Transcription: “Fifty Years Of Activity Completed By Louisa Bedford Chapter of UDC,” Collierville Herald,

January 8, 1953

Fifty Years of Activity Completed By Louisa Bedford Chapter of UDC

“On January 21, 1903, a group of women who loved our Southland and desired to assist her war-

worn Confederate veterans, to aid in marking historic spots, and to education southern youth, writing

true history for them, met a t the Collierville Inn. Under the leadership of Mrs. H.L. Bedford, they

organized a chapter o the United Daughters of the Confederacy with thirty-four charter members, giving

it the name of ‘Louisa Bedford’, a name already dear to each heart, that stood for all that is best in

couthern [sic] womanhood.” (From a history of the chapter written by the late Mrs. Maud J. Cowan,

dated Nov. 15, 1927.)

Another page will be added to the history of the Louisa Bedford Chapter, U.D.C. next

Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock when an open meeting will be held by the group commemorating the

chapter’s 50th anniversary.

Plans for the event are announced today by the president, Mrs. Bettie Craig, who is a charter

member. The program will be held in the sanctuary of Collierville Methodist Church and will also honor

the birthdays of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

Taking part in the program will be local ministers and chapter members. The ritual will be read,

followed by prayer and a salute to the flags. During the afternoon a history of the chapter will be given

and a history of the Confederate flag which the chapter acquired in 1907. The flag will be on display in

the church parlors where refreshments will be served following the meeting.

Especially impressive will be the memorial service led by Mrs. H.F. Kelsey. And honored in a

special way will be the surviving ten chartermembers. They are Mrs. Craig, Mrs. Alice Cartwright, Mrs.

J.H. Irby, Mrs. Benjamin Bedford and Miss Louise Farabee, all of Collierville; Miss Ethel Cartwright, Mrs.

Richard T. Capers, Mrs. Durrett Moore, Mrs. Settle Morrison, Miss Ann Turner Humphreys, all of

Memphis.

Also to be recognized during the program will be the late Mrs. Elizabeth Townsend and Mrs. J.K.

Waddy who were honorary life presidents.

The Louisa Bedford Chapter is one of the town’s most active groups. They contribute to many

projects of the national organization in addition to activities in this area.

A group of state and national U.D.C. officers have been invited to attend next Wednesday’s

meeting, and a special invitation is issued to the public to be present.

Transcription: “Maud Cowan U.D.C. Has Meeting” and “U.D.C. Meeting Held Wednesday,” Collierville

Herald, June 17, 1948

Maud Cowan U.D.C. Has Meeting

The Maud Cowan Chapter, U.D.C., had a “surprise” meeting on Monday evening at eight o’clock

with Mrs. B.M. Cowan and Miss Mildred Cowan, welcoming the latter on her return from the hospital.

Gift vases of glads and daisies brightened the rooms where the meeting was held.

During the business session, a contribution was made to the China Children’s Fund and the

historian announced that a government marker had been obtained for the unmarked grave of a

Confederate veteran in Magnolia Cemetery.

Since June is the anniversary month of President Jefferson Davis, the interesting program was

introduced by a talk on that great Southerner.

Readings were given by Mrs. W.W. Hutton and Mrs. M.B. Brewer, and a letter was read from

Mrs. L.B. Gallagher, a former member.

Cookies and cokes were enjoyed during the social hour.

U.D.C. Meeting Held Wednesday

The lovely country home of Mrs. Bettie C. Allen at Irene was the setting for the meeting of the

Louisa Bedford Chapter of the U.D.C. Wednesday afternoon of last week. Co-hostess with Mrs. Allen was

her sister, Miss Priscilla Cartwright.

The meeting was one of special importance to the U.D.C. calendar because it honored the

birthday of Jefferson Davis, the Confederacy president.

Mrs. Bettie Craig presided over the meeting and conducted the business session. She introduced

two visitors from Memphis, Miss Lida Moore and Mrs. Golden, who made informative talks. Mrs. Golden

told of a recent tour through Mississippi to the Gulf Coast, emphasizing points of historic interest.

