EA RLY H ISTORY

Eaughtprfi nf the Amt ri ran ifit nnluti nn

920

MA NA M NT G . 1 0 E E 8 . B OARD O F , N OV , 9 In view of the fact that the authori ze d hi story o f th e a Nation l Society , Daughters of th e American Revolution ,

n 1 8 0 - 1 8 u n contained in the first Smithsonia Rep ort 9 97 , i s availabl e for gen eral distribution , and the refore unknown to the great maj o rity o f chapters , and in view o f the additional fact that letters have come to th e Librarian General during

e a u the current year from chapt rs , asking for a condensed t h o r i t a t i v e history o f th e first years of the organi zation , th e following res o lution i s offered : That the President General appoint a committee o f th ree f to prepare from th e highest o ficial sources , such a histo ry , and that the Nation al Board autho rize its printing and di s

' i t r ibu t io n N at i o n al o ffi c e r a to eve ry , St te regent , and chapte r ” regent o f the Society . f This motion , presented at the November meeting o the

R. N ational B oard , D . A . , contains th e reason for a history

o r th at will be available f th e enti re Socie ty . Its adoption by that body gives th e authority fo r its publicati on and di st r i b u i n t o .

o f Th e history the founding o f the Society , and of the

first two yea rs succeeding , is preserved in the Smithsonian

— 1 0 1 8 . Report 89 97 , published by th e United States Congress Other accounts have been printed that di ffered from the official statements sufficiently to cause uncertai n ty among the ff chapte rs . From di erent States at varying intervals come earnest requests fo r a cond en se d official h istory o f those early month s in such form that every chapter can have

acces s to it . Th e committee appointed by the President General to prepare such a h istory is composed of th e Registra r General ,

the Assistant H istorian General , and th e Librarian General . r The fi st manuscript record s , o riginal letters , and the attested statements o f the three women who were officially recognized

1 8 8 as Foun ders by the Continental Congress o f 9 , which

i n s e c awarded med als to th em as such , will be open to th e p

n f r tion o f the committee . In addition to these sources o f i o

mation th e first Smithsonian Repor t will be consulted . Thi s rep ort conta i ns th e attested st at e m e n t o f members o f the first

National Board signe d by two o f the Founders , the Presi dent

presiding , the Vice President in charge o f organi zation , the

th e T reasurer , the H istorian , Regi strars , the Reco rding S ec t re ary , the Chaplain and four o f th e Vice Presidents . Th e committee submits that no h igher or earlier authoriti es f than these are possible . It will th e refore o fer the following

account , realizing fully its responsibility in the matte r , an d

' w o r k kn o w i n n h i s p repare d fully to vouch for its , g that o to ri es can be w ritten i n th e future which will d isprov e the

facts here given , or impeach the testimony here presented . The Cincinnati was th e first patriotic soci ety in th e country f n ollowing the Revolution . Then cam e the So s o f the Amer

2 2 1 8 ican Revolution , o rganized in Cali fornia , Octobe r , 75 ,

and composed o f men and women , the latter call ed Daughters

o f the Am erican Revolution . I t was unknown at the east ,

1 8 1 8 . wh en in th e summe r o f M r John A . Stevens , o f N ew

e . . York , in a conv rsation with M rs Ellen H Walworth , ex pressed his intention o f organizing a soci ety of Sons of th e

Revolution in that State . M rs . Walworth exclaimed , Not ” th " r e wi out the Daughters o f the Revolution , surely H e

a pli ed , That is good id ea , and i f you an d a few othe r ladies w ill meet m e at th e Yorktown Centennial we will d raw

n o up a plan . But opportunity presented itself at that time

an d . 1 88 the matter was held in abeyance In 3 M r . Steven s o rganized the S ons o f the Revolution in N ew York , and in d 1 890 M rs . Walworth assisted in foun ing the Daughters of the Am erican Revolution in Washington , th e Son s of th e American Revolution having been or gani ze d ind ependently

1 88 . of M r . Stevens in 9

0 1 8 0 On April 3 , 9 , at a general meeting of the S ons of " the Am erican Revolution , in Louisville , y , after discussion

in the convention , a vote was cast excluding women . This was telegraphed to various pape rs th rough th e country , and Amer

ican women were filled with indignation . Among these was M — is s Eugeni a Wash ing ton , a great grandniece of George

2 e v en i n o f Washington who , on the g the next day , May I st ,

called upon M rs . Flora Adam s Darling , and proposed that

they organ ize a soci ety for women . M rs . Darling heartily app roved , but thought action should be deferred until S ep

f - tember , as many o those suppos ed to be eligible were out o f town for the summer

