In the summer of 1910, a number of women of Dayton township met at the home of Mary Strait to discuss the possibility of an organization of some kind whereby they might become better acquainted with their neighbors and create an interest in homemaking. On September 15th the first meeting of the Dayton Homemakers was held at the home of Nellie Beach, with twenty-three charter members, eleven of whom were still members seventeen years later.

The charter members, arranged from oldest to youngest, according to their ages in 1910:

Frances Beach, 71 – Frances Brower married A. E. Beach September 23, 1862. She is the mother of Flora Eells

Matilda Strait, 62 – Matilda Ruger married Emra H. Strait March 17, 1867. She is the mother of Mary Strait.

Lena Krug, 57 – Magdalena Berthel was born in Germany December 24, 1852 and came to America in 1873. She married Joseph Krug December 15 of that year. She is the mother of Lena and Mena Krug and Anna Kain.

Eunice Hunt, 57 – wife of George W. Hunt (This is the only Mrs Hunt in Dayton township in 1910.)

Elizabeth Clark, 48 – Elizabeth Rawlings, daughter of William and Ann (Rowe) Rawlings, married Willis Clark January 7, 1886

Jennie Barnes, 47 – unmarried, daughter of Joseph and Hanora (Hogan) Barends (name Americanized to Barnes)

Hattie Mathieson, 46 – Hattie Julia Thompson, daughter of Barto and Torbor (Bakke) Thompson, married Fred W. Mathieson March 5, 1890. She is the sister of Sarah Chally.

Sarah Chally, 43 – Sarah Thompson, daughter of Barto and Torbor (Bakke) Thompson, married Louis Chally October 11, 1899. She is the sister of Hattie Mathieson.

Nellie Beach, 41 – Nellie Jacobs, daughter of Peter W. and Nancy (Conard) Jacobs, married Frank S. Beach September 21, 1892. She is the daughter-in-law of Frances Beach and the sister-in-law of Flora Eells.

Flora Eells, 39 – Flora Beach, daughter of A. E. and Frances (Brower) Beach, married Charles S. Eells March 1, 1905

Emma McClary, 37 – Emma Barnes married Edward C. McClary July 5, 1899

Kate Barrett, 37 – Kate Woodlock married Edward Barrett June 17, 1897

Mary Strait, 37 – unmarried, daughter of Emra and Matilda Strait

Bertha Tufte, 34 – Bertha Andersen, daughter of Anders and Britta (Hansen) Andersen, was born in Norway about 1876. She came to America in 1893 and married Oliver Tufte May 30, 1895.

Anna Kain, 33 – Anna Krug, daughter of Joseph and Lena (Berthel) Krug, married Silas Kain April 8, 1908.

Mary Boe, 30 – unmarried, worked for Nellie Beach

Myrtle Bounds, 28 – married Arthur Bounds about 1904

Edna Belrose, 27 – Edna May Shute married Louis Belrose May 25, 1905

Mildred Funk, 27 – Mildred McEvoy, daughter of J. D. and Libbie (Watson) McEvoy, married Frank Funk September 29, 1909.

Lena Krug, 25 – unmarried, daughter of Joseph and Lena (Berthel) Krug

Maude Farrell, 25 wife of Roy W. Farrell (This is the only Mrs. Farrell in Dayton township in 1910.)

Florence Baker, 20 unmarried, daughter of Hiram E. Baker

Mena Krug, 14 unmarried, daughter of Joseph and Lena (Berthel) Krug