‘Sweet Southern lady’ honored by DAR

Spotlight on Frances Rogers Allen

Staff report

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ROCKINGHAM — Family and members of the Daughters of the American Revolution’s General Henry William Harrington Chapter gathered Sunday afternoon at Crestview Baptist Church Cemetery to honor one of their own.

Frances Rogers Allen was born Aug. 6, 1924 in Richmond County and died April 14, 2011, at the age of 86. Allen’s father was Henry James Rogers II. She retired from Pee Dee Electric and was a charter member of Crestview Baptist Church. Allen was a direct descendant of Gen. Harrington on her mother’s side of the family. Allen also was a charter member of the local DAR chapter.

Submitted photo Left to Right:  Roger Allen, Susanne McInnis, Pat Chappell, Brooks Allen, Linda Pryce, Jan Allen, Blair Allen Small, Dan Allen, Nancy Robbins, Mary Bowles:  DAR members and sons of Frances Rogers Allen at the grave site that was marked with the DAR marker.   Also attending but not pictured is Faye Reynolds, who was a charter member along with Frances Rogers Allen.

Submitted photo
Left to Right: Roger Allen, Susanne McInnis, Pat Chappell, Brooks Allen, Linda Pryce, Jan Allen, Blair Allen Small, Dan Allen, Nancy Robbins, Mary Bowles: DAR members and sons of Frances Rogers Allen at the grave site that was marked with the DAR marker. Also attending but not pictured is Faye Reynolds, who was a charter member along with Frances Rogers Allen.

A DAR insignia marker was placed on Allen’s grave marker during the ceremony. DAR members believe that marking the grave adds awareness of the DAR to visitors and showed a link between today, family history and the birth of the United States.

Mary Bowles, chapter regent, stated the purpose of the chapter and such ceremonies while Nancy Sherrill Robbins, chaplain, offered a scripture reading and prayer. Allen’s son, Dan L. Allen III, performed “Hear Our Prayer with America the Beautiful.”

Along with Allen’s granddaughter, Blair Allen Small, Bowles read a personal tribute to Allen:

I had the honor of knowing Frances Allen as we would ride together to the DAR meetings when she was no longer able to drive to the meetings at night. She was always a sweet Southern Lady and always dressed very neatly.

Linda Pryce, our registrar did some research on Frances’s DAR history. She was a charter member that helped start our chapter. Frances went in as an at-large member in July, 1981. Her papers were endorsed by Martha Gordon and Doris Rice, the organizing regent. Our chapter was organized October 15, 1981. Frances became the 3rd Regent after organizing from 1985-1989. She may also have served as treasurer but we could not verify that.

When Frances became a DAR member, her patriot that she went in under was General Henry William Harrington, who is our chapter namesake. <Updated> Her father was Francis Benjamin Rogers and his wife Mary Elizabeth Hutton Rogers. Her grandparents were Henry James Rogers and Elizabeth Irby Harrington, which is her link to the general. <end update>

We are always trying to get new members and keep our membership up. I understand from Faye Reynolds that our chapter almost dissolved one time and they were able to keep the chapter going. All that is to say that we are so thankful that Frances’s family kept her membership up for as long as she lived, even when she was in the nursing home and no longer able to attend. I know that Frances would have been proud and we appreciate it so much.

 

 

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