Churchill Chapter visits Marlsgate Plantation for Christmas

Wednesday, December 8th proved to be a brisk wintry day in central Arkansas but that didn’t keep 32 members and guests of the General T. J. Churchill from visiting Marlsgate Plantation. Greeted at the front door by owner, David P. Garner Jr., the ladies were in for a Christmas treat of fantastic Antebellum beauty in the rural setting of Scott, Arkansas. Upon arriving at Marlsgate Plantation, guests are magically transported back in time to experience the gracious way of life in a bygone era of old plantations that once dotted the Arkansas Delta.

A mere fourteen miles southwest of Little Rock, this stately columned Greek Revival Mansion overlooks Bearskin Line, amidst ancient oaks and a perfectly manicured boxwood lined walk. Nearby you find working fields of rice, cotton and soybeans. Marlsgate is a perfect reflection of the opulent plantation era.

Mr. Garner’s stories were intriguing and lively as he led the ladies through the home’s first and second floors. Showcasing the worlds finest collection of Old Paris porcelain, much attributed to Jacques Petit, and furniture by renowned artisans such as John Henry Belter, Prudent Mallard, William McCracken, and Mitchell and Rammelsberg. The magnificent Christmas tree at the top of the stairs set the tone for an “old fashioned Christmas.” Mr. Garner explained that the “mustard” color was the original color of Christmas, not the bright red that is naturally associated with Christmas today. His Christmas tree was adorned with a full size peacock, peacock feathers and natural elements such as dried leaves and flowers.

The warming fires were inviting, the estate silver was polished to perfection, the porcelain gleaming as members and guests were treated to a fantastic meal complete with Marlsgate’s signature pecan pie. The ladies left with wonderful memories of the day, complete with sisterly fellowship among the membership.

General T. J. Churchill Chapter presents a Christmas Concert to the Community

Christmas Concert
Sunday, December 19th, 2010
MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History

Sponsored by the General T. J. Churchill Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Presented by the Margaret Wyatt Piano and Vocal Studio, Kelly Ponder, Mary Katelin Ward, Emily Fenton, Katherine Greer, Hailey Weiner, Taylor Quick, Joshua Taylor, George Elrod, Lillian Williams, Niles Stevenson and Matthew Ponder.

The old Arsenal Building may not have experienced such a musical delight 150 years ago, but the ladies and gentlemen of the Margaret Wyatt Piano and Vocal Studio certainly illuminated the old walls, mortar and bricks of the historic building on Sunday afternoon, December 19th, 2010. The event, sponsored by the General T. J. Churchill Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy was offered free to the community and in appreciation to the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.

Visitors had the opportunity to visit the wonderful Civil War era exhibits during the Christmas season as a prelude to the many upcoming events surrounding the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial.

Part of the rich heritage of the General T. J. Churchill Chapter was an annual benefit concert that was presented each year by the membership to aid Confederate Veterans. As the Chapter enters our 100th Anniversary year we are recreating a concert to honor the Veterans of all wars, both those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice. Additionally, we remember those who are serving during this Christmas Season and are away from their families and loved ones. We hope to be able to make the Christmas Concert an annual event.

Merry Christmas from the ladies of the General T. J. Churchill Chapter #1373, United Daughters of the Confederacy!

For additional information: http://generaltjchurchillchapterudc.blogspot.com/ (501) 375-5197 or (501) 372-3372

From the General's Paw

I never knew what was waiting for me when my Mom and Angela Grimmett found me in the flowerbed in late September. I was tiny—only about 5 ½ weeks old and a little shy but when Sherrell Snodgrass visited later that day I was a bit more brave. My new Mom saw me and her heart melted. She picked me up and I purred softly. I have a way with the ladies… Dad sternly said “No more cats in the house.” So, I moved right in! It didn’t take long for him to warm up to me.

I attended the October UDC meeting and now I have my work cut out for me as the official mascot of the General T. J. Churchill Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. I’m getting pretty good with the computer but Mom’s fingers keep getting in my way. She said that you ladies will be collecting items for the Arkansas Veterans Home in November for a delivery for Veteran’s Day. Don’t forget my pals over there. Cat food is always appreciated.

Just call me T. J. Watch for more news on the blog and in future newsletters. Gotta go…time for a nap.

General T. J. Churchill

Historic Washington and Saib the Camel

Churchill Chapter members and our guests were treated to a personalized tour of Historic Washington on Saturday, 23 October by well known preservationist Richard Butler. Amidst the wonderful 1860 setting of Washington, historic homes, antique furnishings, captivating stories, boardwalks, delicious lunch at Williams Tavern and a lot of laughs, the highlight of the tour was meeting Saib. We were pleased the Arkansas Division President, Mary Jackson and her husband Jack could join us for the day. Thank you Richard for a picture perfect day in Washington!

