Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-06-08
oresniE..ion which thsy agreed UPON

organization which they agreed upon
twenty-four years ago:
President Mrs. W. T. Joynes.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. s. b. Paul. Mrs.
William Malone, Mrs. w. g.. Simpson,
Mrs. I. II. Pritchard, Mrs. Charles +. Col
lier. and Mrs. John Miller.
:, Recording Secretary, Mrs. Stephen
Fem.
.Corresponding--Sccretary, Mrs. John
Wyche.
Treasurer Mrs. A. M. Kelley.
TIE WORK CONTINUED.
Time has brought about some changes.
A few Of those who composed the original
body have died or else have removed from
the city. among the latter notably Mrs.
Kelley, the wife Of Hon. Anthony NJ.
Kelley. But as the changes have been
brought about the vacant places have been
hiied. and the work to which the ladies
first devoted themselves has never
wavcred, has never been allowed to dimin-
ish. and now, finally, their labors have
been crowned with the success for what
they have toiled so arduously. They have
actually gone from - headstone 10 q
monument-from wooden slab to monu--
ment in bronze" as one OF the original
members said to-day to a NsDqtch reporter.
THE rIRsT MANAGERS.
The first Board of Managers appointed
was on May l6. 1856, when these ladies,
well known and honored throughout the
whole of Southside Virginia. agreed to act
as such: Mrs. II. G.. Pegram, Mrs. j. II.
Claiborne. Mrs. DAVID Digger. Mrs. Louisa
McGill, Mrs. W. s. Simpson, Jr.. Mrs. -
Manhood, Mrs. Richard Bagbv, Mrs. AL
phonse Jackson. Mrs. General ID. A. Wesi-
ger, Mrs. Colonel - Williams, and Mrs.
7. Il. Bate.
THEIR GLORIOUS OBJECT.
The ladies announced az their principal
object the gathering together of the re-
mains of the Confederate dead who were
buried IN this vicinity and their re,
burial IN the precincts of Blandford
cemetery; and furthermore. the deco
ration Of these graves every year upon
such nm anniversary as should be there
after fixed. How faithfully they have kept
20 their work, how in the face of poverty
and the most trying obstacles. they have
fulfilled their pledge the neatly-trimmed
graves In Blandford will attest.
BODIES FROM GETTYSBURG.
Not content with gathering together the
bones of the dead near this city they actu-
ally brought hero the mortal remains of
brave yirginians who died at Gettysburg,
as we'll a. at Fredericksburg, Seven Pines,
and Antietam. Then when the section
devoted TO the known and unknown in our
cemetery had been beautifully turfed,
when neat head-boards had been raised
over each grave, when all had been done
that could be done and a memorial arch
raised its bow over the braves that slept,
then these noble women addressed them
selves to the task OK rearing fitting mon
ument TO crown their work through the
sad years of the past.
ALL woMAN's WORK.
A Dispatch reporter saw this afternoon
/ IS ln la1t uni fnr baq haaD
striving and working most nObly for the
end which has at last been attained-Mrs.
William :. Simpson.
blow did you get the money!" she was
asked.
by begging for it." was the reply.
I'VE received it in contributions of every
conceivable amount from 800 to ten
cents. We made personal appeals on the
streets to our friends; we sent out circu-
lars; we wrote to friends in the North and
SOuth-from New York TO New Orleans.
We never lost heart, and so, in spite Of all
our set-backs, in spite of the slowness with
which our appeals were answered, we
finally got sufficient amount of money In
hand TO pay for our monument"
Thus spoke lady who can tell from ex-
perience how hard it IS to carry popular
subscription to success For many years
she has been the honOred secretary of the
Ladies' Memorial Association, and her
books will show how faithfully she has la
bored. To all of the members, however,
belongs praise without stint.
THEIR EARLIEST LABoBs.
With what obstacles they were at first
confronted only those who have been
through such au ordeal can imagine.
! Their first duty was to enclose the graves
OF the dead Confedcrates who had been
| buried near the poorhouse farm: this,
too at o time when a Federal officer was
acting a. mayor of the city and when the
notes from the bugles of the Federal
trumpeters quartered at the Fair Grounds
/ foated through the city. Never taltering.
never discouraged, always Astounding IN
good works they stuck nobly to their self
! imposed task, and to-day they are on the
eve of reaping the harvest which they
sowed in tears, nourished in adversely. and
brought toa glorious fruition. The Ladies'
| Association of Petersburg is the pride OF
all our citizens. and Justly so, because they
/ have succeeded where others could see only
failures and disappointment.
ROBIN ADAn.