The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1917-04-22

In the latter part of 1918, Mrs. Max
Land having been appointed Organ
izing Regent" by Mrs. S. w. Foster,
then State Regent, set about to secure
members for chapter of the D. A
R. in Cordele. The ladies responded
readily and Mrs. Lands efforts were
crowned with success. So on Febru-
airy 18th, 1915, twenty-five of Cor
deIe's patriotic women were organ
ICED into chapter of the Daughters
of the American Revolution, which
was one of the last chapters to or
gapize under Mrs. Fosters admins
traMon as, State Regent. While the
chapter was casting about for a name,
there came an earnest request from
Mrs. Lcwery, then State Historian, to
name the chapter Fort Early, which
was situated in Crisp county not so
for fran Cordele. Mrs. Lowry's sug-
gestion was gladly accepted and Fort
EARLY became the name of the new
chapter. Mrs. Land was unanimously
selected Regent, and for two years led
the chapter with untiring energy and
brilliant success. The first work of
the chapter was to locate definitely
Old Fort Early site, which was almost
e. nd fOrUnttnn nv the
people of this section. After much
research; many talks with pioneer cit
liens and repeated trips to the vicin-
ity of the old Fort the site was To-
Gated The gentleman owning the
land on which the Fort was situated
who is Mr. G. H. Raines, generously
donate five acres including the Fort to
the chapter The next work of the
new chapter and most important
one, was to compile a county history
and to plant to mark Fort Early
site. This work was vigorously push
ed by Mrs. Land as regent and rapidly
developed. Then came the question OF
means WIFI NllCu w HheSlSS 1AAS'~
undertakings.
In Nov, 1915, an original enter
tainment, entitled "The Merchants
Carnival" conceived and directed by
Mrs. E. M. Espy, netted for the chapter
about 100000. With this money in
hand. a handsome 10000 pound boul-
der with which to mark Fort Early
site was ordered and the manuscript
for county history placed in the hands
of the printer. While the members OF
the chapter contributed write ups OF
the towns and points of interest in
the county for the county history, the
compilation of this work was directed
by the Sites and Monuments COM
mittee, composed of Mesdames T. }.
Durrett, B. H. Palmer, r. R. Harris
and Miss Frances Carswell. The work
of this committee was faithful and dill
iaes, it having TODD a great deal OF
the research work and having to go
ttroIghout the county photographlng
Gle ldnQHaThS, Olu IOLlDo, Oiu SAiUA IA
cs and other sites Interest.
In March of 1916, this history OF
Crisp county, came from the press, and
Fort Early won hte distinction of be-
ing the first chapter in the state to get
out IA complete county history bound
and illustrated. During Mrs. Lands
administration beautiful American
flag was presented to the high school.
Though the boulder for maruing Fort
Farlv site had been secured, this work
had to be deferred until road could
be opened up to the Old Fort, which
tnecessitated many visits and petitions
no the county commissioners and
more means to complete this gigantic
undertaking of placing the boulder at
Fort Early. So this work went over
to Mrs. Lands successor, for compile
tion. Thus the beginning of Fort Ear
" Ahapters career under Mrs. Lands
administration was vigorous, substan-
tial. progressive, and an enviable rep
&rfstion was made by the child OF two
years.
January, 1916, Mrs. Lands term OF
office having expired, Mrs. e. NJ. Espy
was chosen leader for the chapter.
The first distinctive work of the chap
ter under the new administration was
Ahe floating of brilliant electric flag
fronn tha dome Of the county court