul- titude. Such will be the effect of increased political duty in the ranks of womankind. The special qualities characteristic of the sex will enrich the world through future gen- erations. To hinder the cause of suffrage-and therefore, justice-is thus to deprive the world of a wealth of gain.

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BEVIEW OF LOCAL CONDITIONS.

This organization has been fortunate in the women connected with it. As a rule they are good housekeepers, devoted mothers or daughters and fine business managers. They are not office-seekers, as some think an inseparable feature of equal suffrage. In fact, they are too little interested in holding office and it has always been difficult to find candidates for the school board. Mrs. Lucy Beach is one of the largest landowners and tax-payers in the county and also one of its most sucessful practical farmers. Too high praise cannot be given to this lady for her generous benevolence to this and every other good cause. Her financial backing and cheerful encouragement have been mate- rial aids in the furtherance of the suffrage work. Shortly after the organization of the Woman's Elective Franchise Association, Mrs. Sharp became a member of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union and introduced the department of franchise into the county organization of that body at London, Mt. Sterling, Plain City and West Jefferson. This fine organization of women accepted the new branch of work gladly and have used it with success.

It will be found, upon study of election returns, that all parts of Madison county are for suffrage except West Jefferson and London. While the best citizens of these localities are in favor of equal suffrage, there are elements of the baser sort in favor of the liquor interest and enough others whose votes may be bought "to swing any election," to use the words of the political student. The method used in Adams county should be brought to bear upon this class of voters. It is the only one which will ever reach them. Against the manufacture and sale of liquor the moral sense of the people -the voters should prevent them from becoming the tools of the "interests" in the cities, where brewers use every scheme to influence the vote in the rural districts, not excepting the church.

During the twenty-one years existence of the Woman's Elective Franchise Associa- tion, a great growth of favorable sentiment has taken place in Madison county as well as the world at large. It is rare to find one entirely ignorant on the subject, and this club has endeavored to spread knowledge by distribution of literature and by bringing speakers on the subject of woman's suffrage into the towns.

"The History of Woman Suffrage," in four large volumes, has been presented to the public library, also a framed portrait of Susan B. Anthony, one of the great leaders in the cause. A copy of "Everywoman," the state official publication, and of The Woman's Journal, Boston, the leading suffrage paper of the world, will be found at the library, presented by this club, as well as other literature. Where objection to women voting exists it will be found owing to a lack of information on the subject of the great good accomplished by women in those states where they have the ballot. Of course there is a small class who have given ground for the saying: "Convince a fool against his will and he'll be of the same opinion still."

Owing to ill-health, Mrs. Sharp was compelled to give up membership in other clubs, but recognizing that women can accomplish little without the same tool used by men, the vote, she has devoted her chief interest to the acquisition of this benefit for her sex. Having a love of nature, she has spent a portion of her time in making a classified collection of the flora of the county. including the grasses, sedges. and certain of the fungi. Her latest book. "Summer in a Bog." relates to her botanical work and is highly spoken of by the reviewers. Some of her other books are "Eleanor's Courtship and the Songs That Sang Themselves." "The South Ward," "The Doctor's Speaking-Tube" and "Sonnets for Women." She has written much anonymously and short articles on the suffrage question appear frequently from her pen. A brochure. "Woman Suffrage and Anti-Suffrage," was circulated widely in 1912.

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Although great growth in equal suffrage sentiment has taken place in London, there is room for much more. A cordial spirit of welcome should greet the women who have the courage to come forward as candidates for the school board. There is room for the special service of a woman's intelligence in matters concerning education. Hitherto, book-learning has often turned into the world a helpless, inefficient class of graduates who despise domestic industries, ignorant of home-making and the hygienic production of food.

Practical training in culinary and domestic matters, also a measure of manual training with those implements most commonly used in ordinary life, as well as train- ing in agriculture, with practical experience in the school garden, should all have place in the education of the young. And since the rest of the world have found women to be valuable on the school board, why should London lag behind?

The Woman's Elective Franchise Association welcomes all honorable disciples of the suffrage cause who wish to enroll in its ranks.

TWENTIETH CENTURY CLUB. By Maud Berry Bonner.

The Twentieth Century Club was organized in 1898 and was federated in 1800. It was composed principally of a>few ladies who were real home women; women of fam- ilies and regular homekeepers, women who had been debarred from literary work. This club weekly expected to review books and this they did for about two years. In the meantime a name was to be given it; several were proposed and "Twentieth Cen- tury" was selected. The following officers were then elected : President, Mrs. Kate Han- son ; first vice-president, Mrs. M. C. Lohr; second vice-president, Mrs. Clara Pierce; secretary, Mrs. Cora Henderson; corresponding secretary, Mrs. F. N. Gardner; treas- urer, Miss Mayme Jones. The charter members are, Mrs. Kate Strain, Mrs. Kate Hanson, Mrs. Mary Florence, Mrs. S. L. Turner, Mrs. Riley Watson, Mrs. Clara Pierce, Miss Josie Lohr, Mrs. J. Lohr, Mrs. Mary Dungan, Mrs. Isa Dungan and Mrs. F. N. Gardner. In the past seventeen years of our existence its membership has been extended throughout town and county, although some have resigned; some have moved to other localities and some have been called to the Great Beyond, namely, Mrs. Mary Florence, Miss Kate Byers, Mrs. Carrie Arbuckle and Miss Mayme Jones.

