United Daughters of the Confederacy: Mary Latham Chapter Collection Processed By: Sara Beth Bradley Simmons College 2012 Memphis and Shelby County Room Memphis Public Library and Information Center 3030 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38111 Page 1 Content Overview Title of Collection: Mary Latham Chapter of the UDC Creator/Provenance: Mary Latham Chapter Date(s) of Collection: 1908-1997 -Inclusive Date Extent of Collection: 4 Boxes, 2 cubic foot Abstract: This is a collection consisting of four boxes containing documentation from the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Housed in this collection are minutes and membership information, applications, letters, and the organization’s magazines. Language: The collection is in English Finding Aid Creator: Sara Bradley Access and Use Acquisition Information: Donated by Mary Latham Chapter Access Restrictions: Open to public for research use Reproduction Rights: Available to reproduce Preferred citation: [item], folder, box, papers Subject Headings: Mary Latham Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy Civil War Veterans Children of the Confederacy Women’s Societies Lottie Blount Mrs. H F (Nelie) Sloan Elmwood Cemetery Page 2 Biographical Information This collection relates to the organization of the United Daughters of the Confederacy specifically the Mary Latham Chapter #474 in Memphis, TN. It also has affiliates with the Children of the Confederacy. The UDC is a woman’s lineage society which preserves the heritage and honors the memory of those who served and died for the Confederate States of America by monuments and cemetery donations. Before becoming the UDC in 1895, it began its origin as two separate societies: the Daughters of Confederacy in Missouri and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Confederate Soldiers home in Tennessee. Their motto is “Love, Live, Pray, Think, Dare”. A member of this society must be a woman at least 16 and prove confederate lineage either lineal or collateral or have a relative that is a member. Their headquarters is located in Richmond, VA. The focus of this society is to preserve and collect valuable historical information relating to the Civil War. The main collection is housed at the Goodlett memorial Library at the headquarters in Virginia. They also explore the history of southern women and their roles during the Civil War. UDC also believes in the importance of education. It supports 2 scholarships: The Annabella Drummond McMath Scholarship for women over 30, and The Mrs. Simon Baruch University award of $500 to an author or $2000 to the publisher of a book of Confederate history. This society has also been involved in such charity work as providing beds in France for wounded WWI soldiers, donating $82,000 to orphans in France and giving $841,000 to the Red Cross. During WWII they donated money to help student nurses. The Mary Latham Chapter itself has donated money to the Veterans Administration’s Christmas fund for gifts for veterans in the hospital; they donate to the Children of the Confederacy, and work with the Elmwood Historical Cemetery with memorial events and headstones/markers for Confederate soldiers. At the end of their meetings they were known to place flowers in a vase in memory of their ancestor who served. They have also donated to the Memphis Library to the genealogy fund in the history department in memory of a member who had passed. The United Daughters of the Confederacy has a monthly magazine that includes articles not only about events of the Civil War, but also articles about women’s efforts and trials during this time. Many of the magazines in this collection came from Mrs. HF (Nelie) Sloan. Related collections found in the Memphis and Shelby County Room include the Civil War Letters and Documents, Colton Greene, Robert R. Looney and General Gideon J. Pillow Collections. Page 3 Collection Scope and Content This collection includes 4 boxes comprised of 2-2” boxes, and 2-4” boxes. It covers a little over 2 linear feet. This collection is organized chronologically in each box with the exception of the materials concerning membership applications and dues which are arranged in folders alphabetically in the original order of their creation. This collection was donated by the Mary Latham Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. This collection is a combination of minutes, membership lists, membership dues lists, and other correspondence and business dealings of a functioning organization. Also included are many years of the organization’s magazines. In the box containing applications, there are also included some reasons they were no longer affiliated, details of lineage, proof of lineage, obituaries, letters