Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 103, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1918 — THE WAR MOTHERS ORGANIZE [ARTICLE]

THE WAR MOTHERS ORGANIZE

Society Perfected at Meeting Held Saturday Afternoon, On Saturday afternoon at 3 o’clock a deeply interested group of women met in the court house and organized the Jasper county branch of a society known as the War Mothers, which is rapidly being formed all over the United States. These mothers of soldiers have in common a supreme interest in the welfare of their sons and by means of this organization they hope to increase the comfort and well-being of the boys and to provide for themselves a circle of sympathetic friends in this time of strain. Any mother of a soldier or sailor boy is eligible to the society and every Jasper county boy in the service is to be regarded as a son by these big-hearted women and will be urged to write to them if lonesome or in need of something that women’s hands can supply. Thus any of our boys without home ties can feel sure of the interest and sympathy of the war mothers.

The Indianapolis headquarters asked to be supplied with a list of the members so each of the twentysix mothers present registered her own name and that of her son or sons in the service. The roll-call was tremendously impressive with its record of sons in this country and in France in all departments of the service. The officers of the county organization are Mrs. C. W. Hanley, chairman; Mrs. A. L. Padgitt, vice-chair-man; Mrs. Charles G. Spitler, secretary, and Mrs. Crooks, treasurer. Each township will have its own sub-organization, and the chairmen were appointed as follows: Wheatfield —Mrs. Simon Fendig. ? Union —Mi’s. Charles Gundy. Milroy—Mrs. William Fisher. Jordan—Mrs. James Bullis. Keener —Mrs. Charles Spencer. Kankakee —Mrs. Samuel Seegrist. Newton—Mrs. Joseph Thomams. Marion —Mrs. F.* E. Babcock. Barkley—Mrs. Robert Eib. Hanging Grove —Mrs. John Phillips. The chairmen for Carpenter, Walker and Gillam townships will be appointed as goon as possible. The next meeting will be held in the west court room on Saturday, March 30, at 3 o’clock, and every war mother in the county is urged to attend.