The organizational meeting of the James Hunter Chapter was a luncheon held Thursday, June 4, 1953, at Grogan's Dining Room with eighteen members from Madison, Mayodan, and Stoneville, all having met membership requirements and received their national numbers. Mrs. William Tatum Lauten, Sr., was the organizing Regent. The Chapter's name was chosen in honor of Major James Hunter, Revolutionary War soldier and patriot, whose home had been in the area. Hoping to be a chapter of real service, the bylaws and handbook were carefully studied. The first regular meeting was scheduled for the second Saturday of September of that year. One year later the Chapter was closed with the following 27 members:Daisy Floyd Baughn, Cora Johnson Pickett, Mamie Tesh Farris, Gertrude Virginia Price, Elizabeth Sale Hughes, Hallie McCabe Price, Alice Smith Johnson, Margaret Moir Price, Laura Elizabeth Johnson , Mary Eleanor Price, Mary Scott Johnson, Mary McCabe Price, Ruth Jugutha Johnson, Virgina Smith Price, Ada Joyce, Awilda Roach Reynolds, Gertrude Glenn Joyce, Elizabeth Smith, Susie Johnson Lauten, Patricia Padgett Stilwell, Margaret Scott Lewis, Mamie Price Tesh, Florabelle Joyce Mabe, Maria Smith Wall, Catherine Hutcherson Martin, Sadie Martin Wall, Barbara Margaret Lake Young

Officers

This chapter has furnished two State Officers, two District Directors and several State Chairmen. Regents who have so ably served this Chapter are as follows: Mrs. W. T. Lauten, Sr., Mrs. C. B. Pratt, Jr., Mrs. J. L. McCollum, Jr., Mrs. Reuben D. Baughn, Mrs. S. F. Webster, Mrs. Rex F. Bishop, Miss Mary McCabe Price, Mrs. D. B. Stilwell, Jr., Mrs. Harry H. Awalt, Mrs. W. E. Crews, Miss Rebecca Mitchell, Mrs. J. Lee McCollum, Jr., Mrs. Hassel B. Gann, Miss Marilyn A. Sharp, Mrs. Morgan C. Barrow, Mrs. William E. Hunt, Mrs. J. Lee McCollum, Jr., Mrs. D. C. Roberts, Mrs. Jane J. Wade, Ms. Margaret Russell.

Continuing Projects

Almost every year in its history, James Hunter Chapter has achieved "Level One, Chapter Achievement," which means the chapter has excelled in meeting guidelines for service by the National Society, DAR.  Each year the chapter sponsors an American History Essay Contest for fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades in the area schools. The winners read their essays at the February meeting when their parents are also guests. Each winner is presented a cash award and at school Awards Day, a framed certificate.  The chapter sponsors Good Citizens from the area high schools and presents them a certificate from the National Society at a public awards day at their school. In addition, all chapters in the District join in honoring these award winning students with a special day which includes a luncheon for students and parents, a tour of a local historical site, and presentation of Good Citizen pins.Each year a pin is awarded to an outstanding Junior Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps student. Several times students from the local JAFROTC and their leaders have presented outstanding programs for the chapter. Our chapter has donated to the overseas trip of one JAFROTC student. The chapter supported, with our quota and individual donations, projects of the various Presidents General of the NSDAR and projects of the State Regent of NC.  In addition, the chapter minutes from those earliest years show contributions to Crossnore School annually, sending clothing, coupons, money, and always one or two scholarships.  The minutes also reported contributions to Bacone, Kate Duncan Smith, St. Mary's, and Tamassee Schools.  More recently, the chapter continues to support Crossnore and Tamassee Schools by donations and by collecting certain canned food labels to be exchanged for equipment.In the early years, a scholarship savings fund was set up, funds being added in the annual budget for this purpose, and later cash memorials for deceased members, relatives or friends were included. In 1973, a very appropriate time in approaching the Bicentennial period, the chapter scholarship fund was producing enough interest to provide a  "History Gift Scholarship" given to a high school senior excelling in the study of history who expected to further that study in college. In the May 1980 meeting, several months following her death, the chapter voted to name the scholarship for Mrs. Susie J. Lauten who was the chapter's organizing regent and a very outstanding member, active in the local and state organization. The first recipient of the newly-named scholarship was James Satterfield. The Susie J. Lauten Scholarship continues to be awarded annually, the amount varying, dependent upon the interest collected in the fund. Through the years, the chapter has helped several high school students apply and win state DAR scholarships. To mention a portion of work done in the genealogical and historical area, our members have given to the Madison Library Genealogy Room hundreds of volumes, making that collection one of the most noted in our area. These have been given as individual memorials, donated by members of our chapter, and purchased with the funds from chapter project of recycling aluminum cans. Our chapter has won the State Award for most books donated to the DAR Library, at DAR National Headquarters,  several times and always has a commitment to placing books and periodicals of research value about Stokes and Rockingham County in the DAR Library. Recently, associate member Gerry Garrison has increased our appreciation and knowledge of the American Revolution and colonial history by presenting the DAR Minute, a brief historical feature, often in brochure form, at each meeting. Our chapter has always had special programs about the US Constitution to commemorate Constitution Week. The chapter has supported patriotism in several ways. It has encouraged local townships to fly the smaller American flags all along the main streets for patriotic holidays. Contests were held in elementary schools for the best essays on patriotic themes and the winners were printed in the local paper. Celebrations of patriotism were held by the leadership of nearby towns at Memorial Day. Members of the chapter collect stamps for the veterans in the veterans' hospitals. A collection is taken every Christmas to purchase gifts for the veterans in the nursing homes or who are homebound. Over the years, several markers and monuments to American Revolution patriots have been placed. One of the most notable examples was the placing of a monument for Drury Smith at Christian View Christian Church and for Robert Means at Glenn Chapel Church, with an impressive program combining the two. Another service was held and monument placed for John Mabe. Deceased members have had markers placed at their graves and memorial services performed.

Publications

Individual members of our chapter have been outstanding in writing histories of their communities, churches, and their families, beginning with Mrs. S. F. Webster who abstracted and had published, Rockingham County Wills, 1785-1865 and Land Deeds, 1785-1800. In 1972 she assisted Mrs. W. Dillon Chambers, State Regent, in plans for unveiling and dedicating the granite marker placed at Valley Forge by our state society, commemorating the nine North Carolina regiments who wintered there 1777-78. After this event Mrs. Webster compiled a Valley Forge booklet of interesting, factual, and historically important information for distribution. Branson G. Angel wrote A Sentimental Journey Through the History of Sardis Primitive Baptist Church. Linda C. Vernon wrote The First Families of Mayodan, North Carolina 1900 for the Mayodan Centennial and has transcribed, edited, and indexed records for all other chapter publications. Virginia J. Joyce compiled Confederate Pensioners and Widows of Stokes County, North Carolina.n addition, the publishing committee of the James Hunter Chapter, led by Linda C. Vernon, has compiled and published an amazing collection of books that are invaluable to researchers of Rockingham and Stokes Counties, NC. These books are purchased all over the country and are referenced in research collections in many states. For these efforts, our chapter has often won recognition, both within the NSDAR in awards for achievement in Genealogical Records and out of the organization. North Carolina State Division of Archives and History recognized the James Hunter Chapter and Linda Vernon for the outstanding publishing record.