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LOVE, LIVE, PRAY, THINK, DARE 

DIVISION HISTORY

On May 28, 1896, a group of women met in the Senate Chamber of the State House in Columbia. Their escort of honor was appointed from Camp Hampton, United Confederate Veterans. Minutes of the meeting state, that "Vases of flowers had been placed upon the tables by the United Confederate Veterans and the faculty of South Carolina College. Every courtesy was shown the delegates."
 

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Representatives from chapters in Abbeville, Charleston, Columbia, Edgefield, Greenville, Georgetown, Johnston, Marion, and Spartanburg attended. Mrs. Augustine T. Smythe of Charleston was appointed temporary chairman. Upon the satisfactory examination of chapter credentials by an appointed committee, "The report of the committee was adopted, and the State Division was declared organized." The first business was the adoption of a Constitution and Bylaws. Not only was Mrs. Smythe elected as the first Division President, but she was the first Honorary Life President.
 

The South Carolina Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy, met again in Charleston on December 5, 1896, with twelve chapters represented. Confederate Veterans from Camps Sumter and Moultrie also attended. Mrs. Ellison Capers, wife of Brigadier General Capers, then Bishop of Episcopal Church of South Carolina, was elected as the second Division President. During the presidency of Mrs. Capers, a committee was appointed on "Women's Work in the War." This led to other committees, which collected material for the book, South Carolina Women of the Confederacy. In 1897 there were eighteen chapters in South Carolina.

Today in South Carolina, we have 56 active chapters with over 1400 Daughters working to honor their Confederate heritage and our nations history.
 

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