Page:Sketches of representative women of New England.djvu/101

74 the highest recognition of the Woman's Relief Corps and its work that has ever been given, and is truly a crown of glory to this administration and the seal of future possibilities." Quoting from the report of the Invalid Pension Committee of Congress, to whom the bill for pensions for army nurses had been referred, she continued: "I trust the work of securing special pensions will he pushed to the utmost. The greatest obstacle in the way seems to be the defective record of army nurses in the War Department. Twenty-six thousand names of women are enrolled. Eighteen thousand of them have no record whatever. Six thousand two hundred and. eighty-one are mentioned as army nurses, but four thousand six hundred and ninety-four of these have no statement as to the authority by which they were appointed. It is not probable that Congress will pass a general pension law for army nurses until a satisfactory record is made. Therefore I believe it is of the utmost importance that this record of the War Department be corrected and, if possible, completed. This will require a vast amount of time, patience, work, and influence, an immense correspondence, and some money. But the women who served their country amid the perils of war deserve something at our hands; and, if we cannot secure for them pensions while living, let us build for them a monument of deeds, recorded in the military register of the nation. Many, very many of them are dead. All will soon be gone. Then let us not allow their heroic services to sink into oblivion, but take immediate action toward the accomplishment of this work."

In closing her address, Mrs. McHenry presented several recommendations of value to the work, and expressed thanks to many friends for courtesies received.

On motion of Mrs. Kate B. Sherwood, past National President, the convention extended thanks to Mrs. McHenry "for her exemplification of all the womanly qualities enjoined by the obligations of our order while presiding over this convention." Mrs. McHenry responded: "Ladies, I thank you. Time is too precious for me to use it in telling of my appreciation of all the kind things you have said and done for me, not only here in convention. but during the whole year. I trust the friendships thus formed will grow warmer as our years increase. Parting is the one 'sweet sorrow' of our conventions; but, as I claim you all as 'my daughters,' I trust each one will remember me with the same fraternal love I bear you, and in that lovely 'somewhere' we shall all meet to 'go out no more forever.' "

Mrs. McHenry has continued her active interest in the work of the National Woman's Relief Corps, and has been a liberal contributor to various charities, expending her money freely for benevolent objects. Enjoying the quiet of her home life, she is interested in public work only for the good she can accomplish. Mr. and Mrs. McHenry have four children, two sons and two daughters, who are perpetuating the principles of patriotism by membership in the societies of S. of v., W. R. C, and Sons and Daughters of the Revolution.

OUISE C. PURINGTON, M.D., National Superintendent W. C. T. U.. Department Health and Heredity. — Mary Louise Chamberlain, as Dr. Purington was christened, was born near Madison, N.Y., in one of the lovely hamlets, or "hollows," of the Empire State. The youngest child of Isaac and Harriet (Putnam) Chamberlain, she traces her descent through her mother from the Putnam family of Danvers, originally known as Salem Village, Mass.

The immigrant progenitor of this family, John Putnam, died in 1662, some twenty years or more after his arrival in the colony. Three sons of John1 handed down the family name. They were: Thomas,2 grandfather of General Israel Putnam; Nathaniel2; and John, Jr.,2 who fought in King Philip's War, and was afterward a Captain of militia. Eleazer3 Putnam, born in 1665, seventh child of Captain John2 and his wife, Rebecca Prince, was a deacon of the church in Danvers. The farm on which he settled lies north of the General Israel Putnam house. Henry4 Putnam, born in 1712, son of Deacon Eleazer3 and his second wife, Elizabeth, dauglder of Benjamin and Apphia (Hale) Rolfe, of Newbury, removed in middle life from Danvers to "Charlestown, where he kept