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JOURNAL OF THE
NINETEENTH ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF MICHIGAN
WOMAN’S RELIEF CORPS
Auxiliary to the
GRAND ARM OF THE REPUBLIC
PONTIAC, MICHIGAN
JUNE 11 AND 12, 1902
(Note: there was a picture of Jennie L. Bond with this article)
IN MEMORIAM
Mrs. President and Members of the Nineteenth Annual Convention
Department of Michigan
Woman’s Relief Corps:
One year ago, at the close of our happy Convention in Flint, there came suddenly upon us one of those dread tragedies which shock and startle the human heart and make it feel its utter helplessness. At that time, without one moment’s warning, two of our dear coworkers were removed from among us__Elizabeth Humphrey of Adrian, widow of General William Humphrey, a Past Department Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, and her sister, Harriet S. Applegate, widow of Thomas Applegate, also of Adrian.
By the same sad accident we were bereaved of our beloved Comrade, Major George W. Buckingham, formerly of the Twenty-third Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and his lovely daughter. Suitable notices were published in the daily press at that time touching the life, associations and labors of these three prominent and distinguished people.
It remains for us of the W. R. C. Tenderly to recall once more the personality, the services, the memory of these, our sisters. So united in their lives were they that we cannot but rejoice that death did not divide them. And most tenderly we recall that kind face of Major Buckingham. With our limited vision, our ways, which are not as God’s ways, dare we say that their removal from earth was untimely? Dare we lament too bitterly their painless exit from a world of care and sorrow? How vain and empty now our eulogy over graves on which God’s sunshine falls! “They rest from their labors and their works do follow them.”
We who remain, with reverent eyes and uplifted hearts, do hereby
Resolve, That we bow in humble and loving submission to the will of our Heavenly Father saying, in the language of the lamented McKinley. “This is God’s way, His will be done.”
“Their toils are o’er
Their troubles cease;
>From earthly cares in sweet release
They’re hushed in quiet sleep.”
Respectfully submitted in F. C. And L.,
ALLASEBA M. BLISS
MARY A. McCONNELLY
SARA a. C. PLUMMER
Committee
IN MEMORIAM
Name Corps No.
Elizabeth S. Humphrey 072
Harriet S. Applegate 072
Past Senior Vice
Rena A. White 039
Electa L. Mudge 039
Julia E. Stevens 039
Jennie Bradley 082
Mary Hack 114
Jermimia Hartgrove 114
Cornelia D. Went 027
Malinda A. Judd 138
Emily Van Zant 232
Harriet Easton 152
Mary E. Dunston 152
Lottie A. Leroy 031
Catherine Hoover 005
Elizabeth Stebbin 034
Ellen Wiley 023
Esther West 082
Roxina Slade 208
Alice S. Garlick 007
W. H. Easton 003
Catherine Renner 007
Louise Gray 136
Adeline Travis 082
Eunice Ball 010
Euphrasia Baird 103
Lottie Markham 082
Ellen M. Darbee 039
Betsey Hemsted 023
Sister Biddle 001
Lovina Smith 078
Ann Ames 024
Mary Pulver 011
Sarah E. Giles 105
Julia Frazier 105
Catherine Phillips 074
Anna Thorn 175
Nancy Tyler 135
Maggie Spaulding 008
Mary I. Gregory 072
Lois Henderson 171
Lulu Rich 201
Florence Frayer 201
Mary Kingsbury 201
Catherine Snyder 028
Anna Merrill 057
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE LEGISLATIVE AND ANNEX
COMMITTEE:
Celia A. Lozee, Department Secretary:
I have the honor to submit, through you, to the Nineteenth Annual Convention of the Woman’s Relief Corps, the report of the Secretary of the Legislative and Annex Committee, of the Michigan Soldiers’ Home.
