COLONEL JOSEPH HARDIN CHAPTER HISTORY
Organizing members of the Colonel Joseph Hardin Chapter NSDAR held the organizational meeting and installation of officers on September 20, 2003. The meeting was held at the Ross House in Savannah, Tennessee. Chapter officers and members were sworn in by the Tennessee DAR Second Vice Regent Elizabeth Stoddard. The Colonel Joseph Hardin Chapter was admitted to the National Society DAR on October 4, 2003, when it was reorganized.
The Ross House is the former home of Mrs. Nellie Ross, deceased, a member of the original Colonel Joseph Hardin Chapter NSDAR. Our original chapter in Savannah, Tennessee, existed from 1931-1996. Organizing members of the new chapter felt it appropriate to name the newly formed chapter after the original Colonel Joseph Hardin Chapter. Joseph Hardin was a Revolutionary War patriot and received a land grant for his services. This tract of land later became a part of Hardin County, which is named in his honor.
Our chapter pursues the DAR objectives of historic preservation, education, and patriotism, as well as community outreach and service. Our chapter charter is posted at the Hardin County Library in the Tennessee Room.
2003-2007
Charter Chapter Officers
| Organizing Regent | Bettye Stanley |
| Vice Regent | Nancy Fitchpatrick |
| Chaplain | Elizabeth Story |
| Recording Secretary | Phyllis Haggard |
| Treasurer | Doris Jackson Jibeault |
| Registrar | Judy Weaver |
| Historian | Betty Plunk |
| Librarian | Dorothy Hutchison |
| Charter Chapter Members |
| Michelle Konnecke |
| Marie Paulk |
| Barbara Pate |
| Eloise Lewis |
| Katherine Roseland |
| Patricia Kirk |
The Colonel Joseph Hardin Chapter NSDAR was admitted to the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution at the October 4, 2003, National Board meeting in Washington, D. C. Mrs. Bettye Stanley served as organizing regent; and, with the assistance of organizing registrar, Judy Weaver, they moved the chapter through the re-organization process to be admitted to the National Society of DAR. In 2003, Mrs. Bettye Stanley and Mrs. Judith (Judy) Weaver represented our chapter at the 98th Tennessee DAR Society State Conference in Chattanooga.
Total chapter members in 2006 – 14.
2007-2010
Chapter Officers
| Regent | Nancy Fitchpatrick |
| Vice Regent | Martha Hieronymus |
| Chaplain | Liz Story |
| Recording Secretary | Dorothy Hutchison |
| Treasurer | Doris Jackson Jibeault |
| Registrar | Marie Paulk |
| Historian/Librarian | Linda Walkup |
| Parliamentarian (appointed) | Bettye Stanley |
Projects completed during this term:
1) Historical Preservation – State Regent’s Project of photographing family genealogy in family bibles. Disks of the project entitled “Genealogy Bible Treasurer” were donated to the Hardin County Historical Society and the Hardin County Library.
(2) Chapter began participation in Veterans Day Receptions and Parades;
(3) Publishing the chapter's first newsletter which is furnished to all chapter members.
(4) During this term, our chapter lost three members due to death: Phyllis Haggard, died August 8, 2009; Doris Jackson Jibeault, died April 16, 2009; and Frances Ross Powell, died September 21, 2009.
Total chapter members in 2010 – 20.
2010-2013
Chapter Officers
| Regent | Linda Walkup |
| Vice Regent | Bettye Stanley |
| Chaplain | Liz Story |
| Recording Secretary | Jean Gunn |
| Treasurer | Faye Lindberg |
| Registrar | Marie Paulk |
| Historian | Jessica Austin |
| Librarian | Nancy Fitchpatrick |
| Parliamentarian (appointed) | Dorothy Hutchison |
Projects completed during this term:
(1) Chapter members attended the 119th Continental Congress in Washington, D.C., and the 106th Tennessee DAR State Conference at Franklin.
