DAR - Off to a good start

Big smile.  Big wave.  Big “Hey!”  That’s how Pam greeted Mary Jollette and me at our preliminary meeting with the DAR.  I knew from the git-go Fort Nelson would be the right chapter for us.

First of all, Pam took us on a tour of the clubhouse and explained some of the history of the chapter and character of the current members. 

• Fort Nelson is one of the oldest chapters in the DAR.
• The house was a GIFT from the husband of one of the charter members who served as  Regent for over 20 years.  He was tired of the women meeting in his living room, so he built them a house.  Hmm, somebody had some money!
• The sofa is from the Revolutionary War period.

from Google Images
This sofa is SIMILAR to the one in the clubhouse,
but the unadorned arms are square, not curvy.
It is upholstered in blue velvet.

    

• Many of the furnishings are antique, some given as gifts to the Chapter.
• In the corner cabinet is an OLD blue and white platter featuring three sparrows.  It was thought to have been used to serve George Washington when he was surveying the Dismal Swamp, but research proved the platter was created after that time.  Nevertheless, it is of the period.
• They are trying to get rid of some old mule-ear ladderback chairs by selling them for a donation of $100.  

from Google Images
Fort Nelson's chairs are
in better shape.

• 
  
• Interesting artifacts include old maps and cannonballs retrieved from Fort Nelson which had been built to protect the harbor in colonial times.
• The house enjoyed a makeover recently.  The walls are a lovely yellow.  The kitchen cabinets are painted white.  The walls of the bathroom are papered in a yellow and blue toile with bead board salvaged from the ceiling of an old building in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Dusty dry-rotting valances have been replaced with Plantation Shutters.  New oriental rugs were purchased from a catalog online.  Nice, southern colonial vibe.
• The members get along well, unlike some chapters with snooty, snippy, catty in-fighting.  Glad to hear that!

We sat down at the dining room table to go over our lineage.  Pam was impressed with our organization.  (Aw shucks ~ thanks, Pam!) She projects based on what we know and have verified so far that we could be approved and IN by the December meeting.  OMG – that’s pretty fast.  Pam LOVES the footwork.  She gave us the form to start filling out so that SHE can get started.  SHE will actually help us fill in what we don’t know for sure.  Pam has helped find “supplements” for members of the chapter.  Supplements are one’s “other” patriots.  We will join as descendants of Leonard Davis, but there are more patriots in our family too.  As Pam said, “If Sarah’s husband’s father was a patriot, it’s likely her father was too.” 

According to Pam, the DAR is most strict about the first 3 generations: you, your parents, your grandparents.  Piece of cake!  I have all the proof there for sure.  Beyond them, I have quite a bit, but the least definite information for the 5^th through 7^th generations.  However, Pam reassures me that the clues are good ones and shouldn’t be difficult to verify.

Next time we’ll be given an interest survey.  Pam said we can serve on any number of committees or do nothing at all.  We can even be our own committee if we want to. 

So I’ve been making copies of birth certificates, death records, photos of tombstones, and census records and filling in the lineage worksheet.  

Not only has my handwriting gone to H-E-Double hockey sticks, but also I’ve put dates where places should be and one person’s information in another person’s slots.  I need white out!

I’ve decided MY committee will be to put the worksheet in PDF format fillable online. 

©2014, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.