Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-01-20

has our thanks for White House
calendar and fac SMILES of sigma
lures of Pres. Roosevelt and each
member of the executives house
hold.
Ladies Of The Grand Army Of The
Republic.
This society of loyal and patriotic
women is said to have had it's origin
in Portland, Maine, in 1857 under
the name of the Loyal Ladies'
league. The first organized de-
partment was that Of New Jersey,
1881, with eight subordinate
Leagues. Mrs. Carrie M. Burge,
Vineland, was the first Department
President. The following were the
stated objects of the order:
ITO unite with loyalty, love for
one another; to practice the pre-
cepts of true fraternity of feeling
toward all the sisters of our order,
thus emulating the spirit that
unites our fathers, husbands and
brothers; to honor the memory Of
our fallen heroes, to perpetuate and
keep forever sacred Memorial Day;
to assist the Grand Army of the
Republic in it's high and holy
mission aid, encourage and sym
pathize with them in their noble
work of charity; to extend needful
aid to members in time of sickness
and distress, to aid sick soldiers,
sailors and marines, and do all in
our power to alleviate suffering"
Eligibility to membership re-
quired an applicant to be of good
moral character, and the mother
or wife, sister or daughter of an
honorably discharged soldier, sailor
or marine who served in the Union
army during Civil War of 1861
IS. These requirements differed
from those Of the Woman's Relief
Corps, which organization decided
at it's national convention in Den
yer, in 1888, to admit to member
ship all loyal women of worthy
character.
On November Is, 1866, at a con-
ventiOn in Chicago, a National
organization was effected, and the
name changed to Ladies of the G.
A. r." local societies to be known
as Circles. Mrs. Laura McNeir,
Camden, New Jersey, was chosen
president. All loyal mothers and
wives, sisters and daughters, and
all lineal female descendants
sixteen years of age or over of
honorably discharged Union
soldier, sailors or marines ex-army
nurses, of good moral character,
were declared eligible to member
ship. Veterans of that war may
become honorary members.
The order now has, January /,
1903, twenty-four Departments,
with a total membership ,of 33, 597.
The National President is Mrs. M.
a. Hail, Wheeling, West Virginia.
Secretary, Miss Ruth, of West
Virginia; Secretary for Wisconsin,
Mrs. Irene w. Jones, Milwaukee.
The Department Of Wisconsin
was organized in 1898. 1t now
numbers about LOCO members, and
has the following officers; Presi-
dent, Mrs. Clara Sloane, Lacrosse;
Secretary, Mrs Lennie Grimes;
Treasurer, Jennie Hopkins, Mil
waukee. The following named
ladies have been Presidents: Mary
A. Dix, Clara B. Sloane, Flora
Miller, Lennie Grimes, Emma
Wheldom, and Irene w. Jones.
There are at present eighteen Cir
cles in Wisconsin, located as follows:
Lacrosse, Amigo, Prairie Farm,
Superior, Hagar City, Durand,
Green Bay, Milwaukee (3), Oshkosh,
Turtle Lake, Oconto, Omro, Alma,
Eureka Sheboygan, Lancaster.
The ladies of the G. A. r. do
not make public the amount of
their benevolences. They hold
their department and national con-
ventions at the same times and
places with the annual encamp-
ments of the Grand Army OF the