Remembering A Real Daughter One Year Later - A Tribute To Miss Mattie Clyburn Rice

This blog post is dedicated to the everlasting
memory of Miss Mattie Clyburn Rice
(Sept. 15, 1922 - Sept. 1, 2014)
Real Daughter and proud member of the
North Carolina Division United Daughters
of the Confederacy (NC UDC).

It was one year ago on October 18, 2014 that the final wishes of Miss Mattie Clyburn Rice were honored by fellow descendants of Confederate Veterans. It was her final wish that she be cremated and her ashes buried with her father, Confederate Veteran Weary Clyburn. 

Her life was best remembered among those who honor our Confederate historical heritage by the great efforts she took her whole life to see that her father and men like him - Black Confederates, both slaves and freemen, who helped defend the Southland from invasion during the War Between The States - were given proper recognition. The culmination of that dream was realized in December of 2013 with the laying and dedication of a marker dedicated to Confederate Pensioners of Color. Her father was one of ten men listed on the marker. 

Confederate Veteran and
"Pensioner of Color" Weary Clyburn.

Confederate descendants representing both the North and South Carolina Divisions of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) Military Order of the Stars & Bars (MOSB), the Order of the Confederate Rose (OCR), the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), the Children of the Confederacy, and the SCV Mechanized Cavalry all gathered together with the family of Miss Mattie (as she was affectionately known to all) on that memorable day at the final resting place of both daughter and father in Hillcrest Cemetery in Monroe, North Carolina to fondly remember the life and legacy of this amazing Southern lady - this Real Daughter. 

The following photos and video are dedicated to that special day, where the fellow descendants of Confederate soldiers and veterans honored one of their own with a new marker dedicated to her memory at the grave shared by Miss Mattie and her father. I was unable to take any photos since I took an active part in the memorial service honor guard holding one of the Confederate banners. The photos pictured are courtesy of members of the Lt. F.C. Frazier Camp #668 Sons of Confederate Veterans (NC Division) who largely sponsored the event, the family of Miss Mattie Clyburn Rice, and Miss Judy Smith of Virginia.  

In these photos, you will see the true legacy of our shared Southern-Confederate heritage and how it is honored by those Confederate descendants who choose to continue to show respect for it and all the people involved in that heritage - our ancestors and those living today. 

Ronald Lee Perdue, Commander,
Lt. F.C. Frazier Camp 668,
Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Chairman of the Mattie Clyburn Rice
Memorial Dedication Committee.

Presentation of the Colors by members of
the 16th South Carolina Color Guard of Honor.

Presentation of colors and arms by the
Confederate Memorial Color Guard.

The Family of Miss Mattie Clyburn Rice.

Invocation by Reverend Mark Evans,
Past Chaplain-in-Chief
SCV International HQ.

Proclamation declaring Mattie Clyburn Rice Day
by the City of Monroe, NC presented
by the Mayor Bobby Kilgore.

Proclamation declaring Mattie Clyburn Rice Day
in the City of High Point by Mayor James C. Davis
presented by Lynn Salsi of OCR
Laura Wesson Chapter 5 of High Point, NC.

Resolution from the North Carolina Society
of the Order of the Confederate Rose
presented by Shellie Rudisill of
Southern Hoke Rose Chapter 35.

Resolution from the North Carolina Division
of the Sons of Confederate Veterans presented by
Division Lt. Commander R. Kevin Stone.

Resolution from the Sons of Confederate Veterans
presented by Past SCV Chief of Heritage Operations
and former US Congressman from Georgia
Mr. Ben "Cooter" Jones with a special address
in memory of Mattie Clyburn Rice.

The Wreath of Remembrance for bother Miss Mattie Rice Clyburn and her father, Confederate Veteran Weary Clyburn.
The Presentation of the Wreath ceremony was then done by  Miss Teresa Roane, member of the Richmond-Stonewall Jackson
UDC Chapter 1705 and the Captain Sally I. Tompkins OCR Chapter 2 of Richmond, VA - a friend of Mattie Clyburn Rice;
and Mr. Countee Hall, son of Miss Mattie, member Lt. F.C. Frazier Camp #668 SCV of High Point, NC
and Real Grandson of Weary Clyburn.

Special greetings from the Union County Board
of Commissioners Vice Chairman, Mr. Jerry B. Simpson. 

Special greetings from Laura Stallard,
President NC Society Order
of the Confederate Rose.

Special greetings from Lisa Graham,
President South Carolina Society Order
of the Confederate Rose. 

Special greetings from Liz Groszer,
President Maryland Society Order
of the Confederate Rose.

Special greetings from Teresa Wells,
President Virginia Society Order
of the Confederate Rose.

Special greetings from Yvonne Brown,
Founder National Black Rose Society, OCR.

Special greetings from Miss Chandler Tucker II,
Vice President SC Division
Children of the Confederacy.

Special greetings from the United Daughters of the
Confederacy General Headquarters presented by
Archivist Teresa Roane on the behalf of the
President General.

Special greetings from Lois Marlow,
Past President NC Division,
United Daughter of the Confederacy.

 Special greetings from Ann Shugart,
President SC Division United Daughters
of the Confederacy.

Special greetings from Joanne Sharpe,
President Guilford Chapter 301 of the UDC.  

 

Special greetings from Rodney Williams,
Past Commander NC Society
Military Order of Stars & Bars.

Special greetings from Army of Northern Virginia
(ANV) Executive Councilor Byron Brady,
International HQ MOSB. 

