The Joseph Brevard Kershaw Chapter #205 chartered in 1898 with 21 members under the
presidency of Mrs. W. E. Lucus. By December of 1906 there were 48 members.
During the 1929 presidency of Mrs. Claudia Irby Ferguson, The Joseph Brevard Kershaw Chapter #205
had increased from 43 to 125 paid members. It disbanded in the late 1930s with 38 members.
In the spring of 1900, the daughters of the Kershaw Chapter presented the veterans of Laurens
County a flag or banner which they could carry to the reunion each year. Two daughters from
the Kershaw Chapter volunteered to make the flag. One donated the material for the making
of the flag and one contributed the embroidered Palmetto Tree preserved from the Confederate
War. It was finished for the Memorial Day. Invitations were sent to the veterans to be at
the court house for the dinner prepared for them and served in the old Grand Jury Room.
After dinner, veterans and daughters assembled in the court house as the flag was presented
as a gift from the daughters. The veterans appointed their old color bearer, Sergeant William
Lamb, to receive the gift. He was honored and thanked the daughters. The "Rebel Yell"
came from a hundred old veterans. The next morning, Sergeant Lamb was found dead in his
chair in his little cottage. The daughters helped the Confederate Veterans, who went to
the poor home with clothes and covering to keep them warm as well as foods when needed.
After 58 years of non-existence, the Joseph Brevard Kershaw Chapter #205 reactivated with
10 members in August of 1996 by a group of women in Laurens, South Carolina. By the end of
May 1998 there were a total of 17 members with many Real Daughters, grand daughters, and
nieces from the first chapter in the early 1900's. They had fathers and grandfathers and
uncles in Kershaw's Brigade, documented from earlier research.
They showed their dedication to their "heroes" of the lost cause by decorating the soldier's
graves with large arrangements of flowers from the entire town. They were placed on the
grave sites on Memorial Day. The entire town assembled at the Court House to honor
the dead. They formed a line with veterans first, then men, women and children led up the
hill to the cemetery. A prepared Honor Roll of the dead was read. The unmarked graves were
later marked by small marble slabs.
Copyright 2013 by UDC Joseph Brevard Kershaw #205. All rights reserved.
