Mrs. Helen P. Poindexter DeVoe, the daughter of Archie Poindexter and Inez Houdeshell, was born in Indiana. She was married to the late Mr. Paul Volney DeVoe, and had two children; the late James Frederick DeVoe and Judith Ann DeVoe-Stafford. Mrs. DeVoe graduated from Ball State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and complete some graduate work. She retired and resided in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Memberships

• National Gavel Society
• National Society Dames of the Court of Honor (Honorary President General)
• Colonial Dames of America (former President of Chapter XXV)
• Welcome Society of Pennsylvania
• Order of Americans of Armorial Ancestry (Three-term Councillor)
• National Huguenot Society
• National Society Daughters of the Founder and Patriots of America (National Organizing Secretary
• National Society Descendants of Early Quakers
• Sons and Daughters of the Colonial & Antebellum Bench & Bar 1565-1861
• Hereditary Order of Descendants of Loyalists and Patriots of the American Revolution (Associate Member)

Mrs. DeVoe was the Patron for the Hereditary Society Blue Book in 1995.

• The Southwest Blue Book

Other Notes

Mrs. DeVoe was a member of the National Museum of Women in the Arts; the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (House of Burgesses); and the Descendants of Valentine Hollingsworth, Sr. Society. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church.

Dr. James MacDonald Edwards, son of James Lane Edwards and Florrie Alamo Harp, was born in Jackson, Georgia. A retired General Motors executive, he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Commercial Science degrees at the University of Georgia. He was a member of Delta Sigma Pi, Kappa Sigma Kappa, and Gamma Delta Phi fraternities. During his lifetime he was awarded five honorary doctoral degrees including a Doctor of Science degree from Holy Trinity College, a school of the Southern Episcopal Church. During WWII Dr. Edwards’ service entailed military intelligence and psychological warfare. For many years he was a member of the Consular Corps – District of Columbia.

Dr. Edwards was highly regarded in the hereditary society world as a leader and dedicated officer. His efforts resulted in his being recognized with awards that included: the Patriot Medal, Silver Good Citizenship Medal, Bronze Good Citizenship Medal and Certificates of Appreciation from the SAR; the Gold and Silver Jefferson Davis Awards, and the Jefferson Davis Chalice with the designation “Mr. Confederacy” from the SCV; Gold and Silver Jefferson Davis Awards from the Daughters of the Confederacy; Gold and Silver Jefferson Davis Awards from the Children of the Confederacy; the Legion of Merit from the MOSB; the Honor Medal from the DAR; and a Plaque of Appreciation from First Families of Georgia, 1733-1797. He was an officer in the Gwinnett (Past President), Dekalb, and White County Historical Societies, the Federation of Genealogical Societies (Region 4 VP) as well as the Georgia Genealogical Society (Past President). Dr. Edwards was also interested in Heraldry being an Honorary Member of the Instituto Heraldico – Barcelona Spain and received a grant of Arms from the Cronista Rey de Armas - Kingdom of Spain.

Dr. Edwards achieved, during his lifetime, the distinction of being one of only five living Commanders in Chief of both the Sons of Confederate Veterans and Military Order of the Stars and Bars with SVC and MOSB Awards named in his honor.

Memberships

• National Gavel Society (former Secretary)
• Colonial Order of the Acorn
• Hereditary Order of Descendants of Colonial Governors
• Sons of Confederate Veterans (former Commander in Chief)
• Military Order of the Stars and Bars (former Commander in Chief)
• National Society Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims (Honorary Governor General)
• First Families of Georgia, 1733-1793 (Honorary Governor General and one of the three founders of the organization).
• Continental Society Sons of Indian Wars (Honorary Governor General)
• National Society of Washington Family Descendants (Honorary President General)
• Order of Americans of Armorial Ancestry (Past 2nd Vice President General)
• Society of Descendants of Knights of the Most Noble Order of the Garter Windsor Castle
• National Society Sons of the American Revolution (First Vice President of the Atlanta Chapter; former President of the Georgia Society; former National Trustee, National Awards Committee Chairman)
• Aztec Club of 1847
• Order of Lafayette (former Captain)
• Military Order of Foreign Wars in the US
• National Society Sons of the American Colonists
• National Guild of St. Margaret of Scotland (Protector)
• National Society Descendants of Early Quakers
• British American Society of London
• St. George’s Society of Jacksonville, Florida
• Burns Club of Atlanta

Chivalric Orders

• Hospitaller Order of Saint John (former Grand Marshal; Knight; and Bailiff; Recipient of the Grand Cross of Justice)

Listed In

• Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities
• Who’s Who in Finance and Industry
• Who’s Who in the South and Southwest
• Community Leaders of America
• Personalities of the South
• Who’s Who in the Bicentennial
• International Biographies

Notes

Dr. Edwards was an international traveler and made many friends around the world. His friendships resulted in his becoming interested in and a member of numerous International Orders. Dr. Edwards was active in multiple charitable, civic and cultural causes in the United States which resulted in his being honored as an Honorary Admiral in the Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Nebraska Navies; a Kentucky Colonel, an Honorary Captain of the Belle of Louisville, and an Honorary Lt. Col. of the Alabama Militia.

