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On June 21, 2016, the State President of the Arkansas United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), Kay Tatum, and State Registrar, Dianne Freeman, came to Mena and held an organizational meeting for establishing a UDC Chapter in the Mena area. Thirteen new members’ applications were signed along with the application for the charter of the William Harrison Earp Chapter #2718 by Tatum and Freeman.

After a long wait, on September 24, 2106, three Mena ladies traveled to the State UDC Convention in Harrison, Arkansas, and were presented with the Mena UDC Charter. The trio was Leighanna Guillet, Cortez James Copher, and Era Looney. Both Guillet and Copher are direct descendents of Captain William Harrison Earp, of who the local chapter is named after.
On Sunday, October 16, 2016, the Arkansas Division President, Amber Friday-Brown, and the National UDC President, Pam Trammel, presented the Captain William Harrison Earp Charter during a meeting at the Polk County Library. Other state honoree guests included: Honorary Division President, Helen Amason; District Director, Jennie Stone; Division 3rd Vice President, Karla Fry.

Each Mena lady was presented with a membership certificate and a copy of her official National UDC records. The officers present were sworn in by Amber Friday-Brown, Division President of Arkansas. The meeting was turned over to the Vice President, Cortez James Copher. The program for the eveing was a short summary of the state convention in Harrison by Guillet and a presentation by Anne Dahm and Sue Ellen Patrick about the Battle of Poison Springs in Arkansas during the Civil War.
Officers of the local chapter are: President, Audrey Sue Giddens Costello; Vice President, Cortez James Copher; 2nd Vice President, Era Brown Furr Looney; 3rd Vice President, Grace E. Fountain; Recording Secretary, Leighanna Mozelle James Guillet; Treasurer, Janet Gwen Lyle Walker; Registrar, Cortez James Copher; Historian Darlene Sue Floyd Harper; Recorder of MSA, Anne Mitchell Bailey Dahm; Chapter Chaplain, Sue Ellen Bailey Patrick; Chapter Corresponding Secretary, Era Brown Furr Looney; Chapter Hostess Chairman, Shirley Yvonne Head Eudy; Chapter Parliamentarian, Deanna Grace Beck; Chapter Programs, Sue Derris; Yearbook, Kathy Haglar.
About Author
Jeri Pearson
Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.
I need your help regarding the monument on the Bentonville Square. They are trying to relocate it to Pea Ridge battlefield. I know that pea ridge won’t allow it there. I’m responsible for 1 of the petitions to keep it where it is. I’m aware that your organization owns this monument and county owns the land. I’m contacting county officials tomorrow. please reach me asap! I’m on a news interview Thursday regarding this matter.
Hello,
My name is Boyd McNiel. I was in the U.S Navy.
I did a research and I learned that there is over 350 various millitary memorials in Arkansas alone.
I believe that these memorials are well intentioned but they are misdirected.
Can you tell me the 1st, middle, and last name of your
Great, great grandfather. Can you name the name of
Any sailor on any ship used in the war of independence from England.
I hope you see the relevance.
If you can not name them then what makes these stone monuments of any significance.