Chasing Our Tales -- DAR

Chasing Our Tales, Independence Day and the DAR

Independence Day is close by, so I'd like to talk about something that is dear to my heart and dear to concept of genealogy in the UnitedStates--the DAR, the Daughters of the American Revolution.

I am regent of our Mineral Wells Chapter, and I am very proudto be a part of this great organization which emphasizes as its theme: God, County, Family. Our local chapter is the Ralph Ripley Chapter. Organized on June 19, 1921, it was named for Ralph Ripley, Patriot from Connecticut, ancestor of Mrs. Frances Young Mullman, Organizing Regentand Honorary Life Regent. The chapter is online at https://sites.rootsweb.com/~txrrcdar/.

Patriot Ancestors of our current membership include: James Acton, Pvt, VA; Henry Banta Sr., Patriot PA; Benjamin Barton, Pvt, SC; John (Byrd) Bird, Sr., Sol, GA; Jacob Blessing, VA; Hugh Bodkin, VA; John Brown, Pvt, SC; John Bruce, Cpl/Sgt, Patriot, VA; William Clark, NC; John Compton, Patriotic Service, VA; Sarah Dishman, Patriotic Service, VA; William Dishman, Sr., VA; Lafford French, SC; Nathaniel French, MA; John Green, Col, VA; William Hamner, Patriot, Ensign, VA; Isaac Hinkle; Michal Hoffecker, VA; Jared Hotchkiss, Pvt, CT; William Sims Kelly, SC; Jesse Knight, Pvt, NC; Thomas Lee, Capt, NC; John Lesser, Capt, PA; Charles McAnally, Capt, NC; James Mitchell, Lt, VA; Bryan Ward Nowlin, Pvt, Patriot, VA; John Porter, Pvt./Sgt, VA; Bazil Prather, Pvt, SC; Matthew Russell, Pvt, VA; Josiah Sharp, VA;Walter Slaughter, Pvt, NC; Thomas Stribling, SC; Andrew Swallows, Pvt, wagoner, PA, VA, NC; Christopher Taylor, Capt, NC; Joshua Teague, Patriot, NC; Obediah Trimmier, VA; John Walker, Civil Servant/Patriot, NC; John Walker, Lt. Col, NC; James Withers, Lt, VA; Solomon Yeager, Pvt, VA.

There are other chapters close by for those of you who are interested: Lee's Legion in Albany, Mary Garland in Brownwood, Silas Morton in Graham, Teha Lanna in Stephenville, Weatherford in Weatherford, and Major Frances Grice in Wichita Falls.

The National Society of the DAR was organized on October 11, 1890, with the objectives of history, education, and patriotism. It was incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia on June 4, 1891, and in 1896, it was incorporated by an Act of the United States Congress. President Grover Cleveland signed the charter. Under this Act of Incorporation, the Society reports annually to the United States Congress through the Smithsonian Institution.

About 786, 000 women have joined the DAR since it was founded. There are chapters in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Australia, France, Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

Its national headquarters is located at 776 D Street NW, Washington, DC 20006-5392.

The DAR Library is one of the most extensive genealogical libraries in existence, housing some 150,000 books. In addition it contains some 300,00 files as its major resource. The Library's catalog is on-line at http://dar.library.net .

The DAR's Seimes Microfilm Center serves as the depository for NSDAR applications and supplementals as well as other microfilm owned by the DAR. Federal Census, 1800 to 1900 and state, county, church, and cemetery records total over 35,000 reels of film. These facilities are available to the public.

URL for the National Society, DAR, is http://www.dar.org.

The first DAR Chapter in Texas was the George Washington Chapter in Galveston, organized on June 17, 1895, and by 1904 there 11 chapters and 358 members. It has grown to 193 chapters around the state.

The internet address for the Texas DAR website is http://tsdar.org/.

Fairly locally we have one DAR library which is really a treasure trove of genealogical information. It is located at Fair Park in Dallas. The Jane Douglas Chapter was the second organized Texas chapter, and its museum and library are house in Continental DAR House. Their catalogue will soon be available on the internet. The online url is http://members.nbci.com/JaneDouglas/index.html.

