Our Chapter
On July 4, 1913, a DAR chapter was founded in Forsyth named after the man for whom our County was named. Mrs. John O. Ponder was elected the 1st Regent. Other officers were Mrs. W. C. Hill, vice Regent; Mrs. J. L. McGee, Recording Secretary; Mrs. Charles Hardin, Treasurer; Miss Elizabeth Hardin, Corresponding Secretary; and Miss Kate Ford, Registrar. Mr. Charles Chamblee, Pastor of the First Baptist Church, was asked to serve as Chaplain. Mrs. Hill, Miss Lizzie Thweatt, and Mrs. McGee were appointed to prepare the Constitution and by-laws.
One of the first acts of the newly formed chapter took place on September 11, 1913, and that was unveiling the marker for Revolutionary War Soldier William Ogletree at the family cemetery near Goggans. Thus began the history of the first James Monroe Chapter in Forsyth eighty-nine years ago. About four years ago, Ben Spear, then Probate Judge of Monroe County, called Mrs. Hampton and asked her to pick up a box from the Court House. On retrieving the material, it was found to belong to the DAR. In the box was the Regent’s pin, small flags used at the DAR meetings, and a complete set of minutes from July 4, 1913, until the chapter’s demise on April 11, 1958. There were also two scrapbooks, one from 1933-1935 and one from 1944-45. This was the impetus for starting a new chapter in Forsyth.
On July 2, 2002, Jane Hampton, Member at Large of the Daughters of the American Revolution and Past Regent of the Nathaniel Macon Chapter in Macon, was appointed Organizing Regent to start a new chapter in Forsyth. By adding the rank of Lt. to the chapter name, we were allowed to name our new chapter Lt. James Monroe, and carry on a legacy started in 1913. As a fledgling and not yet a chapter, we wanted to “get the word about our new chapter out to the community,” so we sponsored a genealogy workshop at the public library and a “Sign the Constitution” event at the public library. Both were a success and stirred the interest of the local folk.
In October, the ladies who were to form the nucleus of the chapter met for a planning meeting. Officers were chosen, and goals were set. The ladies elected to serve were Jane Hampton, Regent; Amanda Parks, 1st Vice Regent; Barbara Fincher, Recording Secretary; Sandra Smith, Treasurer; Priscilla Doster, Registrar; and Martha Eunice Murray, Chaplain. On November 24, 2002, Mrs. Rose Bell installed the newly elected officers of the Lt. James Monroe chapter and used her speech to tell the “new kids on the block” all they needed to know about the DAR. Also attending the organizing meeting: Ann Parsons, State Treasurer; Mary Jon Shubert, NE District Director; Linda Douglas, National Vice Chairman of Genealogical Records; Judith Young and Evelyn Bugg of the Lamar-Lafayette Chapter. On December 7, 2002, the Lt. James Monroe Chapter was officially confirmed at the National Board with 13 organizing members: Jane Hampton, Barbara Fincher, Martha Eunice Murray, Margaret Watson, Sue Burns, Sue Woodberry, Sandra Smith, Priscilla Doster, Katherine Doster, Amanda Parks, Angela Dillon, Annette Spear, and Elizabeth Watson.
If you would like to attend a meeting, please contact our chapter for additional information.