R. Douglass Chapter NO. 15
LOCATION: 401 S. Ritchie Ave., Ravenswood, WV 26164
MAILING ADDRESS: P. O. Box 381, Ravenswood, WV 26165
MEETINGS: First and Third Thursdays at 7:30, July and October Third Only
DATE OF GRAND VISITATION:February 16, 2012
Officers
| WM | Sue Mancari | 625 Kaiser Ave., Ravenswood, WV 26164 |
| WP | Sam Mancari | 625 Kaiser Ave., Ravenswood, WV 26164 |
| AM | Dianna K. Carmichael | 472 Rush Run Rd., Ravenswood, WV 26164 |
| AP | Clair Carmichael | 472 Rush Run Rd., Ravenswood, WV 26164 |
| Sec | Lee Casto | P. O. Box 381, Ravenswood, WV 26164 |
| Trea | Lola Randolph | 504 Kaiser Ave., Ravenswood, WV 26164 |
| Cond | Audrey Hitt | 618 N. Ritchie Ave., Ravenswood, WV 26164 |
| AC | Carolyn Mellinger | P. O. Box 158, Millwood, WV 25262 |
| Chaplain | Barbara Flinn | 720 Fleming Ave., Ravenswood, WV 26164 |
| Mar | Margaret Eldridge | 1124 Carnian Ford Rd., Ripley, WV 25271 |
| Org | Cecelia Eskins | 16 Ohio St. W., Murraysville, WV 26164 |
| Adah | Marie DeLong | 715 Fleming Ave., Ravenswood, WV 26164 |
| Ruth | Pansy A. Miller | 39 Dotson Ave., Millwood, WV 25262 |
| Esther | Renee C. DeLong | 401 Fitzhugh St., Ravenswood, WV 26164 |
| Martha | Kay Walter | 1260 Park Ave., Ravenswood, WV 26164 |
| War | Patricia Rawson | 3211 Cavin Fork Rd., Belleville, WV 26133 |
| Sent | John Casto | 9655 Parkersburg Rd., Sandyville, WV 25275 |
Chapter Memership
| Sheila Abels | Barbara Flinn, P.M. | Scottie Miller |
| John Alderson | Phyllis Kay Fox | Jaynie Moore |
| Margaret Arnold | Emma Jane Frame | Ernestine Morgan |
| Mildred Basnett, P.M. | Herbert Frum, P.P. | Ronald C. Murray |
| Alicia Bennett | Dalton Gill, P.P. | Dottie E. Nutter |
| Terry Bennett | Sylvia Gill, P.M. | Vernon O'Dell, P.P. |
| Earl Brammer | Ruth Good | Ann E. Parker |
| Hazel Brammer | Phnelma Gorrell | Elizabeth Ann Parker |
| Janice K. Brown | Daniel R. Graham | Betty Parrish |
| Richard Brown | Jan L. Graham | Edna Philyaw |
| Mary Catherine Buffington | Patricia Harvey | Linda Philyaw |
| Virginia Burdette | Audrey Hitt, P.M. | Robert Philyaw |
| Cynthia Carmichael | Clifton Hitt | Mary Schweinsberg Poston |
| Dianna K. Carmichael, P.M. | Audrey Howery | Clifton Price |
| Dorcas Ann Carmichael | Pauline Hughes | Joyce Price |
| Robert C. Carmichael, P.P. | Jeffery Humphreys | Diana Randolph |
| Robert C. Carmichael, Jr. | Trudy Humphreys | Lola Randolph, P.M. |
| John Casto, P.P. | Lucille Ingle | Anthony J. Rawson |
| Kristi A. Casto | Evelyn Johnson | Patricia A. Rawson |
| Lee Casto, P.M. | James F. Johnson, P.P. | Dorothy Rhodes, P.M. |
| Shelia Philyaw Casto | Roberta Kennedy | Marsha Rhodes |
| Nancy Sue Cline | Juanita Kristoff | Lori Carter Rocker |
| Gerald Cogar, P.P. | Lisa Layner | Judy Ryan |
| K. Ann Combs | Lucille Lewis, P.M. | Cari Mancari Shepard |
| A. Louise Comer | Willie Lewis, Jr. | Nellie Sheppard |
| Lonald Conforti | Elizabeth Lu | Wanda Sheppard |
| Darrell Coon | Sheldon Lu | Betty L. Smith |
| Helen Cumberledge | Annabelle Lurz | Clarestine Smith |
| Melinda Cummings | Carolyn Sue Mancari, P.M. | Donald D. Smith, P.P. |
| Rodrequis Cummings | Delores Mancari | Virginia Smith |
| Gaynelle Davis | Henry Mancari | Carolyn Stanley |
| Stephanie Day | William Mancari | George L. Stanley, Jr. |
| Marie DeLong, P.M. | Samuel Marcari, P.P. | Stephanie Surbaugh |
| Renee C. DeLong | Vivian May | Dorothy Varney |
| Becky Dixon | Betty McClanahan | Cynthia Dean Walcutt |
| Leona Dooley | June McComas | Beverly Kay Walter, P.M. |
| Paula Dorsey | Gladys McCoy | Bernice Weaver |
| Billie Dzierzanski | Naomi McCrady | Margaret Weaver |
| Margaret Eldridge | Carolyn Mellinger, P.M. | Percy Weaver |
| Cecelia Eskins | Juanita Milhoan | Elizabeth Weigand |
| Laura Belle Ferguson | Elizabeth Miller | Murrill West |
| Mayvon Fields, P.M. | Janice Miller | Rita West |
| Shirley D. Fields, P.P. | Pansy A. Miller | Uda Wiggins, P.M. |
| Connie Fisher | Joan E. Williams |
Chapter History
Sallie D. Kneeream and 40 other persons petitioned Grand Chapter of WV for a dispensation to form a Chapter which petition was granted.
