The Somerset reporter., 1908-01-16
Anniversary of Eunice Farnsworth
Chapter,

The tenth anniversary of Eunice
Farnsworth Chapter, Daughters ofthe
American Revolution, was observed
at the home of Mrs. Grace Coburn
Smith, one OF the Charter members,
on Elm street Tuesday evening.
Eunice Farnsworth Chapter, named
for the lady of that name, afterward
the wife of Joseph Weston, the first
settler OF Skowhegan, was organized
at the home of Mrs. Helen s. Coburn
on the evening of January 10, 1898,
with thirteen charter members. The
members of the chapter had no fears
of the SO called unlucky mineral,
"l3", which conceded with the num-
Der on their charter roll and also
with the date of their first meeting,
but rather prided themselves on the
fact that this was also the number of
the original thirteen colonies which
formed the union which their ances-
tors wrested from the tyranny of King
George. 1t Is certain that the Eunice
Farnsworth Chapter has been an ex-
ception to the supposed rule that
misfortune follows affairs associated
with the number thirteen.
The work of the society has been
the cultivation of the spirit of loyalty
and patriotism among its members
and the study of historic subjects.
Interest in the early history of our
country has been stimulated in vari-
Gus ways, especially by offering
prizes to the pupils of the Skowhegan
schools for essays upon prominent
characters and incidents of United
States histor Through the instru
mentality of this society the graves
of Revolutionary soldiers in Skowhe-
gan and vicinity have been searched
out and each designated with suit
able marker, of the design approved
by the National Association Of the
daugh tiers of the American Revolu-
ton. These graves have also been
visited and decorated each year by
No embers of Eunice Farnsworth Chap
ter.
The charter members were, Mrs.
Eda K. (Smith) Pegram, Mrs. Jose
phine Smith Pierce, Mrs. Fannie
Cabot, Mrs. Grace (Coburn) Smith,
Mrs Lois weston Patten, Mrs. Mary
(Steward) Heath, Mrs. Sarah A. Han
son, Mrs. Alma 3. G. Walton, Mrs.
Helen 8. Coburn, Miss Gertrude s.
Weston, Miss Lillian G. Smith, Miss
Louise Ooburn, Miss Blanche Bixby.
Quite a proportion of these were
present at the reunion on Tuesday
evening and letters we're read by the
hostess, Mrs. Smith, from Mrs. Han
son, Mrs. Heath, Mrs. Pierce and
Mrs. Fannie @. Pepper. Mrs. Leon s.
Merrill, Of Scion, member of the
Chapter, W as present.
The program for the evening in
cluded reports from some of the.
officers, the greetings from absent
members above noted, piano solos by
Mrs Elizabeth l.. Merrill, history of
the Chapter by Miss Gertrude Wes-
ton, the first secretary, and incidents
of the formation of the Chapter by
Miss Louise Coburn. the first Regent.
Miss Helen Cochran, of the class of
1908, Colby College, was present and
read a thesis, 1.-THE Fort Popham
Colony and its Founder" This was
written by her in competition for the
prize offered by the Maine Society Of
Colonial Danes for the best essay of
a historical nature, to be written by a
student of Maine College, and was
given the first reward. A very in
teresting account of her observations
at the Ter Centennial Celebration at
Fort Popham held last summer was
given by Mrs. Mabel Philbrick.
Some matters connected with the
work of the Chapter we're attended
to, the most notable being the APP
pointment of Miss Louise Ooburn,
Mrs. Alice Steward and Miss Ger
trude Weston as committee to ar
range for the placing Of memorial
tablet on the Island, commemorative
of Benedict Arnold and his Quebec
Expedition. This followed the re-
port OF Miss Coburn, who is chairman
of the state committee on memorial
tablets. Refreshments were served
and the anniversary observance
closed by singing America.