The name of our DAR Chapter comes from the name of our town (Antlers) and our river (Kiamichi).  Therefore, it seems appropriate to start with some history of those two names. 

          Antlers was named by Major Farr who surveyed for the St. Louis and San Francisco Railways’ new line from Fort Smith, Arkansas to Paris, Texas, with the help of Victor Locke, who was familiar with the entire region.  He chose the Antlers site in 1885 because of a spring which was a good source of water, along with the Kiamichi River.  The name Antlers was prompted by deer antlers nailed to the nearby trees.  Another source credits Major Farr and the engineer and surveyor Captain Hinkly coming from the north, when a Mr. Otis shot a deer with extraordinary antlers, thus this was chosen as the town name. 

Kiamichi River is from a French word meaning “horned screamer,” a species of bird.  Another source says it comes from French and Indian languages meaning “red river”.

The county Pushmataha was one of three districts of the Choctaw Nation.  It was named for Chief Pushmataha, a renowned Choctaw leader and friend of President Andrew Jackson, who fought with the United States in the War of 1812.  He died while in Washington, D.C. on tribal business and is buried in the Congressional Cemetery there.  Pushmataha County was created at statehood.  Antlers is the county seat.  The post office was established August 26, 1887. 

      The Kiamichi Country Chapter was organized October 10, 1974 in Antlers, Oklahoma.  There were 13 charter members present.  Mrs. Robert J. Edwards was the organizing Regent.  Present at the organizing meeting were Mrs. Joel A. Kelly, Honorary State Regent from Norman, Oklahoma; Mrs. G. C. Phillips, Southeast District Director from McAlester, Oklahoma and Mrs. Gerald Rich, Organizing Member of Shreveport, Louisiana. 

The Charter Members

Regent:                                    Mrs. Robert J. Edwards                   Antlers

Vice Regent:                            Mrs. W. H. Andrews                            Hugo

Treasurer:                               Mrs. R. W. Brame                             Moyers

Registrar:                                Mrs. William B.  Cobb                          Hugo

Corresponding Secretary:     Mrs. A. H. Wright                                 Oleta

Historian:                                Mrs. Dan H. Payne                           Moyers

Librarian:                                Mrs. Bart W. Stokes                         Moyers

Chaplain:                                 Mrs. William C. Dudley                    Antlers

Miss Nancy K. Gardener                  Antlers

Mrs. Joseph H. Miller                           Tulsa

Mrs. Gerald A Baynes                     Moyers

Mrs. James M. Cox                                          

Mrs. Charles A. McCall                                  

Past Chapter Regents

Mrs. Robert J. Edwards, Jr.                                           1974-1978

Mrs. Richard Brame                                                     1978-1981

Mrs. James C. Sumner                                                   1981-1985

Mrs. Nathan C. Ward                                                    1985-1987

Mrs. Donald Dale Redding                                           1987-1989

Mrs. Charles Bolin                                                        1989-1991

Mrs. Lois Brady                                                            1991-1993

Miss Bernice Chiles                                                      1993-1995

Mrs. Jerry Owen Hall                                                     1995-1997

Mrs. Harrell D. Hairfield                                              1997-1999

Miss Bernice Chiles                                                      1999-2000

Mrs. Michael Wingfield                                                 2000-2002

Mrs. Lester Barton                                                       2002-2004

Mrs. Samuel Hardman                                                  2004-2006

Mrs. Dan H. Payne                                                        2006-2008

In Loving Memory

Dudley, Lilla B. Caperton “Mrs. William H.”                         May 23, 1976           #449583

Andrews, Emma Kendrick   “Mrs. Walter H.”                        January 11, 1980        #517323

Huckabay,  Mary York         "Mrs. Ben M.”                           January 06, 1983     #632363

Lange, Rose Ellen King  “Mrs. George”                                June 1984                 #603791

Peterson, Monte Kay Redding “Mrs. Robert E.”                  December 4, 1987     #674053

Miller, Geraldine Myers          “Mrs. Joseph”                                       1987            #590435

Baynes, Fanny F. Taylor“Mrs. Gerald Albert”                      May 14, 1990            #590578

Renshaw, Anna Mae O’Donley “Mr. J. C.”                               December 13, 1990   #708086

Ward, Martha-Jane“Mrs. Nathan Carter”                               February 08, 1995    #621089

Brame, Hallie Murrell   “Mrs. Richard W.”                             October 15, 1995      #394529

Reiser, Thomasina Agnes Messer “Mrs. Lewis W.”                June 29, 1998            #367211

Sumners,Ola York “Mrs. James C.”                                         July                          #632364

Edwards, Lucy Ann Taylor “Mrs. Robert James, Jr.              July 25, 2000            #344626

Hunnicut, Amy D.                                                                  February 13, 2001     #659321

Bolin, Ethel Rose Miller  “Mrs. Charles A.”                          March 17, 2001          #668887

Brady, Lois Chiles   “Mrs. Brady”                                        March 15, 2006         #683486

25 Year Members

Hunnicutt,  Nettie Eyvonne O’Donley       “Mrs. Edward”               #657086

McGlagson, Kathryn Tompson                                                          #673366

Payne,  Joan Kathaleen Kulick                   “Mrs. Dan H.”                 #590509

                             (she is also a Charter Member)

Redding, Wilma E. Hynson                         “Mrs. Doanld Dale”        #668051

50 Year Membership

Redman,     Louise Amanda Torp              “Mrs. William B.”          #461801

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August 11, 2009