Special greetings from Danny Bolick,
Commander of the NC Division
Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Special greetings from Jamie Graham,
Chief of Staff SC Division Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Special greetings from Mr. Ronnie S. Roach,
ANV Executive Councilman, International HQ
Sons of Confederate Veterans.

"Amazing Grace" sung by Mr. Terry Grissop,
Past Commander 16th South Carolina Infantry
Camp #36 SCV of Greenville, SC. 

Members of the 16th SC Color Guard Major Rossie Meadows
and Drummer Boy Jackson Tucker unveil the new memorial
marker for the family of Mattie Clyburn Rice.

A special gift to the Family of Mattie Clyburn Rice in honor of Miss Mattie
made of Georgia Granite (Miss Mattie loved the largest
Confederate Memorial on Stone Mountain, GA) with bronze
markers representing her fellow descendants of Confederate Veterans:
Order of Confederate Rose, Sons of Confederate Veterans, United Daughters 
of the Confederacy and the Military Order of the Stars & Bars.

The Laying of Roses at the new marker for
Miss Mattie Clyburn Rice.

Laying of the Wreaths by the Little Rosebuds,
NC Society, Order of the Confederate Rose.

Laying of the Wreaths by the NC Society Order of
Confederate Rose by Renee V. Honeycutt,
OCR Laura Wesson Chapter 5 and escort Damon Webb,
Lt. F.C. Frazier Camp #668 High Point, NC.

Laying of the Wreaths in Memory of
UDC Life Member Mattie Clyburn Rice
by Janice Horne, President of the
OCR Laura Wesson Chapter 5 of High Point, NC
escorted by Todd Southard,
Lt. F.C. Frazier Camp #668 High Point, NC.

Laying of the Wreaths by the
Mary Ann Montgomery Forrest Chapter 53
of Sanford, NC by Angela Baker
escorted by Layne Baker.

Laying of the Wreaths by the SC Society,
Order of the Confederate Rose President Lisa Graham
escorted by SCSCV Division Chief of Staff Jamie Graham.

Laying of the Wreaths by the Virginia Society,
Order of Confederate Rose by Susan F. Hathaway
escorted by Mr. Willie Wells.

Laying of the Wreaths by the OCR Society
of the Black Rose by Founder Yvonne Brown.

Laying of the Wreaths by the
Southern Soldier Remembrance Foundation
by Kelly A. Hinson and Shiloh Hinson.

Laying of the Real Daughter Wreath from
the United Daughters of the Confederacy
by Teresa Roane, Archivist, General Headquarters
escorted by Miss Mattie Clyburn Rice's son,
SCV member and Real Grandson Countee Hall.

Laying of the Wreaths by the UDC Ellison Capers
Chapter from Florence, SC.

Laying of the Wreath by the
The Virginia Flaggers of Richmond, VA
by Mr. Patrick Seay.

Firing of a military musket salute to Confederate Veteran
Weary Clyburn and Real Daughter Miss Mattie Clyburn Rice
by the Confederate Memorial Honor Guard,
Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Military Cannon Salute in honor of Confederate
Veteran Weary Clyburn and Real Daughter
Miss Mattie Clyburn Rice by the Orange Light Artillery,
40th NC Troops, CSA "Patterson's Battery" 
Garnett-Pettigrew Chapter 67 MOSB.

A special solo version of "Dixie" was sung by
Terry Grissop, Past Commander 16th South Carolina Infantry
Camp #86 SCV of Greenville, SC.

"The Rose Beyond The Wall"
presented by Krystal Stone
with support by MacKenzie Welch.

The Laying of the Black Roses by
the Black Rose Society, OCR.

A special message to the family and descendants
of Confederate Veteran Weary Clyburn from
Mary Lane Dudley Purtill, Great Granddaughter
of Thomas Franklin Clyburn, fellow
Confederate Veteran and Weary's former slave master.
Her unexpected appearance at the service was a highlight
with her special message to the family, including one story of how
she was always told as a child growing up:
"If it wasn't for Weary Clyburn saving Frank Clyburn,
you would have never been born."
She was well received by all, including the family.

In memory of Read Daughter Miss Mattie
Clyburn Rice from Mr. R. Michael Givens,
Past Commander-in-Chief,
SCV International HQ. 

Benediction from Rev. Dr. Herman White,
Chaplain of the Lt. F.C. Frazier Camp #668, SCV.

Retiring of the Colors by the 16th South Carolina
Color Guard of Honor of Greenville, SC.

Inspirational music performed during the memorial service
on the fiddle by Mr. Gordon Myers, Gray Eagles Camp #1765 SCV
of Yadkinville, NC in tribute to the memory of the father of
Mattie Clyburn Rice Confederate Veteran Weary Clyburn,
Co. E, 12th South Carolina Infantry CSA.

Group photo of the family of Mattie Clyburn Rice with some
of the fellow descendants of Confederate Veterans still
present following the memorial service.

The following is a video of that service. The words spoken by the guest speakers about Miss Mattie and about her Confederate Veteran father say more than this blogger could put together. I was there and I agree with everything said. The family of Miss Mattie told me they were truly moved that all these people their mother, grandmother, and great grandmother touched came together to show their family such love. Nobody who was there that day will ever forget the love and respect shown to this Real Daughter and her father - a Confederate Veteran - and the living descendants and family of these two wonderful Southern people.

RIP Miss Mattie Clyburn Rice. Thank you for your dedication to truth and for honoring your father's memory and your Confederate ancestry. You will never be forgotten as long as memory lives on and our shared Confederate historical heritage endures. 

Deo Vindice!