The historian, Mrs. J.K. Swoope, introduced the interesting program for the afternoon. A sketch

of the life of Jefferson Davis was given by Mrs. Franklin Kelsey, and Mrs. Charles Dean told about his

personal and religious life. A poem entitled “Jefferson Davis” was read by Mrs. J.A. Neely.

To conclude the meeting, the hostess served delectable ice cream and angel food cake.

Transcription: “U.D.C. Will Hold Tree Planting Ceremony,” Collierville Herald, June 23, 1933

U.D.C. WILL HOLD TREE PLANTING CEREMONY

Veterans Of Collierville Will Be Honored At Solemn Service

Tribute will be paid the lives of Confederate veterans of Collierville and environs in an

impressive ceremony Sunday, when the U.D.C. sponsors the planting of fifty trees on the Collierville High

School campus. Captain C.A. DeSassure, ex-commander-in-chief of Confederate veterans will be the

principal speaker, and the DeMolay band of Memphis under the direction of W.A. Ward will supply the

music planned for the occasion.

Howard Clayton, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Clayton, has been judged winner of the Robert E. Lee

prize awarded each year by Mrs. Betty Craig, president of the Louisia [sic] Bedford Chapter of the U.D.C.

Howard, 19-year old graduate of Collierville high school, qualifies in all the requirements stressed by

Mrs. Craig: scholastic standing, school activities, leadership, and loyalty. He was one of the five students

entered by Collierville High School for the Balfour Award. He played on the C.H.S. football team, was on

the track and pole-vaulting team, and had one of the leads in the Senior class play. The prize will be

presented by Mr. C.H. Harrell.

Program is Elaborate

Program as follows:

Invocation …………………. Rev. W.D. Pickens

“America” …………………. DeMolay Band

Welcome and presenting of trees and contributors.

Address on the life of Capt. Wade Hampton …………………. Capt. C.A. DeSassure

“How Firm a Foundation” …………………. DeMolay Band

Robert E. Lee Award …………………. C.H. Harrell

Concert of Southern Airs …………………. De Molay Band.

The trees will be planted in honor of; T.R. Alley by his children; Dr. Buccannon by Friends;

Charley D. Cartwright by Miss Irean Cartwright, sister; Albert Cartwright by his children; Robert Dean by

Charley Dean, son; T.T. McDonald by Mrs. Franklin Kelsey, daughter; J.F. Dudney by Jack Dudney, son;

James Lee Dunn by Mrs. David Cartwright, daughter; William Dunlap by Mrs. Ella Alley, niece; Capt. C.A.

DeSassure by Friend; Charley Haney by Mrs. Sallie Johnson, daughter; J.P. Humphreys by Miss Ann

Turner Humphries, daughter; James Pendleton Jordan by Mrs. B.M. Cowan, daughter; William J. Johnson

by Mrs. Annie Dunavant, daughter; J. W. Kelsey by his children; Edward King by Miss Geneva King,

daughter; Felix Kirk by Fred and Mark Kirk, sons; John McFerrin by J.B. McFerrin, son; Rev. George

Martin, Mrs. Tom McFerrin, daughter; Melvin McFrrin [sic] by Tom McFerrin, son; Jack Mann by J.M.

Mann, son; Knox Brothers by Mrs. J.M. Mann and Simms, sister and niece; J.B. Murphy by Mrs. Scott and

Shelton, daughter; Capt. Tom Morris by Mrs. Mary McGinnis, daughter; John Norfleet by Mrs. Grace

Bonner, daughter; McKinney Brothers by Mrs. Courtney DeSassure, niece; William T. Price by Mrs. John

Lynch, daughter; Dr. L.S. Pierce by Dr. L.P. Pearce, son; Sam Francisco Hawk by Mrs. B.F. Stevens, sister;

James Samuel Payne by Mrs. Charley Dean, granddaughter; Joe Revell by Mrs. W.W. Norfleet, niece;

Samuel Shelton by Mrs. D.H. Delaney, daughter; Thomas LeRoy Talor by Mrs. Julian Bedford, daughter;

Thomas Conway Thorton by Miss Tommie Thorton, daughter; Capt. John Dewit Thomas by Mrs. Perry

Piper, granddaughter; David Townsend by Mrs. Bettie Craig, daughter; Mrs. David Townsend, whose

home was a hospital during the war; Judge Young by Friend.

