Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-21
,or new chapters, which are distributed as

Florida |
Illinois. .............. 3 New York. ...........
indiana .............. 4 North Carolina.
Kentucky. ............ 4 Pennsylvania ....... 2
Maine. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. ] South Carolina.
Maryland ............ / Wisconsin. ..........
Massachusetts. 81
"A chapter is now being formed in Eng
land and one in Canada 1t is particularly
gratifying to recall the last two localities,
as 1t demonstrates the fact that the in
fuence of our society Is fast becoming In
ternationaL"
The year had brought an'additional MEM
bership of 4,471, Mrs Akers said.
Care of the Destitute.
Mrs. Kate Kearney Henry, corresponding
secretary general, presented her report,
which bristled with points. In conclusion.
she said:
Il cannot refrain from calling the atten-
ton of the congress to matter which in
the conduct of my office has been forcibly
and frequently brought to my attention.
We have in our society the daughters OF
men who fought in the American revolu-
ton, real daughterS' we call them. All
of them are old, many destitute. l am adj
vised that Congress has made no provision
for the pensioning of the children of revo-
lutonary soldiers that can be of benefit to
these daughters of our society, and it would
seem meet that We, as an organization,
should interest ourselves in their behalf and
ask appropriate legislation at the hands
of the national government"
The next report was that of Susan Rfviere
HetZel, registrar general. She said in part:
when I was elected registrar general of
this society one year ago. February %, 1898,
the daughters numbered 23,209; February
%, 1899, the number of daughters is q Az
! have presented to the society 4,123 names.
/ have also signed $50 additional papers; 1
have issued 4,471 certificates and l,722 badge
permits
She said she had been empowered by the
seventh continental congress to employ
professional geneaologist, if necessary, but
found that most lines were SO clear that
this had not been necessary.
The report of the treasurer general, Mrs.
Sarah H. Hatch, gave complete and ac-
curate statement of finances, showing a bal
ance on hand of S. 1853.
The "Real, Daughters.
The most interesting report of the even
ing in historical import was that of Mrs.
Mary Jane Seymour, historian general.
She said in part:
The editing of the lineage books is q
specially of this department. The work
upon the seventh volume was contemporary
with the Spanish war, and we realized anew
how precious are the memories of the revo-
lutionary patriots with every baptism Of
war and bloodshed through which this ma
ton passes, maintaining the principles
which they defended with their lives, for
tunes and sacred honor
which includes some of the records of 1895.
During the past two years six of these VOL
umes have been published. and l find that
three volumes year are all that can be
edited with the care that is necessary to
make them valuable as books of reference
in our chapters and to genealogists
and librarians throughout the country.
Our historical society presents many
interesting features, the most unique of
which is that of its real daughters, those
members whose fathers were revolutionary
soldiers. Since the organization of this So
ciety there have been $3.50 of these real
daughters, the present number being 216
OF these, six have been regents of chap
ters Mrs. r. Ogden Doremus was appoint
ed first regent of New York City Chapter
She graces this congress with her presence,
but we delight to pay our tribute to her
noble life of charities and benevolence,
which has eliminated in her most earnest
efforts to develop the patriotic and historic
objects of the Daughters Of the American
Revolution.
Her activity in the sanitary fair in New
York in 1863 in the French fair for the dis
also for the Mt. Vernon Association, was
preparatory to her untiring efforts in our
society The father of Mrs. DOremus was
Hubbard Skdmore. When boy of nine
years he fed his fathers cannon with pow
der, and at the age Of thirteen he delivered
valuable papers to his general. passing
through the ca.np of the enemy during the
cover of the night. The briliancy of his
Career subsequent 10 the revolution ana the
antiquity Of his family, dating back to 1866,
are well known to the friends of Mrs. Do
remus.
Another real daughter, Mrs. Mary Anne
Washington, was the first regent of the Ma
con Chapter, Macon, Ga. She was present
at the first council of regents appointed by
the first president general, Mrs. Harrison, In
Washington for October g. 1891 Her faith
er, Samuel Hammond. was a colonel of cav
airy for Virginia during the revolution, and
he fought at Kings Mountain, Cowpens,
Ninety-six and Eutaw.
Another real daughter, Mrs. Sophia Van
Dolson Andrews, was the first regent of the
Abigail Adams Chapter at pes Moines,
Iowa. She was native of Elmira, N. Y,
and was educated at the University of Mich
igan. She has been the president of sew
eral Womens clubs and was the first wo-
man admitted to the Iowa legislature as a
press correspondent. Mrs. Andrews Is still
in the prime of life. an accomplished and
useful woman.
Mrs. Susan E. Polk Rayner was a native
Of Raleigh, n. c., and was the first regent
OF chapter in stephensville, Tex. Her
North Carolina. HIS commanded the regi-
ment which removed the liberty bell from
Independence Hall in Philadelphia at the
approach of the British to Allentown, Pa,
where 1t was concealed beneath the floor of
Zion Reformed Church, being returned to
Philadelphia in the autumn of ITS.
Another real daughter. Mrs. Harriet
Wetmore Sells, is regent of the chapter at
ii
daughter. Mrs. Anna Morse. is regent of a
chapter at Cherry Valley, N. Y.
The Oldest and Youngest.
pennsylvania has both the oldest and
the youngest real daughters. Mrs. Sarah
Doran Terry is 1O6 years of age. She re-
sides in Philadelphia, Pa, and is a member
of the Quaker City Chapter. She attends
its meetings and recites at its entertain
ments. She spent much of her early life
abroad She entertains her callers with her
recollections of Frederick VI of Denmark
at whose court she resided. She also re-
members Queen Vistoria as a child at
play In Kensngton gardens. She reads the
papers thoroughly, for her eyesight is WON
derful. She enjoys life. and her especial
pride is in being a Daughter of the Ameri-
can Revolution.
The youngest real daughter in the So
ciety is Mrs Annie Knight Gregory She is
fifty-fve years of age, and is a member
of Conrad Weiser Chapter, Selins Grove
Pennsylvania.
Connecticut is the banner state, for her
total number of real daughters has been
seventy mine; it is now sixty-nine. That
state also has the honor of possessing the
second real daughter in point of age, Miss
Mary Spooner of Ruth Hart Chapter, Meri-
den, resident of New Bedford MaSsachu-