He was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church.

Mary Genevieve Forbes Morse, daughter of James Forbes and Mabel Savin, was born June 8, 1905 in New Rochelle, New York. Mrs. Morse earned her B.A from Polytechnic Institute, Ruston, Louisiana. She was a member of Sigma Delta (English Honorary Society) and is a past National President of Kappa Delta Sorority.

She married Frederick Tracy Morse in Charlottesville, Virginia on January 1, 1926. Dr. Morse was a Professor Emeritus in Engineering at the University of Virginia and authored several textbooks in his field. Mrs. Morse took seriously her role as faculty wife, contributing her varied managerial skills in her involvement in the UVA academic community. Dr. and Mrs. Morse had one child, Robert Frederick Morse. Mrs. Morse has two grandchildren, Ann and William, and two great-grandchildren, John and Edmond.

Mrs. Morse was a true Grande Dame of the hereditary societies. A quiet-spoken, gentle woman, she was an avid patriot, a renowned worker, (particularly in her chosen avocation of genealogy), and a true friend to her associates in many organizations. Mrs. Morse, though slowed physically by time, was avidly interested in her genealogical activities, and attended meetings in her local area in her 102nd year. She was an inspiration to all who know her.

Memberships

• National Gavel Society (Honorary President, former Recording Secretary)
• National Society Daughters of Colonial Wars (former National President)
• Hereditary Order of Descendants of Colonial Governors (former Governor General)
• National Society of Americans of Royal Descent (former President General)
• Order of Three Crusades 1096-1192 (former President General)
• National Society Daughters of the Barons of Runnymede (former President General)
• Order of the Crown in America (former Vice President)
• National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, (Vice President General for life)
• Order of the Crown of Charlemagne in the United States of America
• Colonial Dames of America, Chapter IX
• Descendants of Colonial Clergy
• National Society Daughters of the American Colonists
• Jamestowne Society (former President of the Virginia Company)
• Colonial Daughters of the 17th Century (former Past 1st Vice President General)
• National Guild of Saint Margaret of Scotland
• Order of Americans of Armorial Ancestry
• Descendants of King William I, Conqueror & His Companions at Arms

Authorships

• Give Us Grateful Hearts; A Compilation of Prayers of the Era of the American Revolution
• Through the Years and other Poems
• The Monticello Cook Book, Third Edition (Editor)

Listed In

• Who's Who in Poetry
• International Who’s Who in Poetry
• Who’s Who of American Women
• World’s Who’s Who of Women
• Who’s Who in the South and Southeast
• Who’s Who in the Old Dominion
• Dictionary of International Biography
• The Two Thousand Women of Achievement

Notes

Mrs. Morse also held membership in the British American Society and was past Curator General, and past National President of the National Officers Club. She was a member of Christ Church in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Martha Todd Barker Roberts, daughter of Winston Brooks Barker and Mary Louise Herrick was a native of Covington, Kentucky. Mrs. Roberts was married to Richard Lindsay Roberts who died in 1972. He was an officer with a leading bank in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mrs. Roberts had been employed by the Cincinnati Art Museum. She was an historian widely recognized as an authority on genealogy and was devoted to historic preservation and restoration projects. Martha Todd Roberts died October 14, 1997.

Memberships

• National Gavel society (former President)
• Order of First Families of Virginia 1607-1624/25 (former President)
• Order of the Crown in America (former President)
• National Society Daughters of the Seventeenth Century (Honorary President General)
• National Society Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America (former Counselor)
• National Society Daughters of the Barons of Runnemede (Surety)
• National Society Daughters of the American Colonists (former Historian)
• National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (Appointed Member to the Committee Chairmen's Association and the President General's Reception Room Committee)

Mrs. Roberts was honored by the National Society Colonial Daughters of the Seventeenth Century by the named Rare Book Fund at the College of William and Mary. In addition, she originated the establishment of the Catherine Lindsay Knorr Records Restoration Fund for the Order of the Crown in America.

Other Notes

Mrs. Roberts served as a member of the Historical Board of Duncan Tavern in Paris, Kentucky. She was a member of Highland United Methodist Church of Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Mrs. Roberts served as First President of the Holly Hill Guild Protestant Children's Home, as well as Campbell County Chairman of the Kentucky Heritage Committee (1970-1980).