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.....