The Tennessee Society was organized on November 24^th 1894, at Knoxville, with a charter membership of fifteen.
 

James Van Deventer	H.F. Van Deventer
Harper L. Chamberlain	W. P. Chamberlain
F.F. Van Deventer	Joshua W. Caldwell
John D. Caldwell	O. P. Temple
Henry Hudson	Hazen House
Charles W. Hudson	Joshua Holbrook
Horace Van Deventer	George W. Henderson
William P. Washburn

William P. Washburn served as first President. The Chapter flourished in the early years and grew to a membership of 65 in 1900. At that time the membership began a vision of forming chapters in surrounding counties due to the distance some of the members had to travel. On March 15, 1918 the Colonel Robert McFarland Chapter was formed. Providing a base of twenty -one members from the Morristown area. The chapter grew due to the increase of patriotism after the First World War. Harris W. Helens local newspaperman was the first chapter President. C. E. Eckle was the first Secretary. Prior to the Second World War the chapter was disbanded feeling that the members needed to place full attention on the War and the War effort. In July of 1999, President David Rutherford, Along with Past President Richard J. Carroll aided the members from the Morristown area in reforming this chapter. With its re-chartering to take place in March of 2000. The President is Terry Davenport.

A Big part of the State Society from the beginning has been placing markers at historic sites as well as Revolutionary War Soldiers and heroes graves. In the early days of the society more than 125 graves were located and marked, as well as more than 20 large markers at Revolutionary War sights. Including, Boyd’s Creek which is the only Revolutionary Battle fought in what is now Tennessee, Sycamore Shoals honoring the beginning of the March to Kings Mountain and the Treaty of the Dumplin. All of these markers were placed with donations from each individual member. The larger portions of the markers were placed during the height of the Great Depression.

The Presidents of the Society held the same visions and continued the growth of the Society both in chapter as well as membership. The past Presidents are:
 

William P. Washburn, Sr. 1895-1896	James O. Andes 1950
James T. Van Deventer 1897-1898	Harry P. Atkins 1951
William W. Woodruff, Sr. 1899-1900	James W. K. Johnson 1952
William P. Chamberlain 1901	Richard L. Carson 1953
John W. Green 1902-1903	John C. Crawford, Jr. 1954
Lawrence D. Tyson 1904-1905	Herbert H. McCampbell, Jr. 1955
Joshua W. Caldwell 1906-1908	Albert F. Dougherty 1956
Henry Hudson 1909-1910	Joseph G. Brownlee, Sr. 1957
Horace Van Deventer 1911	Russell W. Hanion 1958
Cary F. Spence 1912	Arthur G. Seymour, Sr. 1959
Henry L. Underwood 1913	Stanley J. Formsbee 1960
William S. Sheilds 1914	Robert T. Mann, Sr. 1961
Charles S. Baldwin, Sr. 1915	R. Arnold Kramer 1962
William C. Ross 1916	Robert L. Taylor 1963
Hugh M. Tate 1917	Joseph L. Sneed 1964
Joseph T. Brownlee 1918	John M. Armistead 1965
Wesley T. Kennerly 1918	Albert G. Kern, Jr. 1966
David C. Chapman 1919	W. Conway Garlington 1967
William P. Chandler 1920	Don G. Franks 1968
Richard P. Johnson 1921	Floyd L. Ambrister, Jr. 1969
T. Asbury Wright, Sr. 1922	C. Edwin Graves 1970
Lewis H. Spilman 1923	A. W. Aston Kennedy 1971
Walter H. MacIntire 1924	Charles C. Duffy 1972
William Baxter Lee, Sr. 1925	Xen B. Portwood 1973
Charles M. Seymour 1926	J. Fred Brehm 1974
Selden Nelson 1927	Charles E. Rader 1975
John K. Gillespie, Sr. 1928	John A. Parker 1976
Thomas McCroskey, Sr. 1929	William L. Wiley 1977
T. Asbury Wright, Jr. 1930	Robert M. Murphy, Jr. 1978
Oscar M. Dunn 1931	Dexter A. Christenberry 1979
Herbert H. McCampbell,Sr. 1932	William C. Wilson 1980
Allen P. Frierson, Sr. 1933	J. Temple Fraker 1981
Walter P. Taylor 1934	John M. Davis 1982
George E. Helm 1935	Fred J.Byerley 1983
Arthur J. Cottrell 1936	Robert L. Davis 1984
William A. Boies 1937	Jack K. Westbrook 1985
Walter M. Bonham 1938	Conner A. Burnette, Jr. 1986
William W. Potter, Sr. 1939	Roy D. Crawford, Sr. 1987
E. Russell Zemp 1940	Fred C. Sherrod 1988
James M. Meeks, Sr. 1941	Richard G. Heinsohn, Sr. 1989-1990
George C. Taylor 1942	Neal P. Ford 1991
James D. Hoskins 1943	John I. Dale, Jr. 1992
Samuel O. Houston 1944	Charles R. Eastland, Jr. 1993
Clyde W. Key 1945	James K. Cox, Sr. 1994
Loye W. Miller 1946	F. Randolph Mansfield 1995
George H. Smith 1947	Alex F. Brandau, III 1996
George A. Caldwell 1948	Richard J. Carroll, Sr. 1997
Robert S. Leach 1949	Erwin B. Bigger, Sr. 1998
	David L. Rutherford 1999-Present

 

Many of these men are noted citizens of Knoxville and surrounding Counties.

In 1972 two men stood out in helping the Society grow Roscoe C. d’Armand, and Don G. Franks helped in making the Society the third largest in the General Society adding on an average of 300 new members in a 5 year period. Franks and d’Armand were instrumental in forming a chapter, in Chattanooga, as well as having a newsletter

The Riflemen, which is continued today, by Col. Jack K. Westbrook. The newsletter is published quarterly and circulates to all state members as well as several libraries and genealogical centers.

The Tennessee Society was a leader in the advancements of the General Society having a Web presence. Reed K. Gryder serving as webmaster for both the Tennessee Society and the General Society continues to help the Society to advance. This New World is just opening to the Society and Tennessee stands out as a for runner in the Society.

More recently under the leadership of Richard J. Carroll, Sr., Erwin B. Bigger, Sr. and current President David Rutherford the Society has grown to its present membership of 785. With the aide of these three men, and other board members, the Society has formed one new chapter, reformed one inactive chapter and is looking to form four more in the months to come.

The newest chapter of the Society is the General John Sevier Chapter. This chapter was formed in Sevier County in April 1999. President David L. Rutherford and past President Richard J. Carroll, along with other board members gathered twenty-five old members as well as new members to begin this chapter.

Robert J. Nelkin serves as first President. The chapter in conjunction with the State Society has held a memorial service for the Battle of Boyds Creek as well as placing two grave markers for Revolutionary Soldiers buried in Sevier County.

Our office The Roscoe C. d’Armand Library is manned, by Miss Virginia C. d’Armand five days a week. It is located on the second floor of the East Tennessee Historical Society. At 500 W. Clinch Ave. in Downtown Knoxville.

Febuary 3rd, 2000