Did you know that the Wetmore Ladies Aid Society was instrumental in the planning and construction of the Wetmore Community Church?
Prior to 1913, the community of Wetmore did not have an official meeting place.
Sure, church services were often held on Sundays in the Woodman of the World (WOW) Hall.
But, this was after the ladies of the community had to clean the place up after the celebrations from the night before!
Weekly prayer meetings were also being held in community homes. At one such meeting in the early fall of 1913, the ladies decided they should build their own church. Soon after that, the Wetmore Ladies Aid Society was formed with the purpose to secure the land and to build a community church.
After an initial fundraising Thanksgiving dinner held in November of 1913, $90 was raised, and construction of the new church began in 1914.
Construction of the Church was completed in 1918. The Ladies Aid continued to hold their annual Thanksgiving dinners until the building was completely paid for. Additions to the building were also funded and paid for by the proceeds of the annual dinners.
The photo above of members of the Ladies Aid Society and children was taken in 1929 and was given to the WHG&HS by Peg Hardin.
Do you know any of these women?
The following have been identified so far by Peggy Martin:
The woman squatting with the 3 children on the right hand side of the photos is Nettie Breece.
The two small children are Emma and Addie Breece. The taller child is Margaret Breece.
I am the granddaughter for Glayds Painter Haynes. I can remember my friends and I helping server the dinner when I was growing up. They would have it in the old School and we served it family style. Glayds born in Greenwoid and lived in Wetmore all her life in Wetmore.
Posted by: Rhonda Haynes Litton | 08/03/2018 at 02:28 PM
Are you sure it's not 1919 rather than 1929? Just based on styles. Or had bobbed hair and shorter skirts not made it to Wetmore by 1929? :)
Posted by: Chas | 08/03/2018 at 03:28 PM
No, not 100% sure, but the handwritten note on the back of the photo says "Ladies Aid Society 1929."
Posted by: Wetmore Historical Society | 08/03/2018 at 04:03 PM
Rhonda Haynes, thank you for sharing your memory!
Posted by: Wetmore Historical Society | 08/03/2018 at 04:05 PM