The beginning of a season of change. I’m sure all of you know there is an election coming up in just a couple of weeks. If you haven’t had a chance to speak to your chapter president about your choice for president now is the time. By now every president will have received a ballot to record votes, 1 per 5 members, to turn in at the Friday night EC meeting at Reunion on April 17. Election results will be announced at the end of the general meeting on Saturday morning. As of now the reunion is scheduled to go on as originally planned. We are all disappointed that the re-interment of General and Mrs. Nathan Bedford Forrest and grand opening of the new Confederate Museum at Elm Springs have been put on hold due to paperwork, the closing of govt. offices, and the corona virus. It will happen, we just don’t know when. There will be 2 granite benches at the new museum, honoring the “Women of the South” on the grounds with funds collected from the OCR’s Confederation of State Societies, every state and many chapters sent money a few years ago for a monument, that evolved into these benches. Our hearts go out to the people who lost loved ones, homes, and possessions in the March tornadoes that struck middle TN and praise God for our SCV/OCR families’ safety. We are glad we were able to help financially. The TNSOCR sent $1000 to the NC SCV/SCVMC/OCR Disaster Relief Team who came west from NC with a semi-full of items for the victims of the storms and TN was there to help unload and distribute. Cedar Grove Cemetery in Lebanon had much destruction, but the flag on the pole never fell, and the monument was untouched.
In humble service to the South, Vonda Dixon,, President TNSOCR
INDEx From the President’s Desk, Page 1 Index, Prayer Requests, Officers, Page 2 Chapter #14 – Highland Roses, Page 3 Black Rose Society, Page 4 Chapter #25 – Maria Baker Lemmon, Page 5 Rosebuds & Young Rebels, Page 6 Nothing submitted from Chapter #24 - Sophie Reilly Hatton, Page 7 the following chapters: Chapter #11 – Wild Mountain Roses, Page 8 Chapter #6 – Jane Simmons Davis, Page 9 Chapter #1 – Roses of the Cumberlands, Page 10 Cynthia H. Officer # 18, Monterey Chapter #26 – Roses of Appalachia, Page 11 Mary Ann Bell #21, Dyersburg Mountain Rebel Roses #28, Tracy City Chapter # 5 – Mariam Beck Forrest, Page 11 Chapter #20 - Antoinette Polk, Page 12 Chapter #19 – Alice Thompson, Page 13 Chapter #27 – Confederado, Page 14 Chapter #10 - Aunt Polly Eaton Williams, Page 15
TNSOCR officers elected for the 2018-2020 term:
Vonda Dixon #10, President Jan Hensley #5, West TN Vice President Dottie Meadows #24, East TN Vice President Charlie Taylor #6, Acting Treasurer Betty Aronson #18, Secretary
TNSOCR appointed officers:
Nancy Wood #24, Historian Linda Boshers #6, Chaplain and Registrar Debbie Raymer #1, Aide de Camp Ann Shepard #11, Black Rose Keeper of the Rite Membership Committee: Jan Hensley #5, Dottie Meadows #24, Mary Hood #20
and keep me posted about what’s coming up in your areas to add to it !
2 Highland Roses Chapter #14, Cookeville We attended the 2020 Highland Brigade Banquet, hosted by the Crossville SCV camp # 1750 & Chapter # 1. Was a grand affair. Guest speaker was 2nd Lt Comm. Frank Heathman. There were about 110 who attended.
(below) Mike went to the annual reenactment Battle of Olustee near Lake City, Florida, with Mike Mitchell. Was a really cool reenactment, their local radio station said there were 2,000 in attendance. Mike was a guest speaker at the memorial service for Frank Holladay in Crossville (center). Sandi and Mike worked with the SCV/SCVMC/OCR Disaster Relief Team, from NC, distributing items to the Cookeville tornado victims (right)
We attended the February & March Cookeville camp meetings. February meeting was at Golden Coral, we heard 1stLt Commander Joey Nolan speak. Was motivating. March meeting we heard Jim Brooks speak on William Quantrell. Was an excellent history lesson.
Went to a stone dedication for three Confederate veterans at Tracy City. Ed and Mike participated in the Monterey Flag Day Service. Mike went & helped Mike Mitchell fill in a couple graves & reset a grave marker for a Confederate veteran at the Gainesboro City Cemetery. Mike Williams says he's still running for Highland Brigade Commander at the 2020 TN Division Reunion at Greeneville, TN, 17-18 April 2020. Hope to see everyone at the Reunion in Greeneville. Submitted by Mike Williams 3 Society of the Black Rose
Representing 4 chapters (#1,#10,#11,#24) Black Roses honored the memory of Frank
Holladay, a man who pushed to get OCR formed in Tennessee in 2003.
