CHAPTER HISTORY
In 1920, Mrs. William R. Latimer (the former Mary Sims)* wrote
a history of Kettle Creek Chapter for the Georgia Society,
Daughters of the American Revolution. The following material
was taken from her account for the early years of the Chapter
history.
A chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was
organized in Washington, Georgia, September 11, 1895. The
name chosen for the Chapter was "Wilkes County," to honor the
county of residence of the members. The Chapter members
were anxious to purchase the land on which the Battle of Kettle
Creek was fought, February 14, 1779. A survey was made of
the property in 1899, and in January of 1900, the Chapter
purchased twelve and one-half acres for the sum of $75.00.
After the purchase of this land the name of the Chapter was
changed to Kettle Creek. A re-issue of the charter was obtained
with the names of the charter members retained in the new
charter. After the county purchased the building formerly owned
by Gen. B. W. Heard, the county set aside two rooms in the
building for the use of the United Daughters of the Confederacy
and the Daughters of the American Revolution. In July 1919, the
Woman's Club, the DAR and the UDC purchased a lot on which
to erect a clubhouse. In August of 1929, a residence was bought
and moved to the lot and was used for meetings. Chapter
meetings were held at this site until the Chapter was disbanded
on February 1, 1941.
The Chapter set aside funds to mark the battlefield at Kettle
Creek during the early years of its existence, as this was
considered to be the most important work of the Chapter. In
1927, with appropriations secured by our senators and
representatives in Congress and the funds our Chapter raised, we
were able to begin the process of obtaining a monument for the
battlefield. In July of 1929, the War Department made an
appropriation of $2,500, under the direction of Capt. R. T.
Edwards from Fort McPherson. Capt. Edwards came to
Washington, Georgia, three times to meet with members of our
Chapter, and the marble company about the monument in 1929
and early 1930. On June 6, 1930, the monument was unveiled
with a program that elicited National and State recognition. The
inscription on the monument reads:
"On this hill on 1779, the battle of Kettle Creek was
fought. Colonel Andrew Pickens, Colonel Elijah Clarke
and Colonel John Dooley commanded the victorious
American forces. This battle of the American
Revolution, in which the British were severely defeated
checked their invasion of Georgia. Erected by the
United States Government upon the request of the
Kettle Creek Chapter of the Daughters of the American
Revolution."
In 1930 our Chapter placed a marker to commemorate Nancy
Hart on the Nancy Hart Highway in Wilkes County.
On December 10, 1971, Kettle Creek Chapter NSDAR was
reorganized with Mrs. Charles A. Wickersham as Regent.
June 6, 1972, the 42nd Anniversary of the dedication of the
Kettle Creek Monument was observed by our Chapter. The
program held at the War Hill site was attended by Georgia State
Regent, Mrs. Bun Wiley; Vice-President General, Mrs.
Ralph Van Landingham; the Secretary of the State of Georgia;
General Charles P. Summerall of the 2nd U. S. Infantry Band of
Fort McPherson and many other dignitaries. Wreaths were place
at the monument and dinner was served at the site following the
ceremony.
In the fall of 1974 Kettle Creek Chapter held a solemn
ceremony at War Hill placing markers for two Revolutionary
soldiers and the wife of one of the soldiers in the memorial area
of Kettle Creek Battleground. Dr. Turner Bryson, Chairman of
the Wilkes County Bicentennial Commission, along with Lou
Singleton, Chairman of Marking Revolutionary Soldier's Graves
& Restoring Historic Spots, had rescued these markers from a
pasture and a hog pen. The two soldiers, Lewis Flemsiter and
Richard Poteet, were Revolutionary patriots. Delphia Poteet's
marker was placed beside her husband's marker.
On February 11, 1979, Kettle Creek Chapter NSDAR took part
in the 200th celebration of the Battle of Kettle Creek. The new
monument was unveiled at this ceremony. The monument was
purchased with a grant from the State of Georgia ($10,000) for
the celebration. Mrs. John Singleton, Regent of Kettle Creek
Chapter at the time, served as a member of the Kettle Creek
Bi-Centennial Committee with about twenty-five other
representatives from the county.
Under the leadership of Regent, Mrs. John Singleton, Kettle
Creek Chapter agreed to convey the Kettle Creek Battleground
site to Wilkes County. On January 21, 1980, the deed was signed,
the property passed to the county, plus 2 acres donated to the
Chapter by AMAX Forest Products, Inc., for use as a parking
lot, a total of 14� acres.
Each year on the anniversary of the Battle of Kettle Creek our
Chapter traveled to War Hill and laid a wreath at the site. More
tombstones of Revolutionary soldiers were rescued and added
to the memorial marker area. As the popularity of celebrating
Revolutionary anniversaries grew, more organizations joined our
Chapter each year as we marked the victory of the patriots in the
woods of up-country Georgia over two hundred years ago.
Today Kettle Creek faithfully continues to mark the anniversary
on War Hill remembering not only the gallant soldiers who
fought there on Feburary 14, 1779, but also, the ladies of our
Chapter who saved the battle site in 1899.
In April of 1990 our Chapter dedicated a historical marker in
Tignall, Georgia, for the Freeman-Hillyer Home Site, with the
unmarked graves of Capt. John Freeman (RS), Shaler Hillyer,
and Robert Hillyer on Chickasaw Creek.
During the regency of Juanita Rhodes Riley, 1988-1990, the
War Hill Society, Children of the American Revolution, was formed under the C.A.R.
Chairmanship of Helen Groover Callaway on December 2, 1988.
Under the leadership of Regent Patsy Davenport Bailey,
1994-1995, Kettle Creek Chapter won First Place in the
National Heritage Contest for a Tree of Life quilt block which
was displayed at the 105th Continental Congress.
The rededication of the grave marker of Vines Collier, a veteran
of the French and Indian Wars and the American Revolution,
was conducted by Regent Carolyn Bryant Faz, members of the
Collier family, and a Color Guard from the Sons of the American
Revolution on October 20, 2001. The grave-site is located in
the Salem Community of present-day Oglethorpe County.
Each year our Chapter commemorates the anniversary of the
signing of our Declaration of Independence with a proclamation
signed by the Mayor of Washington, Georgia, the first city in the
United States named for General George Washington, and a
ringing of the church bells of the city at noon.
During the two decades of the 1980s and 1990s, our Chapter
met at the Ray House for luncheons. In June 2002 Jerry Ray
closed the Ray House and our Chapter began meeting in the
Fellowship Hall of the Washington Presbyterian Church and
other meeting rooms around the county.
*Mrs. Latimer's daughter, Mrs. Earl Blue (Mary Wright
Latimer) is a current member of Kettle Creek Chapter.
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