The Louisa Bedford Chapter of U.D.C. are planting trees in memory of General George

Washington, Pres. Jefferson Davis, Genral [sic] Robrt [sic] E. Lee, Wade Hampton, Joseph Wheeler,

Nathan Bedford Forrest, J.B. (Jeb) Stuart, Albert Sidney Johnson, Sam Davis, Joseph E. Johnson,

Stonewall Jackson.

Transcription: 2015.13.07 – Manuscript, “History of Maud Cowan Chap. # 1954”

History of Maud Cowan Chap. # 1954

In the summer of 1927 a group of young girls and their sponsor Mrs. Maud Jordan Cowan, who

was the 2nd Vice President of the Tennessee Division, met together for the purpose of organizing a

second U.D.C. chapter here in Collierville. The twelve girls were most enthusiastic to begin the work of

the Organization. They met in the home of one of the members and she became the First President.

They also elected a Treasurer and other Officers. They began at the first to meet in the homes of the

members and had their business, program and social features at the meetings. They selected the name

of Winnie Davis as the name of their chapter for the first year but later decided to name it The Maud

Cowan Chapter and the number was 1954, for the Founder who organized it.

They elected two Associate members and one is still very active but one passed away many years ago.

They decided on the amount of dues to be paid and the names of the hostesses for the year.

They wanted to make extra money by giving bridge parties, bake sales, rummage sales and that added

interest and enthusiasm as well as extra money to give to the different calls of the Organization.

When the second World War came on, rationing of gas began so that was a problem but they

still met and carried on the work of the Organization.

Mrs. Cowan was made Honorary President and she met with the girls and helped them in their projects

and entertaining.

In 1946 they had elected officers several times and had lost some members but had gained some new

members also to take their place.

Our chapter has usually followed the outline of The Historian General and other interesting

articles from the U.D. C. Magazine. We also get material for our programs from books on Southern

History and Literature.

We have a faithful treasurer who pays our taxes and obligations on time and we give to nearly all the

extra calls made on us. One of our members has written several papers and received a prize on each;

the subjects were all suggested in the Division minute book. Several books have been given to the library

and archives in Richmond, Va.

The chapter presented one of our members with a fifty year pin two years ago.

One of our members has helped with the town History for several years and as she wrote her church

History too, was elected to Who’s Who of American Women in 1968 besides the history of the chapter

through the years. One of our members was Custodian of Flags for The Tenn. Division also on historic

Committees during the 1940’s. The flags were then valued at $600 but were insured when the Division

met in Memphis.

Our chapter remembers our members who are ill with cards, visits and food.

We give a love offering at each meeting and have increased our dues this year.

We usually have covered dish supper at one of our churches once a year.

Several of our members went over to Holly Springs and took a sack lunch. we enjoyed the historic

museum and places of historic interest.

We have met several times with the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Memphis for a “get together” at a

supper meeting at a Restaurant in Memphis which we enjoyed.

Our chapter made contributions to The Jefferson Davis Monument in Memphis also to the

U.D.C. Monument at Shiloh. Our honorary President served on the Committee to mark the trenches in

Shiloh where unknown Confederate Soldiers were buried.

One of our members canvassed the town to get funds to bury our old Confederate Veteran who was in

need to pay his own funeral expenses.

Eleven unmarked graves of Confederate Veterans in our local Cemetery were marked with

government markers, we bore the expense of having them installed.

