Woodmen
Circle Home
(Supreme Forest Woodmen Circle
Home)
Photograph by Walter P. Lebrecht
|
A House is built of bricks and
stone,
of tiles and posts and piers;
But a Home is built of loving deeds
that stand a thousand years
The loving deeds of members everywhere
made possible the Home for Aged Members
and Children which the Supreme Forest
Woodmen Circle maintains at Sherman
, Texas.
National Headquarters of the Society
are in Omaha Nebraska
Words from the back of a Postcard,
featuring the home.
The Home's Motto;
"Thrift and Efficiency"
In the late 1800's women were not able to
purchase insurance. With the help of Mr. John T. Yoates of Denver
Colorado, who was one of the founders of Woodmen of the World Fraternal
Society, the Supreme Forest of the Woodmen Circle was formed for the purpose
of insuring women.
One of the early members of the Woodmen Circle Fraternity
was Dora Alexander Tally (sister of J.A."Hot" Alexander) of Garland Texas.
It was Mrs. Talley who had the vision for a home for the insured members,
widowed or retired, and orphaned children of the insured members.
As a Texan she was instrumental in choosing the site for the home. In November
of 1928 ground was broken and construction began on a hill three miles
west of Sherman. The 240 acres of the original site was formerly
known as the LeBaron Farm.
In 1930 the doors of the main building were opened
to receive the first members. The Pennsylvania Building was erected
in 1933 and the west wing of the building was added in 1940-41. John
Tullock was architect for the main building and James R. Grady was architect
for the main building addition. In June 1938 the regional convention
of the Woodmen Circle was held in Sherman. The main building was
rededicated and named the Dora Alexander Talley Building. The home
was closed in 1962 when the Woodmen circle and the Woodmen of the World
agreed to merge. In 1972 the property was sold to five local businessmen.
Please Email Me if you
can identify the people in the unidentified photographs
 Facebook virtual tour of the Woodmen Circle Home
Beneficiary
Certificate
The Supreme Forest Woodmen Circle was the
first company to value the life of women and to offer life insurance for
women in the late 1800s.
An insured woman who was "aged, indigent or in need"
had the option to surrender her policy and move to the Woodmen Circle Home.
Likewise, if an insured woman died, the policy guaranteed care for her
minor children until each reached the age of 18.
Woodmen Circle Home uniquely
combined care for the aged and the young
October 2010
Grayson
County TXGenWeb
Susan Hawkins
© 2024
If
you find any of Grayson
CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please
send me a message.
|
|
