Daughters of the American Revolution, Anne Lee Chapter, met at the Southern Prairie Library in Altus Feb. 7 to celebrate the 100th birthday of the chapter. Hostesses for the meeting were Mary Holsey and Diane Johnson. Shown here are Ellen Yates, left, and Edith Elliott who presented the program.
The program “100th Anniversary of Anne Lee Chapter of DAR” was presented by Edith Elliott and Ellen Yates. Yates grandmother, Lela Garnett, was one of the charter’s founding members. During the presentation, chapter members had the opportunity to see several old chapter scrapbooks and photos, newspaper clippings, and a copy of the chapter’s Charter, Both Yates and Elliot mentioned several accomplishments of the chapter over the past 100 years.
Elliott also read a section from “Across the Lonely Years”, a book about Jackson County written by Dean Cecil Chesser. “Over 100 years ago, in 1912 a group of about 20 local women met with the purpose of organizing a chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the work was rewarded with a charter dated Jan 13, 1913. The Anne Lee chapter’s name was chosen honoring the mother of General Robert E. Lee, who graduated from West Point. His mother Anne, who the local chapter is named after, was very influential in her son’s accomplishments.
Other accomplishments of the chapter over the years include:
Raising funds in 1915 for a marker for the grave of Cyrena Tuttle Woods, daughter of American Revolutionary Captain Solomon Tuttle. Woods was born in 1817 and died near Altus in 1909. In 1990, members installed and dedicated an official DAR insignia on her grave stone in the Altus Cemetery.
In 1976, the chapter placed scrapbooks, commemorative coins & other chapter collections in the time capsule buried near the Museum of the Western Prairie.
In 1992, the chapter participated in the dedication of Quanah Parker Trailway, the four-lane highway between Lawton and Altus. The dedication was in honor of Quanah Parker and was held near Parker’s famous home, the Star House. Eighteen of his grandchildren attended the dedication.
In 1993, the chapter celebrated its 80th birthday and won several state and national awards for their chapter’s celebration.
In 1995, the chapter sponsored the Jackson County World War II Commemorative Community Program, which celebrated the 50 year anniversary of the ending of World War II. The reception featured a sing-a-long of World War II songs, held in an USO Canteen setting in Altus.
Sometime in 2000, the chapter partnered with the Great Plains Literacy Council in a literacy training project for Hispanic workers at Bar-S Foods. The chapter won a National Medal for their work in this project.
February is national American History month and again this year, the chapter sponsored an essay contest at the Junior High School on American history. Three students
were recognized for their essays and will now compete at the state and national level.
Constitution Week is another yearly project for the chapter and over the years, the chapter has been honored at the national level for their excellent work in this area.
The DAR’s goal at the local, state and national level has always been to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence; to promote knowledge developing an enlightened public opinion; to foster true patriotism and to aid in securing the blessings of liberty.
During the meeting, members voted to submit the reinstatement for past member Thelma Grider Dillon, mother of chapter member Janet Wright.
The next meeting will be February 21 at 2:00 pm at the Southern Prairie Library in Altus. Janet Wright will present the program on George Washington’s birthday and Jeanette Coaly will be the hostess.
Any lady wishing to join this chapter may contact: Mary Holsey at: mholsey2011@yahoo.net or Diane Johnson at: dndjohnson309@yahoo.com. The DAR is a lineage based, non-political women’s service organization, whose motto is God, Home and Country. DAR promotes Historic Preservation, Education and Patriotism.
Members attending were: Peggy Kite, Hollis; Joy Grant, Mangum; Ellen Yates, Mabel Blackwood, Janet Wright, Diane Johnson, Edith Elliott, and guest Mary Wayne Moates, all from Altus.
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