(2) Chapter was awarded our first DAR Special Projects Grant in the amount of $3,000.00 to purchase flags for the Raise the Flag Organization to be displayed across Pickwick Dam.
(3) Our chapter started the first DAR Good Citizens Award to a graduating high school senior.
(4) Our first grave marking ceremony was conducted on May 4, 2013, by the DAR and the Tennessee Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), marking the grave of Revolutionary War soldier Stephen Austin at Holland Creek Methodist Church Cemetery.
(5) During this term, our chapter lost one member due to death: Louise Bryan Ross, died October 20, 2011.
Total chapter members in 2013 – 43.
2013-2016
Chapter Officers
| Regent | Marie Paulk |
| Vice Regent | Joyce Hankins |
| Chaplain | Martha Hieronymus |
| Recording Secretary | Linda Walkup |
| Treasurer | Yvonne Hanna |
| Registrar | Diane Austin |
| Historian | Connie Austin |
| Librarian | Sharon Smith-Hansgen |
| Parliamentarian (appointed) | Bettye Stanley |
Projects completed during this term:
(1) In 2013, we celebrated the ten-year anniversary of our chapter;
(2) On November 7, 2015, the new Savannah Veterans Park was dedicated. Our chapter purchased and donated the Revolutionary War Monument for the new park. The monument cost $24,486.00 which was paid for by a DAR Special Project Grant in the amount of $10,000.00 awarded to our chapter and from the sale of veteran memorial brick pavers. Land for the park was donated to the City of Savannah by chapter member Yvonne Hanna and her family.
(3) In 2013, our chapter received the State DAR Registrar’s Award for 64% increase in members and also the State Membership Award for chapter growth.
(4) Grave marking ceremony was conducted on May 7, 2016, by our DAR chapter and the SAR, marking the grave of Revolutionary War soldier Richard Strawn at Ledbetter Cemetery in Hardin County.
(5) In 2016, our chapter adopted the project to mark the graves of deceased chapter members with a DAR insignia marker.
(6) During this term, our chapter lost two members due to death: Barbara McEowen Khan died December 2, 2015, and Elizabeth Josephine Walker “Betty” Plunk died May 8, 2016.
Total Chapter members in 2016 – 58.
2016-2019
Chapter Officers
| Regent | Yvonne Ellis Hanna |
| Vice Regent | Laura Ann Hinton |
| Chaplain | Joyce Hankins |
| Recording Secretary | Pamela Fant |
| Treasurer | Connie Lewis |
| Registrar | Shirley Baker |
| Historian | Marie Paulk |
| Librarian | Cathy Latham
Judy Pollard |
| Parliamentarian (appointed) | Bettye Stanley |
Projects completed during this term:
(1) Updated Chapter History and Chapter Web Page.
(2) On even months at chapter meetings, canned goods were brought to support CAM (Community Assistance Ministry), a community food give-away program .
(3) Member filled makeup bags with women's toiletries and were sent to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
(4) Vietnam Moving Wall was brought to the Tennessee Street Park (2017).
(5) Wreaths Across America was implemented in 2017 and 2018 at Shiloh National Military Park.
(6) Helped the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) and the City of Savannah with a community-wide Easter Egg Hunt, with prizes and plastic Easter Eggs in 2018 and 2019.
(7) Created a booth at the Hardin County Fair in September 2018 to help promote the missions of the DAR.
(8) Co-sponsored a Genealogy Seminar with the Hardin County Public Library in October 2018.
(9) Our chapter celebrated its 15-year anniversary in October 2018. Colonel Joseph Hardin was admitted to the NSDAR on October 4, 2003 and was awarded a 15-year Service Certificate by the Tennessee State DAR on April 27, 2019.
(10) During this term, our chapter lost three members due to death: Catherine (Cathy) Latham, died November 19, 2017, Annie Ruth Coleman, died March 26, 2019, and Ethel (Nancy) Fitchpatrick, died April 18, 2019.
Total Chapter members in 2019 – 61.