The rosette Happy new year

Winter, January 2015 edition of the TNSOCR newsletter

As most of you know I’ve had a computer crash so this issue will be slightly different.

This fall has been a whirlwind of activity and also of sickness. Probably the worst year I can even remember for the number of folks sick with the flu and all sorts of viral things. For the most part everyone seems to be getting over their maladies and is eager to get back to work for the Cause. Surrender at Appomattox is upon us but the War against the South continues.

The Rawley Brothers Memorial for 3 Confederate brothers born in Smith Co. and living in Nashville when the invaders came to TN were honored in November, now that all 3 stones are set. Members from 7 SCV camps and 5 OCR chapters participated in this wonderful memorial. Ladies in mourning, soldiers in uniform, honor guard volleying 3 times at each grave, Taps by Tony Beatey, key speaker Pres. Jefferson Davis (J. W. Binion), and Dixie sung by Kay Bennett made it a wonderful service for all. The family members who attended were very pleased. Most of the folks had gone before we went into group photo mode, apologies to those not pictured below.

Many Christmas parties, dinners, and parades were in most of our agendas. Pictured here is Rebecca Sowell and Mary Hood – Chapter #20, Jan Hensley and Deb Erickson – Chapter #5, and Vonda Dixon – Chapter #10 who love starting the season, as we have for many years, giving tours at Elm Springs SCV HQ during the Columbia Christmas Parade of Homes. Mary was the ticket collector and said the 5 of us gave tours to over 200 people who came to visit that Saturday! We had a fantastic time and then went out to eat and unwind before our long (very long for some) journey home.

I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at Lee-Jackson Banquets and April 11 in Greenville!

In humble service to the South, Vonda Dixon, Pres., TNSOCR

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Index From the President’s Desk – Page 1 Index , Prayer Requests, Officers – Page 2 Chapter #1 Roses of the Cumberlands – Page 9 Chapter #5 Mariam Beck Forrest – Page * Chapter #6 Jane Simmons Davis – Page 5-7 Chapter #10 Aunt Polly Eaton Williams – Pages 7-8 Chapter #11 Wild Mountain Roses – Page * Chapter #13 Dibrell’s White Roses – Page * Chapter #14 Highland Roses – Page 3 Chapter #18 Cynthia Holford Officer – Page 4 Chapter #19 Alice Thompson – Pages 10-11 Chapter #20 Antoinette Polk – Page 13-14 Rosebuds & Young Rebels – Page 12 Black Rose Society – Page * * nothing submitted

PRAISE REPORT Betty Aronson #19 came through many infections and VERY serious surgery with flying colors!

Prayers Needed We offer our prayers for the health issues of many still battling the flu. Sincere sympathy to Greg Davis, Crossville, and his mom Genese Davis on the passing of his sister. And much sympathy extended to Byron Reid, Commander of the Lafayette SCV Camp Jim Davis and to

his family on the passing of his father down in Alabama. Clara Craft, Pres. #11, her back surgery was put off again, please pray for healing and that when the

surgery is finally done it will be successful. Ongoing health issues of Frank Holladay and Betty Lu Benedeke, #1 Janet Roberts and Joyce Johnson #20, deaths in their families

TNSOCR elected officers: Vonda Dixon #10, president Jan Hensley #5, West TN vice president Betty Aronson #18, East TN vice president Pat Butler #14, Secretary Carolyn Hedgecoth #1, Treasurer

TNSOCR appointed officers: Debria Beatey #6, Historian Linda Boshers #6, Chaplain Debbie Raymer #1, Aide de Camp Clara Craft #11, Black Rose Keeper of the Rite

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Highland ROSES #14 October: Mike Williams was Present at the Monterey Camp’s “Standing Stone Day”. He also was at the

Parkers Crossroads reenactment where he met a man in need of genealogy to join the SCV. Mike also was in

Lafayette to help with the “Changing of the Flag” ceremony, on the courthouse square where they fly one of the

Confederate flags 365 days of the year. (photo #2) He was in attendance at the Fall Festival in Granville. He

also camped for school day there. (photo #1) Mike, Ed Butler, Marty and Debbie Smith attended the meeting in

Crossville (Sgt. William A. Hamby) camp #1750. The guest speaker was Susan Hathaway who gave a

wonderful presentation of the Virginia Flaggers.

