WOMAN'S RELIEF CORPS.

Governor Crapo Relief Corps No. 23, located at Flint, auxiliary to the Grand Army Post, was organized in October, 1884, with fourteen charter members. The first officers were:

President Mary A. McConnelly
Senior Vice-President Mrs. Hattie P. Thompson
Junior Vice-President Mrs. Anna Willett
Secretary Mrs. Mary Lochhead
Treasurer Mrs. Catharine Partridge
Chaplain Mary Muma
Conductor Lydia Hughes
Guard Nettie Barney

These and others compose a small band of earnest, patriotic women who took up the work of assisting the soldiers of the Rebellion and their dependent ones. The membership during the first year increased to upwards of one hundred and they have clothed the needy, comforted the sick and buried the dead. As the women's Relief Corps is the only auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, their work is supposed to be for Civil War veterans only. They have, however, frequently digressed from the national rules and at one time did much for a widow of a soldier of the war of 1812. During the Spanish War, over three hundred dollars was raised and expended for the local soldiers who saw service and for their relief from affliction after their return from Cuba. In the thirty-two years of its existence, the corps has expended over three thousand dollars in its benevolent work.

Twice it has been honored by having the department (state) headquarters in Flint. The President, secretary and treasurer have twice been elected or appointed from the local corps, an honor that has never come to any other corps of the state. Mrs. Mary A. McConnelly and Mrs. Harriet P. Thompson were the ladies of Flint honored by being elected presidents of the state society.

The line of work of the Relief Corps has been patriotic and benevolent, assisting the soldiers in decorating the graves of their deceased comrades, presenting flags to schools, churches and the boy scouts, and similar benevolent work. The Woman's Relief Corps is a secret society and its philanthropic work is not proclaimed to the public. Few of its acts of charity are ever known outside of the order, but the good deeds of this band of conscientious women need no recording.