The Washington herald., 1907-04-18

motto Home and Country is the in
sigma Of the now famous organization
known as the Daughters OF the American
Revolution Nearly $1,000 women are liv-
ing up 10 the meaning Of the words.
While many of their grandmothers wove
the blue and brown cloth for family
wear, these women are weaving the wider
fabric Of patriotism 10 cover the whole
country. The wool is found ready for
them i'm the shape of heroic deeds Of
ancestors. homes and haunts of patriots,
and present-day appreciation of good
deeds, The warp they furnish in their
own enthusiasm and cieverness, and the
result is a fabric that will ultimately
mean much for the nation
The movement for forming an organi-
cation for woman descendants of those
who had fought in the Revolution was
started in Washington. d. G, in 1884.
An article appeared in "a Washington
paper calling attention 10 the work being
done by the men who were descended
from patriot soldiers and sailors of the
Revolution; also pointing out the work
that women had done in those days. and
suggesting that a movement be put on
foot TO bring those interested together.
This letter was signed by Mrs. Mary 5.
Lockwood, and il was the inspiration for
the formation of the organization now
known as The Daughters Of the American
Revolution. The object. as stated was TO
perpetuate the memory and spirit of the
men and women of the Revolutionary
period, TO collect and preserve historical!
and biographical records, documents, and
relics, and TO obtain portraits of eminent
American women. From the first this
has beer a national organization.
The first meeting was held on the anni-
versary of the discovery of America,
Mrs BENJAMIN Harrison. wife of the then
Chief Executive, was unanimously elected
president general. The design of "a woman
al the spinning-wheel was chosen as the
Official seal at the suggestion of Miss
Mary Desha. TO correspond with the seal
of the mems organization, which showed
man at the pioW. At Mrs. Flora
Adams Darling's suggestion the motto,
Home and Country was chosen.
In March. 1891. the first chapter formed
in the United States was organized in
Chicago. with Mrs Frank Osborn as re-
gent. The annual meeting of the ID. A. r.,
known as the Continental Congress, is
held in Washington, those who may at
tend officially being the active officers of
The National Society, one State regent
from each State, and one regent and a
delegate from each chapter in the United
States. Chapters having fifty members
are entitled To one delegate with an adj
ditiOnaI delegate for every twenty-five
members over this number The first
Continental Congress was held ON FebTu-
airy 2, 1892
The first definite work they undertook
was the completion of the monument 10
Mary Washington, three-fOuTths of the
necessary $1,000 being subscribed by the
ID. A. R. In 1897 the general society hon
oTed the four fOunders-Mrs. Mary 5.
Lockwood, Miss Eugenia Washington,
Miss Mary Desha, and Mrs. Ellen Harden
Walworth-with special medals. In 1904
the date of the annual Continental Con-
gress was changed from February - 90
the anniversary Of the battle of LeXing-
ton, April ~.
An effort TO discover how many real
Daughters Of Revolutionary soldiers still
lived met with astonishing results. Many
of the soldiers who were young at the
close of the war married late in life and
left children to inherit their names and
hOnOrs. Several hundred of these daugh-
tiers were found and admitted 10 the local
chapters in various parts OF the country.
though time has taken heavy toll of them
lately and the number has been greatly
reduced. Each Daughter that the chap
ters we're able TO locate was given a
souvenir spoon, made especially for this
IN z n
be the only bit Of silver in a desolate
mountain home in Georgia whose pow
eVty was later relieved By the care of the
local chapter. Many real Daughters
were pensioned by special act of Con-
gress but more have been cared for by
chapters as a patriotic obligation.
The president general of the d. A. r
has always been a woman OF national
prominence. The first was Mrs. Benjamin
Harrison. who died in Office. she was
succeeded by Mrs Adisf Stevenson. The
others were Mrs. Daniel Manning. Mrs
John W Foster, Mrs. Charles ". Fair
banks. and then Mrs. Donald Mclean,
the present incumbent. In 1880 Mrs Mary
S. Lockwood urged that measures be
taken to establish in Washington a hail
for keeping the records of the society.
The corner stone was laid with much
ceremony on April l9 1904. This building
fuldlls dream OF George Washington,
who hoped u see a national hall where
the records pertaining TO tine achieve
ments Of the men of the nation might be
carefully preserved This building, now
almost completed is an imposing struc-
ture that viii comfortably hold the con-
yentiOns and various meetings of the
u. A. r.. viii provide freproof space for
housing the records. and will stand as
monument 10 the patriotism Of the wom-
en- Of America who have built it, The
grounds cost little over $4,000. and the
building between $4,000 and 100000.
The chapters throughout the country
have left little undone in the way OF pro-
noting patriotism. and in commemorative
the deeds OF brave men and women They
have worked among the lawmakers until
the national government and many of the
states have set about safeguarding the
flag from advertising purposes. They
have purchased and repaired historic
buildings They have marked the graves
Of soldiers and sailors Of the Revolution.
and Of women who performed acts OF
heTOism. They have offered prizes for
the purpose of encouraging the study
of history. have had chairs of American
history established in colleges, have sent
cut circulating libraries relative TO Amer
lean history. and have sent out lecturers
TO deliver free talks on this subject.
Eut their most telling work is the gath
crlng in al children from among the for
eign elements in our population and
teaching them about this country its in