In taking up this work, by the appointment of our honored President, our hearts were filled with grief at the loss of her who had charge of it for the prior two years. Personally my associations with Mrs. Humphrey had been closer than the ordinary, the Fraternity having been deepened by the bond of regimental comradeship of our husbands, in the Second Michigan Infantry. But the hand was still that we had loved and some one must pick up the threads that it had held to the last, begin where she left off, and going on try to grow strong; and when our chairman, Mrs. Bliss, requested me to act as secretary of the committee compliance seemed a sacred duty.
The following named applicants for admission to the Woman’s Building, fifty-one in number, have been carefully investigated:
(Note: from Barbara Lesser. (Those that have no statement behind them were approved...only listed “not approved” behind those who weren’t.)
1__Cornelia Went, Grand Rapids, wife; age 67 years; no children.
2__Catherine Birdsall, Perry, mother; age 85 years; one daughter.
3__Mary E. Wellman, Grand Rapids, wife; four children; age 67 years.
4__Hannah Britt, Detroit, wife; four children; age 76 years.
5__Lorinda C. Ford, Mecosta, wife; age 73 years.
6__Alzuma M. Snyder, Hawkins, wife; three children; 70 years.
7__Harriet W. Arnold, Grand Rapids, wife; four children; age 57 years
8__Julia A. Schlamb, Wyoming, wife; two children; age 49 years
9__Ellen Call, Grand Rapids, wife; age 75 years.
10__Harriet A. Turner, Moline; wife, five children; age 67 years. Not Approved.
11__Deborah Wood, Flint, wife; two children; age 55 years; divorced. Not Approved.
12__Melissa Parker, Sand Lake, wife; age 61 years
13__Charlotte L. Selden, Pontiac, widow; two children; age 71 years.
14__Catherine E. Dunham, Ionia, widow; age 63 years.
15__Lucy A. Branch, Hartford, wife; five children; age 73 years, Approved October 21. On the 22nd I received word that Mrs. Branch died on the 19th.
16__Mary Lamb, Grand Rapids, widow; age 48 years. Not approved on account of marriage limit.
17__Sophia E. Carlisle, Monroe, widow; one son; age 74 years.
18__Lucy C. Dunham, White Cloud, wife; age 66 years.
19__Fannie M. Morris, Coral, mother; two children; age 80 years.
20__Flavilla A. Fisher, Grand Rapids, widow; age 48 years. Not approved on account of marriage limit.
21__Alvira H. Curtis, Charlotte, widow; age 54 yrs. Approved conditionally by committee. Not Approved by the Board.
22__Lucy E. Keeney, Ensley, wife; two children; age 68 years.
23__Bridget Doherty, Grand Rapids, widow; eight children; age 75.
24__Elizabeth Ackley, Fremont, widow; two children; age 71 years.
25__Ann W. Miner, West Leroy, widow; age 65 years.
26__Mary Rogers, Fremont, widow; three children; age 60 years.
27__Emaline E. Munson, Grand Rapids, wife; two children; age 49 years.
28__Lucinda Youngs, Mt. Clemens, widow; two sons; age 71 years. Action
deferred as she decided to remain for a time in Mt. Clemens.
29__Eliza Jaqua, Grand Rapids, widow; age 59 years.
30__Lydia Hummer, Mecosta, wife; age 49 years.
31__Emma Swan, Grand Rapids, wife; two children; her husband receives a
pension of $24 per month and had gone to live with a brother for the
winter. Approved Conditionally.
32__Orfa Eliza Winters, Otsego, wife; two sons; age 50 years.
33__Hannah Strait Hendershot, Greenville, mother; age unknown.
34__Emma E. Shuler, Grand Rapids, wife; three children; age 67 years.
35__Mary E. Lathrop, Rose Lake, wife; three children; age 63 years.
36__Elizabeth Town, Solon, wife; one son, age 71 years.
37__Mary L. Simons, Sparta, wife; three children; age 58 years.
38__Orsavilla Fry, Sparta, wife; three children; age 52 years.
