The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-11-07
DAUGHTERS OF VETERANS,
Brief History of the Order" Onward, Ever
Surrender, Neyeri"

L
| Brief History of the Order" Onward, Ever
/ Surrender, Never!"
The Order of the Daughters of Veterans is al
| Ohio institution. Each year the Gramma
| School girls of Massillon had been made kline
| OF flower relief corps to aid the Grand ArmJ
veterans in decorating Union soldiers grave
on Memorial Day. For long time talk of or
| ganizing had been rife. but the plans did no
| reach fruition until 1885, when five youne
women, the oldest in her 18th year, were re.
| turning together from the May day flower me-
| mortal. They were filed with the spirit OF
the day that they resolved to organize under
the law, for the purpose of perpetuating the
memories of their fathers who would some day
lie with those other quiet sleepers, under flag
marked, flower heaped graves
June 10. IL days after Memorial DAY. the
| society was organized under the title "Daugh-
| tiers of Veterans" with a charter membership
OF IA. Dec. IL, 1885, (the day has since been
named the birthday of our Order, and is cele-
brated as such wherever Tent of the ID. of v.
is located, charter was secured from the State
of Ohio with articles of incorporation, empow-
ering them to organize societies anywhere in
the United States. 1t was decided to call the
local organizations Tents" and to name them
for patriotic women of National fame. The first
Tent at Massillon was named for Mrs McKin-
that have been often honored are Caroline Scott
Harrison, Lucy Webb Hayes, Clara Barton, and
Mary Logan.
After several societies were chartered in Ohio,
an application came from Irving, Ill. Keo-
kuk brought Iowa into line, and soon half-a-
dozen Western States had established Tents
Then the East took up the idea. Rhode Island,
Massachusetts, and New York were added to
the list
The first National Convention was held in
Irving, ILL.,, in June, 1890. Twelve delegates
were present, and the treasury contained
balance of 1926. Older persons with more
experience and more knowledge of the diff
culties attending the growth of a new organiza-
tion would probably have been dismayed at this
unfavorable showing and have given up the
work, but these girls animated only by a de-
sire to succeed, and with a pluck and deter
mination worthy of their veteran fathers
adopted as their watchword, Onward, Ever;
Surrender, Never" and undsmayed by the
difficulties surrounding them, bravely pushed
forward.
Miss Estella Mcmillan, of Massillon, o., was
elected first National President, Elizabeth
Beardsley filling the post of National Secretary,
and the Order grew rapidly under her admins
tration. The second National Convention was
held at Massillon, o., when Miss Mollie Robert
son was elected President. 1t was considered
at that time that the Order had grown to such
proportions az would warrant the holding of its
National session at the same time and place as
the &. r. Encampment and the third annual
Convention was accordingly held at Washing
ton in 1892; Miss Nellie King, of Msssillon, o.,
was elected President, which office she held for
two years, being reelected at the fourth Ma
tionsl meeting at Indianapolis, in September,
1893.
The fifth Convention, held at Pittsburg, 1894,
showed that the Daughters of Veterans are
firmly established on solid basis.
At the Pittsburg Convention, which was the
most enthusiastic and largely attended ever
held, Mrs. Ellen NJ. Walker, of dorchester,
Mass, was unanimously chosen to fill the office
of National President. She was born in Taun-
ton, Mass. Her father, William Fl. Fairbanks,
enlisted in Co. b. 25th Mass, in 1861, under
Gen. Burnside. Mrs. Walker has always found
pleasure in working for the old soldiers, and
when Clara Barton Tent, 3, ID. of ", was or
ganized, in $780, she became charter member,
and was elected first President, which office
she held for 81 months. She was also first
President of the Massachusetts, Department..
During her term of office as National Presi-
dent, charters were granted for nine Tents
and one Department, California and North
Carolina being added to our States. Five Gen.
eral Orders were issued and IL special dispen-
sations were granted for special reasons. Mrs. |
Walker received and answered nearly 1000 |
last year. The officers re- |
ports were very encouraging and general iu- |
crease of interest is reported all along the line
There are now five Observation-Disclosures |
sets. New York, Ohio, Nebraska, and Illinois
and tents in 10 States. Massachusetts is the |
banner State. Clara Barton Tent, g. is the ban |
ner Tent of the Union. For an Order as young |
as we are, being the last organization on the |
principles of Fraternity, Charity, and 10y
atty, and the youngest-born of the veterans,
Dur charities have been many.
At the sixth annual Convention, held at
Louisville, KY, Mrs. Walker was unanimously
reelected. proof that her work of the past
year haG been appreciated. M. Lizzie Kimba
The National Secretary, who was reelected, is
laughter of Gen. Kim ball, now Auditor of the
State of Massachusetts,. Her home is in Fitch.
burg. She has served as President of Tent g.
Daughters OF Veterans, for two years. She has
erved as Department. Junior Vice President.
Ida j. Allen, National Treasurer, who was re-
Elected for the fourth time is the daughter of
he late b. A. Bridges, of Holliston, Mass, who
vas an active worker in the GAR. from the
BEGINNING of the organization in that State,
md held mum Der of prominent offices in the
Massachusetts, Department, GAR.
The Daughters of Veterans have published
etter outlining the principles and objects of
he Order, as follows:
Principles-A firm belief in Almighty God,
With full realization that il was under His
providence that the free institutions
# our land, conseerated to US by the service
md blood of our fathers and brothers. have been
and the integrity and life of the Ma
ion maintained.
Belief-True loyalty to the Government of
he United States of America, based upon re-
pect for and devotion and fidelity to its Con-
ttution and laws, made evident by our 6isap- |
of anything that is dsloyal, treason
BILE or rebelious, or anything that will in any
manner impair the efficiency and permanency
our National Union.
Objects-To perpetuate the memories of our
sthers and brothers. their loyalty to the Union
nd their unselfish sacrifices for the perpetuity
z fha md IN Eaar il