reminded her, however, that there were doubtless many bearing the surname
Cody who were not of the same genealogical family, and that little would be
gained if guided only by this surname. He accordingly suggested that the
idea be worked out by first enlisting the interest of those Codys whom they
knew to be their Cody kinsfolk and to have these form a nucleus through
which further genealogical relationship could be traced, and thus gradually
the membership could be extended. To carry out this suggestion, letters were
sent by Luther to those Codys whom he knew to be related to him. The
response was on the whole favorable, and a number replied with a contribution
toward the initial expense of such an undertaking. Among those thus
helpful were Mrs. Lindus Cody (1843-1928) and two of her sons, Henry B.
Cody and Arthur Philip Cody (all of Cleveland, Ohio, at that time); two
brothers of Luther, Sherwin and Richard (of Boston); Arthur B. Cody (1860-1928)
and his son Hiram (then of Chicago). Later a very helpful service
toward furthering the Association was rendered by Francis A. Cody (Vernon,
N.Y.) and by Harry Arthur Cody, of Ripon, Wisconsin. Luther then proposed
that at some convenient place a meeting be held of those who had
shown interest. Since the Chicago Cody families had been especially helpful
in furthering the work of James L. Chapman (whose efforts in behalf of a
Cody genealogy have been elsewhere presented) it was suggested that Chicago
be chosen for the place of this meeting, and accordingly there (at the
Drake Hotel) October 27th., 1925, there gathered some twenty members of
our Cody family. At this meeting a permanent organization was proposed
and a constitution and by-laws were drawn up and approved. The following
officers for the ensuing year were appointed: President, Arthur B. Cody (1860-1928),
of Chicago; for Vice-President, Harry B. Cody, of Cleveland; Secretary
and Treasurer, Luther M. Cody, then of Boston. A historical board was
proposed of which Luther M. Cody should serve as Chairman. Also, well
considered was a project presented by Mrs. Mary Jester Allen (whose mother
was Helen Cody Jester Wetmore, sister of Colonel William F. Cody) to be
known as “The Buffalo Bill Memorial Museum,” and on this a board proposed
of which Mrs. Allen should be Chairman.
The early work of organization among the Canadian branches of our
family was ably undertaken by the late Arthur J. Cody, of London, Ontario,
(5th. gen. branch of Harrison Cody) and Dr. William Macpherson Cody, of
Hamilton, Ontario, (5th. gen. branch of Stephen Cody). Among the many
who have generously contributed in a financial way since our organization
are the late Eugene Cody Stacy (5th. gen. branch of Alice Cody
Markle), Harvey Purdy Cody, of Hanford, California (5th. gen. branch of
Milo Kemp Cody), and the Rev. Canon Henry John Cody, of Toronto, Ontario
(5th. gen. branch of John Cody, 1821).
Since organization a yearly meeting of this Cody Family Association has
been held at places chosen from year to year. While the number attending
these gatherings has varied, yet on the whole the attendance has gradually
increased, amounting in recent years to some hundred or more. This
increasing attendance speaks not only for our increasing membership in the
Association, but also for the happy occasion which the meeting together of
these genealogically related Codys has proved to be from the first. It
might prove interesting to our readers to quote below the places of meeting
and attendance of the yearly gatherings:
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