Day 12 of 110: Washington Slept Here

(Originally Published Saturday, January 25, 2014 – Blogger: One Daughter’s Point of View)

In 1908, the same year that the chapter changed its name from the Salem Centennial Chapter to the General Joseph Winston Chapter, the Daughters made plans for another important event in Salem.

In the chapter meeting minutes for May 1908, there’s a statement that “Mrs. Shelton was appointed chairman to arrange for proper celebration of North Carolina Day next October, and to mark Washington’s room at Putnum’s Inn.” Putnum Inn is known today as Salem Tavern and the General Joseph Winston Chapter was seeking to have a marker placed there noting that President George Washington stayed there during his Southern Tour.

Periodic reports on the progress of having a marker placed at Putnum Inn were provided at each meeting in 1908. The event was finally set for November 14th, 1908, and the chapter’s November meeting minutes discuss the planning of these efforts.

November1908

The Daughters of the American Revolution had their regular monthly meeting with Miss Ada Dalton November 6, 1908. Those who answered to roll call were Mrs. J.L. Gilmer, Mrs. H.V. Horton, Mrs. L.L. Ludlow, Mrs. J.S. Grogan and Mrs. Gilmer Kerner one of our non-resident members. After the reading of the minutes and distribution of the yearbooks several matters of business were taken up. The chief object of the meeting was to make final preparations for the celebration on the Fourteenth. Mrs. Chas. Shelton, H.V. Horton, J.S. Grogan and Miss Ada Dalton were named as a committee to make arrangements for the unveiling.

Little Elizabeth Shelton and Mary Roane were the choice of the Chapter to unveil Tablets. And Master Ham Horton to carry the flag. 250 beautiful programs in Colonial colors, buff and blue, were ordered for the occasion. Mrs. Horton kindly consented to assist the Secretary in getting off the invitations to the Regents of the other Chapters in the State, State Officers and others interested in our work.

It was deemed advisable by the members to have a regular day for their monthly meeting so that no conflicting engagements would interfere with our attendance. A motion was made to have the meeting the 1st Saturday of the month at 3:30 o’clock in the afternoon. This was voted on and carried. After a social hour, during which the hostess served seasonable refreshments, the Chapter adjourned to meet with Mrs. Thomas Maslin in December.

The program (pictured below) for the event notes that it took place on November 14th (the second Saturday) at 3:00 PM. Given that the chapter met and voted on November 6th, it’s likely that the minute taker noted the wrong Saturday and time. Of course, this is an excellent example of the chapter’s early efforts to contribute to Historic Preservation, one of the primary goals of DAR.

On a couple of personal notes, Salem Tavern was the first building in Salem built by mason Johnn Gottlob Krause – who just happens to be my 5x great-grandfather. Additionally, the meeting minutes of May 1908 include the following statement: “…the Regent was asked…to take up the matter of suitably marking the grave of Junaluska in Clay Co…” During my first year as Chapter Regent, I was invited to speak at the 100th anniversary of the marking of Junaluska’s grave. Our chapter’s picture on Facebook is from the unveiling of the marker at the Junaluska event in November 1910.