History of Nebraska Society

United States Daughters of 1812

Mrs. Herbert E. Gates, the first president and organizer of the Nebraska Society of United States Daughters of 1812 called a meeting on Monday, December 28, 1908 at 10:30 a.m., at the Rome Hotel and formed the nucleus of our organization.  Mrs. Gates presented an ebony gavel, a state seal and a set of books to be used by the officers, and it was decided to hold four meetings yearly on the first Thursday in March, June, October and December. Mrs. Gates died in Paris, August 4, 1913, and left a legacy of $2000 to the Nebraska Society U.S.D. 1812.

On Memorial Day in 1914 flowers were placed on Mrs. Gates’ grave in memory of all Daughters of 1812 who had passed on.

This was the beginning of this beautiful annual custom of honoring our dead.