Mrs. G. A. Pfaeffle, president of the Greenville Chapter United Daughters of Confederacy is in receipt of a historic gavel from a friend in Washington, D. C.

The gavel is made from one of the old beams taken from the White House, which was reconstructed in 1929.

Historic data, which accompanied the gift, states that the British fired the White House in 1813.  In 1814, the White House was restored and repaired and many of the charred hand hewn beams were found to be sound and used in the reconstruction.

In 1927, the director of Public Buildings and Grounds, General . U. S. Grant III, declared the roof was not safe and it was replaced with iron beams.

This gavel was made from the beams, which were removed and is of Virginia pine taken from across the Potomac in the Virginia hills.

The gavel was used for the first time on Wednesday at a meeting of the United Daughters of Confederacy.