The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-18

American Revolution. Nearly $4,000
women sre living up to the mean
ing 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 to cover the whole coun-
! try. The woof is found ready for
them in 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 clever
/ ness, and the result is n fabric that
will ultimately mean much for the Ma
! tion.
/ The movement for forming an
| organization of woman descendants of
those who had fought in the Revo-
| luton, was started in Washington, D,
Cy IN 1890. An article appeared in a
Washington paper calling attention TO
the work being done by the men who
were descended from patriot soldiers
OF the Revolutions; also pointing out
the work that women had done in
those days, and suggesting that a move
ment be put on foot to bring those
interested together This letter was
signed by Mrs. Mary S. Lockwood, and
it was the inspiration for the forma-
tion of tho organization now known
as the Daughters of tho American
Revolution, The object, as stated, was
to perpetuate the memory and spirit of
the men and women of the Revolu-
tionary period, to collect and preserve
historical and biogra aphical record,
documents and relics, and to obtain
portraits of eminent American women.
From the first this has been National
organization,
The first meeting was held on the
anniversary of the discovery of
America. Mrs. Ben jamin Harrison,
wife of the then chief executive, was
unanimously T2 elected president; general
The design of n woman ut the spin.
ming wheel was chosen as the official
seal at the suggestion Of Miss Mary
Desha, TO correspond with the seal
or the men s organization, which
showed man at the plough At Mrs.
Flora Adams Darling's s suggestion the
motto, Home and Country" was
chosen.
In March, 1891, the first chapter
formed in the United States was
L
Osborn as regent, The annual meet
ing of the Daughters Of the American
Revolution, known as the Continental
congress, is held in Washington,
those who may attend officially being
the active officers of the National So
ciety, ono State regent from each
State, and one regent and delegate
from each chapter in the United
States Chapters having fifty mem
bers are entitled to one delegate, with
an additional delegate for every
bcr The first Continental congress
was held on February %, 1892.
The first definite work they under,
took was the completion of the monu.
ment TO Mary Washington. three
fourths of the necessary sl1, 900 being
subscribed by the Daughters of the
American Revolution. In 1897 the
general society honored The four
founders, Mrs. Mary S. Lockwood. Miss
Desha and Mrs. Ellen Hardon Wal
worth, with special medals. In 1904
the date of the annual Continental
congress was changed from February
%. the anniversary of the Battle of
Lexington, to April 10.
An effort to discover how many real
daughters of Revolutionary soldiers
still live met with astonishing results,
Many of the soldiers who were young
at tho close of the war married
late in life. and left children TO i'll
Ecrit their names and honors. Several
hundred of these daughters we're
found and admitted to the loca,
chapters in various parts of the couu.
try, though time has taken heavy toll
of them lately, and the number has
hcer greatly reduced. Each Daugh.
ter that the chapters were able 10
locate was given a souvenir spoon,
made especially for this purpose, and
in one instance it proved TO be the
only bit of silver in a desolate noun.
tain home in Georgia, whose poverty
was later relieved by the care of the
were pensIoned by special act of Con-
gress, but more have been cared for by
chapters as patriotic obligation
The president general of the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution has
always been a woman Of National
prominence. The first was Mrs.
Benjamin Harrison, who died in office.
She WAS succeeded by Mrs. Adlai
Stevenson. The others were Mrs.
Daniel Manning. Mrs. John w Foster,
Mrs. Charles W. Fairbanks, and then
Mrs. Donald Mclean. the present in
cumbent In 1890 Mrs. Mary s. Lock
wood urged that measures be taken TO
establish in Washington a ball for
keeping the records Of the society.
The corner stone was laid with much
ceremony on April 10, 1904. This build
ing fulflls dream of George Wash
ingtun, who hoped To see u National
hall where the records pertaining 10
thc achievements Of tie men OF The
Nyt,,n might be carefully preserved.
This building. now almost completed,
is an imposing structure that will
comfortably hold the conventions and
various meetings OF the Daughters Of
the American Revolution, will pro-
vide frcprooof space for housing tho
records, and win stand as 4 monument
to the patriotism of the women of
America who have built ii. The
grounds cost a little over $4,000, and
The building between 100000 and
5000
The chapters throughout the country
bu--n La 1;ftl. uuInun - ,,-,,,