Histories of Some Columbia Units.

In February, 1892, the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution appointed Mrs. (John E) Rebecca Pickens Bacon of Edgefield state regent of South Carolina; Mrs. Bacon at the same time appointing Mrs. (Clark) Malvina Sarah Waring, of Columbia, organizing regent of chapters. On May 10, 1893, Mrs. Waring at her home, 1428 Laurel street, organized the Columbia chapter, the first in the state. The second chapter was Esther Marion, of Aiken, with Mrs. George W. Croft, leader, on November 4, 1893; the third being Cowpens, Spartanburg, on June 4, 1894, by Mrs. William Adger Law.

For eight consecutive years, the annual gatherings of the South Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution were held at the home of Mrs. Waring, in the same room in which the first chapter was organized, on one day of Fair Week, which occurred in the fall of the year. These meetings were always featured by a reception following the business discussions. At the annual meeting, November 10, 1897, Mrs. Bacon refused to serve longer as state regent, and Mrs. Waring, first organizing regent of chapters in South Carolina, was elected state regent, being confirmed at the national congress in Washington in February, 1898.

During Mrs. Waring’s term as state regent, seven chapters were organized, as follows; Catawba, Rock Hill, Rebecca Motte, Charleston, King’s Mountain, Yorkville, Sumter’s Home, Sumter; Nathaniel Greeene, Greenville; Mary Adair, Chester; Cateechee, Anderson. The first conference of Mrs. Waring’s regime was held in her home in November , 1898. On April 28, 1899, an interstate conference of North and South Carolina D. A. R. was held in Spartanburg with Cowpens chapter as hostess. October 8, 1899, the annual conference of the South Carolina D. A. R. was held at Mrs. Waring’s and in the fall of 1900. On the latter occasion, Mrs. Waring, having served threes years, resigned as state regent, and Mrs. (H. W.) Sarah Aldrich Richardson, of Columbia chapter, was elected, remaining in office six years. She was confirmed as state regent at continental congress in February, 1901, Mrs. Waring being at the same congress elected vice-president general, the first D. A. R. to hold this office from South Carolina.

In 1901 the conference was held in Columbia, at the old Y. M. C. A. building, which stood at the southeast corner of Main and Lady streets. February 27, 1902, was D. A. R. day at the Charleston exposition, and among the distinguished guests were Mrs. Charles Warren Fairbanks, president general of the N. S. D. A. R., and Mrs. Daniel Manning, honorary president general of the N. S. D. A. R., each of who delivered an address on that day. Many South Carolina Daughters were in attendance.

The annual conference that year was held in Columbia, October 29, in the senate chamber at the State House, being followed that evening by a large reception, also in the senate chamber. October 28, 1903, what was termed the “Seventh Annual Conference” was held in the council chamber of the old city hall, Columbia. At this conference the advisability of rotation was discussed, and an invitation from Cowpens chapter for the conference of 1904 was accepted, this being the first annual state conference to meet outside of Columbia from the formation of the D. A. R. society within this state.

On April 19, 1904, Mrs. Clark Waring assisted in the laying of the cornerstone of Memorial Continental Hall, on invitation of the president general, Mrs. Fairbanks. Mrs. H. W. Richardson made an address on the same day. Beginning with the conference in Spartanburg in 1904, it has been the custom to meet by special invitation.

COLUMBIA CHAPTER
(By Mrs. Rober King)

Columbia chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, was the first chapter of the great organization to be organized in South Carolina. Mrs. Rebecca Pickens Bacon, the first state regent for South Carolina, and a member of this chapter, appointed Mrs. Clark Waring as organizing chapter regent and on May 10, 1893, at the home of Mrs. Waring, 1428 Laurel street, the chapter was organized and the name of “Columbia” adopted.

Columbia chapter was given the national number of 179, and the charter members on May 10, 1893, were: Regent, Malvina S. Waring; vice-regent, Sarah A. Richardson; secretary, Mary P. Screven; treasurer, Margaret C. Clarkson; registrar, Ellen E. McQueen, historian, Ellen S. Elmore; other members, Louise Berrien Kendall, Rebecca CalhounBacon, Isabel D. Martin, Louise A. Lynch, Mary Videau Satterlee, Antionette W. Trainer, Mary Isabella Stringfellow, Caroline Walker Ravenel, Susan Dixon, Anna G. Legare, Harriet J. Clarkson, Belle Bratton Alston, Susan Richardson Guignard, Annie E. Bonham, Annie T. Badham, Mary Belle Wilson Gregory, Isabelle H. Bell.

