Elliott, Allen Guest Speakers At UDC Meeting

  • Friday, June 3, 2016

The  United  Daughters of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis Chapter 900 held their May meeting at the Kinser Church of God in Cleveland.

President Marilyn Kinne called the meeting to order.  The Ritual was read by Teresa Silvers.  The pledges to the Flags were given, and the songs were sung.  Jed Pritchett played the Tennessee Waltz on the mandolin.   The minutes of the previous meeting was read by Debbie Riggs, Secretary and accepted.  Peggy Morrison gave the Treasurers report.

Vice President Lisa Pritchett stated the donations the Chapter has collected for the Veterans Home is scheduled to be delivered in November.  She urged everyone to continue bringing their donations such as socks, sweat shirts and pants, and other personal hygiene items.

 The Civil War pamphlets that were printed by the Chapter have been given to Bradley and Polk County 5th grade students.  City Schools will receive the pamphlet in the fall of this year.

President Kinne urged everyone to turn in their activities sheets for this year, so she can begin compiling them for the Convention in October. Members have been busy working on the plans for the October Convention.  The Convention is being hosted by the Jefferson Davis Chapter and will be held at the Read House in Chattanooga.

Vice President Lisa Pritchett has designed a Chapter pin.  It has been submitted for approval.  

The upcoming election of Officers for 2016-2018 was presented by the nominating committee: Helen Riden, Anita Green, and Linda Ballew.   Nominations were accepted and approved by members.  Officers for 2016-2018 are President Marilyn Kinne, Vice President Lisa Pritchett, Second Vice President Robin Ramsey, Third Vice-President MiniSu Willard, Secretary Amy Kibble, Treasurer Linda Ballew, Registrar Anita Green, Recorder of Military Service Awards Marilyn Kinne, Historian Christy Peden, and Librarian Teresa Silvers.

The next meeting will be held in June, and is the UDC tea.   Refreshments were provided by Lisa Pritchett, and Peggy Morrison.

The meeting was turned over to the guest speaker Rick Elliott.  He is a collector of Civil War coins, and currency.  The Confederate dollar often called a “greyback”, was first issued into circulation in April 1861, when the Confederacy was only 2 months in existence.  It was issued on the eve of the outbreak of the Civil War.  The Confederacy, being limited in skilled engravers and printers and also printing facilities had to invent their own designs for beginning banknotes.  Some were abstract depictions of mythological gods and goddesses, such as the Goddess of Liberty.  Confederate themes and designs such as naval ships and historical figures were printed.  Some of the people printed on banknotes include Andrew Jackson, John C. Calhoun,   Alexander  H. Stephens, Jefferson Davis, Judah P. Benjamin, and Lucy Holcombe Pickens, the wife of the governor of South Carolina.

At first, Confederate currency was accepted throughout the South with high purchasing power.  As the war progressed, confidence in winning the war decreased, and the amount of paper money increased. Near the end of the war, the currency became almost worthless because it was not secured by any assets.   Mr. Elliott displayed his collection of Confederate currency used during the Civil War.  He also has in his collection a $1 million dollar check written to the Confederate States of America by a southern supporter near the end of the war.  There are only seven known to be in existence today.

Sam Allen, a member of the Cleveland, Tn. Colonel Benjamin Sons of the American Revolution dressed as a Confederate soldier.  He displayed a LeMat revolver.  The revolver was invented by Jean Alexandre LeMat of New Orleans, and used by the Confederate States of America in the Civil War 1861-65.  When the War broke out Mr. LeMat received Confederate contracts for the production of 5,000 revolvers.  Plans were made to manufacture the gun abroad and then import them into the Confederacy.  Confederate gun runners were able to slip shipments of the gun through the Union Naval blockade, and it is estimated that about 2,500 made it into Confederate service.  Mr. Allen also sung, “I am a Rebel Soldier.”  

The meeting  was  adjourned.

 For more information on upcoming meetings and events or how to become a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, visit the chapter’s website at www.udcjeffersondavis900.com, or Facebook at www.facebook.com/udcjeffersondavischapter900.

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