PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES IN THE UNITED STATES. 



641 



of influence ; and to teach the young that it is a sacred 

 obligation to do justice mid honor to heroic ancestors 

 whose ability, valor, sufferings, and achievements are 

 beyond all praise. 



The National Society was organized in Wil- 

 mington, Del., on May 19, 1802, by delegates 

 from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and 

 Delaware State organizations. It admits to 

 memberships 



Women who are descended in their own right from 

 some ancestor of worthy life who came to reside in 

 an American colony prior to 1750, which ancestor or 

 some one of his descendants, being a lineal ascendant 

 of the applicant, shall have rendered efficient service 

 to his country during the colonial period, either in 

 the founding of a commonwealth or of an institution 

 which has survived and developed into importance, 

 or who shall have held an important position in the 

 colonial government, and who by distinguished serv- 

 ices shall have contributed to the founding of this 

 great and powerful nation. Services rendered after 

 1783 not recognized. 



But " no person shall be a candidate for admis- 

 sion unless invited and proposed by one member 

 and seconded by another member of the society, 

 to whom the candidate must be well known, and 

 by whom she shall be recommended." The total 

 membership is about 1,500 persons. 



According to the constitution, the National 

 Society is divided into State societies, composed 

 of the 13 original States and the District of 

 Columbia. Branches have been established in 

 the non-colonial States of Ohio, Illinois, and 

 California, but the members of these must be 

 entered in the State societies where their lineage 

 lies and to which their initiation fees must be 

 paid. In the accomplishment of its purposes 

 the National Society has attempted but little 

 beyond organization and administration, but the 

 State societies have been active. In. New York 

 announcements have been made for a series of 

 patriotic lectures ; a library of colonial litera- 

 ture has been made, and a room for the use of 

 the Dames and their library has been placed at 

 their disposal by the authorities of Columbia 

 College. In Philadelphia they celebrated Flag 

 Day with patriotic ceremonies in Independence 

 Hall, and they have made application for the 

 custody of "the Statehouse building, with its 

 museum, room by room, as vacated by the pres- 

 ent occupants, to be restored by the said society 

 as nearly as possible to its original colonial con- 

 dition, and to be kept by them in complete re- 

 pair." They have also arranged for a series of 

 patriotic lectures, and have offered a prize for 

 the best essay upon colonial history to the mem- 

 bers of the graduating class of the Girls' Nor- 

 mal School. They have made application to 

 present 51 photogravure pictures of Washington 

 to 51 public schools in Philadelphia, the presen- 

 tations to be made with appropriate exercises. 

 In Baltimore they have secured clubrooms, 

 which they have arranged to furnish in old 

 colonial style. The South Carolina Society pro- 

 poses to form branches in old colonial centers 

 for the preservation of local records ; and the 

 Virginia State Society has organized a branch 

 composed of members residing in New York 

 city for the study of the history and traditions 

 of Virginia. The officers of the National Society 

 are : President, Mrs. Justine V. R. Townsend ; 

 First Vice-President, Mrs. Beverly Kennon ; Sec- 

 VOL. xxxiv. 41 A 



ond Vice-President, Mrs. Henry G. Banning; 

 Secretary, Mrs. William B. Reed ; Assistant Sec- 

 retary, Mrs. J. J. Jackson. The colors of the 

 society are blue and yellow. Its badge, No. 9, 

 is shown in the plate. 



Daughters of the Revolution. This so- 

 ciety has for its objects 



To keep alive among Its members and their de- 

 scendants, and throughout the community, the pa- 

 triotic spirit of the men and women who achieved 

 American independence ; to collect and secure for 

 preservation the manuscript rolls, records, and other 

 documents relating to the War of the American Revo- 

 lution, and provide a place for their preservation and 

 a fund for their purchase ; to encourage historical 

 research in relation to such Revolution, and to pub- 

 lish its results ; to promote and assist in the proper 

 celebrations of prominent events relating to or con- 

 nected with the War of the Revolution ; to promote 

 social intercourse and the feeling of fellowship among 

 its members; and provide a home for and furnish as- 

 sistance to such as may be impoverished, when it is 

 in their power to do so. 



It was organized on Aug. 20, 1891, and incor- 

 porated as a National Society on Sept. 1, 1891. 

 It admits to membership 



Any woman above the age of eighteen years who 

 is a lineal descendant from an ancestor who was a 

 military, naval, or marine officer, soldier, sailor, or 

 marine in actual service under the authority of any 

 of the 13 colonies or States, or of the Continental 

 Congress, and remained always loyal to such au- 

 thority, or a descendant of one who signed the Dec- 

 laration of Independence, or of one who, as a member 

 of the Continental Congress or of the Congress of any 

 of the colonies or States, or as an official appoint- 

 ed by or under the authority of any sucli representa- 

 tive 'bodies, actually assisted in the establishment of 

 American independence by service rendered during 

 the war of the Revolution, becoming thereby liable 

 t<> conviction of treason against the Government of 

 Great Britain, but remained always loyal to the au- 

 thority of the colonies or States. 



In this organization are State societies and va- 

 rious local chapters. Each State names its own 

 officers and can make its own by-laws, but alle- 

 giance from all is required to the constitution 

 of the General Society, and the certificate of 

 membership is issued by the General Society. 

 The society, is represented at present in 80 

 States, and has more than 1,500 lineal descend- 

 ants of Revolutionary ancestors enrolled among 

 its members. The celebration of all prominent 

 historical events are notably observed. The Gen- 

 eral Society celebrates the anniversaries of the 

 Battle of Lexington, Washington's Birthday, 

 and the Evacuation of the City of New York by 

 the British. The State organizations celebrate 

 such Revolutionary events as are especially fa- 

 mous in each particular State. In New York city 

 they celebrated the one hundred and eleventh 

 anniversary of the evacuation of New York city 

 by an entertainment consisting of tableaux and 

 songs illustrating American history from the 

 time of Columbus to the World's Fair. Also 

 twice they have met on the anniversary of the 

 battle of 'Lexington in the Governor's Room in 

 the City Hall and held patriotic exercises. In 

 New Jersey they have observed the one hundred 

 and sixteenth anniversary of the battle of Mon- 

 mouth with a pilgrimage to the battle field, and 

 at Trenton and elsewhere in the State, as in 

 Princeton, they have celebrated important his- 

 torical events of the War of the Revolution. 



