A Brief History of Luray Chapter #436

A Brief History of
Luray Chapter #436
Originally organized on January 16, 1901, the Luray Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy was initially a small chapter consisting of just five members. With membership dues placed at fifty cents, the chapter's earliest ledger of September 7, 1901 noted that for the first year there was three dollars and eighty cents listed on hand. Expenses for the year tallied at one dollar for use of a chapel where the chartering ceremony was held, Confederate songbooks at fifty cents each, and two dollars for the designated delegate to attend a meeting in New Orleans.
Charter members of the first organization included Miss Caroline Long, Mrs. Herbert Barbee, Miss Louise Catherine Dickson, Miss Mary Ida Hargrove, Miss Lena Gertrude Stover, Miss Frances Yager Rhodes, Mrs. Eliza Wharton Lowry, Miss A.A. Davis, and Miss A.J. Davis.
With membership numbers increased to eleven in 1903, the chapter contributed seven dollars and fifty cents to the J.E.B. Stuart Monument Fund. During the year the chapter also gave considerable effort toward the Confederate Reunion and memorial Day on June 25, spending five dollars and eleven cents toward purchasing flags (with which they added bouquets of flowers) to decorate the graves of the dead. Likewise, living veterans and widows received monetary gifts at Christmas. Those living and receiving gifts at the time included William Larkin Dulaney & Hamilton Vincent Burner of Company D, 7th Virginia Cavalry; Jacob C. Kibler & John P. Mauck of Company E, 35th Battalion Virginia Cavalry; Tillman S. Weaver & Benjamin (Banks) Jenkins of Company K, 10th Virginia Infantry; and Charles T. Chadduck of Company H, 33rd Virginia Infantry. In the gift-giving to veterans, all companies formed in Page County were represented except for the Dixie Artillery.
In the years that followed membership continued to grow and in keeping with its desire to be an active, vital organization, the chapter continued to contribute to the Stuart Monument Fund as well as marking veterans' graves with iron crosses (few of which are still marking the graves today). In 1905 membership reached peak at 22 women. However, soon after the ranks began to significantly decline. Despite the lack of growth, those few members continued to keep the memory of their Confederate ancestors alive and contributed to the Manassas Monument, Camp Chase, the Daughters' Building in Richmond, and to needy Confederate veterans. By 1913 however, with only two members still on the rolls, the chapter was disbanded.
Following the Civil War Centennial, on August 3, 1968, Luray Chapter #436, of the United Daughters of the Confederacy was reactivated with Mrs. L. Wallis Alves, Mrs. Dewey R. Wood, and Mrs. I. Cliffton Warner present. Ultimately, twelve daughters received certificates for membership including one transfer from the Warren Rifles Chapter. As honorary Real Daughter and original member of the 1901 chapter, Mrs. Lena Stover Bostick also honored the chapter's new member ranks. In time, other Real Daughters and original 1901 chapter members were honored including Ms. Anita Grove and Mrs. J. Gill Grove. Officers of the chapter included Mrs. Thomas C. Jennings as president; Mrs. Dorothy H. Judd, 1st vice-president; Mrs. Raymond Bauserman, 2nd vice-president; Mrs. Lynn Black, 3rd vice-president; Mrs. R.R. Huffman, recording secretary; Miss Virginia Martin, treasurer; Miss Helen Kibler, registrar; Miss M.J.W. White, historian; and Mrs. Lester Hoak, recorder of crosses. Other members included Mrs. R.B. Long, Mrs. A.S. Modisett, Mrs. Frank Kite, Miss Jean Jennings, and Miss Anita Grove.
During the chapter's reactivation, the original gavel belonging to the first Luray chapter was presented. Originally presented in 1902 by Colonel James H. Morrison( VMI, '60), the gavel was kept after the disbanding by Mrs. H.L. Rankin, president, until her death. With no other chapter active in the county, the gavel was kept by the Morrison family for safekeeping until 1968 when the chapter was presented by Mrs. Paul Clark, grandaughter of Mrs. Rankin. The gavel, made from the wood of a tree that withstood the battle of Lookout Mountain, was imbedded with a minie ball for sometime. The ball has long since disappeared and leaves only a cavity in its place.
In the years since its reorganization, the Luray Chapter has been involved in numerous activities including purchasing markers for members' Confederate ancestors' graves; contributions to the Vietnam Fund, Lee Chapel & Mausoleum; bestowal of World War I Cross of Military Service; donation of eight lap robes (afghans) and two pairs of crutch pads for amputees of the Vietnam War at the Veterans' Hospital; remembrance of the Confederate dead on special days with flowers and flags; and numerous volunteer activities.

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