The Ripley Chapter, founded on 17 October 1912, took took its name from the town of Ripley, Ohio. Col. James Poage was the founder of Ripley, Ohio and was a Revolutionary Soldier. Lieutenant Byrd was selected as the name for the chapter founded on 23 January 1915, honoring Lt. William Byrd's father Charles Willing Byrd for whom Byrd Township was named. It was a part of Adams County when Charles Willing Byrd lived there; Decatur being the oldest town in Brown County, having been laid out in 1803.