Daughters of the American Revolution

The female patriotic organization was founded in 1890. Members are descendants of a Revolutionary War solider or an individual who contributed to the cause such as a civil officer or for providing material aid. The DAR is the largest lineage patriotic organization in the United States. According to prior statistics, there are approximately 194,000 members in 2,938 chapters.¹ The society maintains a large edifice at 1776 D Street NW, Washington, DC. This building contains an auditorium, a museum of decorative arts, twenty-eight period rooms reflecting interiors prior to 1830, and a large genealogical library that is open to the public. The major objectives of the society are: “to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence, by the acquisition and protection of historical spots, and the erection of monuments; the encouragement of historical research in relation to the American Revolution and publication of its results; by the preservation of documents and relics, and of the records of the individual services of Revolutionary Soldiers and Patriots; and by the promotion of celebration of all patriotic anniversaries”.²  The organization also supports six schools for underprivileged children in the Appalachia regions of the South and on the native Indian reservations in the West.³

Cumberland County formed a local chapter on May 16, 1895. Twelve women were responsible for the formation: Sarah R. Watts Rose, Helen Ansley Beatty, Jennie Stuart Smead, Katherine Stevenson Keller, Jane R. Miller, Elizabeth Cummings Smead, Jane Van Ness Hays, Sara C. Watts Johnston, Rebecca Henderson, Mary Kremer, Julia Watts Comstock and Amelia Givin Beall.⁴

The chapter’s president is known as regent and serves a three year term. Two particular regents had a significant impact with respect to the Cumberland County Historical Society: Mary Wheeler King (tenure 1948-51) owner and benefactor of the Two Mile House and Lenore Embick Flower (tenure 1927-30) noted local genealogist. Many regents developed a research project that would be accomplished during their tenure. Mrs. Flower’s project was to have four large boulders extracted from the North Mountain and placed in four cemeteries. Each bolder contained a bronze marker listing the names of Revolutionary War soldiers buried at that particular site. The monuments were placed in: Carlisle’s Old Cemetery, Big Spring’s Presbyterian Churchyard, the Old Shippensburg Cemetery and Silver Spring Presbyterian Cemetery. The Pennsylvania Highway Department hauled the boulders, and the markers were cast at the Carlisle Foundry (Carlisle Frog & Switch).⁵

In the current century, the DAR awards Our Good Citizenship to local high school students recognizing their out-standing achievements toward the public good.