Three veterans were remembered with markers, honoring their service, in the Tracy City Cemetery. Roses from chapters #6, #10, and #24 lay roses and curtsied at each grave.
4 Maria Baker Lemmon #25, Covington January 19 – We had a great meeting with guests Dottie Meadows and Tom Meadows. Dottie did a GREAT presentation on Sophie Reilly Hatton that was enjoyed by all!! We also looked at our BUSY schedule of events coming up this year! We welcomed and are honored to have Melissa Sartain and Sarah Sartain become HONORARY members of our local chapter at the January meeting! We were excited to see that they were able to find pictures of our Chapter's name sake ( Maria Baker Lemmon) and bring them to us! February 9 –We had lots of business to attend to and we were finally able to present the Wyatt family with their membership certifications! February 9 is a very special day in history ( as the Confederacy was formed and Jefferson Davis was elected President ) on February 8 and 9th in 1861. To commemorate these important dates in Confederate history, Secretary Leslie Tonkin and her granddaughter Cheyanne Cruse presented a great program about the economic causes of the War Between the States and reasons states seceded from the Union. We revisited the history of Tennessee's secession and also the history of the Bonnie Blue Flag. The kids all learned the Bonnie Blue Flag song and sang it. Bonnie Blue Flag cupcakes were enjoyed by all as there are 9 February Birthdays within our Chapter. It was actually Andrew Wyatt's birthday on the 9th. We also welcomed our new (official) member, Rob Witherington to our Chapter and presented Boogie Ferrell with his official membership and Gabriel Patrick with his Thorn membership since he is now16. March 9 – Secretary Leslie Tonkin surprised the kids that were present for the February meeting and participated in learning the Bonnie Blue Flag with Bonnie Blue Flag pins. We had guest speaker Cherie Blakey, teaching about natural dyeing of fabrics and how fabric is made and how they made it and dyed it many years ago. The kids got to experience natural making of dyes and dyeing of fabric They also learned how to weave making potholders on their own looms. Cherie was a teacher and did educational programs for Davies Plantation on natural dyeing, spinning, and weaving. She was a very interesting speaker and was enjoyed by the adults and kids alike. We will be making a project with the fabrics that are being dyed. Unfortunately, many of our activities in March and those planned for April have been canceled due to COVID-19, as I am sure it has affected many other chapters, so our report is brief. Prayers that this is over soon and that we will be able to have our Convention as planned at the General Morgan Inn.
New members receiving certificates. Guest speaker Dottie teaching about Sophie Hatton.
Maria Baker Lemmon, Melissa and Sarah Sartain... our honorary members of our chapter...direct descendants of Maria. Boogie and Wayne gave history and tribute to Generals Lee and Jackson on January 19 ( Lees Birthday) 5 Submitted by Claudia Chapman, President Rosebuds and Young Rebels in Tennessee These young Confederates are all members of Mariah Baker Lemmon #25
1.Getting awards for participation in program at Ft Pillow for American Queen Cruise: Maddie, Gabe, Jesse 2. Thanks Cindy Lynch, (manager at Columbus -Belmont Park) for sending our kids these shirts!! 3.Bonnie Blue Birthday cupcakes ... Andrew Wyatt
Kids learning about natural dyes and weaving pot holders.
6 Sophie Reilly Hatton #24, Lebanon As this Spring quarter comes to a close, Sophie Reilly Hatton has been very busy. Please encourage our members to check on the elderly, get plenty of exercise and stay safe. We will get through this virus. We are Southern!!! We are resilient!!! Some of the events we have enjoyed this quarter were:
The Stover’s and Meadows attended the Lee Jackson Banquet at Elm Springs. TNSOCR Chapter members #20, #24 and #6 attended, hosted by the Cheairs Camp.
Kevin Witherell receives an award at the Lee Jackson Banquet in Greeneville. Dottie visits Chapter #25 and presents "Sophie".
TNSOCR Sisters at the grave marker dedication in Tracy City and at the Frank Holladay Birthday Celebration in Crossville.
Welcoming Chapter #20's Chartering Ceremony, Dottie and Penny singing for Frank and Tom and Nancy Wood, Dottie and Tom Meadows with 1st Lieutenant Joey Nolan in Greeneville.