November: Mike Williams, Marty and Debbie Smith attended the memorial service for the three Rawley

Brothers at the Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Nashville. (photos below) We also were present for the 150Th

Anniversary of The Battle of Franklin. Mike and Marty marched from Winsted Hill to the Carter House in

remembrance of The Battle.

December: Mike Williams attended Gainesboro, Sparta (photo below), and Crossville camp Christmas parties.

He also was present at the Murfreesboro camp Christmas Ball. Amazingly enough he had time to work in a bit

of bear hunting. Also Happy Birthday Mike, and congratulations on your reelection as Camp Commander of the

Dillard-Judd camp.

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Cynthia Holford Officer #18 We didn't get around much this Fall. In fact, I spent most of October and part of November as a guest

at Camp Vanderbilt. Suffice to say, LIFE is what happens when you're busy making other plans!! But the

good news is that I am feeling much better and more like my old self again, thankfully. I was feeling well

enough to catch the end of the 150th Battle of Franklin ceremonies at the March from Winstead Hill on

Sunday, Nov.30. No, I did NOT attempt the march, as I knew that would be pushing it, but had a great

time seeing everyone and waving the Battle Flag from the sidelines with Debbie Smith, chapter #14 (pix

#2 and #3). I was also well enough to attend the Christmas meeting on Tuesday, December 2nd, of our

sponsoring camp, General George G. Dibrell Camp and our sister chapter, Dibrell's White Roses. (photo

#1) It was great to see everyone and the food and festivities were wonderful. On Thursday, Dec. 4th I

attended the APEW #10 and Gainesboro Invincibles Christmas dinner at the Donoho Hotel in Red Boiling

Springs. Being in dress in that historic, beautifully restored hotel was like stepping back in time almost,

and we were all treated to a rollicking Ragtime rendition of Dixie after our delicious dinner. On

Saturday, December 13th I attended the Christmas Ball in Eagleville, at the invitation of JSD #6 and

Murfreesboro Camp 33. (photo #5) Still didn't have the stamina to dance more than a few of the

dances, but the evening was wonderful! I ended the month by hostessing "Confederate Movie Nite" at my

home, where it was great to watch "our" movies with compatriots Mike Williams and Larry Gunnels. I'm

looking forward to getting back out there full steam in this New Year of 2015! God Bless Dixie and God

Save the South!

Betty Aronson, President Cynthia Holford Officer Chapter #18

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Jane simmons davis #6 Hello all! Happy New Year!! In the last newsletter I mentioned that old man winter was just around the bend, well guess what he is here!! The last quarter of the year was fairly quiet until December. In October we had a couple events, Cannonsburgh’s Havest Days where we had a booth and Sam Davis Home Ghost Tours, ladies from my chapter helped out the guys from camp 33down in the cotton field with the field hospital. November was a month of remembrance I was honored to participate in the maker dedication Vonda held at Mt. Olivet Cemetery for the Rawley Brothers and the very next day was the annual Memorial Service for Sam Davis that marks the date of his death. Linda Boshers and I also attended the Death March in Franklin. December came in with a bang, Victorian Christmas at the Sam Davis Home, 2 parades, Christmas Ball and the New Years Eve celebration “Snowball Event” which is a fundraiser for the Sam Davis Home. Coming up we will have the Battle of Murfreesboro Memorial Service and the Lee-Jackson Luncheon. Until we meet again may God bless you and keep you all safe and healthy. Debria Beatey, President Jane Simmons Davis #6

Booth at Cannonsburgh Ghost Tours Linda Boshers, Richard Hunter & Paul Judd

Mt. Olivet Ceremony Emily Puckett, Linda Boshers, Marianne Wright, Debria Beatey

Sam Davis Memorial Service You missed it Vonda!! D.B. Public speaking

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Death March Franklin, TN Murfreesboro Parade

Float for Eagleville & Murfreesboro Parade Mr. & Mrs Lee in the Eagleville Parade

Murfreesboro Parade

Christmas Party / Ball

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What a great time!!

