History of Tent 2
Eva Gray Tent No. 2 || Grand Rapids, MIchigan
The Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861 - 1865, is the oldest and largest of all Civil War American Women's organizations based on lineal descent. Lineal descent requires a connection to a father/grandfather who served in the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865. The DUVCW was organized on Decoration Day, May 30th, 1885.
Tents were named for Army Nurses who served in the Civil War. Tents were also named after contemporary women who carried out patriotic activities to honor and aid Civil War veterans and their families.
On April 3, 1912, Eva Gray Tent No. 2 was instituted in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with 21 CHARTER MEMBERS. This was the second tent in Michigan formed under the name, “National Alliance, Daughters of Veterans”.
A year and a half after Eva Gray’s death in 1910, the women in her community voted to name their tent after her. Eva A. Gray was honored for her dedication, hard work and service to the veterans and their families in the Grand Rapids area.
Mrs. Gray had also served her community as President of a Custer Relief Corps in Grand Rapids in 1890. She was elected President of the Department of Michigan, Woman’s Relief Corps in 1905. She was also a member of the national board of the Daughters of Veterans.
The passion that Eva Gray demonstrated for the Civil War was passed on to her children. Her four daughters joined Tent 2 between 1915 and 1919. And Eva’s son was an active member of the Sons of Union Veterans. They all joined under their father’s name, Freeland Gray.
Eva Gray Tent No. 2 became inactive on January 1, 1988.
However, because several members of the tent continued to pay their annual dues, Tent 2 was allowed to reactivate with the same name and history. We owe our thanks to the following members: SOWA: Jean Sowa (deceased) and Claudia (Sowa) Wojciakowski (deceased); YARBROUGH: Patricia, Joanna, and Jennifer Yarbrough, and McDONALD: Mary Lou McDonald (deceased).
Around 1998, Lorie Gladyness and Melanie Meengs began the process of reactivating the tent. The first meeting was held in the spring of 1999.
Today, the members of Tent 2 serve our local communities:
- by helping to preserve Civil War monuments and landmarks
- by locating Union Veterans grave sites and obtaining suitable markers
- by attending re-dedication and memorial services
- by volunteering at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans and the VA Medical Center in North Carolina
- by maintaining the grave site of Eva and Sergt. Freeland Gray at Oakhill Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MI.
Here is an interesting article about Eva Gray Tent in the old days. At the time the article was written (1937), the tent claimed over 200 members ! Thank you, Wenda Fore, for sharing.
DAUGHTERS of UNION VETERANS of the CIVIL WAR
by Ida M. Glasgow (Mrs. William J.)
ca. 1937