Fourth Anniversary of Martha Dandridge Washington Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

Photo Left/Right – Guest speaker at the MDW NSDAR Fourth Anniversary Meeting was Charlotte Miller, TSDAR Speaker Staff member. Current and former regents in attendance were Ruth Davis, Past Regent, Spencer Clack Chapter; Wilma Zavona, Regent, Spencer Clack Chapter; Joyce Damon, Regent, Samuel Doak Chapter; Jane Chambers, Regent, MDW Chapter; Ellie Betts, Past Regent, Samuel Doak Chapter; and Johnnia Elkins, Regent, Tenassee Chapter.

The Tennessee Woman Suffrage Memorial in Knoxville’s Market Square depicts three women who were instrumental in the achievement of the vote for women in Tennessee and across America. At the center of the triumvirate, is Margaret Elizabeth “Lizzie” Crozier French. The movement which she championed resulted in the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution on August 18, 1920.

As part of the year-long centennial emphasis on Woman Suffrage, Charlotte Miller, a member of the Tennessee Society Daughters of the American Revolution (TSDAR) Speaker Staff, shared fascinating facts about the influential woman with the Martha Dandridge Washington Chapter (MDW), National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), at the chapter’s Fourth Anniversary. Crozier, who used her maiden name in public life, utilized her privileged place in society and excellent education to advance the cause of woman suffrage and education for all.

Speaker Miller pointed out that Crozier was widowed with an infant son after only 17 months of marriage to William Baxter French. She devoted her life to education and rights for women. Among her accomplishments was the founding of the Knoxville Female Institute for which she wrote her own textbook titled A Manual of Elocution. She demanded that Knoxville hire a matron to tend to female prisoners in the jail, and, when no one could be found to fill the post, she temporarily stepped in to do it herself. She also organized the Knoxville Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the Ossoli Circle, a women’s reading club, which became the oldest federated women’s club in the South. Crozier aggressively supported coeducation at the University of Tennessee and saw that accomplishment come to fruition in 1892.

Crozier died in Washington, D.C., after she suffered a heart attack while lobbying the U.S. Congress for a bill to benefit working women.

The MDW Chapter was organized in 2016 by Organizing Regent Mary Cay McKelvey. Under the leadership of current Regent Jane Chambers and Registrar Karen McFarland, it has grown to 50 members.

Special guests at the celebration included Charlotte Miller, TSDAR Speaker Staff member; Wilma Zavona, Regent, Spencer Clack Chapter, NSDAR; Ruth Davis, Past Regent, Spencer Clack Chapter; Joyce Damon, Regent, Samuel Doak Chapter, NSDAR; and Johnnia Elkins, Regent, Tenassee Chapter, NSDAR.

Following the speaker’s presentation, guests and members enjoyed a delicious buffet prepared by members of the chapter.

The MDW Cookbook is available for $15.00 by contacting the chapter at Martha Dandridge Washington Chapter, NSDAR, P.O. Box 1713, Dandridge, TN 37725-1713.

For information about the DAR, contact Registrar Karen McFarland at (865) 258-8670 or Regent Jane Chambers at (865) 591-3857.