Through the National Society, the State Society, and local chapters, such as Ralph Ripley, many college students are given scholarships to attend school. The national scholarships emphasize education and medical training, but many scholarships are offered in other fields through various colleges and universities.

Locally the Ralph Ripley Chapter gives one $500 scholarship each year to a deserving young woman at MIneral Wells High School who has both high academic and moral standards. This girl is chosen by teachers and classmates and application can not be made for this scholarship. This year's recipient was Amy Hartnagle.

Ralph Ripley Chapter officers include Donneita Lampley, vice-regent; Shirley Marcotte, chaplain; Louise Dillard, secretary; Mattie Buchanan, treasurer; Effie Birdwell, registrar; Willie Mae Hubbard, historian; and Lurlein Spangler, curator.

If you are interested in discovering if you are eligible for membership in the DAR, you can contact us online at the various urls given above, or call me at 940/328-1028, and I will endeavor to put you in contact with the appropriate person.

Here are some things you will need to have in order to join DAR. First of all, you will need an ancestor who was patriotic to the American cause during the Revolutionary War. Then you will need to prove he or she is your ancestor.

Let me say here that the ancestor has to have been a blood ancestor. If you have been adopted, you cannot go into DAR through you adoptive parents. You must have proof of blood relationship.

The proof is the hard thing. You should have as much primary information as you possibly can. This includes birth, marriage, and death certificates; wills; obituaries; and other legal documents.

I suggest you start with yourself and work backward. Get copies of your birth certificate and your marriage license (if applicable), and if you have been divorced, a copy of that certificate should be obtained, as well.

Next, go back a generation, a obtain copies of the birth, marriage, and death certificates of your parents.

Go back as many generations as you can using this method. It is amazing how far back some of these certificates go. I got a copy of the marriage license of my great-grandparents who were married in Greene County, Missouri, in 1830! This took less than a week and cost under $10!

Vital records information (where to call or write) can be obtained online at http://vitalrec.com/.

While many times you can gain membership through a family member who is already a member, DAR does not accept word of mouth, and in many cases this includes books written by family members and Bible records....go back to how the family member proved his information for the book.

The registrar of your local DAR chapter, in our case Effie Birdwell, will be a wonderful source of help. It is her job to work with you as you fill out your application for membership.

I certainly hope I have helped generate some new DAR members! Please call or write if you have any questions!

Now, on to our newest queries:

"I am looking for any information concerning the Ogle family in Palo Pinto County in the late 1800's and early 1900's. I understand that one of the family was a sheriff or possibly a federal marshall killed in the line of duty. Specifically I would like any information about Harry Ogle born in 1903 or any of his family. I believe he was the 13th child in the family. I also believe their family farm was covered by Possum Kingdom Lake. Please email any responses to <[email protected]>."

Next: "Can anyone help me with a McLean/McLain/McClain family living in Palo Pinto Co. in the 1860's, 1870's and 1880's. One of the men was either Jason or Jesse McLean. He was in the Battle of Little Salt Creek in 1869 in Young Co. I am especially interested in a woman whose name I believe was Alma Vance/Vanse McLean who married Joseph Getzwelder/Getzweller in Palo Pinto in October of 1870. She may have been a niece of Ira Graves who was also in the Battle of Little Salt Creek. In 1880 she was living in the Graves household in Palo Pinto with her ten year old son, Joseph Getzweller. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has information on this family. Thanks. Please respond to<[email protected]>."

Finally: "I am searching for info on gg-grandparents, Clem Wilson & Caroline Sikes(Sykes).one son,William Edward born Palo Pinto 1866--other children are Dan, Charlie, Henry, Lon, Claude, Nat, Maudie, Mattie, Sallie, and Fannie. Anything helpful--have hit brick wall! Please respond to <[email protected]>. Thanks."

Thanks for joining us as we chased the tales which might lead to a DAR membership. And, if you have information for any of the folks who have sent in queries, please respond to them or me, and I will get it to them. Sue Seibert, P. O. Box 61, Mineral Wells TX 76068-0061; <[email protected]>.

Hope you all will join us next time!