On June 16, 1905, Sister Anna E. Waterhouse, Grand Matron, and Worshipful Bro. William E. Krupp, Grand Patron, assembled the aforesaid petitioners In the Masonic Hall of Ashton Lodge No. 12 A.F. & A.M. and after due ceremony constituted R. Douglass Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star in due form. Sallie D. Kneeream was the first Worthy Matron and F. M. Wolf the first Worthy Patron.
A special meeting was held on June 19, 1905 at which time it was voted that the fee for initiation would be $2.00; dues would be $1.50 payable semi-annually on January 1 and July 1 of each year and that meetings would be held on the first and third Thursdays of each month.
At this time there were only 1 7 officers. There was no Associate Patron. The first Associate Patron in this Chapter was elected on June 6, 1929.
On December 6, 1906 it was noted that one flower star for a deceased member cost $10.25.
Grand Chapter was held in Ravenswood in October, 1907. There were 112 people registered.
On November 21, 1907 members voted to pay $4.00 for goods and veiling “bought for the making of gowns for Ruth and Naomi”.
On February 20, 1908, “the Trustees are authorized to rent the OES dining hail to those wanting it for $1.50 per night, the renters furnishing the coal and leaving it in good condition.”
October 6, 1910 - motion to have reception at next meeting to honor G.W.M. Sallie Kneeream, to invite Ripley and Cottageville and the Committee could spend up to $15.00. After the meeting on October 20 “the guests and members retired to the dining hail where all enjoyed an elaborate banquet.” The amount paid was $10.60.
March 16, 1911 - letter read from W.G.M. Sallie Kneeream asking for donations to Eastern Star Home Fund to be used for building home. Chapter voted to set aside $25.00 each September to be used for any good or charitable purpose.
On April 3, 1913 Chapter donated $10.00 to Town Council to aid flood sufferers.
In 1915 when the rent on the dining hall was being raised to $75.00 per year they decided to give it up and then rented a hall over the Post Office for $15.00 per year.
Minutes of November 21, 1918 say “On account of the town being under quarantine to prevent the spread of the disease known as Spanish Influenza and all public meetings including all lodges and secret orders forbidden by the health officers there was no meeting of R. Douglass chapter on the third Thursday of Oct. nor on the first Thursday of Nov.”
On March 20, 1919 Chapter voted to adopt a French orphan at cost of $9.00 per quarter.
November 6, 1924 - Two of the Brothers agreed to confer with the Masons on a couple of matters, one of which was ‘Whether or not we are within our rights to ask for discontinuance of dances and other forms of amusements on floor below lodge hall, which amusements are a disturbance to chapter while said chapter is in session.”
November IS, 1945 - A Committee to purchase a labyrinth rug which had been collecting money for some time was ready to proceed. It was voted to buy the best rug available at a cost of $121.00. April 4, 1946 - Voted to also buy a signet and two badges at a cost of $76.97.
May 3, 1973 - “Sister Conrad brought up the matter of having a booth at the Arts and Craft Fair, stating that she had received an application form which would need to be filled out and returned immediately if chapter wished to take on this work. Buckwheat cakes, sausage, syrup and coffee to be served. After some discussion motion was made by Sister Weaver, seconded by Brother DeHart that we plan on this project. Motion carried.”
In 1974 at Cedar Lakes, receipts were $1,922.52, expenses were $938.01, profit of $984.51. One of the expenses was rental on stove of $20.00.
Chapter's Past Grand Officers
Sally D. Kneeream , Worthy Grand Matron — 1911
W. Lloyd Pinnell Grand Trustee — 1947
Rachel Harris Grand Warder — 1949
Carolyn Sue Mancari Grand Marshal — 1998
Chapter's Past Grand Representatives
Sallie Kneeream New York 1907
Mary K. McKay Michigan 1910-1911
Mary K. McKay Illinois 1911-1915
Mary S. Green Rhode Island 1911-1926
Sallie D. Kneeream Connecticut 1915-1918
Margaret Tumlin Missouri 1915-1918
Sallie D. Kneeream Louisiana 1926-1929
Olivia Pinnell Maryland 1932-1933
Nevada Clark Texas 1932-1935
Ola Lewis Delaware 1939-1942
Janie Burr Washington 1946-1949
Marie Hall Arkansas 1956-1957
Irene Warth South Dakota 1959-1961
Freda Harris Iowa 1967-1970
Doris DeHart Washington 1974-1976
Bessie R. Truman Alberta 1977-1979
Uda M. Wiggins New Brunswick 1986-1988
Sylvia Gill Ohio 1989-1991
Sue Mancari Montana 1991-1993
Flinn Barbara Ontario 1998-2000
Sam Mancari South DAkota 2002-2004
Lola Randolph Alabama 2007-2009
Carolyn Mellinger, Colorado 2009-2011