Mrs. Waring served the D. A. R. as state regent and as vice-president general of the national society. She was a member of the national executive committee and assisted in the laying of the cornerstone of Continental Hall, at the invitation of the president general, Mrs. Fairbanks.

Mrs. Sarah Aldrich Richardson (1898-1900) was the second regent of Columbia chapter; was also state regent for six years and assisted to a great extent in the forming of the constitution and by-laws by which the South Carolina D. A. R. was organized.

Columbia chapter did outstanding work during the Spanish-American war; instituted the movement for the erection the of the monument on the State House grounds to the partisan generals, Marion, Pickens and Sumter, and made large contributions thereto; offered and awarded annually a medal for the best essay by a high school student on some phase of the Revolutionary war.

The unusual distinction of having six “Real Daughters” renrolled belongs to Columbia chapter. They were Mrs. Louisa C. Gaillard, Mrs. Annie Morehead Hobson, Mrs. Marie L. A. Spann Cathcart, Mrs. Anna W. Verner Stribling, Mrs. Charlotte Boykin Taylor, and Mrs. Margaret Jeffcoat; each of these, it is said having received a gold spoon from the national society.

Mrs. Annie I. Robertson (1900-1902) represented South Carolina at the unveiling of the Lafayete monument in Paris. The tablet to the memory of Emily Geiger in the State House was accomplished during her regency. In 1911 Mrs. Robertson painted the seals of the 13 original states for the national society, D. A. R., for Continental Hall at Washington; and let the government have the designs to cut into marble for a memorial post-office at York, Pa.

Isabel D. Martin (1902-1904); Mrs. Bessie Springs Childs (1904-1906) and again (1914-1917); Mrs. W. B. Burney, (1906-1908) and again (1918 – 1919); Mrs. Lydia McNulty Gallow (1908 – 1909); Mrs. Claude Girardeau, 1909; Mrs. Sallie LeConte Davis, (1909-1911); Mrs. Alice M. Earle, (1911 – 1913); Mrs. Daisy Wells McGregor, (1913-1914); Mrs. Mary Keller Boyd, (1917-1918); Miss Nell Brooks Carter, (1919-1921); Mrs. Elizabeth Bostedo Wauchope, (1921-1923); Mrs. Sophie Swearingen Swindell, (1923-1925); Mrs. Carrie Flenniken Brice, (1925-1926); Mrs. Carolina C. Sylvan, (1926-1927); Mrs. Minnie Mc. Bramlett, (1927-1928); Mrs. Fannie M. Lillard, (1928-1931); Mrs. Annie B. Owings, (1931-1932); Mrs. Grace Marchant Parker, (1932-1934); and Mrs. Marion Reynolds King, (1934-1936) having served as regents of the chapter, doing work for the Willard Mountain school and Georgetown Industrial school, making larger contributions to Continental Hall and Constitution Hall in Washington; paid for three large rooms, and one bathroom at Tamasee; bought 13 Tamasee bonds, the rooms at Tamassee honor Mrs. Waring, Mrs. W. B. Burney and Columbia chapter; Mrs. Burney furnished one, and the other chapter through efforts of Mrs. Sophie Swindell furnished antoher. Bonds were bough by Mrs. Waring, Dr. Robert W. Gibbes, Mrs. Julian Hennig, Gen. Washington Clark, Mrs. Isabel A. Boyne, Mrs. Henry Waren Richardson, Miss Harriet Clarkson, Dr. and Mrs. W. J. Murray, Miss Sophia Carroll, Columbia chapter, two bonds. Memorial acres by Mrs. J. C. Coulter, honoring her sons, John and Richard Coulter. Chairs and bond for Constituation Hall were given for Mrs. H. W. Richardson. Mrs. Rebecca Pickens Bacon, Mrs. Clark Waring, Mrs. W. B. Burney, Mrs. Sarah Owens Tobin, Miss Alice Earle, Mrs. Caroline B. Reynolds, Mrs. John C. Coulter, Mrs. W. J. Murray, and two additional chairs; and other contributions for special purposes.

