HR0288 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0288 LRB098 11888 MST 45165 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the Benjamin Mills Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on its 100th Anniversary; and

WHEREAS, The Daughters of the American Revolution is a national patriotic organization whose members are direct descendants of those patriots who fought in the American Revolution, who with unfailing loyalty served sailors, soldiers, and civil officers, or rendered material aid to the cause of American independence during the Revolutionary War; and

WHEREAS, The Daughters of the American Revolution is the only women's organization reporting to the United States Congress each year; and

WHEREAS, The Benjamin Mills Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was organized on June 5, 1913, by Ms. Charles E. Davidson, who was a Bond City Resident; and

WHEREAS, The majority of the 27 charter members were descendants of Benjamin Mills, who served in the Revolutionary War as a private and then 2nd lieutenant, in the Maryland troops, thus it was decided to use his name for the chapter's designation; and

WHEREAS, The first Benjamin Mills Chapter officers were Mrs. Charles E. Davidson, Regent; Mrs. George F. Casey, Vice-Regent; Dr. Marie Louise Ravold, Recording Secretary; Mrs. J. Ralph Seamon, Corresponding Secretary; Mrs. Frank E. Watson, Registrar; Miss Mabel Victoria Wait, Treasurer; Mrs. C.J. Lindley, Historian; and Mrs. E. Parson, Chaplain; and

WHEREAS, In 1916, the chapter purchased a 1/4 acre tract of land from Mr. Neumann about 8 miles southwest of Greenville where the DAR Daughters placed a monument at the approximate site of Hills' Fort, built in 1811; in 1928, the chapter unveiled the DAR Madonna of the Trail monument in Vandalia to commemorate the pioneer mothers of the covered wagon days; in 1929, a plaque listing revolutionary soldiers buried in Bond County was placed at the north entrance of the court house; in 1935, a marker was placed on south 5th Street at the site where Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln spoke in 1858; in 1951, a monument was placed at the site of Perrysville, the first county seat of Bond County; and

WHEREAS, At this anniversary date, outgoing Benjamin Mills Chapter Officers are: Cynthia McAlpin Hunter, Regent; Veronica Hunter Schraer, Vice-Regent; Virginia Whitlock Wise, Chaplain; Jeanette Dothager, Secretary; Jessie Thomas Maas, Treasurer; Karen Dewey Bauer-Reelitz, Registrar and Historian; newly elected Benjamin Mills Chapter Officers for the Centennial 2013-2015 term are: Jeanette Dothager, Regent; Lisa Marie Williams Stephens, Vice-Regent; Virginia Whitlock Wise, Chaplain; Diana Lynn Williams Sanders, Secretary; Jessie Thomas Maas, Treasurer; and Karen Dewey Bauer-Reelitz, Registrar and Historian; and

WHEREAS, The Benjamin Mills Chapter sponsors Good Citizenship Awards at the high schools in Bond and Fayette counties, American History Essay contests, and school and community flag/veteran programs; it promotes support for veterans, celebrations of patriotic holidays, and presents the flag of the United States of America to civic organizations; they sponsor Hills' Fort Society, Children of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution Schools, and many national and special committees; and

WHEREAS, At all chapter meetings, the Benjamin Mills Chapter begins each meeting ritual with a prayer; they recite The Pledge of Allegiance, The American's Creed, and sing The Star Spangled Banner; as a Daughter of the American Revolution, each daughter makes an oath and accepts the duty to: love our country, support The Constitution of The United States of America, obey its' laws, and to respect its' flag and to defend it against all enemies; and

WHEREAS, The Benjamin Mills Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will mark its 100th year anniversary on June 5, 2013, through a celebration luncheon and grave marking, in Bond County; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Benjamin Mills Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on celebrating its 100th Anniversary and wish the organization and its members continued success; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Benjamin Mills Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution as a symbol of our esteem and respect.