An independent United States would not have been possible if it wasn’t for the colonists who had the courage to stand up for what they considered natural rights. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) are descendants of the people who fought for independence from the British empire, and who seek to honor their legacy through education and support for their communities.
Active DAR members in the Leelanau Peninsula are most likely to be involved through the chapter in Traverse City. The chapter’s regent, Kathy Wilson, said that this chapter serves the northern Lower Peninsula, including Grand Traverse, Benzie, Antrim, Kalkaska, Charlevoix, Emmet, and Leelanau counties.
Wilson said that the Traverse City chapter of the DAR was founded in 1914 by Elida Winslow Lind and 16 other DAR charter members. Lind’s father was Job Winslow, a soldier in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, and the local chapter bears his name.
“Our organization has been around for 110 years, and our meeting in July will mark the anniversary,” Wilson said. “Our motto is ‘God, home, and country,’ and the DAR centers around patriotic endeavors, promotion of education, and historic preservation.”
When asked how the organization works towards these principles, Wilson said that the DAR provides scholarships to students, awards grants to both public and private schools such as the Greenspire School in Traverse City, and hosts commemorative and educational events. She emphasized that the organization does not have a political slant.
Wilson said that the DAR offers lots of opportunities for its members to engage with its community. For example, Wilson said that she plans to learn how to restore old tombstones in graveyards in a workshop with members from other chapters. However, since they have members of all ages and physical capabilities, community service is not mandatory, and for some, it’s just a social club.
According to the DAR website, Job Winslow was born in 1754 in Massachusetts and served as a corporal under Colonel Henry Jackson, and later as a 2nd lieutenant under Colonel Isaac Dean, during the American Revolution. Wilson said that the Traverse City chapter’s namesake passed away in 1839 in New York.
To join the DAR, volunteers must be a “woman 18 years or older who can prove lineal, bloodline descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence,” the organization’s website says.
Although the DAR’s Traverse City chapter is named after a soldier, Wilson said that they also accept descendants of people who participated in the confl ict indirectly. The DAR website provides a list of “accepted revolutionary war service,” including civil service for the revolutionary government and “patriotic service,” such as furnishing supplies for the army.
Wilson said this is high barrier for entry, as new members “have to provide a link through every generation, with no gaps, to their ancestor who was alive during the American Revolution.” But to help women who are interested in joining the organization, the DAR chapter is planning a workshop in August where genealogical experts will help them research their ancestors.
At the time of writing, the date and time of the local DAR’s next genealogy workshop has not been announced. (NOTE FOR AMY: Wilson says the date and time will be announced in a press release Wednesday afternoon.) Wilson says that anyone who wants to attend should send her an email at [email protected] with the phrase “DAR” in the subject line.
