Omaha daily bee., 1897-06-13
HAD REVOLUTIONARY SlRES
Omaha Women Who Trace Their Lineage
from Old Colonial Heroes,
DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE TO SUSTAIN IT
Members of the local Chapter of the
Daughters of the Revolution
Proud of!Thcir Pntri-
otic Ancestry,

| OF the numerous patriotic societies for
women which have come into existence dur
| ing the past few years, the aims and objects
| of the Society of the Daughters of the Ameri-
| can Revolution appeal ulost forcibly to the
mind and heart of patriotic women. One
| reason Is that women have ever been the
| preservers of family history aud the Jealous
| guardians of letters, documents and relics.
| which time alone has rendered valuable, and
on this account this society has exceeded
| all similar organizations.
The national society has 10000 women en-
| rolled as members, and nowhere has the es-
| tablishment Of local chapters met with more
| cordial welcome and support than in the
western states.
The feeling among western women is well
| illustrated by a remark recently made by
] a bright woman, Who is descended from dis
| tingushed colonial ancestry: Yes, one of
| my ancestors was the second colonial gov
| erncr of the state" she answered in reply
| to an inquiry, but am more interested in
| the fact that another ancestor served in the
| revolutionary war and was killed at the
storming of Stony Point
Revolutionary ancestry can usually be
traced back to colonial days, but colonial
ancestors cannot always be proved to have
fought for liberty, for there were tories
among them and there we're some families
who left the country until peace was de-
clared.
The Omaha chapter of. the Daughters of
the American Revolution was organized by
the following members Of the national so
ciety: Mrs. A. p. Wood, Mrs. Lyman E.
Ware Mrs. Robert b. Wlderman, Mrs. John
NJ. Thurston, Mrs. A p. Turkey, Mrs. l.. S.
skinner, Mrs. Charles Pickens, Mrs. Henry
S. Jaynes, Mrs. Ernest L. Alexander, Miss
Elenore butcher, Misses Annie, Mary and
Isabelle Doyle.
LOCAL SOCIETY FLOURISHING.
The preliminary steps toward the organiza-
tion of the chapter were taken last July and
results have proved that the undertaking
was timely, for the interest aroused has
been widespreadi and the chapter, less than
a year old, is in flourishing condition
Many new names will be enrolled in the
autumn, when the chapter meets to take
up the study Of colonial and revolutionary
history, and arrangements will be made for
holding an exhibit of revolutionary relics,
which will take the form of loan collec-
tion. During the past year meetings have
usually been held in the parlors of the Young
Mems Christian association, or the Woman's
exchange much time being necessarily de-
voted to the business affairs of the chapter;
but in future it is expected that the re-
Gently elected advisory board will attend to
the routine business at special sessions thus
enabling the members to devote the regu-
lar meetings to study and entertainment.
The present officers OF the Omaha chap
ter are: Regent, MRS. H. S. Jaynes; vice
regent, Mrs. A. p. Turkey; secretary Miss
Ellenore butcher. treasurer, Mrs. Lyman E.
Ware; registrar, Mrs. L. S. Skinner his
torian, Mrs e. "a. Crane. It.a'
The members Of the Omaha chapter in
almost every instance, trace their descent
beyond the time of the revolution to early
colonial days, a number being lineal descend
ants from Mayflower pilgrims.
Mrs. A. p. Turkey is a lineal descendant
Of Colonel John Allan, who took an active
part in the revolution as superintendent of
Indian affairs and as commander at the post
at Machais Me- He is on record as having
dined with General Washington on Sunday
December %, 1776. During the absence of
Colonel Allan his home was burned to the
ground by the British and his wife and chill
dren fed to the woods, where they were
found later by relatives in a starving condi-
ton. Later Mrs. Allan was taken prisoner
by the enemy and taken to Halifax, where
she was imprisoned for many months.
Mrs. Arthur =. Wood traces her descent
from Thomas McNair, a soldier who served
with the Pennsylvania troops under Captain
William Brown, and took part in the battles
Of Princeton and Trenton. He found last
resting place in the old Derry burying ground
near Harrisburg, Pa On the paternal side
Mrs. Wood is descended from William Will
son, who served in the revolution as lieu
tenant and quartermaster under Colonel John
Moore, and again under Colonel George
Smith Lieutenant Wilson had the distinction
of being the first man to volunteer to pursue
the British, who were driving off the settlers
cattle The old records show that he, with
other patriots, overlook the enemy at Flat
Rock and succeeded in securing the stolen
cattle after a severe struggle. Also, that
Wilson lost all his property in raids that
followed, his home and mill being burned
to the ground, for which he was never REIN
bursed. His wife, Sarah, the daughter of
lean nnslA ,,I,n A
was one of number of women who gathered
at mill and ran bullets all one Sunday for
the soldiers when an attack was expected
from the British. Bullet making is a
serious occupation at any time. but for q
strong Presbyterian woman to 80 devote the
Sabbath day means that the times were try
ing and the need of ammunition pressing.
WORE TURKEY FEATHERS.
Mrs. l.. S. Skinner and Mrs Ed A. Crane
are descendants of Mary Brewster, the great
granddaughter OF Elder Brewster of the May
flower. Also of Colonel Thomas Fitch, who
commanded the colonial regiment at Fort
Crails in 1855, that reported for service with
out uniforms, wearing the clothes they had
on when they left their work, with turkey
feathers stuck in their hats 1t was this
turkey featherw wearing regiment about whom
the now famous lines were written, be-
ginning:
Yankee Doodle came to town,
Riding on pony;
Stuck a feather in his hat,
And called it ''macaroni."
Mrs John NJ. Thurston, a charter member
OF the Omaha chapter and a vice president
OF the national society, is descended from
New England families, who took active
part in the revolutionary war.
Mrs. T. A. Creigh traces her descent from
colonial ancestry, among whom are several
families whose members served in the
revolution.
Mrs. Lyman p. Ware Is descended from
Benjamin Reed IwhD served with the
Massachusetts troops as private and corporal.
Mrs. Pickens, Mrs. Wderman and the
Misses Doyle arel descendants of Joseph
Young who served first lieutenant on the
frontier of Pennsylvania and as lieutenant
commander at Fort Potter and Bald Eagle,
as is shown by original commissions in
possession Of the family. Another ancestor
was John Fiser, a Echoolmaster who served
as a fifer and crossed the Delaware with
Washington.
Mrs. Ernest l.. Alexander and Miss
Elenore butcher are of colonial and revolu-
tionary ancestory, being descended from the
Wells and Webbs of Virginia, and the