Sarah Emma Seelye Auxiliary No. 1

The Sarah Emma Seelye Auxiliary supports the Edward Lea Camp of the Sons of
Union Veterans of the Civil War and is under charter from the National Ladies
Auxiliary to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Like our national body, our
official purpose is to assist the Sons of Union Veterans in their activities and to keep
alive the memory of the Grand Army of the Republic. Furthermore, we strive to
properly observe and recall the traditions of Memorial Day and to promote
patriotism and love of country. We also attempt to assist present day veterans who
are disabled and to aid worthy members of our fellow Auxiliaries who are in need.

Chartered in Houston, Texas on December 7, 1996, the Auxiliary originally took the same name as the Edward Lea Camp to which it is associated with. Within a short time, however, the membership chose to adopt the name of Sarah Emma Seelye, after the daring woman who served in the Union Army while disguised as a man. A renowned heroine of her day, Seelye was the only woman to receive a U.S. government pension for her Civil War service and became the only female member of the Grand Army of the Republic. She is buried in Houston's Washington Cemetery alongside her fellow Union veterans of the GAR.

Our Auxiliary endeavors to participate in ceremonies and programs which honor
veterans and commemorate events of the Civil War. Some of our activities are
coordinated with the Edward Lea Camp and we meet six or more times a year. In
January we assist the Sons with the Galveston Memorial Service. Each year we hold our
Annual President’s Tea and Civil War Presentations, as a yearly fundraiser. In May we participate in and properly observe Memorial Day. We are active throughout the year with many activities such as supporting the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Hospital in Houston holding a yearly, 'Stars and Stripes" Sock Drive and provide Christmas gifts in December to patients on Ward 2-A. We meet with the Lt. Cmdr. Edward Lea Camp #2 at their dinner meetings which are held at the Spaghetti Warehouse Restaurant at 901 Commerce Street in downtown Houston.

For meeting information or an application for membership please contact our Secretary, Jana Marsh @ jlmarsh1121@sbcglobal.net or President, Valencia Reyes @ Valire317@aol.com, phone #281-414-2077.
Meeting locations change and are announced prior to each meeting. The Auxiliary offers women who are descendants of Union veterans the chance to honor their ancestors and to keep alive the heritage of the Civil War era. It also offers a unique opportunity for non-hereditary women who are interested in Civil War history to join as Associates. Our members are drawn from the greater
Houston-Galveston area and from surrounding counties in Southeast Texas. However, as the only Auxiliary body in the SUVCW's Department of the Texas, we do accept individual "at-large" membership from women in Texas and Oklahoma.