History of the Granbury Chapter

    At the end of the War Between the States when so many counties and county seats in Texas were named for heroes and veterans, a county was formed in North Central Texas and named Hood County for General John Bell Hood, with the county seat being named Granbury for General Hiram B. Granbury.

    The Gen. Hiram B Granbury Chapter 683, Granbury, was chartered May 12, 1903, with 49 members. These ladies had big plans and they immediately started a monument fund to erect a statue of General Hiram B. Granbury. The first year they collected $14.50. By 1906, they had received an estimate on the statue of $1,800. Their plan was to have each surviving member of Granbury's Brigade present at the unveiling of the monument. The President reported in the 1907 chapter report that they had erected the foundation of the statue. In 1909 she reported, "have realized quite a little sum for our Monument Fund." The report of 1910 states, "owing to the financial crisis of last fall and the continued drought this year we have collected only a few dollars." However, they were still able to award nineteen Crosses of Honor that year to Veterans. 1913 was a quiet year, "owing to a contagious epidemic in the city." They helped raise money in 1914 to help send some of the county Veterans to the U.C.V. Convention in Chattanooga, TN. IN 1916, they entered into the contract for the monument. Finally, on September 14, 1916, the beautiful twenty-two foot high granite monument was unveiled.

Statue of General Hiram B. Granbury at the Hood County Courthouse and the ladies of the Granbury UDC Chapter, March 2009.

    The 1917 report states, "Since the monument was completed, the chapter voted to let all future work be to relieve all distressed Veterans and their wives or widows residing in the county." They also set aside the first Sunday in each month to meet with the Veterans in a get-together meeting, hoping by this means to make at least one afternoon in the month one of cheer to these old members whose ranks were thinning so rapidly.

    The chapter members were always busy either helping the Veterans, sending baskets to the Soldier's Home in Austin, placing portraits of Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis in public schools, or awarding a gold medal in 1912 to a student for having the best essay on "The Confederate Soldier."

    For some reason, the chapter disbanded in 1922.

    However, the Gen. Hiram B. Granbury Chapter 683, Granbury, was reactivated by rechartering on July 18, 1994 with seventeen members.

Last Updated: January 07, 2013

The name 'United Daughters of the Confederacy' is a registered trademark of the General Organization and may not be used outside the Organization without the express written consent of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The official UDC insignia is a registered trademark of the General Organization and may not be used without the express written consent of the President General.