Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-02-03
In Heavenly Realms.
Woman's Relief Corps.


under the name of Bosworth Relief
corps No. 1. A society still in
existence. The next place we
find it used at Fitchburg, Mass,
1879, when the Woman's State
Relief corps, auxiliary to the
Grand Army Of the Republic, was
formed. The call for this conven-
ton was authorized by Gen.
Horace Binny Sargent, depart
ment commander of Massachusetts,
Grand Army. December s, 1880,
the State Relief corps Of Mas
sachusetts and New Hampshire,
united to form the union board of
the Womans Relief corps.
A resolution was introduced
into the fourteenth annual encamp-
ment at Indianapolis July, 1881,
calling attention to the importance
of an officially organized woman's
auxiliary. A committee was ap-
pointed to consider the question
and report at the fifteenth annual
encampment. When the commit
tee made their report the following
resolutions were presented and
unanimously adopted
Resolved, That we approve of
the project of organizing National
Woman's Relief corps. Resolved,
that such Womans Relief corps
may use under such title the words,
Auxiliary to the Grand Army
of the Republic.
! Meanwhile auxiliaries had been
rapidly spreading, and posts every
where were looking about for the
best plan of organization for the
noble women they had called to
their assistance.
OWhen in 1883 Paul Van der
WORT, Communicated chief Of the
Grand Army of the Republic,
issued his order for the national
encampment at Denver, Colo, he
invited the various woman's soldier
organizations throughout the
country to meet and form a
national society. This was done,
and the name Woman's Relief corps
given to the organization. At this
time the majority voted for secret
work and the admission of loyal
women of good moral character,
irrespective of relationship to the
soldier.
When we remember the great
work done by women such as
Dorothea L. Dix, Mother Becker
dyke, Mrs. Gov. Harvey ami
thousands of others at home, in the
sanitary commission and the
hospitals, who were no blood kin
to the soldier, but were willing to
die, if need be, to render them
assistance. it would be rank in
gratitude to exclude such women
from the order.
AS time has passed and the great
need of intoxicating lessons of
patriotism in the community has
come to be recognized, the wisdom
of that first decision is shown.
/ The work is too great to be left in
the hands of a few. AS many
good women as possible should be
enlisted in keeping alive the spirit
of patriotism The Woman's Relief
corps, organized at the expressed
wish of the Grand Army, made its
auxiliary,-a position which il
still occupies, and which has been
given to no other order.
At the present time forty eight
states and territories have corps
located within their borders. There
are thirty five state organizations
and 5000 corps with a membership
of 1852 Wisconsin has 154
corps, with membership of 6, 451.
During the half year ending Dec.
81, 1908, Wisconsin corps have
given for relief to soldiers and theil
families the sum of 81, 1906. VI
to 1902 Wisconsin relief funds had
been expended amounting tc
$1O9, 209.33. OF this amount
$40, O39. "a was for the Wisconsin
Veterans home, 81, S23.86 for as
sistance in the Spanish Anne rican
war, and $708.89 for the Calves
ton flood sufferers.
| [ The work of the Woman's Relief
corps commends itself to every
thinking person and to them is
given the cooperation of every
loyal citizen.