Aunt Polly Eaton Williams #10 Like all the other chapters that have reported before us. It has been busy! The month began with

another trip to Huntersville Confederate Cemetery in WV, paying tribute to our boys who died far from home is always and honor – and this year the Western Virginia Military Academy cadets and young ladies participated in the service. Being there with dear friends and General R. E. Lee (aka Al Stone) is truly a privilege. School programs and opportunities to teach adults as well have abounded! I love teaching! In Granville for school day Mike Willliams, Bill McGrath, and newby’s mom and daughter Beth and Larissa joined me. With my reenacting group I teach about the flags. Lisa does ladies clothes. I camped at Lairdland, NBF State Park for the Battle of Johnsonville, Carnton, and the Bi-Centennial Mall in Nashville – Violet did some of those events with me – tough child she is! We participated in the flag ceremony on the square in Lafayette. The memorial service for Capt. Miller was organized by members Mark & Scarlett Hudson and the Rawley Bros. Memorial by Vonda. Ray Myers #10 also participated in both those memorial services. I attended the Battle of Spring Hill at Rippavilla (no one recognized me – I wasn’t in-dress!)

Ray and I attended a Hamby Camp meeting with others from up our way to hear Virginia Flagger Susan Hathaway speak. She’s FANTASTIC! Then we all went out to eat – don’t most of our events include food? LOL

For the first time this year we didn’t do any parades – also a first Mark & Scarlett organized a Christmas Dinner Party at the Donoho Hotel in Red Boiling Springs for our camp and chapter – it is a lovely place! I loved attending the Gen. Hatton Camp Christmas Dinner, Murfreesboro Christmas Ball, and the Sparta SCV/OCR Christmas party, too. I do appreciate all the invitations – was too sick for the Crossville party – but the Highland Brigade Lee-Jackson will be down there on the 31st.

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With Gen. Lee in WV Susan Hathaway, Kevin Witherell, Beth & Larissa at Granville Ghost of Aunt Polly

and me in Crossville at the the Hamby Camp meeting. in the Granville Ghost Walk.

Rawley Memorial with Pres. Davis and the gang Vonda & Lisa refugees in Nashville

At the Capt. Miller Mem. Service - Mark, Scarlett, & Levi Short ride at Rippavilla Granville School Day

Christmas Dinner at the Donoho Hotel, RBS 8 Backstage with Bobby Horton and RoC #1