Columbia Chapter has furnished five of the 12 state regents, Mrs. Rebbecca Pickens Bacon, Mrs. Clark Waring, Mrs. Sara A. Richardson, Mrs. Minnie M. Burney and Mrs. John C. Coulter; and three of the seven vice-presidents general from this state, Mrs. Waring, Mrs. Burney and Mrs. Coulter. Many scholarships to Tamassee have been given; also hundreds of books to the national D. A. R. library and Tamassee. Many historical papers of unusual value have been written by member of the chapter. Members have also contributed largerly to civic welfare and improvement, as well as to the social life of Columbia.

WILLIAM CAPERS CHAPTER
(Contributed)

In April, 1905, the William Capers chapter was organized by Mrs. Mary Videau Capers Satterlee. That was before she was married to Lieutenant Satterlee, U. S. A. She was living in Columbia with her father, Gen. Ellison Capers, C. S. A., himself the beloved bishop of the Episcopal diocese of South Carolina.

Mrs. Satterlee was untiring in her efforts to organize a new chapter, and was the organizer, first regent, and gave the chapter the name of her great-grandfather, William Capers.

It was necessary to have 12 names only to form a new chapter, but Mrs. Satterlee was very proud to present 16 persons as charter members. They were: Mrs. Clara Capers Owens, Mrs. Lessie Capers Talley Moorman, Mrs. Coy Youmans Metts, Mrs. Jane Brooks Marshall, Mrs. Maggie Harris Thomas, Mrs. Annice Harris Lowry, Mrs. Harriet English Gillespie, Mrs. Josephine Izard Josey, Mrs. Lula Berrien Kendall. Mrs. Stitt Harris Sims, Mrs. Fannie Blake Sloan, Mrs. Agnes Mikell Wallace. Mrs. Rosa Cantey Heyward, Mrs. Claudia Earle Knowlton, Mrs. Carrie Earle Sams, Mrs. Henriettta Irby Earle.

Of this number nine have joined “the innumerable caravan,” each leaving an enviable reputation of fine Christian womanhood.

Mrs. Satterlee, Mrs. Kendall and the last six named are still loyal members of a most excellent band of patriotic women.

The first delegate to attend the D. A. R. congress from the William Capers chapter was Mrs. Henrietta Earle, in 1906. The first piece of patriotic work was raising funds for the statue of John C. Calhoun, which was place in the capitol in Columbia. The chapter contributed funds to the monument to the three generals. Marion, Sumter, and Pickens, on the capitol grounds.

The chapter has lived up to its every obligation. The zeal of many of its members is unusual. Memorial bonds given to Tamassee are:

Major William Sinkler Manning, by his father and mother, Governor and Mrs. R. I. Manning.

Mrs. Coy Youmans Metts, by her husband, W. A. Metts.

Mrs. Annice Harris Lowry, by her daughter, Mrs. Annice Lowry Beaver, Gainesville, Ga.

Mrs. Harriet English Gillespie, by the William Capers chapter.

Mrs. Jane Brooks Marshall, by her daughter, Mrs. Janie Marshall Hammond.

Mrs. Josephine Izard Josey and Miss Mary Green Izard, by Miss Mattye Perry Izard and A. B. Josey.

Mrs. Eleanor de Treville Atkinson, by her husband, Christopher Atkinson.

Mrs. Clara Ellen Forbes Owens, regent, by the William Capers chapter.

Mrs. May Videau Capers Satterlee, first regent, by William Capers chapter, with the district bond won by securing the greatest number of bond subscriptions in proportion to its memberships.

Miss Clara Ellen Owens, by her mother, Mrs. Clarence E. Owens.

We have had many fine papers. Its would be impossible even to name them here. The subjects have been very well chosen, giving a variety to the programs which have resulted in a wide field of information. Numbers of our papers have been most favorably commented upon.

We have always been 100 per cent in all obligations to both state and national organizations.

We have taken a keen interest in Tamassee. The girls have been brought down to Columbia on visits and entertained in every way, besides the girl we support each year.

We give a $10 gold piece each year to a girl who excels in the subject of American history.

Mrs. Clarence Owens and Mrs. George Dial, Sr. have done unusually fine work for these girls at Tamassee.

