Women’s Groups
The first distinct organization by the women of the church was accomplished by a call for the ladies to meet at the residence of Alvah Covey, July 9, 1857. A society was organized by electing Mrs. Almon Virgil, president, Mrs. S. A. Lincoln, vice president, Mrs. Ross and Mrs. Norman Gifford, secretaries, Mrs. Holley Mann, treasurer, Mrs. Alvah Covey, Mrs. Lewis Allen and Mrs. H. Henderson, Directresses. By vote the organization was named rdquo;The Ladies’ Mite Society.rdquo; The following resolutions were adopted: “ A plain supper shall be served consisting of tea, biscuit or bread and butter, one kind of cake, cheese, beef or pickles. The society shall meet once in two weeks, its avails to be applied to refurnishing the church.rdquo; Six meetings were held the first year, and at irregular periods for several years until the society lapsed into obscurity during the years of the Civil War.
A re-organization was effected December 6, 1866, at the residence of the pastor, Rev. E. J. Foote, and the following officers were elected: Mrs. E. J. Foote, president, Mrs. George Flower, vice president, Miss Emma Covey, treasurer, and Miss Adeline Dyer, secretary. A part of the former resolutions were adopted with these added: “Annual membership to be secured by the payment of twenty-five cents. Money raised to be applied to such objects as the society shall designate.rdquo;
The names follow of those who have been presidents of the society, later called the Ladies’ Aid Society. Miss Frankie Ross, Mrs. Jewitt, who held office six years and was an energetic and successful officer, Mrs. Giles Fuller, Mrs. Robert Harris. An Interval of six years with blank records follows. Then Mrs. Leslie Qualtrough was president several years. Mrs. Fannie Dyer, Mrs. W. G. Eldredge and Mrs. C.E. Scutt, followed in the order named.
An enumeration of the expenditures of the money raised include carpets, chairs, cushions, dishes, lamps, cutlery, linen, silver, painting and papering assistance in repairs to church and parsonage, and numerous incidentals. In 1867, one hundred dollars was given by the society to provide a Christmas tree and presents for the Sunday school. The same year a communion set costing thirty dollars was presented to the church.
In 1882 over four hundred dollars was raised and expended in building and furnishing the kitchen of the church. The treasurer’s book shows the total amount raised in twenty years to be $3,335.66. Two hundred dollars was expended by the society near the close of the year in preparation for the Centennial Anniversary.