Roses of the Cumberlands #1 Happy New Year to all! Our collective goal should be to assure 2015 is a year of doing Dixie proud through our support of SCV activities as well as projects decided by individual chapters. Susan Frise Hathaway of the Virginia Flaggers gave a wonderful presentation at the Hamby Camp meeting on October 16th after which a number of SCV and OCR members gathered at Gondola Restaurant for great food and conversation. Jerry and I were honored to have Susan as our overnight guest and Highland Brigade Cmdr. Mike Williams and Hamby Camp Adjutant Charles Ervin, both OCR thorns, to join us for breakfast the following morning. (photos 1 & 2) Several chapter members as well as Vonda and Hamby Camp member Gregg Davis served as greeters for the Bobby Horton Concert at the Tennessee Valley Theatre in Spring City on November 7th. (photos 3 & 4) The following morning, with a scant 3 – 4 hrs. of sleep under our belts, Vonda and I donned hunting attire and headed to the deer stand for opening day of muzzleloader season. The time spent in the great outdoors was enjoyable, but it became clear when a deer appeared in the field soon after we were positioned in the shooting house that Vonda and scoped rifles ARE NOT a good combination! We look forward to next time, but with open sights! Helen Holladay, Debbie Raymer and I were honored to participate in the Rawley Brothers Confederate Memorial Service at Mt.Olivet Cemetery in Nashville on November 22nd. Thanks to Vonda and others for organizing this special event. Twenty-one SCV and OCR members, spouses and friends gathered at the Cumberland Mountain State Park Restaurant on December 18th for the Hamby Camp Christmas Dinner where everyone enjoyed a good meal and fellowship. (photo #6) Mark your calendars for the Highland Brigade Lee-Jackson Banquet starting at 4 P.M. on Saturday, January 31st in the gymnasium of First United Methodist Church, 100 Braun St. in Crossville. In support of the host Hamby Camp, we will assist as needed for this event. Attendees are asked to bring a covered dish for the potluck meal. Guest speaker will be Thomas Cartwright, noted authority on the Battle of Franklin/Spring Hill. Please keep chapter members, SCV compatriots, friends and family in thought and prayer to include Genese and Gregg Davis and Dakota Bolin in the recent passing of their daughter/sister/aunt, Charles Ervin (scheduled for surgery), Gregg Davis, and Betty Lu Bendeke as they undergo tests and deal with health issues. Also remember Debbie Raymer as she cares for her mother who recently underwent major surgery. Prayers are also in order for TNSOCR in coping with the stresses and financial burden of a legal issue that we hope will soon be resolved in order that we might direct full attention to our purpose. Submitted by: Carolyn Hedgecoth, President

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Alice Thompson #19 Greetings everyone! We have had a great time exploring our Namesake recently! I started doing some research on Alice Thompson and decided to take our chapter on a Mystery day out on Dec. 7 which was the last day of our weekend Christmas celebration. We first started off with a visit to memorial of Rodderick, the war horse that Nathan Bedford Forrest rode during the battle of Thompsons Station. We then moved on down the road to a small cemetery where Elijah Thompson’s 1st wife is buried. Then came the big surprise!!! I set up a private tour of the Homestead Manor! This was the place where Alice took refuge during the Battle of Thompsons Station. The ladies got to stand in the very spot in the cellar that Alice stood on that day and look out the very windows that she would have been looking out as the battle came thru the yard there. They got to imagine what it would have been like for her to be watching out the window when the flag bearer fell right in front of her! Then possibly what she might have felt when she ran out of the cellar, took up the flag and helped rally the troops into a victory there! I know it was a honor to be there and also to be able to watch the expressions on the faces of the the chapter members present as they walked the very footsteps of our namesake! Backing up to our Christmas weekend....we had a wonderful time together just relaxing for the weekend! We had rented the big lodge at NACO for the weekend and everyone could come and go at their leisure. We ate a lot of food and had a lot of fun playing games along with the Dirty Santa game! We all think Spike’s gift was the best....it fit him so well! We had some members participate in the Battle of Springhill. Most of us were dressed as men and were in Forrest’s Escort. We later changed and went to the ball as Southern Belles. We helped the Rawdon-Spears camp set some flag poles out on 43 Hwy. here in Summertown. As you can see, we have been a busy bunch lately! It’s been a good busy though! We continue to have our monthly meetings on the first Sunday of every month. With our ladies living in at 3 different counties, we move our meetings every month. We welcome all of you to join us but you will need to check with us as to just where the meeting is that month! I would like to personally give our a great big “Thank You” to all the ladies that helped out at the Rawdon-Spears camp meeting this last Friday Night. Y’all rocked it! Wishing all of you a very Happy New Year! May it be the best yet! Traci Spears, President, Alice Thompson OCR #19

Setting flag poles Flag Pole dedication December meeting

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Spike’s Dirty Santa gift Dressed as men for the Battle of Spring Hill At the ball in Spring Hill

Some of us at NACO for Christmas In the cellar at the Home Stead Manor

Honoring Generals Lee and Jackson

Jan. 17 Murfreesboro Camp #33, luncheon, pot-luck, Eagleville Community Center

Jan. 31 Highland Brigade Lee-Jackson Banquet hosted by the Hamby Camp, 4:00, guest speaker Thomas Cartwright. See Chapter #1 for more information.