In the 1940’s the two local U.D.C. Chapters converted our local park into an historic park laying

cross walks to represent the Battle Flag of the Confederacy. We erected an impressive monument

commerating [sic] the battles fought here in 1863-1863 with an inscription on both sides names of the

chapters, dates, the ivy leaf with the flag in the center. It is named Confederate Park.

Recently a little unique log cabin was erected in the Park made of brick of 1851 and in a celebration it

was dedicated to the town and community on May 8th. 1977.

Members of our chapter have attended services in Solder’s Rest at Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis on

Jefferson Davis birthday at impressive services on June 3rd. Our chapter has had the name of the

chapter inscribed on the Confederate monument in our town Park, as we had contributed to the

purchase of it when it was erected.

Catherine Jones

Transcription: 2015.13.96 – Manuscript, “History of Magnolia Cemetery, Collierville, Tennessee”

History of Magnolia Cemetery, Collierville, Tennessee

Prior to 1878, the Brown family had a family burial ground on the site of this cemetery and during The

War Between The States, a Confederate soldier killed in a raid on Collierville, was buried here.

In 1878, the land with adjoining land was bought for a local cemetery and during the yellow

fever epidemic of that year, a number of victims of that dread disease were buried here.

The graves of fifty-six (56) Confederate soldiers have been listed and are marked with a

Confederate flag, each year on the local Decoration Day on the Second Sunday of May or Mother’s Day,

by the Maud Cowan Chapter U.D.C. Several of these graves have been marked with metal bronze

crosses by the families of the deceased.

A beautiful stone wall with four impressive entrances enclosed the cemetery and it has been beautified

by the planting of Magnolia trees, shrubs and evergreens.

A memorial chapel of field stone built in 1942, also a fountain and sunken garden add to the beauty of

our cemetery.

Eleven (11) granite markers furnished by the government to mark the unmarked graves of Confederate

Veterans, were installed by the Maud Cowan Chapter U.D.C. in Collierville, Tennessee. A regular

caretaker is employed and the “God’s Acre” is well kept.

by

Maud J. Cowan

Mildred Cowan

Transcription: 2015.13.97 – Manuscript, “Burial Of An Unknown Soldier in Magnolia Cemetery,

Collierville, Tennessee”

Burial Of An Unknown Soldier in Magnolia Cemetery, Collierville, Tennessee

On Oct. 11th. 1862, a brief battle occurred at Collierville, Tennessee in which several

Confederate Soldiers were killed.

One of them a young son of a widow of Somerville, Tennessee, was buried by Federal Soldiers in

the old Brown family cemetery south of Collierville now known as Magnolia Cemetery.

There being no public cemetery there at that time, the Brown family offered a resting place for

the youth’s body.

Two of the Brown sons were in the Confederate Army, but the youngest one, a small boy, came

from his home nearby, and witnessed the burial. The boy’s mother was notified that her son had been

interred with due respect.

The Maud Cowan Chapter U.D.C. of Collierville, Tennessee, hearing the story from the lips of Mr.

Matthew Brown, now living, has placed a government marker at the young soldier’s grave in Magnolia

Cemetery.

by Maud J. Cowan

Mildred Cowan

Transcription: Catherine Meacham (for the Press-Scimitar), “History Made Long Ago On Poplar Pike In

Collierville,” Collierville Herald, April 22, 1948

History Made Long Ago On Poplar Pike In Collierville

By Catherine Meacham

Press-Scimitar Staff Writer

Every now and then when some old timer of Collierville is driving back home from Memphis,

along the straight, white concrete strip of Poplar Pike, he remembers the stories and legends of that

Pike.

Once it was a dirt road, dusty in summer and muddy in winter, where long ago Grant spurred his

fine saddle horse as he fled from the Confederate Guerillas and where the tired, bloody troops of

Chalmers marched towards Memphis, after they were beaten by Sherman at the Battle of Collierville in

the year 1863.

