Visitors to the Effingham County Museum can learn much about a person who is a major figure in women’s history, whether locally, nationally or globally.
There are displays on the walls, in glass cabinets, and a presentation on a video monitor, as well as artifacts that tell the story of Ada Kepley — attorney, preacher, advocate for women’s right to vote, newspaper editor, protector of animals, author, political figure, farmer, etc. There are also items that show her desire to make sure that music was part of people’s lives, and that certain themes, or thought patterns, were part of her community.
Galleries 3 and 4 contain a drum used by Kepley’s “Band of Hope,” “Effingham Town and County Song Book,” and framed copies of sheet music that she composed. Those framed copies reflect Kepley’s values of patriotism.
Her contemporaries already knew she believed patriotism was a trait all citizens should possess and evidence in their lives. She had openly demonstrated her devotion to that positive way of living well before World War I.
On Feb 4, 1901, Effingham’s local Bar Association gathered at the Opera House to celebrate John Marshall Day, in commemoration of the day when, in 1801, John Marshall took his oath as the fourth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Locally, there were five speakers, with Ada Kepley being the only female member of the group. A local newspaper described her role this way: “Ada H. Kepley was the last speaker of the evening at the opera house, her subject being ‘Marshall as a Patriot.’ …
In her speech she stated: “We cannot all hope to possess the native powers that shall make us mighty in the State, and in nature and, or in places that demand the possession of the highest powers, but we may all, however humble our endowments, possess and practice the virtue of patriotism, and so help to perpetuate our institutions; we can be pure of heart, and as guileless, as faithful church men and women and as honest, earnest a Christian as John Marshall; we can be patient and gentle and kind and helpful to all; we can read the books he read and master their noble ideas; we can learn to dream dreams and see visions of our country’s good; we can study the great book of nature, and be humble before Him by whom it was made. We can reverence our fathers and our mothers, giving them no cause for offense; we can teach the children the same virtues, as elemental to the highest patriotism.”
Especially during the WWI era, Ada Kepley’s life demonstrated her patriotic spirit. For instance, in her 1916 “Effingham Town and County Song Book,” the introduction to the book, after quoting Shelley, “Songs consecrate to Truth and Liberty,” she wrote: “Always people sing and they love to commemorate their homes and native land and beloved places and things in song.” She then presented songs about both the town and county of Effingham, with much history of other places included in the book.
The Song Book also had a section devoted to “Our National Hymns.” That grouping included “America (My Country, ‘Tis of Thee),” The Star-Spangled Banner,” “The Red, White and Blue (O Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean),” “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Illinois,” and “Hail Columbia.” Those were songs she wanted citizens to know and sing.
In the same time frame, Mrs. Kepley was also quite a speaker focused on issues of concern to the nation. For instance, one Sunday afternoon in mid-June 1918, she delivered a two-hour “talk” about “The World, the World’s War, and Why the Kaiser Cannot Win.” Most listeners thought she “presented her case in a frank, bold and convincing way.”
Later that year, in October, the Effingham area learned that Ada Kepley had written a new song, “America, America,” with music arranged by Mrs. J.A. Feldhake, also from Effingham. The Effingham Republican newspaper encouraged all households in the county to purchase a copy of the song for their individual families.
In November of 1920, a writer for the Effingham Republican wrote a note of thanks to Mrs. Ada H. Kepley for the three songs, “Gone West,” My Sweetheart Far Over the Sea,” and “America, America.” The lyrics promoted support for those who had fought and made great sacrifices during “The Great War.”
The following quotations from each of the songs, which are in Gallery 4 at the Effingham County Museum, demonstrate patriotism and words of appreciation for the military.
During WWI, Ada Kepley wrote songs to capture the feelings and experiences of both soldiers and civilians, alike. She wrote prefaces to help those who heard the songs understand the reason for her lyrics. Below are both portions of the prefaces and the lyrics to help the reader have greater appreciation for her musical selections:
Mrs. Kepley wrote the song, “Gone West,” as “a memorial hymn for those who died for civilization and freedom in the World War, 1914-1919.” She explained that “In the terrible war in France and Belgium when a Soldier died or fell in battle, his comrades did not say ‘Hе is dead” but “He has gone West.’ No one seems to know the reason for the phrase.”
She believed the reason was rooted in Natural Law. She wrote, “The Soldiers seem to have sensed the Divine Law and have expressed it in the two short words ‘Gone West.’” Especially, the last verse of the hymn speaks to those who knew how many deaths there had been during the war: “Millions unborn thy name shall bless, As all men travel the Westward way, To where we see the supernal light, That beckons us on to Eternal Day. ‘Gone West, Gone West,’ Oh, glorious thought, Life’s Mission finished, duty bought, Comrades beloved, dear, dear friends, We shall meet in ‘The West,’ when time shall end.