"Farewell ! A little time, and we Who knew thee well, and loved thee here, One after one shall follow thee; As pilgrims through the gates of fear, Which opens an eternity."

There are at present twenty-seven active members of the Twentieth Century Club and the drift of the studies has been literary, historical and miscellaneous subjects; during the past year studying Shakespeare's "As You Like It," taking up the different studies each year with progressive enthusiasm; at the same time never forgetting that "the time is never lost that is devoted to work;" also enjoying a time set apart for feast days. The officers of the club at the present time are as follows: President, Mrs. Thorressa Moore; first vice-president, Mrs. Anna Bryan; second vice-president, . Mrs. Belle Linson ; recording secretary, Maud Berry Bonner; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Elizabeth Placier; treasurer, Miss Emily Blue.

A woman cannot do the things she ought; which means, whatever perfect thing she can-in life, in art, in science; but she fears to let the perfect action take her part and rest there: she must prove what she can do before she does it.

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MADISON COUNTY HEALTH AND WELFARE LEAGUE. By Mrs. A. J. Strain.

The Madison County Health and Welfare League is an incorporated body having for its object the bringing about of better health for the citizens of London, by holding up before her people the more sanitary ways of living, the better housing of her people, the caring for the sick, and the social and moral uplift of her inhabitants. It is a new organization, far-reaching in its ideals.

Miss Anna Johnson, a district tuberculosis nurse, was the first. one to advocate the forming of a health league. She asked for the co-operation of the federation of clubs, but the president, Mrs. Clinton Morse, wisely and judiciously decided that it should be an organization composed of both men and women, and referred the matter to the health department of London. Dr. H. J. Sharp, health officer at that time, called several mass meetings which were addressed by Miss McNamara, a district nurse of Columbus; Miss Johnson, the promoter of the idea, and Mrs. Annie E. Rumer, a social worker of Chillicothe. The permanent organization was perfected in January, 1915, and is off- cered as follow : President, Dr. H. J. Sharp; first vice-president, Mrs. A. J. Strain; sec- ond vice-president, Mrs. M. E. Dwyer; secretary, Dr. E. F. Rosnagle; treasurer, Mrs. Harry Barker; board of directors, Mrs. Clinton Morse, Mrs. Lee H. Williams, Mrs. Gideon Clark, Mrs. A. J. Strain, Mrs. Charles Cheseldine, Dr. Effie B. Koontz, Dr. H. J. Sharp, Judge Frank Murray, Mr. E. S. Gordon, Dr. J. F. Kirkpatrick and Dr. E. F. Rosnagle.

The county commissioners at a recent meeting gave the league the privilege of using the property left the county for a hospital or an old ladies' home by the late Miss Bertha Coover, and an emergency hospital and welfare house will be established on said property as soon as the league can make the necessary arrangement for proper build- ings and the maintenance of same. A "better babies" contest was held at the county fair grounds, on Thursday, August 26, 1915, the third day of the county fair. Eighty- eight babies between the ages of six months and five years were entered. The sweep- stake prizes went to June Rea Chenoweth, the two-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Austin Chenoweth. and to Thurman Russell Snyder, the two-and-one-half-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Snyder, the averages being ninety-eight and ninety-eight and one-half, respectively. Dr. Effie B. Koontz, superintendent in charge of the "better babies" contest. merits much praise for the very efficient manner in which she managed this contest. She and her co-workers, Mrs. Lee H. Williams, chairman of the scoring committee. and Mrs. Gideon Clark. chairman of program, were indefatigable in their work, and were largely instrumental in making the contest a successful feature of the fair. Miss Mabel Smith. an experienced nurse and social worker, has been in London for four months, averaging some seventy calls monthly.

The work of the Health and Welfare League promises big results for the future, and it no doubt will. in years to come prove a blessing and a benefaction to the citizens of London and Madison county.

LONDON FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS. By Mrs. A. J. Strain.

This organization was perfected on April 7, 1913, on which date the three literary clubs of London, realizing that better work might be accomplished, and more activities taken care of, by co-operation, decided to join forces. The East High Street Club, the oldest literary organization in London, took the initiative and invited the Woman's Club and the Twentieth Century Club to meet with them in a mass meeting at the court house. Mrs. A. P. Morris and Mrs. Frank Cussins, members of the Altrurian Club, of

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Columbus, were present on this occasion, and both spoke of the splendid work being accomplished by the federation of Columbus. It seemed quite fitting that Mrs. Clinton Morse should be chosen the first president of the London federation, as she had long been imbued with the club spirit, and was the one to bring the federation idea to Lon- don, having worked under the first general federation president, Mrs. Charlotte Emerson Brown, of New Jersey. Mrs. Morse was also the founder of one of the oldest clubs in New Jersey, the El Mora Literary Club, of Elizabeth, which club was organized in 1886. She was one of the organizers of the Woman's Club and a charter member of the Fortnightly Civic Club. The other officers were: Recording secretary, Mrs. Charles Gain; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Ralph Coons; treasurer, Mrs. Peyton Emery; audi- tor, Mrs. Sherman Simpson ; vice-presidents, Mrs. Frank Noland, of the East High Street Club; Mrs. John Parker, of the Woman's Club, and Mrs. B. F. Linson of the Twentieth Century Club.

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History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Part 50

Author: Chester E. Bryan Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1207

Author: Chester E. Bryan
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1207