39__Mary Ann Church, Saginaw, widow; one child; age 75 years.
40__Catherine Smith, Grand Rapids, wife; four children; age 56 years.
41__Anna M. Stratton, Comstock, wife; six children; age 54 years.
42__Amanda Decker, Brooks, wife; one child, age 58 years.
43__Kate B. Fosdick, Petoskey; one child; age 50 years. Not Approved on account of
marriage limit.
44__Mary E. Keyes, Ionia, widow; age 59 years.
45__Electa A. Kingsley, Grand Rapids, wife; four children; age 64 years.
Investigation pending.
46__Caroline E. Sherman, Plainwell, wife; one child; age 71 years.
47__Elizabeth J. McIntyre, St. Johns, widow; one son; age 73 years. Not Approved.
48__Prudence Matilda Cadwell, Luther, wife; three children; age 68 years.
Died while application was being investigated.
49__Drusilla L. Williams, Mulliken, wife; six children; age 56 years.
Conditionally.
50__Margaret Whalen, Grand Rapids, widow. Investigation pending.
51__Mary C. De Gloppin, Grand Rapids, wife; age 59 years.
Of this number thirty-two were wives, sixteen widows, two mothers, and one divorced. Three had applied for pensions which were not yet granted; eight received $8 per month, and two $12 per month; one application received $15 and decided not to go for the present and action on the application was deferred.
Number of applications approved 38
Number approved conditionally 03
Number not approved 06
Died while investigation was pending 01
Died after being approved by Committee 01
Action deferred 01
Action pending 02
And now, ladies, comes a portion of the report I had hoped the dear woman, who has charge of the Woman’s Building might be present to give you, as I feel it would have been an inspiration to you and a strength to her in the discharge of her arduous duties, could she have looked into your faces and felt the magnetism of your hearty support. Too much credit cannot be given Mrs. Rutherford for the able manner in which she discharges her duties as Matron of the Woman’s Building.
Report of Matron of the Woman’s Building, Michigan Soldier’s Home,
June 2, 1902.
Mrs. Abbie R. Flagg, Secretary Legislative and Annex Committee Woman’s Relief Corps, Battle Creek, Michigan.
Madam.__ I have the honor to submit herewith statistics of the Woman’s Building of the Soldiers’ Home, for the year ending June 1, 1902.
The membership June 1, 1901, was as follows: Present, 55; on leave, 18; total membership, 73. During the year there have been admitted 34; readmitted, 9; total 43. There have been honorably discharged, 6; summarily discharged, 1; dropped from roll (A. W. O. L. 60 days), 8; died, 7; total 22.
The membership June 1, 1902 was: Present, 75; on leave, 19; total membership, 94. The membership of the building is as follows: Mothers of veterans, 4; widows of veterans, 35; wives whose husbands are members of Michigan Soldiers’ Home, 43; wives of husbands not in Home, 12.
The Woman’s Building, as added to, now contains, in the basement, a dining room, kitchen, laundry, smoking room and storeroom. On the first floor are the reception parlor, quarters for the Matron and sixteen bedrooms. The second contains twenty rooms. The third floor twenty-one rooms. The third floor is used as a hospital for those who need more than ordinary care and attention. An elevator connects the four floors, and is greatly appreciated by all.
The capacity of the building is less than a hundred, and this winter will probably see every room occupied with its full quota.
I append below a list of those who have been admitted during the past year, and a list of those who have died during the year.
ADMISSION TO THE WOMAN’S BUILDING, JUNE 1, 1901 TO MAY 31, 1902.
