Colonial Dames: 100 years of education and service in Albany

ALBANY – Even the most civic-minded organizations that start with such high ideals and goals can lose momentum as the years pass and the enthusiasm wanes. Not so with the Albany Town Committee of the national Colonial Dames.

In fact, the Dames – whose official title is the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Georgia – are just as engaged today as they were 100 years ago when the Albany Town Committee was formed. The group, which has been celebrating its July 6, 1926 founding with events throughout the last several weeks, will celebrate its centennial publicly Monday when Albany Mayor Bo Dorough honors the group with a proclamation marking the anniversary.

Still, for most, one question surrounds the organization: Just who or what are the Colonial Dames?

The Colonial Dames is a women’s lineage society dedicated to ideals that are based on three primary missions: to promote shared national heritage through historic preservation, educational projects and patriotic service. The national Colonial Dames organization’s origins can be traced back to May of 1891 in Philadelphia. The state’s first organization was birthed in Savannah in April of 1893.

The Albany Circle, as it was originally designated, was the seventh to be formed in Georgia, following groups in Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Macon, Columbus and Marietta. The Charter Members of the Albany Dames were Mrs. James Perry Champion Sr., Mrs. Thomas Ashe Hill, Mrs. John Dawson Pope, Mrs. Alexander Pope Vason, Mrs. James Randolph Whitehead, Mrs. Jesse Williams Walters, Mrs. Edward Billups Young, Miss Willie Davis Walters and Miss Cena Whitehead, all of Albany.

Three Moultrie members – Mrs. John Thomas McArthur, Mrs, William Coachman Vereen and Mrs. William Jerome Vereen – made the trip to Albany for meetings and events.

“We are a lineage society,” Lacy Lee, who serves as chair of the Dames’ centennial celebration activities, said. “What that means is that potential members – who are invited to join – must, before they are accepted into the society, document and prove that someone in their lineage rendered service to the Colonial states before July 5, 1776.

“It was an honor to be asked to join, but I wouldn’t give anything for the research that led to my qualifying ancestor, the search for notes, visits to cemeteries. One comical note: My qualifying ancestor was named William Spencer, and my husband’s name is William Spencer Lee.”

Annabelle Stubbs, who joined the Dames in 2014 (a year after Lee), and was recently installed as the Albany Town Committee’s chair, said she too found the quest for a qualifying ancestor a memorable challenge.

“Initially, I was just so excited to be asked to join,” Stubbs said. “But as I’ve been a part of the Dames for the last several years, I’ve grown to appreciate the society’s aims and the work its members have done. I’m someone who wants to be a part of giving back to this community, and with the Dames I feel empowered to do that.”

Ask the average citizen about the Colonial Dames, and most will admit to a vague recollection of perhaps hearing of the society. But few have any idea what the Dames do. And while much of their work falls into the “behind-the-scenes” category, the Albany Dames have been primarily responsible for some high-profile projects. Among them:

– Creation (as far back as the 1930s) of an essay contest that encourages students to research the ideals of America and how those ideals impact the country today. Winners of the essay contest were initially awarded savings bonds, but now they have the opportunity (taken by more than 25 students) to take a week-long trip to the nation’s capital.

(“I talked about the essay program during our Legacy Luncheon at Doublegate (Country Club), and when the event was over, I went back into the kitchen to get Spencer a piece of cake,” Lee said. “There was an African American lady who worked there who told me, ‘I stood back and listened to your speech, and I was so proud because I was one of the girls who won the essay contest. I recently got my nursing degree and have a job in South Carolina, but I always remember taking part in the Colonial Dames’ essay contest. I still have my savings bond.’”)

– Development of a six-week “Why America Is Free” curriculum that is taught to Deerfield-Windsor School fifth-graders each year and culminates with a Patriot’s Day program.

– Contributing during times of war, including homefront war efforts during World War II and creating “ditty bags” for soldiers in Vietnam.

(“In recent years, we’ve read two books – 60 years later – about the Vietnam War,” Stubbs said. “Both ‘The Women’ and ‘The Things They Carried’ mentioned the things we did for our soldiers. And we’ve talked with classes about efforts on the ‘home front’ and had an Army Combat Nurse talk with students.”)

– Placing historic markers throughout the community, including the DeSoto Trail marker, a marker dedicated to famed Albany architect Edward Vason Jones, and a sun dial marker recognizing the state Colonial Dames’ 100th anniversary.

– A project (the first in Georgia) in which veterans are interviewed and their stories forwarded to the Library of Congress as part of a national effort.

– Helping fund the national VetDogs initiative that provides support dogs to veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

(Funding for 21 of the 42 support dogs has been provided by Georgia Colonial Dames Town Committees, and the Albany chapter has supplied enough funding to sponsor — and name — a dog.)

Given its 100-year history, the Albany Colonial Dames Town Committee is obviously an entrenched part of what’s good about the community. But the group is by no means content to rest on its impressive laurels.

Dames member Willette Strickland said recently at a Kiwanis Club meeting, “While our name may sound a bit quaint, it’s a part of our identity that we hold dear. It’s a connection to our past, to our mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and beyond. But make no mistake — our organization is not stuck in the past. Our members and our mission are firmly rooted in the present, inspiring us to make an impact in these modern times.

“One hundred years of women … showing up. Giving back. And opening doors to America’s history through historic preservation, education and patriotic service — so that future generations may share in that same love of country. Think of us as running the long-game of civic pride. While the world chases the next trend, we’ve been steadily defending the ideals that built America — one local project, one classroom visit, one patriotic ceremony, one dog, one historical marker at a time. We’ve been here for a century, and I’d say we’re off to a good start.”