Martinsburg Township

Martinsburg Township

The Martinsburg Branch of the Pike County Red Cross Chapter was organized January 9, 1918, with the following officers: Chairman, J. S. Roberts; vice-chairman, Frank Lard; secretary, C. H. Cooper; treasurer, Mrs. A. D. Barton, the latter succeeded by Mrs. Cleon Kinnamon; member of county executive board, Mrs. C. H. Cooper; member executive committee, Mrs. John Aiten,; inspection committee, Mrs. Isaac Aiten, Mrs. J. S. Roberts, Mrs. Arthur Stone; purchasing committee, Mrs. E. D. Barton, Mrs. Arthur Stone, Mrs. J. S. Roberts, Mrs. Isaac Aton; membership committee, Mrs. Cleon Kinnamon, Mrs. James Lane, Jr., Mrs. Thos. Briscoe, Mrs. Henry Butler, Mrs. Guy Pyle, Ruth Roberts, Gerdie Ward.

The total membership of the Branch was 241. The amount of money raised was $1,088.80. The following work was fnished and sent to Pittsfield during the period of activity : 51 towels, 51 slings, 35 property bags, 75 comfort kits, 161 garments, 22 sweaters, 7 pairs socks, 24 quilts, 10 dresses, 5 pairs stockings, 5 sweaters, 1 shawl.

The Martinsburg Township Unit of the Women's Committee, Council of National Defense, was organized September 6, 1918, with Mrs. Annie Cooper chairman, Mrs. Etta Roberts vice-chairman, Mrs. Amy Lyman secretary, and Miss Alta Waggoner treasurer. Township department chairmen were as follows: Americanization, Mrs. Pearl Baker; Allied Relief, Mrs. Lora Kinnamon; Conservation, Mrs. Etta Roberts; Child Welfare, Mrs. W. H. Cannon; Courses of Instruction, Mrs. Amy Lyman; Finance, Mrs. Mina Ator; Food Production, Mrs. Percy Lord; Liberty Loan and WarSavings, Mrs. Ollie Ator; Publicity, Mrs. Mattie Roberts; Registration, Mrs. Vida Stone; Recreation for Girls, Miss Gerda Ward. School district chairmen were: Central, Mrs. Agnes McGrevey; Black Oak, Mrs. Ella Briscoe; Liberty, Mrs. Bertha Butler; Fruit Ridge, Miss Eva Dexter; Highland, Mrs. Ola Pyle; Martinsburg, Mrs. J. K. Ator; Rose Hill, Mrs. James Roberts.

Out of about 300 women in the township eligible for registration, 112 were registered, for which there was received and turned in $11.20. Among the funds raised for various agencies were: $50 for the Red Cross Nurse Training' Fund; $80 for the Armenian Relief; and $36.50 for the support of one French orphan for a year. Many of the women assisted in the Liberty Loan and War Savings drives, and the township's quota in each bond issue was met in full. The Child Welfare department met with very good success, 76 babies being weighed and measured out of about 125 that were born in the township during the five years previous to the year in which this work was carried on. Of the 76 only eight were under weight, and not one had any physical defects.

Being purely an agricultural township, work in many departments was out of the question, but to make up for these the women did all they could in knitting and sewing for the Red Cross and Belgian Relief, and everyone did their best in helping to produce all the food possible.