Revolutionary Groves

Columbia has no Revolutionary history, but numbers of Revolutionary soldiers are buried in our churchyards. These graves were found by a careful search made by a committee, and grave marked were:

In Trinity churchyard; Gen. Peter Horry, Wade Hampton, Robert Stark.

In First Presbyterian churchyard: William Henry de Saussure, first president of the mint by appointment of Washington; Joseph Black, Joshua Benson.

In First Baptist: Major Hicks Chappell.

In Richland county: Joel Adams.

In Taylor Burying Ground, Columbia: Thomas Taylor.

We also took great pride in placing a marker on the grave of the patriot, William Capers, who is buried in Sumter county, near Stateburg, and for whom our chapter is named.

We had a most splendid occasion in the placing of a boulder in front of the Cayce house near Granby, which was done when Mrs. George McCutchen was regent, and she had Doctor Cromer, of Newberry, who made an excellent oration. This stands and marks the spot of many skirmishes during the Revolution.

We have done our best in trying to encourage the love of trees and the protection of our forests. Forty-eight crape myrtles were planted on Pendleton street. The Davis school was given several of the D. A. R. medals by us for historical papers written by students.

Ellis Island has received it just quota of support.

In December, 1925, the William Capers chapter received the prize for the best year book.

We have received several honors from our sister chapters and have worked with and for our sister chapters in Columbia in perfect harmony.

Mrs. S. C. Rhame is now our regent and we have had a most successful year under her splendid leadership. We have cut down on every needless expense and trimmed our sails to suit the hard times. Next fall we shall go back to the $3.50 per year membership fee, and hope for more activities.

Mrs. T. H Fisher has been elected regent for next year, and we feel sure she will carry on our good work.

One of our members, Mrs. Gadsden E. Shand (Patience Griffin Bonham), is a granddaughter of the Revolution; her grandfather, Capt. Absolon Bonham, Edgefield county, fought in the Revolution as a lad of 14. Her father, Milledge Bonham, was his youngest son. He was General Bonham, C. S. A., and governor of our state during the Confederate war. Mrs. Shand is her father’s youngest daughter. This is quite remarkable and makes us realize how young is our country.

We have an intelligent band of patriotic women of whom any society could be proud, and believe – “We can far better plan for the future, If we reverence the bygone years.”

Ann Pamela Cuningham

The Anna Pamela Cuningham chapter of the D. A. R. was organized January 14, 1926, with 50 charter members and was accepted by the National society, March 3, 1926.

Anna Pamela Cuningham was chosen as the name of the chapter in honor of a gifted daughter of South Carolina, who was born at “Rosemont,” Laurens County, August 15, 1816. She founded the Mt. Vernon Ladies association; its purpose being the purchase and preservation of the home and tomb of George Washington and making it a national shrine. She died May 1, 1875, and is buried in the graveyard of the First Presbyterian church and this chapter cares for her grave.

Mrs. William M Burney was elected the first regent of the chapter, which was very fitting, as she is a grandniece of Miss Cunningham. From then on the chapter has taken its place in the state and national D. A. R. work.

This chapter has placed in the First Presbyterian, First Baptist and Trinity Episcopal churches a framed list of the names of the Revolutionary soldiers buried in their respective graveyards. It gave a chair to Continental Hall, Washington, in memory of Ann Pamela Cuningham; marked the Lafayette House with a granite marker; contributed a column to one of the buildings at Tamassee and for several years supported a girl at Tamassee. This chapter also originated the idea of an antique silver exhibit and with the co-operation of two local chapters assembled some priceless pieces, including several owned by two singers of Declaration of Independence. The proceeds from this exhibit were used towards the bronze tablet to be placed in the State House honoring the four signers of the constitution from South Carolina. This tablet is to be unveiled March 22, 1936.

At present the chapter has 55 members and endeavors earnestly to perpetuate the memory of our Revolutionary soldiers and statesmen and to mark our antiquities.

Mrs. R. H. McDonald,
Historian.

CHILDREN OF REVOLUTION

The Malvina Sarah Waring Society, Children of the American Revolution, sponsored by Columbia chapter, D. A. R., and named for the late Mrs. Clark Waring, has for its senior president, Mrs. W. K. Beckham.