Pictured from left to right are LaVonne Jolley, Honorary Past State President of Colonial Dames Seventeenth Century; Lenore Levy, Past State Historian; and Pauline Moore, Chapter President.
Members of Prudhomme Fort Chapter of Colonial Dames Seventeenth Century are involved in several community endeavors; one special project is ‘tombstone cleaning’ to remove moss and stains to preserve the stone surfaces and engraved lettering. Members participated at Jackson Cemetery, using water, cleaning agents, brushes and plenty of “elbow grease”.
Jackson Cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in Hamilton County, is located near Chester Frost Park with a recorded 241 individuals interred. These include eight Civil War soldiers, one WWI soldier, and eight WWII soldiers, along with early Hamilton County prominent founders and leaders of ‘Prairie Springs Meeting House / Jackson’s Chapel’; and the early ‘Methodist Episcopal Church’. The oldest grave in Jackson Cemetery is that of Mrs.
Asabel Rawlings. The slab is inscribed: “In Memory of Phoebe Rawlings, wife of Asabel Rawlings, born June 25, 1786; died August 17, 1810.”
Prudhomme Fort Chapter welcomes prospective members. The requirement for membership is tracing family lineage to a Colonial ancestor (who was in the Colonies before 1701); who was either a historic Founder of any of the original colonies; a member of the ruling government; a church official’s services; Founder of a college or school; all professionals, trades and crafts; all military services of the colonies; any who furnished funds or supplies to aid the colonies; landowner, Freeman or planter; member of the Provincial Congress; or a Headright or transportee.
For information on membership, please call ‘Prudhomme Fort Chapter’ at 824-7774.