Wine and Cheese in the Cemetery
and a Civil War Scavenger Hunt

Saturday evening, November 6th, Mount Holly Cemetery came alive with spirits, but not the kind that they are most known for. The General T. J. Churchill Chapter #1373, Little Rock, hosted the event as a fundraiser for their upcoming 100th Anniversary. The fun event was attended by 62 guests. The prized “golden shovel” award was awarded to the team of misfits who outsmarted and cheated their way to finding the most answers with the clues provided.

Upon arrival guests were treated to a wide array of wines, hors d’ oeuvres and selected cheeses served by members Sharon Gaskin and Sherrell Snodgrass.

Those guests wishing to participate in the Civil War Scavenger Hunt were given a “test” by Kay Tatum, Chapter President, to indicate whether or not they were qualified to be a Team Captain. Questions were asked in a playful manner much to the delight of the audience. Teams were equipped with flashlights, a shovel, a cemetery guide and finally the questionnaire in which the clues were given to locate each grave site.

Six different teams scoured the circa 1843 cemetery for clues and answers to some 10 questions all pertaining to Civil War history. Four Confederate General’s buried at Mount Holly were featured in the hunt as well as Arkansas Boy Martyr of the Confederacy, David Owen Dodd, who was hanged at the age of 17 as a Confederate spy. Five other grave-side visits completed the hunt.

Mount Holly Cemetery is the final resting place of 175 soldiers from the Civil War. 160 of those graves are Confederate soldiers while 15 are those of Union soldiers. Omer Weaver was the first Confederate casualty from Little Rock. He died August 10th 1861 and was interred at Mount Holly.

In 1884 some 640 Confederate graves were removed from Mount Holly and re-interred in a mass grave at Oakland-Fraternal Cemetery, also in Little Rock. In 1913 the 11 acre Confederate plot was deeded to the National Cemetery.

Churchill Chapter Hosts 115th Annual Convention

The ladies of the General T. J. Churchill Chapter were pleased to co-sponsor the 115th Annual Convention of the Arkansas Division in Little Rock on September 23-25, 2010. The event held in Little Rock’s oldest Historic District offered a wide array of elegant events.

The Presidents Open House was sponsored by Margaret Wyatt Piano and Vocal Studio in memory of Ms. Wyatt’s Great-Grandmother, Mrs. Alice Rebecca Young-Carson, General James F. Fagan Chapter #1209, Benton, AR and her Grandmother, Mrs. Mineth Cecil Carson-Threet, Jenkins Ferry Chapter #1978, Sheridan, AR. Sadly neither of these Chapters are now active. Photos of the ladies were displayed along with a large newspaper article describing in much details and pageantry the dedication of the Jenkins Ferry Battle Monument by the Chapter of the same name.

Friday afternoon, September 24th, the ladies traveled via horse and carriage provided by Little Rock Horse and Carriage to the Memorial Service at St. Edward Catholic Church. The beautiful circa 1905 Church was the perfect setting in which to honor fifteen members of the Arkansas Division lost to death this year. Carriages transported members to MacArthur Park for the laying of the wreath at the Capitol Guards Monument. The main building at MacArthur Park was constructed in 1840. Known as the Arsenal building, it played a pivotal role during the war. First occupied by Confederate troops and then secured by Federal troops on September 10, 1863. The Arkansas Civil War Reenactors, dressed in Confederate uniforms, fired volleys at the conclusion of the service.

An elegant historical evening awaited guests. Period music was provided by Lark in the Morning as guests entered to soft lighting and candlelight. Churchill members Sharon Gaskin and Melia Mellard and their dashing escorts waltzed in representation of such an event that night have occurred 150 years ago in September 1860, before Arkansas was at war. Members and guests had the unique opportunity to individually recognize their Confederate ancestors by lighting a candle in memory of their ancestor and then were presented with a white rose in remembrance of their service.

Confederate Memorial Day Observance

Members and guests of the General T. J. Churchill Chapter #1373 United Daughters of the Confederacy organized a Confederate Memorial Day observance at Little Rock's historic Oakland-Fraternal Cemetery in Little Rock on Saturday, April 24th, 2010.

A recently published booklet on the cemetery provides a wonderful insight into the history of the some 7 cemeteries that make up Oakland-Fraternal. In May 1862 the city of Little Rock purchased 160 acres of land from Mary Starbuck and William E. Woodruff for the sum of $5,000 to establish a cemetery to bury the Confederate dead that were dying daily in Little Rock's Confederate hospitals. Some 900 Confederate soldiers were buried in a mass grave at the site of the observance. The United Daughters of the Confederacy placed a monument at the site in 1913 to honor these soldiers.

