The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-12-13
fArN of Colonial Times and This is
Explained by Miss Helen Coombs
at Meeting Held Sat
urday.
EXAMPLES ARE SHOWN
Display of CoverIets and Other Ar
ticles is Interesting and Chapter
Members Enjoy Most Un-
usual Program.

About fifty members and guests
assembled Saturday afternoon at the
,ome of Mrs. N. H. Pyle, Tor me
regular December meeting of keo-
nix chapter D. A. R., to listen 10
Miss Helen Coombs in her wonder
iully entertaining talk on weaving
n Colonial Days and Now ana 10
ook at the unusual collection OF
home spun coverlets on display IN
connection with the subject.
The vice regent presided at the
;hort business session preceding. our
ng which reports OF officers and COM
nittees were made, and four new
members voted into the chapter, Mrs.
Ielen White, Mrs. Fannin, Miss Mary
Bancroft and Miss Alice Vermllllon.
Mrs. Eckstein Huiskamp presented
he following memorial to the late
irs. Mary Higbie Brownell:
sIn the passing Of Mary Hlgoee
3rownell, the keokuk D. A K. chap
er has lost one Of its most beloved
members. Her name was the first
IN a list Of a group admitted after
he formation of the chapter by the
.harter members, and her long mem
,ership was marked by unfalterins
oyalty and enthusiastic devotion in
maintaining the traditions of the
shapter.
Was Elected Regent.
"At one time Mrs. BrOwnel was
elected regent, but owing to her alb
,ence from the city, and i'll health,
she did not serve. 1t has been truly
aid of her that she had a genius for
making friends Her genuine inter
sst in her host Of friends was unflag'
ring and her hospitable home was
sver open to them. She was noted
or her grace and charm as a hostess,
ind the many social functions held
her home will be cherished in the
memory of all who knew her. The
.ncestor through whom she became
eligible to membership in the D. a. r
vas Abijah Peck. After serving hon
rably in the revolutionary war, he
became minister Of the gospel. This
egard for the serious, enduring
Kings of life was strongly manifested
Mrs Brownell's life and activities
sShe was deeply interested in the
ffairs of her church and the philan
hropic enterprises Of the community
When heartbreaking sorrows invaded
shristian fortitude.
"The religious aspect with her so
ial gifts combined to form an idea
haracter, a real gentlewoman, o
those memory the keokuk Chapte
the Daughters of the American
evolution may feel Justly proud.
ITO her splendid sons, whose Low
ag care and attention cOmforted ant
ustained her declining years, thi:
HAPPIER extends its sincerest sym
athy.'
Miss Coombs Speaks.
A petition asking that the groun
4 which the revolutionary fortified
ons Were built at Yorktown, Va, b
1t aside for a national park wa
snt by the state regent for signatur
KeOkuk chapter members, befOr
presentation in Washington. Thi
Fought the business meeting to az
urnment and Miss CoOmbS took u
le interesting subject of the aftel
BON, which she handled with abilit
I'd ease, displaying a wonderfu
lowledge of tibers and dyes, prt
:sses and the workers themselves.
She emphasized the fact that on
lonial ancestors could not go dow
I'd buy materials, as We do, bu
ere Obliged 10 produce them al
1ere were three fibers necessary &c
eaving, fax, wool and cotton, tn
tier used very little until after tn
vention Of the cotton gin in tn
00's.
The fax was raised by the wome
d children, who had to pull tn
eeds in the mud, working barefOote
wind and rain, or if the weathe
IS very cold, wearing wooden stool
gs. The wind was supposed TO
help in straightening up any of th
that might be crushed by ste
lg on it. There were twenty-tw
ocesses of fax, before it was read
weaving, only two or three bein
planned. One of them, a decomp