The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1901-04-05
~ he First Erected IN the Southsx

where the highest courage is never
lacking, when duty is owing to
husband, son, father, brother,
sweetheart, friend. He appealed to
the women, and, early in the year
1866, met with number of them
in Bolivar, and the following wo-
men were organized as 1.-The Con-
federate Monumental Association
of IIardeman County: Mesdames
E p McNeal, r p Nicely, Pitser
Miller, Ann Roper. Nj. p Roberts,
Hugh Harkins. R. g. Crawford, r.
S. Hardy.
On the organization, Mrs. Rufus
p. Nicely was elected president and
Albert T. McNeal was made secre-
tary. Rufus S. Hardy, a merchant
of Bolivar, was elected treasurer.
The proper proceedings of organiza-
ton were had and a constitution
adopted. Here | quote from the
record the preamble:
''In as much as we deem it a sa-
cred duty Of the living to pay all
respect to the memory of those who
fell in the late struggle. giving up
their lives in cause which was ours
as we'll as their own; and as many
of the purest and best citizens of
Hardeman County persisted at the
post of duty and now rest In graves
unknown aud unmarked, we believe
1t due from us to each and every
one of them to transmit to posterity
some testimonial of our apprecia-
ton of their sacrifice
| quote further the fifth article of
the constitution adopted, to-wit:
"The object of this association
las set forth IL the resolutions to
which the names of the members
are attached) is simply to erect a
monument, commemorative of the
Confederate dead of Iardeman
County, which shall have inscribed
upon it the names of all who have
fallen in battle or died in the Con-
federate service during the late war
for Southern Independence"
| also quote few lines from a
circular, then issued to the citizens
of Hardeman County:
1T will be seen from the above
that an effort is being made to do
some honor TO our fallen heroes.
The gallant Confederates who per
ished in the late war have no gov
eminent to gather their remains or
protect their memory. TLey died
battling for us, and some perpetual
mark of our appreciation is due, not
merely as an honor to their memo
ry, but to stand as a living witness
in future-y ears that they were not
regarded as traitors by their own
people, and that we delight to do
them honor"
Subscription lists were sent out,
but marble work at that time was
very costly, and there was much
difficulty In raising the money.
Confederate soldiers were by no
meaus rich. aud the people of the
South generally had lost mnch. 1t
was sscertained that it would take
over three thousand dollars 10 erect
q SusldOiC anu IL w do
three years before the money was
raised and the monument erected
Its cost was about thirty-five hum
dred dollars, more than twice as
much as 1t would cost now. And
here | must say, in again rendering
tribute to the women, that only
about one third of the amount came
from subscriptions. Fully as much
or more than the subscription list
was raised by the ladies and the
young girls in various ways. TO
gether with the proceeds of tour
nament near Bolivar The young
girls, at one of their concerts, net
ted two hundred and twenty-nine
dollars and seventy-fve cents, and
the proceeds Of one strawberry sup
per was ninety dollars and ten cents
net. The proceeds of the tourna-
ment was five hundred and ten dol