Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/429

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 369 the Nancy liuuter Chapter at Cape Girar- deau. The first member at Cape Girardeau, who was received October 7, 1897, and ap- pointed a regent to organize a chapter. She began the organization but removed from the city before she completed the work. After her going Mrs. Louis Houck was appointed re- gent and completed the organization. The chapter was completed February 12, 1901, with the following charter members: Miss May H. Fee ; Mrs. Jennie Allen Wilson, reg- istrar; IIrs. Julia Allen Block; Mrs. Mary Hunter Giboney Houck, regent; Mrs. IMarie Mount Green Houck, historian ; Mrs. ilary Amanda Harris Blomeyer, secretary; Mrs. Mabel Ellen Hunter Howe, vice regent ; Mrs. Clara Hunter Whitesell; Mrs. Mary Hunter Pierce; Mrs. Lucy Hunter Bird; Mrs. Mary B. Hunter Moore; Mrs. Virginia Hunter Houck, treasurer. The chapter was named in honor of Nancy Hunter, daughter of Joseph Hunter, a dis- tinguished soldier of the Revolution. Nancy Hunter herself rendered service to her coun- try at Fort Jefferson. She married Isaac Dodge, the first American settler in Ste. Genevieve district ; her sons were among the distinguished men of Missouri and other states. One of them was General Henry Dodge, another was Senator A. C. Dodge and another son by a second marriage was Sen- ator Lewis F. Linn. The chapter is in a prosperous condition. It has accomplished a number of things of importance, among tlieni the gathering of documents, the investiga- tion of genealogical records and the begin- ning of a movement for the preservation of McKendree Chapel, a meeting house of the Methodist church, not far from Cape Girar- deau which is the oldest Protestant house of worship now standing, west of the Mississippi river. Vol. I- Another of these organizations is the United Daughters of the Confederacy. It is also an organization of women in this case of those who can establish their relationship to Confederate soldiers. Its purpose is prin- cipally historical, also to keep alive the mem- ory of the Civil war, to secure correct treat- ment of the South and its struggles, and to perpetuate in every possible way the fame of those who fought for the South. It is also to a certain extent a social organization and con- cerns itself with progressive movements of ev- er.y kind. Among the societies and organizations founded in Southeast IMissouri of a general public interest is the organization of Confed- erate Veterans. It has existed in Missouri since 1895 and the work of organization in this state was begun by General Joe Shelby. Its purpose is social, benevolent and histori- cal, it holds annual reunions in order to pre- serve the memorj^ of the struggles of its mem- bers, stri^'cs to render assistance to svich as need it, and to collect and preserve all facts and incidents of the Civil war. At the present time there are camps at Doniphan, Green- ville, Poplar Bluff, Farmington, Marble Hill, Jackson, Morley, Dexter, New Madrid, Ken- nett, Bloomfield and Fredericktown. In many of the towns are camps of the Grand Army of the Republic composed of the veterans of the Union army in the great Civil war. The purpose of these camps is to keep alive the memory of the heroic deeds and sac- rifices of the war, to provide opportunity for fellowship among those who stood together on the field of battle and to assist worthy his- torical and patriotic movements of every kind. The observance of Memoral Day is one of the means for accomplishing these purposes. Al- lied with the camps of the G. A. R. are or-