of recommendation and other correspondence concerning their membership. The collection is maintained in a caring and meticulous fashion by its creator(s). This includes obituaries for passing members and sympathy letters, which show this chapter’s love and respect for the ladies who were not only members but considered friends and family. These documents provide a detailed glimpse into the past through the functioning of the organization, civil war history through seeing various war records, and genealogy in seeing proofs of lineage included in the applications and membership dues. Single photocopies or scans of unpublished writings in these papers may be made for purposes of scholarly research. While the Memphis Public Library & Information Center may house an item, it does not necessarily hold the copyright on the item, nor may it be able to determine if the item is still protected under current copyright law. Users are solely responsible for determining the existence of such instances and for obtaining any other permissions and paying associated fees that may be necessary for the intended use. Any image from the library’s collection published in any form must cite as the source: Memphis and Shelby County Page 4 Room, Memphis Public Library & Information Center. For all requests, please contact the History Department at 901-415-2742 or [email protected]. Container List Box Folder Folder Name Number Dates Of Items 1 1 Book-Minutes 2 1908-09 1 2 Book-Minutes 7 1918-25 1 3 Minutes-Business 8 1934-37 1 4 Minutes-History 2 No Dates 1 5 Book-Membership Dues 1 1927-34 1 6 Documents-Membership Lists 7 1929-34 1 7 Documents-Programs 5 1916-32 1 8 Documents-Expenditures 3 1934-35 1 9 Correspondence-Elections 3 1931 1 10 Correspondence-Business 6 1932-50 Box Folder Folder Name Number Dates Of Items 2 1 Magazine- Confederate Veteran 3 1928-29 2 2 Magazine-UDC 3 1946 2 3 Magazine-UDC 3 1947 2 4 Magazine-UDC 5 1947 2 5 Magazine-UDC 5 1948 2 6 Magazine-UDC 6 1948 2 7 Magazine-UDC 3 1949 2 8 Magazine-UDC 5 1949 2 9 Magazine-UDC 6 1950 2 10 Magazine-UDC 5 1950 2 11 Magazine-UDC 4 1951 2 12 Magazine-UDC 5 1951 2 13 Magazine-UDC 6 1952 2 14 Magazine-UDC 3 1952 Page 5 Box Folder Folder Name Number Dates Of Items 3 1 Magazine- UDC 6 1953 3 2 Magazine-UDC 5 1953 3 3 Magazine-UDC 4 1954 3 4 Magazine-UDC 5 1954 3 5 Magazine-UDC 6 1955 3 6 Magazine-UDC 7 1955 3 7 Magazine-UDC 4 1959 3 8 Magazine-UDC 6 1959 3 9 Documents-Elmwood Cemetery 11 1977-87 3 10 Documents- Per Capita List 15 1970-88 3 11 Documents-Minutes/Treasury 22 1985-88 3 12 Documents-Miscellaneous 29 1962-86 3 13 Documents-Miscellaneous 14 1987-91 Box Folder Folder Name Number Dates Of Items 4 1 Documents-Applications A-B 26 1965-97 4 2 Documents-Applications C-F 22 1967-95 4 3 Documents-Applications G-M 26 1969-94 4 4 Documents-Applications N-S 24 1964-96 4 5 Documents-Applications T-Z 13 1965-89 Page 6 Box 1 Folder # Folder Name Description of Contents 1 Book-Minutes Contains a leather bound book with 1908-1909 minutes from monthly meetings. Also includes news article about their monthly meeting which was tucked inside book. 2 Book-Minutes Contains a leather bound book with 1918-1925 minutes from monthly meetings of Mary Latham Chapter and Winnie Davis Chapter. Also found inside the book and included are: a bookmark/ribbon of the UDC, news article about dividends to depositors at American Savings Bank & Trust, Receipt dating Dec. 1 regarding treasury note, a letter from Lottie Blount about a member passing, typed poem dedicated to Aide Ida Hines called “The Fight” written for the Peabody Normal Dormitory and Fund Drive, and a letter from Lucille Moore to Mrs. Neely about mailing a check. 3 Minutes-Business Contains minutes from business meetings on steno pad paper for 1934-1935, minutes book from 1936-1937, nominating committee notes, news article on Mary Latham Chapter meetings, page from minute book dated Jan. 19 no year, note where monthly meetings are held, news article on Confederate Patriotic Celebration planned for Jan. 5, 1937, and meeting minutes no date. 4 Minutes-Historical Contains minutes of the UDC historical meeting with no date on Hotel letterhead and minutes from historical meetings on steno pad Page 7 paper. 5 Book-Membership Dues Contains alphabetical ledger surname first of all members paying dues from 1927-1934 and when each was paid. Also tucked inside book were extra pages for letters of surnames that ran out of room. 6 Documents-Membership Contains typed alphabetical lists of Lists all members, husband’s initials and their addresses from each year 1929-1934 (two copies of 1930, one has notes on it) and per capita lists that go with years 1932 and 1934. Also included in 1932’s list is a note regarding extra membership dues.