As Oakland-Fraternal Cemetery celebrates their own Sesquicentennial observance during the Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial, donations are being solicited to erect an iron archway to define the entrance to the Confederate section of the cemetery. Oakland-Fraternal Cemetery was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in April 2010.

For more information on Oakland-Fraternal Cemetery please consult their website at www.oaklandfraternal.org

Churchill Chapter Creates a Database for Ancestors

A database has been created from original and supplemental member applications of Confederate ancestors representing the General T. J. Churchill Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy. We wish to thank Mavis for her dedication and hard work in creating this data base. This data will provide valuable information to relatives searching for their Confederate soldier. Keep checking back for updated information. For more information on any of the soldiers listed please e-mail kay.tatum@yahoo.com with a detailed request.

Note: Duplicate entries represent more than one current Chapter member.

Ashworth, Benjamin H.
Bearden, Andrew A.
Blackwell, William Henry
Bradford, Henry Taylor
Bradford, John Hamilton
Bradford, James David
Bradford, Henry Taylor
Brakefield, George William
Bullington, Robert M.
Burks, John P.
Canon, Samuel B.
Carl, Barton Arnold
Cathy, Archibald Pinkney
Clements, Isham
Clements, Thomas Jeptha
Cook, James Samuel
Cosby, Jacob Anderson
Crow, Abel Marion
Culpepper, John Abb
Davidson, Robert Calvin
Deal, Alexander
Eagle, Joseph L.
Eagle, John David
Eagle, James M.
Eaton, Joel
Fitch, W. P.
Ford, Thomas Cellars
Ford, David Dailey
Ford, Jesse Stanley
Ford, John Gallman
Ford, William Follett
Gallaway, M. C.
Garner, George W.
Garner, John F.
Hassell, Miles H.
Hawk, James M.
Hawk, James M.
Haynie, John Chapel
Holmes, Richard Maddin
Holyfield, James N.
Holyfield, William Newton
Hughes, Moses Sanders
Kemp, Leonidas H.
Linzy, James Stephen
Luten, Joseph Reed
McKeithen, William Daniel
Midget, Nathaniel
Midgett, Nathaniel
Moses, Robert Alexander
Neighbors, William
O'Neal, Joseph
O'Neal, Isaac
O'Neal, Joseph
O'Neal, Isaac
Parks, William Alexander
Pearre, Humphrey O.
Pearre, Humphrey O.
Pennington, Isaac Jefferson
Plunk, Sidney
Plunk, J. W.
Pumphrey, James Marion
Quattlebaum, John
Quattlebaum, Philip
Randle, Clinton Linebaugh
Ryan, Henry Washington
Searcy, James Bryant
Searcy, James Bryant
Simmons, Henry
Simmons, Henry
Sisson, William R.
Stobaugh, Andrew Jackson
Thomas, Nathaniel
Thomas, Joseph Presley
Thomas, John C.
Thomas, David N.
Thomason, George A.
Thomason, George A.
Todd, John Edward
Todd, William J.
Todd, John Edward
Todd ,William J.
Wilkinson, Tilden Joshua
Wilkinson, Winston
Wilson, Uriah
Wright, Squire Burgess
Wright, Valentine Wolf
York, William Daniel
Young, Samuel Reason

Chapter hosts fundraising tour at Little Rock's Historic Mount Holly Cemetery

The ladies of the General T. J. Churchill Chapter #1373, United Daughters of the Confederacy hosted a fundraising tour at Little Rock's most famous cemetery on Sunday afternoon, May 16th at 2:00. Mount Holly, circa 1843 is the final resting place of 11 Arkansas Governors, 14 Supreme Court Justices, 4 Confederate Generals, 22 Little Rock Mayors, numerous newspaper editors, military heroes, David O. Dodd, 17 year old hero of the Confederacy and even a "red light" district Madam.

The 90 minute tour featured such notables as William E. Woodruff, founder of the Arkansas Gazette Newspaper, Col. Sanford Faulkner, the author of the "Arkansas Traveler", Quatie Ross, the Cherokee wife of Chief John Ross, who died on the Trail of Tears near Little Rock and Dr. Matthew Cunningham who brought his family to Pioneer Little Rock in 1820. His wife, Eliza Wilson Bertrand Cunningham would be the first "white" female permanent resident of Little Rock, as the area was still widely populated with Quapaw Indians.

All proceeds from the tour benefited the scholarship program of the Chapter.