In her composition, “America, America,” Ada Kepley explained that the song was “A Marching Hymn for Americans and the Allies,” and that she had written the words and music, but that the music was arranged by Mrs. Joseph Feldhake. In explaining the reason for the song, she wrote, “American Civilization, began with the best religious cult of the Old-World peoples, Catholic and Protestant alike, so in a sense it belongs to the whole world. America is ‘The Promised Land’ and an Evangel of God to all peoples. This People crossed an unknown sea, to an unknown land, to find a place to worship God after the dictates of their own Conscience; in all their ways they declared God and claimed him as their King. Constitutions and Bills of Right declared it. American hymns all declare God as the only ruler of men. All Coins of American money bear the declaration ‘in God we Trust.’ American Civilization declares the doctrine of the highest good for all people and seeks to illustrate it. America points the whole world to a Divine source for all things and declares the brotherhood of men in the spirit of the great teacher Christ.
Within the song, Mrs. Kepley used phrases to express the virtues of the nation: “the Gift of God to men;” “proclaimed a worldwide Brotherhood,” and “the Dove of Peace shall come.” Those who heard, or sang, the song would feel intense pride in what the country offered to the whole world.
In “My Sweetheart Far Over the Sea,” Ada Kepley wrote “a memorial song for those who died on land and sea for freedom, in the Great World War, 1914-1918.” The music was arranged by Ruby Huffman Johnson. It was “A song in perpetual Memorial of the Americans, and Allies, whose bodies rest in Lands across the sea.”
In describing the piece, she also wrote about poppies, “an emblem of immortality.” The words of the song touch emotional chords when indicating, “Father and mother and wife to be, He said good bye to all, Dearer than all was his country’s call, My sweetheart who died for men,” and when the verse indicated “Bravely he fought for liberty, My sweetheart far over the sea, Now he is dead, and over his head, The red, red poppies bloom.”
That mention of the symbolism of the poppy flower was the central theme of another of Mrs. Kepley’s patriotic projects: “The League of the Red Poppies.”
By the end of February 1919, Effingham County learned from its newspapers that “There was organized in Effingham Ills., Dec. 14, 1918, a world society called The League of the Red Poppies. The following statement gives necessary particulars concerning it: The League of the Red Poppies is a world organization, which seeks to be a perpetual memorial to those who died for liberty and civilization in all lands in the Great World War, 1914-1919. … Whereas in the Great World War of 1914-1919, men and women of many lands gave their lives on battlefields, on the seas and in their homes for liberty and civilization; and whereas in France and Flanders, on the great battlefields, the blooded poppies have come spontaneously, to speak as in the shed blood of men that the world stand firm to defend the great principles for which they died. … Let all the world do this in memory forever of those who died for liberty and civilization in the Great World War.
“Parties desiring to know more can write to the President Officers and Ada H. Kepley, President and officio corresponding secretary; Mrs. Julia Campbell, 1st V.P.; Miss Nelle Sligar, 2nd V.P.; Mrs. Don Johnson, Treas.; and Miss Nellie Schifferstein, Recording Sec’y.”
The first meeting of the group was June 30, 1919, in the Christian Church at 8 p. m. with a prayer by E.B. Schooley, followed by an address by the Hon. G.M. LeCrone. Both Ada Kepley and E.B. Schooley spoke about “Poppies.” Next came several musical selections: Mrs. H. Eversman, “In Flanders Field;” Miss Ada Huffman, “In Flanders Field;” Mr. George Lacy, “Gone West”; Miss Rose Sharp, “Now Jim Went West;” and Clarence Fisher, “I Have a Sweetheart Far Over The Sea,” followed by “The Star-Spangled Banner” with Miss Nell Schifferstein as accompanist.
News reports about the organization continued into 1920, By February, the public learned about a public meeting at city hall, to which everyone was invited. The positions of the officers had changed in some instances: The President was still Mrs. Ada H. Kepley. Mrs. Julia Campbell was Vice President. The 2nd Vice President was Miss Nellie Sligar. The Treasurer was Mrs. Don Johnson, and the Secretary was Miss Nellie Schifferstein.
By April of that same year, Effingham residents could take pride in the way the group had taken root. For instance, in Belvidere, Illinois, a news story declared: “POPPIES MEMORIAL TO WORLD WAR HEROES’ POPULAR MOVEMENT The North work W.C.T.U. has taken up being carried on by world society known as the League of the Red Poppies. The league was organized in Effingham, Ill., December 14, 1918 as a perpetual memorial to those who died on the field of battle in the world war. All people are urged by the league to become attached to the organization and to plant the single blood red poppies until the earth is red with them during the months of June and July, which is the blossoming season.
“Wear these flowers during these two months as a memorial and on June 30, which has been selected as Memorial Day and observe the occasion with appropriate patriotic and other services in all lands. One who died on Flanders field left this message to the world: ‘In Flanders fields, the poppies grow, Between the crosses, row on row, To mark our places. We are the dead. If ye break faith with us who die. We shall not sleep, though poppies grow, In Flanders fields.’ Therefore, the League of the Red Poppies is organized as perpetual memorial to those who died for liberty and civilization and for their fellow men anywhere in the world, in the Great World War.”
Just as Ada Kepley impacted the world and nation by her legal career, the nation and state by her Temperance and Suffragist advocacy, Kepley promoted pride in the nation by her music and organizational skills. What a complex person she was. And she was from Effingham County. The public can learn about her via the displays at the Effingham County Museum.