The house where Grant stayed still stands. In the town square, called Confederate Park, is the

monument commemorating the battles fought in Collierville and erected by the Louisa Bedford Chapter

of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Whatever history of the town remains, except of course in the memories of its citizens, is

carefully preserved in an old brown envelop of letters and documents by Mrs. Betty Craig, president of

the Louisa Bedford chapter.

Legend has it that Gen. Ulysses Grant hid under the bed at the DeLoach home. Mrs. Craig says

that isn’t true, the general only god as far as the dining room.

Gen. Grant and two of his men stopped at the DeLoach home and were invited by Mr. DeLoach

to noonday dinner. This is the home, sitting in a grove of fir trees, which was restored by Mr. and Mrs.

Henry Haizlip and is now owned by Jerry C. Clark. To make the General feel at ease, Mr. DeLoach posted

some of his negro plantation workers along the Pike as look-outs. The General was eating his dinner

when he got the word, “The Confederates are coming.”

Out the back way rushed the General and his men to mount their horses and ride towards

Memphis. Later, when General Grant had become President Grant, he remembered his host and made

Mr. DeLoach postmaster of Memphis.

There were three battles of Collierville. But the one Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman

remembered most vividly is the first one which began the morning of Oct. 11, 1863, and lasted until

night. Gen. Sherman was on his way to Corinth, Miss., and began his “March to the Sea.” A trainload of

his troops had pulled into Collierville and the train had been stopped by General Chalmers and his

Confederates who lined the railroad track and manned the fort beyond the town square where now the

Hotel Rayburn stands.

The Confederates raided the commissary cars on the train. They grabbed bottles of wine and

some mighty good sponge cakes which they found there and, with a rifle in one hand, cake and wine in

the other, they lost the fight.

They did provoke Sherman tho. They let loose his favorite saddle mare, “Dolly,” and some of his

other fine horses and drove them thru the countryside to Gen. Nathan Forrest down in Mississippi. They

found Sherman’s sword and saddle, too, and they took a trunk of his fine white shirts and made a fire of

the shirts under the train.

When J.S. Hooker was living he wrote Mrs. Craigh about this battle in which he had fought on

the Confederate side. He said that

[Image of Hamner House by Madison Wilson with caption: “Hamner house at Collierville is one of the

town’s oldest. It is a copy of the still older Fleming house on Byhalia Road built right after the Civil

War.”]

the men made up a song about the fight and sang it “down in Mississippi.”

Here’s what the Confederates sang:

“General Chalmers, the gallant and gay,

Made a raid on Tennessay,

Captured Sherman’s horse, sword and saddle,

Then rode away for other prey.”

There’s the story of Dick Davis and his band of Confederate Guerillas who roamed the Pike from

White Station to Germantown and Collierville. Dick Davis was really Dick Estes of Maysville, Ky.

Dick’s father favored the North and Dick’s mother favored the South. Dick and his brother, Bill,

were drafted into the Northern Army and after a time deserted and joined the Southern Army under the

name of Davis. At White Station, the two Davis brothers got into a skirmish with the Yankees. Bill was

shot. The Yankees buried him with his boots on and while he was still breathing. Dick vowed to never

take a Yankee captive.

He and his Guerillas had their favorite hiding place in a cellar at Germantown. On one of his

raids he was captured and brought to Memphis. When they couldn’t find out for sure whether he was a

deserter or not they brought his mother from Kentucky. His mother didn’t know he was being tried for

his life. She immediately said, “that’s my son.”

The story almost ended well. Dick’s sister, who had accompanied his mother to Memphis, was

so pretty the Yankee colonel fell in love with her. She brought Dick a saw and out of jail Dick sawed his

way. But in 1864 they took him prisoner again and brought him back to be hanged in Memphis.

Turn off the Pike and you’ll find some old homes left. Few of them are inhabited. All are slowly

falling to pieces as chimneys crumble and porches sag.