2015 TN state reunion

April 11, Hosted by Gen. John Hunt Morgan Camp, Greenville, Tennessee The SCV has again provided us with a room at the Gen. Morgan Inn for our Saturday morning

meeting. We are grateful for their continued support.

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ROSEBUDS and young rebels

Cassie and Hannah #10 Christmas Dinner, Shirley & Lillie #10 Capt. Miller Mem. and flag raising in Lafayette

Riley #5, friend Wyatt, and Violet #10 braved the below freezing temps at Carnton, she even taught about toys.

Abby #10, Rawley Bros. Memorial Riley #5, in irons at NBF State Park, Violet Bi-Centennial Park

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Antoinette polk #20 What an exciting year it has been!!! We chartered in May and have been busy since then. We started with our

original seven members and have grown to 18. We are excited to see that kind of growth for 2015.

The Athenaeum Yard Sale was a success for everyone. We were able to raise some awareness for the OCR and

have a great time.

We had a booth at the Campbellsville Scottish Festival. It was WINDY and cold. Despite the weather, the folks

that live in Campbellsville came out to celebrate their Scottish Heritage and to honor the men that fought in a

little skirmish there during the Late Unpleasantness.

Pictured Left to Right are Beth Sims, Dottie Meadows, Paula Kay and Renee Norton. Miss Paula is not a

member but she supports us in all of our efforts.

Rebecca, Beth and Renee attended the 150th

Anniversary of the Battle of Franklin at Carnton. Sadly, we didn’t

make any pictures. It was a wonderful time spent with friends.

In November, we were honored, along with SCV Camp 29, to host Mr. Thomas Cartwright as a guest speaker.

The evening was entertaining and informative. Mr. Cartwright is an amazing storyteller and historian.

Pictured L to R Lisa Previti, Jackie Johnson, Dottie Meadows, Anita Safian, Elizabeth Sowell, Rebecca Sowell,

Mary Hood, Beth Sims, Michelle List, and Renee Norton. Seated is Mr. Cartwright.

The OCR was well represented at the Arkansas Monument Dedication at Winstead Hill. This was a moving and

touching ceremony. If you have never taken the time to visit Winstead Hill, please do. This property is owned

by the Murfreesboro SCV Camp. It will ALWAYS be a memorial park to our good boys in gray.

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Many of us took part in the Battle of Spring Hill 150th

held at Rippavilla on Thanksgiving weekend. This was a

wonderful event. Rebecca was a docent in the beautiful old home. Mary was a member of Forrest Escorts.

Renee, Beth and Dottie provided support for Maury Light Artillery.

After the Battle on Sunday we headed off to Winstead Hill to make that march like so many did 150 years ago.

Walking in the footsteps of our ancestors is always an emotional time, this year was no exception.

We were honored and pleased to be able to lead the tours at Elm Springs for the Maury County Tour of Homes

on December 5 and 6. Elm Springs is a lovely home built in 1837 and now serves as the International

Headquarters for the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Please keep some of our members in your prayers. Janet Roberts, our treasurer, lost her brother suddenly in

November. Joyce Johnson, life member, lost her mother just last week.

The Antoinette Polk chapter has worked hard this year. From our chartering in May to the Christmas Party at

Anita’s house, there have been some friendships formed that will last a life time. We are so grateful to be a

small part of preserving our Southern Heritage and honoring our ancestors. We are looking forward to another

busy year ahead. A GREAT BIG Southern thank you is extended to SCV Camp 29 for sponsoring us. With out

these gentlemen there would be no Antoinette Polk Chapter 20.

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