DATE OF NAME COUNTY AGE
ADMISSION
May 28 COGSHALL, Martha J. Kent 61
June 28 WENT, Cornelia Kent 75
June 30 BIRDSALL, Catherine Oceana 85
July 4 BARBER, Sylvia Benzie 65
July 9 DUFFANY, Margaret Cheboygan 65
July 15 LINCE, L. Maria Kent 68
Aug 7 BRITT, Hannah Wyane 76
Aug 22 FORD, Lorinda C Mecosta 73
Sept 3 WELLMAN, Mary E Kent 67
Sept 19 ARNOLD, Harriet M Kent 51
Sept 25 GERARD, Elizabeth A Houghton 68
Oct 7 SCHLAMB, Julia A Kent 49
Oct 8 CALL, Ellen Kent 75
Nov 3 DUNHAM, Lucy Newaygo 66
Nov 21 SNYDER, Alzuma M Kent 70
Nov 30 PARKER, Melissa Kent 61
Dec 18 HALL, Marion C Kent 78
Dec 24 KEENEY, Lucy E Newaygo 68
Dec 26 MORRIS, Fannie M Montcalm 80
Dec 30 BOND, Angeline Cheboygan 65
1902
Jan 3 ` ACKLEY, Elizabeth Newaygo 71
Jan 5 WINTERS, Orfa Eliza Allegan 50
Jan 6 STRAIT, Hannah Montcalm 78
Jan 9 DENHAM, Catherine Ionia 63
Jan 18 JAQUA, Eliza Kent 59
Jan 18 McNAMARA, Mary Kent 70
Feb 7 SHULER, Emma E Kent 67
Mar 1 SMITH, Catherine Kent 56
Mar 3 FRY, Orsavilla Kent 52
Apr 8 DECKER, Amanda Newaygo 58
Apr 10 STRATTON, Anna M Kalamazoo 54
May 6 SHERMAN, Caroline E Allegan 71
May 6 SELDEN, Charlotte L Oakland 71
Total number admitted, 34; average age of those admitted, 66.
Deaths of members of Woman’s Building, year ending May 31, 1902
Date: Name Age
1901
July 25 WENT, Cornelia 75
Aug 23 ROCKFORD, Bridget 83
Nov 9 ROSE, Rosa 64
Nov 16 PROPER, Elizabeth 64
1902
Jan 3 LEE, Jennie 61
Feb 11 MORRIS, Fannie M 80
Feb 12 SWEET, Jerusha 82
Average age of those dying, 73. Whole number of deaths of members of the Woman’s Building since opening January 1, 1894, 39. Whole number admitted since opening, 215.
One member has been sent to the Michigan Asylum for the Insane during the year.
Respectfully yours,
Charlotte Rutherford, Matron.
It would be impossible to convey to this convention an idea of the amount of time and thought necessarily given to this work in order to obtain satisfactory results. Only those closely connected with it can realize its magnitude. It was my pleasant privilege to be associated with Past Department Presidents Sara L. Brown and S. A. C. Plummer on the first Department Legislative Committee in the interests of a Woman’s Building at the Soldiers’ Home, and to be present at this dedication, at which time I was detailed to take charge of investigation of applications, which I did for the first two years and three months. And I assure you my interest in these women has never abated, and old associations have been closely coupled with the past year’s experience. As Secretary of the Committee my personal thanks are due my associate members, Mrs. Bliss and Mrs. Foote, for their hearty co-operation, to the members of the Board of Managers of the Home, Commandant Judd and Adjutant E. B. Taylor (who has been very helpful in furnishing needed information, for many courtesies shown and words of commendation of work accomplished by our Committee, and to the ladies throughout the Department who have so ably and promptly responded when called upon for information regarding applicants. Again thanking you, Mrs. President, for the honor conferred, and with an earnest desire for the future usefulness of the Woman’s Building, I am,
Respectfully in F., C.. And L.,
Abbie R. Flagg
Secretary Legislative and Annex Committee.
Moved by Jennie Bush, East Jordan, that the report on the Committee be accepted and placed on record. Motion prevailed.
Moved by Henrietta Playford, St. Louis, that the report of the Annex Committee be printed in the Pontiac Post of Friday, June 13th. Motion prevailed.
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