Submitted by Dottie Meadows, President
7 Wild Mountain Roses #14, Elizabethton I hope this issue finds our fellow Roses, Thorns, Rose buds & Rebels all doing as well as you possibly can!! I know our chapters in the Upper Cumberland region are having more difficulty than the rest of us with both the tornado of March 3rd & the COVID-19 pandemic both to overcome .
Chapter 11 members have not been as active this quarter as in the past quarters, but some of the activities of members include: 1. Jackie Dennison received an award from the Vaughn's Brigade from Commander Billie Joe Holley during the Lee-Jackson banquet for her contributions of videos & photos of different events in our Brigade . She & Bill also went to the Natonal Capital Region Seabee Birthday Ball 2020. 2. Cindy Pate attended 1 SCV meeting this quarter 3. Ann Shepard was only able to attend 1 SCV/OCR camp meeting in Jan ., but was unable to attend Feb or Mar. meetings, attended the Frank Holliday Memorial service in Crossville in Feb. & also attended a Gainesboro OCR/SCV camp meeting & heard an excellent presentation by Scott Sallee of the Hatton Camp in Lebanon , TN
To my knowledge no other Chapter 11 Roses
participated in any activities. One of our Thorns, Bill Hicks has been very active this quarter as he continues working in several Northeast TN cemeteries doing research on the Confederate soldiers buried there & is a very active advocate for the mowing & care of some of those cemeteries that have been forgotten over the years!! A BIG Thank YOU to Bill for all he has done & continues to do to help save and teach our Confederate Heritage!!
Humbly submitted by Ann Shepard , President
8 Jane Simmons Davis Chapter #6, Murfreesboro Officially, Spring began last Thursday. The Spring rains/storms continue here in Murfreesboro. The pandemic only makes these times crazier. We hold in our thoughts and prayers all who were affected by the tornados, those who are home bound, and those who are ill. We have all seen a lot of good! In these difficult times remember, it is important to be kind and respectful in every interaction. The women of Jane Simmons Davis Chapter 6 continue to work on several different action plans. We have provided our “spare change” to assist a local school in providing food and personal care items for their under-privileged students. We have put together and delivered hygiene bags to assist Women Veterans at our local VA hospital. We planned to support the Women’s Veterans Annual Baby Shower until the pandemic canceled this event. The community response to our efforts has been phenomenal and it is getting positive word out about our organization. (bottom right photo) On March 7, Confederate Flag Day, several members attended the event at the Nathan Bedford Forrest Boy-hood Home to celebrate and retire several flags. It was a fantastic and humbling experience. All those involved did a fantastic job and the fellowship and reverence were moving. (bottom left photo) The following day, March 8, several OCR members, including Linda Boshers and Alice Gibson, attended SCV Cumberland Mtn. Rifles Camp 386 Memorial Service placing military markers on three solders graves in Tracy City, TN. (top left photo) The upcoming season will be interesting. Hopefully we will return to normal life soon. We look forward to our State Convention and the rescheduling of the re-interment of General Forrest and his wife, Mary Ann. Please stay safe and take care of yourselves and those around you. God bless y’all and God bless Dixie! Alice Gibson, President
9 Roses of the Cumberlands Chapter #1, Crossville Hello to everyone from Roses of the Cumberlands! In January our chapter assisted the Sgt. William A. Hamby Camp in hosting the Highland Brigade's annual Lee-Jackson Banquet. We had approximately 110 in attendance. Everyone got plenty to eat and enjoyed a great evening. We raffled off a puzzle and a painting that were donated to the chapter. Mr. Frank Heathman gave a very interesting speech to round out the evening.
In February, we hosted a memorial service for Mr. Frank Holladay. For those who don't know, Mr. Frank was the force behind getting the Order of Confederate Rose started in Tennessee. He was a very special man who will be missed greatly by all who knew him. Many thanks to Dottie Meadows for putting the service together and also to Carolyn Hedgecoth for assisting her in the effort.
Submitted by Carol Phillips, President
10 Roses of Appalachia #26, Chattanooga Greetings from Chapter #26. This year started off great with a Lee Jackson Banquet from the Nathan Bedford Forrest Camp #3. Recognizing the OCR for their participation in helping out.