These are the homes that were built after the Civil War. One of the oldest is the house built by

John Fleming and his son, Samuel T. Fleming, when they returned home from the Confederate Army to

find their old home destroyed.

This Fleming home on Byhalia Road is now owned by Paul Duke of Capleville. It was built from

timber on the place and is a frame house with four columns and a second story balcony overlooking a

wide veranda.

The Hamner family liked the style of this house and they built one just like it. This home is on

[Image of UDC monument on Town Square by Madison Wilson with caption: “Marker in town square

was erected in 941. Mrs. Betty Craig helped to raise the money for it by piecing a quilt. The quilt sold for

$85.”]

Center St. and is owned by J.K. Swoope.

Near Threeway, Miss., just outside of Collierville, are two of these colonial homes. At Bailey,

Tenn., is a still older house, the original plantation home of Squire Davis. This home is owned by John

Porter.

Mrs. Craig and some of the others who remember way back say that they have heard Collierville

got her name ’way before the Civil War, when there was a Mr. Collier who was station master at the

depot.

There wasn’t much town then. Even in 1868 there was only a blacksmith shop, one store, the

depot and a house occupied by Mrs. Brown. Most of the folks lived ’round in the country.

Well, the trains would stop at the depot and the engineer would say “Howdy-do Mr. Collier” and

the first thing you know the town was Collierville.

Transcription: Obituary, “Mrs. Hugh L. Bedford,” Collierville Herald, January 6, 1933

Mrs. Hugh L. Bedford

Soon after the new year dawned on January 1, 1933, at 11 a.m. the earthly life ended and the

heavenly life began of one who, for more than sixty years, had been a prominent figure in social, civil

and religious life—Louisa McLean Bedford.

Born in Grenada, Miss., on March 8, 1845, in a family of four children whose parents were

Robert D. and Mary Whittaker McLean, the former an honored elder in the Grenada Presbyterian

church, she was reared in an atmosphere of culture.

All that was best in Southern traditions was instilled into them. In her early twenties, Louisa

McLean was married to Major Hugh L. Bedford, coming as bride to the beloved home, at Bailey,

Tennessee, where she quietly fell “in sleep,” more than three score years later.

The home was, for long years, the center of delightful hospitality. She was the mother of five

children, who of whom died in infancy, her daughter Louisa, in early girlhood and her elder son, B.W.L.

Bedford, some years ago.

Her younger son, Hugh, died a year ago, after long years of invalidism, following a brilliant

college career.

Though her later years were saddened by many poignant sorrows, her friends never heard a

word of complaint or bitterness, her beautiful Christian faith sustaining her.

Being a woman of unusual mental gifts and executive ability, she took an active part in many

patriotic and charitable organizations, being for two terms president of the Ladies Confederate

Memorial Association of Memphis, treasurer of the Home for the Incurables, was a charter member and

leader, for many years, of the “Trusting Workers” Circle of the King’s Daughters, of Bailey, a member of

Commodore Perry Chapter, D.A.R., and of Harvey Mathes Chapter, U.D.C., of Memphis.

In 1903, she organized the first chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in

Collierville, which was given her name and of which she was made an honorary life member.

With all her varied interests, she was a devoted member of the Collierville Presbyterian church,

being a leader in the erection of the church building, delighting in kindness to per pastor and family, and

a leader in all of its activities, giving generously of her time, talents, and means until her health failed a

few years ago.

Mrs. Bedford is survived by the following: a niece, Mrs. Susie Troter, Columbus, Miss.; and

nephews, R.D. McLean of Doddsville, Miss., A.C. McLean of Little Rock, Ark., W.C. McLean of Tampa, Fla.,

Dr. Russell McLean of Clearwater, Fla., and Julian Bedford of Bailey, Tenn.

Funeral services were conducted by her pastor, the Rev. B.M. Cowan, and internment was in the

family plot in Elmwood.

“An honored life, a peaceful death and Heaven to crown it all.”

--By One Who Loved Her.