A blustery day did not deter the members of the Oklahoma Society Daughters of the American Revolution from the dedication of the Real Daughter Marker for Cyrena Abigail Tuttle Woods.

Not only was Cyrena the Daughter of Revolutionary War Soldier Solomon Tuttle,a volunteer Vermont Minute Man; she was a member of Daughters of the American Revolution, joining the Nabby Lee Ames DAR chapter in Athens, Ohio. After the death of her husband of 40 years, she moved to Altus to be near her son. Cyrena died in 1909 and was thought to be the last Real Daughter of the American Revolution at that time. She was proud of her membership in DAR and was presented with a silver spoon still in her family today that is engraved with her DAR number and her initials.

The Anne Lee Chapter of Altus raised money to place a headstone at her grave in 1915.

This same chapter placed the insignia of the National Society on the face of her headstone in 1990. The members of the Anne Lee Chapter present were Regent Edith Elliott, Registrar Claudine Dollar, Nona Jones, Georgia Beers, Mabel Blackwood, Joy Grant and Gale Melton, a prospective member. The dedication ceremony held Oct. 1 at the Altus City Cemetery where flags lined the boulevard and flanked the grave stone celebrated the life and service of Cyrena Woods.

Edith Elliott, Anne Lee Chapter Regent, welcomed everyone and Mary Jackson Duffe, State Regent, brought greetings and offered a prayer. After the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of “America the Beautiful,” Reta Schwerinski and Lois Vilbert, descendants and both from the Captain Peter Ankeny Chapter in Tulsa, gave histories of Cyrena and Solomon, respectively.

The Oklahoma State Regent, Mary Jackson Duffe, and Sharon Champlin, State Historian, dedicated the marker.

A crepe myrtle was then planted between Cyrena’s and her son, William Woods’ graves by the family members present to attend the Woods/Parker Family reunion. The dedication was closed with a prayer.

There were numerous descendants of Cyrena that participated in the ceremony and were present to attend the Family Reunion.

To find out more about DAR please contact our representative at HYPERLINK "mailto:okladaughtersamrev@sbcglobal.net" okladaughtersamrev@sbcglobal.net or call 405-348-0293.