This year Life got in the way. We do not have much to add. The COVID-19 has pretty much put us all into social distancing mode. Meetings have been cancelled until further notice. I am wishing all my sister Roses to remain healthy and safe from this terrible virus. We hope to see you in the near future. Submitted by Katy Walker, President
Mariam Beck Forrest #5, Gleason
This article for our chapter is going to be short and sweet. Margie Potts, Mona Henson, Jeanne Reed, and Phyllis Brown attended the Shiloh Camp #1454 Lee-Jackson Banquet. They met at the wonderful Hagy’s Catfish restaurant during their regular camp meeting on Feb. 7. Their speaker was Pam Mauldin, the Mississippi United Daughters President, and she spoke on Nathan Bedford Forrest’s family in Tippah County, MS.
We are so proud of Margie Potts for making face mask for the New York City police department to wear during the corona virus. Way to go, Margie!
We pray that all of our sisters and their families are safe and healthy during this pandemic. Our Southerner forefathers were tough and we have that blood still coursing through our veins so stay strong and we will all pull through this together.
Submitted by Jan Hensley, President
11 Antoinette Polk #20, Spring Hill HAPPY SPRING!!!! As many of you have been made aware, our Chapter has ‘Chartered more than any other Chapter in the State’ – there is a story there, but we won’t go there, and our Charter with the Invincibles was always meant to be temporary until we could find a Camp closer to us in need of an OCR. We are forever grateful for the men of Camp #1685 for their support while we searched for a camp close by that needed us. We are so excited to announce that in February, we were able to join forces with Maj. Nathaniel Cheairs Camp 2138. Thank you so much to all of you who were able to attend. The ideas between our two groups have already started rolling and we already have lots planned for the Spring and Summer. We are praying that the COVID-19 pandemic does not postpone our State Reunion! See you all soon!
Chapter Members attended the Lee
Jackson Banquet at Elm Springs. Jackie Johnson, Kristen Vogel, Matt & Mary Singleton
Submitted by Kortney Brus, President
12 Alice Thompson #18, Summertown On January 18, 2020 I had the pleasure of representing the Alice Thompson chapter and escorted by the Rawdon-Spears Camp # 2113 Commander , Charles Spears for the Lee Jackson Banquet at Elm Springs .We dressed in period attire. (We were the only ones. ) The evening was wonderful from the food to the Tour of Elm Springs . Nellie Chomech joined the Black Rose Society and received her pin and certificate in the beginning of 2020. Alice Thompson welcomed 3 new Roses and 2 Thorns into our chapter in the first quarter of 2020 .
Richard Baker portraying General John Bell Hood Nellie, bottom step, at the Lee-Jackson Banquet having a heated discussion with General N.B. Forrest at Elm Springs. (Spike Spears, Thorn #18).
Submitted by Nellie Chomech, President
13 Confederado Chapter #27, Brazil
From a member of the Confederado Chapter!
My name is Susan Lee Vaughan Carmello-Golden, I was born and raised in Brazil, I am married to an American and recently moved to London because of work. But since being home so much because of the quarantine I found this information which did help me to became the First Brazilian member of UDC, my application was accepted in 1996. Mr. James and his wife Sarah have one of the oldest graves at the Cemiterio do Campo, S.P., Brazil. He was my great-great-great-great-grandfather. He was buried at his land that became the cemetery we so much love and take pride in. He was a Presbyterian, and the Chapel at the same cemetery holds the beginning of the history of his church in Brazil as the Baptist since they share the same building alternating the Sundays.
14 Aunt Polly Eaton Williams Chapter #10, Gainesboro Always amazed when we look back to do these news articles at how busy we’ve been! January always means representing TN in honoring our heroes Lee and Jackson in Lexington, Virginia, then 9 of our members participated in our own Highland Brigade Lee-Jackson Banquet. Rich presented his Tejano Confederates program in Morristown in February.
February took Thorn Mike Mitchell to the Battle of Olustee, FL. Vonda and Penny honored Frank Holladay along with Roses from 4 chapters. Vonda presented flags in Sparta & Gainesboro SCV mtgs.
March was busy beginning with the Monterey Hwy. Flag service. Then on to the NBF Home flag rally and retirement service led by Mike Mitchell and visit to Elm Springs. Mike continued restoration work in the Gainesboro City Cemetery. Ending March with the NC Disaster Team in Cookeville, shown with team founder, Jeff Roberts, helping distribute goods to the those in need after the March tornado devastation there. Rich, Tamathy, and Vonda participated in the Tracy City Cemetery Mem.
