Daughters of the American Revolution
Little River Chapter
Idabel, McCurtain County, Oklahoma
Past Chapter Regents
1985-1987 ..... Mrs. U.P. Lindley
1987-1989 ..... Miss Helen Whealdon
1989-1991 ..... Mrs. Otho Burney
1991-1993 ..... Mrs. Fred J. Hall
1993-1995 ..... Mrs. W.V. Gregory
1995-1996 ..... Mrs. Haskell Pate
1996-1998 ..... Mrs. Jewell W. Ridge
1998-2000 ..... Mrs. Dean Hylton
2000-2002 ..... Mrs. L. B. James
2002-2004 ..... Mrs. Saundra Griffith
2004-2006 ..... Mrs. Lila Swink
2006-2008....Mae Fowler Hylton
Memorial Roll
Mrs. Stella Fay Barrett ~ Charter Member
Mrs. Mary Jane Burwell ~ Charter Member
Mrs. Patsy Dillard
Mrs. Junita Kilgore Dean ~ Charter Member
Miss Eloice Kilgore
Mrs. Floy Louise Love
Mrs. Doris Naomi Martin ~ Charter Member
Mrs. Ida Mae Burney
Mrs. Martha Holman
Ms. Barbara Heismeyer
In June of 1983, Mr. U. P. Lindley
and his wife, Francille, retired in Guymon, OK and soon moved to McCurtain
County, OK. Francille had been a member of the National Society Daughters of the
American Revolution, but there was not a chapter in Southeast Oklahoma. She
talked to several people and finally met Miss Helen Whealdon, who was a DAR
member from Texas. They doubled their efforts and soon had recruited a few women
who wanted to become Daughters, by proving their lineage back to a Revolutionary
soldier or patriot. They contacted Mrs. Cecil R. Lee, First Vice Regent of the
Oklahoma Society and also State Chapter Organizer, and with her assistance, held
the first preliminary meeting on November 11, 1984, with four State Officers and
one National Officer present: Mrs. Everett Clark; Mrs. Don Forsee, State Regent;
Mrs. Cecil Lee; Mrs. Adeliad Johnson; and Mrs. Joy Ansley.
The second preliminary meeting was
June 23, 1985, where the following officers were elected: Mrs. U.P. Lindley as
Organizing Regent; Mrs. James Benson as Organizing Vice Regent; Mrs. Sarah
Zieglar as Organizing Secretary; Miss Helen Whealdon as Organizing Treasurer;
Mrs. O.L. Burney as Organizing Registrar; Mrs. Ted Scott as Organizing Chaplain;
Mrs. Richard Heismeyer as Organizing Historian; Mrs. Howard Wall as Organizing
Librarian; and Mrs. Lloyd Griffin as Organizing Parliamentarian. Additional
organizing members included Irene Houston, Doris Martin and Elizabeth Collins.
Within a few weeks these charter members, Della Fay Barrett, Mary Dugan, Thela
Leonard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Mary Jane Burwell, Ramona Mitchell, Melinda
Mitchell and Carla Mitchell were added.
Several possible chapter names
were discussed and "Little River" was finally chosen as being the
most appropriate for this area-wide group.
Mr. Len Green, a Native American
and renowned historian, was contacted to give the history of "Little
River." The first crude maps of this area were made in early 1800 by
government surveyors, showing Little River to be the west fork of the Red River.
In 1832-33, when the Choctaws moved from Mississippi to this general area, they
called Little River, The Black River. New maps were made in 1866, and by this
time, surveyors knew Little River was a tributary and a river in its own right.
Little River is a well-known scenic and recreation area.
On September 10, 1985, an
organizational meeting was held with Oklahoma State Regent, Ruth Forsee;
National Vice President General, Mrs. Everett Clark; Oklahoma First Vice Regent,
Dorthy Lee; Kiamichi District Director and State Membership Chairman, Joy
Ansley; all present at the Hospitality Room in the Public Service Building in
Idabel, Oklahoma. State Vice Regent, Dorthy Lee installed the new chapter
officers. There were twelve organizing members and eight charter members with
two ladies whose papers were at the National Society DAR in Washington, D.C.
awaiting approval.
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Updated
07/28/2012
