- The First Seventy-five Years in the Sanborn Community (1878-1953) -
James P. Martin Relief Corps
Kenyon Post 33, of Grand Army of the Republic was organized June 7, 1884, with forty charter members. In 1912 there were still nine G.A. members.
As an auxiliary to G.A.R. post the Woman’s Relief Corps was organized November 3rd, 1893, known as Kenyon Relief Corps No. 271. The first president was Mrs. J.F. Kerberg and first Secretary was Mary A. Colman.
There were twenty-one charter members and at one time the membership increased to 150.
Due to a fire in the building where the various lodges and organizations held their meetings the first records were lost, but some information had been secured from a few remaining members of Kenyon Corps.
Kenyon Relief Corps erected the lovely monument in the park which has the members of Civil War veterans inscribed upon it. A speakers stand was also built in the park by the Corps where patriotic programs were held and many prominent speakers spoke at the many programs put on by the organization. This was later torn down and replaced by the present band stand.
After the first World War the American Legion was organized. The Corps presented the Legion with new flags at a banquet held for members and their wives.
In later years because of lack of interest and loss of members the Kenyon Corps disbanded in 1932.
On March 28, 1939, a new corps was organized at the home of one of the former members of Kenyon Corps, Mrs. Edith Gallup. Two district officers, Jennie Joy, and Lillian Long of Spencer helped organize our present corps.
We had thirty-one charter members and named our Corps James P. Martin Relief Corps No. 271 after the only surviving G.A.R. veteran in the county at that time. He now has passed away.
We have had the following presidents since 1939: Gretta Protextor, Beulah Tifft, Alice Dick, Margaret Getting, Anne Jenison, Lelah Summett, and Gwen Mayhak is now president.
In former years the Relief Corps took charge of the Decoration Day programs and now every year the corps places flags and flowers on the graves of thirty-one Civil War veterans, one Mexican veteran, David Chrisman, and Charles Stanfield, Spanish-American War veteran. We also took part in the Memorial day services, see to it that the large flag the corps purchased for the cemetery is up on Memorial day.
At the present time, August, 1953, there are twenty-five members in James P. Martin Corps. Our meetings are held the first Friday of each month at the home of some member. At the present we are meeting in the home of Alice Dick.
We take part in most of the projects suggested by our department president, send gifts and cookies to veteran’s hospitals and send gifts of money to the children’s home at Christmas time.
Our corps assists in the homes of members in case of illness or death. We remember our shut-ins with Christmas boxes.
At each meeting a report of the following is taken: hours of service, flowers given, relief calls, cards sent, telephone calls. These reports along with others are sent to our state department. James P. Martin Corps does many worth while things in the community and for our veterans.
The following are members at present time: Ruby Dummett, Sarah Brahan, Mary Blahauvietz, Lura Chrisman, Elizabeth Endorf, Martha Johnson, Edna Miller, Maude Van Kley, Rose Clifford, Maye Leemkuil, Anna Heinsen, Gladys Warnke, Sophia Tifft, Edith Gallup, Margaret Getting, Martha Scott, Bertha McCollam, Gwen Mayhak, Anne Jenison, Alice Dick, Beulah Tifft, Lelah Dummett, Myrtle Marsden, Ida Wolthuizen.
Return to Table of Contents
