Saturday, February 13, 2016

Henrietta Helping Hand--Munith, Michigan



It was 1910 and a group of twenty-nine women met at the home of Augusta Pixley near Munith, Michigan to discuss what they could do to help people in need.  This was the beginnings of the Henrietta Helping Hand, a women's organization that was active in the Munith area for more than 70 years.  The group met monthly in the homes of one of its members and they would knit socks, make quilts, pack boxes of holiday baked goods, pretty much anything that was needed.  During World War I they would gather rags that could be cut into bandages for the American Red Cross but generally most of their charitable work was for community members in Henrietta Township, Jackson County.  When ever there was a family left homeless following a fire or other disaster, the ladies of the Helping Hand were ready to help supply the family with needed quilts and other household items.

Shown here are members wrapping boxes of homemade baked good for distribution to shut-ins in the late 1970s.

Four generation of my mothers family were part of the Helping Hand.  Through those years, my grandmother saved so many mementos about the organization.  I'm lucky to have the several anniversary program booklets (25th, 50th, 65th), newspaper clippings, and photographs that document the work of these busy women who always had time to do a bit extra for those that needed "a helping hand" in their community.

As a young boy, I remember attending some of the meetings with my mom and grandma.  They always began their time together with singing "The More we get together...the happier we'll be." They would then work on their projects together and would end their time with a light luncheon.

Its hard to know how many people these women provided service to over the years. The Henrietta Helping Hand was still functioning in 1980, but I'm sure that it didn't last much longer.  During their 70th Anniversary, all the press coverage of their celebration showed a very elderly group, which by that time also included a few of the guys.

Here is a list of the names of members that I have been able to determine from the various anniversary programs.  When I review this list, I can only identify my Aunt Esther Marsden as the lone survivor of the group.


Abbie Clark
Ada Harkness
Addie Garfield
Agnes Hoover
Agnes Moeckel*
Agnes Randolph
Alice Morehouse
Alice Woodworth
Alta Moeckel*
Alta Smith*
Alta Stowe
Angie Leece
Anna Bartig
Anna Carley*
Anna Shuart
Annie Smith
Augusta Pixley
Belle Pixley
Beryle Collins
Bessie Adams
Bessie Barton
Betsey Morehouse*
Betty Grinnell*
Byrle Collins
Carrie Hoffman
Charlotte Carley*
Clara Ackerson
Clara Hanchon*
Cora Pollock
Dariel Harris
Dell Smith*
Della Suylandt
Doris Grow
Doris Roderick
Dorothy Dwyer*
Eda Carley*
Elizabeth (Harr) Walz
Ella Coin
Ella Dixon
Ella Spears
Elsie Drew
Emma Carley*
Emma Jane Adams
Emma Southwell
Esther Marsden*
Ethel Call
Etta Crane
Etta Sackett
Eunice Wetherbee
Eva Blakeman
Eva Clark
Evelyn Lantis
Evelyn Robertson
Fannie Leece
Flora Reeves
Flora Stanfield
Flora Walker
Florence Frinkle
Francis Peek
Geneva Hoffman*
Genie Pickett
Gertrude Freymuth
Hazel Katz
Helen Cook
Ida Adams
Ida Gibbons
Ila Hartley*
Ilene Crabtree*
Imogene Cavender
Inez Sweet
Ione Musbach
Irene Wetherbee
Iva Johnson*
Iva Musback
Jennie Ford*
Jennie Pickett
Jennie Porath
Jennie Sackett
Jessie Poxson
Josie Randolph
Joyce Wetzel*
Kate Bartig
Kate Dixon
Kathleen Abbey
Lena Hoyt*
Leo Baxter
Lizzie Mount
Lorraine Ewing
Louine Miller
Louise Hayford
Louise Rappeleye
Lucille Knott*
Lucille Winters
Lulu Smith*
Lydia Leece
Lydia Stanfield
Mabel Honerkamp
Mable Libey
Mae Cook
Margaret Hoffman
Margaret Reid
Marian Meyers
Mary Densmore
Mary Dorer
Mary Ewing
Mary Jane McIntee
Mary Kinch
Mary Lee
Mary Merklinger
Mattie Killam
Mayme Mayer
Mazella Armstron
Mildred Mayer
Minnie Adams
Minnie Van Horn
Miranda Southwell
Myrtle Spry*
Nellie Sackett
Nellie Walz*
Nettie Clark
Nettie Hoy
Notta Leece
Ora Kitley
Orpha Disler
Phoebe Fink
Phoebe Hayes
Phyllis Allshire
Phyllis Wetzel
Rena Pixley
Reta Davis
Rita Broesamle
Rita Davis
Ruth Call
Ruth Carley*
Tina Carley*
Ulah Libey
Vina Moeckel
Vine Gibbons
Winona Pickett
(*) indicates a family member of mine

Many hands that made so much difference in the lives of their community.....lets never forget the work these folks did as good neighbors in Munith.

It would be great to know if anyone in the Munith area might have the record books of this organization.  I would be delighted to know.....