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History of Mildred Lee Chapter
copied from "A History of Henry County, Virginia" pub. 1925

On April 3, 1896, the Confederate Monument Association which had been organized the previous year, was merged into a chapter of the "Daughters of the Confederacy," having for their special work, the building of a monument in Martinsville, in honor of the Confederate Soldiers of Henry County.
The following names were enrolled as charter members of Mildred Lee Chapter U. D. C.: Mrs. N. H. Hairston, President, Mrs. H. C. Smith, Vice-President, Mrs. M. M. Mullins, Secretary, Mrs. S. L. Waller, Treasurer, Mrs. M. L. Zentmeyer, Mrs. O. C. Smith, Mrs. Peter Hairston, Mrs. T. A. Ranson, Mrs. H. S. Williams, Mrs. C. P. Kearfott, Mrs. H. G Mullins, Mrs. L. L. Graveley, Mrs. B. H. Ingles, Mrs. P. R. Preston.
Other names were added later and then followed continued efforts to raise money for the monument, often with meager returns and many discouragements, for the active membership began to grow smaller and smaller until it was finally reduced to seven, but these seven women with spirits undaunted, inspired by a leader who knew no such word as fail, kept steadily on until after six years of untiring effort on June 3, 1901, in the presence of an immense throng the Confederate Mounument in the Court House square, Martinsville, was unveiled by four little girls, Misses Roy Smith, Mary Lu Kearfott, Ivey Smith and Elizabeth Hairston.
A short while after the completion of the monument, Mrs. N. H. Hairston, who had been president of the Chapter for seven years, having seen the dearest hope of her life realized, decided to remove to a neighboring city and tendered her resignation as president.
Mrs. O. C. Smith succeeded to the presidency and for eighteen years has been the faithful leader of the chapter. Mrs. J. T. Marshall and Mrs. John W. Carter each having for a short while filled with loyal hearts, this responsible office.
The chapter has grown wonderfully and its members are unfailing in theire "labor of love." The graves of Confederate soldiers in Oakwood Cemetery are marked with marble slabs giving regiment and company of each. Every year the Chapter decorates these graves with flags and flowers. No confederate veteran is ever laid to rest unnoticed by Mildred Lee Chapter, while the sick and needy veterans and their families are not forgotten; the annual dinner given the Stuart Hairston Camp when they meet to reorganize; making the 30th April a red letter day with them.
Gifts of books and pictures to the public school and medals and other rewards for essays on Southern history, attest the interest of the chapter in the training of the youth of Henry County.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

more recent history

The Chapter continues the tradition of placing Confederate flags on the graves of veterans on the anniversary of Jefferson Davis's birthday, June 3, 2002, when a memorial service at Oakwood Cemetery. The members of Mary Cabel Smith Chapter Children of the Confederacy held this service for a number of years under the leadership of Mrs. Clyde M. (Jean Clark) Fuller.
The 97th Virginia Division Convention was held in Collinsville October 2, 1992, with Mildred Lee Chapter and Mary Anna Jackson Chapter as hostess chapters with both chapter presidents, Mrs. Sidney A. Deans and Mrs. Richard Critz serving as convention co-chairmen. Over three hundred daughters were in attendance. A memorial wreath was placed at the Henry County Courthouse at the base of the Confederate Monument by the Division President Joan Logan Brooks, this being the monument erected by the chapter in 1901. Numerous Crosses of Military Service have been presented to descendents of Confederate veterans who have also served the United States in time of war including seven presented on May 16, 1993, at the Bestowal of the Crosses of Military Service in Bassett, VA by Chapter President, Claudia Switzer Deans (Mrs. Sidney A.). Also in 1993, the chapter completed the first revision in 40 years of its constitution thru the hard work of a committee chaired by Dorothy Wickham Waleski (Mrs. Alex F.). Changes were made to correspond with General and Division By-Laws and constitutions. The chapter completed a list of all Confederate veterans buried in Oakwood Cemetery and in Roselawn Cemetery and made charts for locating the graves, in 1993, under the leadership of Dorthy Wickham Waleski (Mrs. Alex F.) and Dixie Wade Mattox (Mrs. Cloy M. Sr.).
A celebration was held for the 100 birthday of the chapter on September 12, 1995, in Collinsville. Crosses of Military Service were presented in Martinsville to seven recepients by Ms. Frances McDaniel Weiler on July 16, 1996. Funds are given to the cemeteries for maintance of these graves. Members assist students in the application progress when seeking UDC scholarships to those majoring in Southern history. Several students have received these which have been used at The University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.  Crosses of Military Service were presented by President Rebecca Turner.
Mildred Lee Chapter was the sponsor of the Mary Cabel Smith Chapter Children of the Confederacy whose members held Division office: including Mary Paige Price-President Virginia Division, Roderick Ramsey Ingram-Honorary President Virginia Division, Treasurer Virginia Division and Chaplain Virginia Division, Kerry Price-President Virginia Division and Leigh Ann Price-President Virginia Division and Chaplain of General Children of the Confederacy. Past Presidents of Mary Cabel Smith Chapter include Rebecca Poindexter, Mary Paige Price, Roderick Ramsey Ingram, Sara Frith, Kerry Price, Leigh Ann Price, Karen Cradock, Jody Stultz, and Eric Stultz.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Presidents of the Mildred Lee Chapter have been: Mrs. S. L. Goodman, Mrs. Elmer S. Tudor, Mrs. Alex F. Waleski, Mrs. Roy C. Joyce, Mrs. Sidney A. Deans, Ms. Frances McDaniel Weiler, Mrs. Robert E. Hawkes and Mrs. Kenneth Turner and Mrs. Louis Powell. Mrs. Goodman and Mrs. Joyce served as Third District Chairman.  Ms. Weiler has served as Division Music Chairman and Mrs. Deans has served on the Division Music Committee-1997-1999 and is currently serving on the Magazine Committee and the Membership Committee for the Division..

updated February 22, 2006