1 On July 3th M rs . Mary S . Lockwood , of Washington ,

e D . C . , a m emb r of the Press Association , roused by the action o f th e Sons at Louisville , published in the Washington

' a s t Post reproduction o f the hi tory of H annah A rne t , the

Revolutionary heroine , and asked in conclusion , Whe re will the S ons and Daughters o f th e Revolution place H annah Arnett

M w - . . c D o e ll M r Wm O . , a great greatgrandson o f H annah

A rnett , an d a member o f the Sons of the American Re v o lu

1 2 1 s tion , saw th e a rticle o f July 3 th , and on the t published ew f in th e same n spaper , an article o fering to ass ist in form

o r ing a society , and concluding with a formal call for the

a n i z a t i o n g o f th e Daughters of the Ame rican Revolution .

This was the first public proposal of the kind .

2 1 1 8 0 Washington Post , July , 9 .

Ed itor Post : I have j ust read with a great deal o f interest the article in your paper o f recent date on Women Worthy

o f H onor . To me came the thought that it was th e women of Ame rica that fini sh ed the Bunker H ill Monument ; that it was the

' w o m e n o f Am erica that had formed th e Mary Washington t Associa ion to finish the monument to Mary , the mother o f Washington ; that while patriotic und ertakings sometime s have had to turn to Government for a finishing appropriation in th e hand s o f men , in the han ds o f th e women of Ame rica ,

patriotic und ertakings h ave never fai led . I invite every woman in Ame rica who has th e blood o f the he roes o f th e Revolution in h er vein s to send me her name

and address . So soon as I can intelligently i ssue the invitation a national t committe e will be appointed to invite a meeting in Washing on ,

D . C . , for organization by th e adoption of a national con sti t t i n f u o an d the election o f a board of o ficers , when I will 3 ' pass th e work enti rely out o f my hands in to those of the

Daughters o f th e Am erican Revolution .

M L L WILLIA O . M CDOWE ,

2 0 . . Spruce Street, N ewark , N J

Mis s Eugenia Washington , M iss Mary Desha , M rs . H annah

M a r e n f c . . L Wol f , M rs Louise K B rown , and M rs . M ary

Mo rri s H allowell , al l o f Wash ington , an d M rs . Roger A .

Pryor , o f New York , answe red this call . Five o f these letter s a re append ed :

1 2 1 8 0 . Washington , D . C . , July , 9 '

1 2 . 0 6 t . W S S , N . W M . O . MCDOWELL ,

2 t . 0 S . . Sp ruce , Newark , N J ’ My dear Si r : I am delighted with you r let te r in to - day s

Post . I have asked several S on s o f the Revolution why th ey left u s out and have been answered in a way that was intended to make m e believe that w omen had no pa rt in th e

h e . Revolution . My gran dmother was t granddaughter o f Col

J ohn Montgomery , a colonel in th e Revolutionary A rmy , and

my grandfathe r , Gen . Joseph Desha , o f Kentucky , was the

grandson of Joseph Wheeler , who served with B radd ock as

li eutenant , and was a fte rwa rd s a soldier in the Revolution . My grandfather was with Mad Anthony Wayn e in th e North

weste rn campaign and command ed th e le ft wing o f Gen .

’

H arrison s army at the B attle o f the Thames . So you s ee I

com e o f good old fighting stock , and it has made my blood “ ” " w b u t t i n boil heneve r I have seen the wo rn by the Sons ,

n and felt I was le ft out because I happened to be a woma .

e I am ve ry grate ful fo r you r l tter , an d will help you in any

m t . way you suggest . I a good fo r any amoun o f work

With m any thanks ,

Your friend , RY S M A DE H A .

1 0 3 F St . 2 1 1 0 8 . . C . Washington , D , July , 9 M S W . E O MCDOWELL , O ,

2 0 St . . Spruce , N ewa rk , N J ’ My dear Si r : I have j ust read in this morning s Post you r

letter concerning th e A rnett family . You will doubtless see

o . it you rsel f , and my l ette r which al s appears H en ri etta 4 w ’ Holdich rote the story of H annah Arnett s faith , centennial

s year , for th e N ew York Ob erver , and i f you know her l address , which I do not , you will doubtless be ab e to learn

th e n fro m he r data o which sh e gro un ded it . My b rother ,

Mc a r en r . i Malcolm Ni el L , J , o f M lwaukee , h ad it prin ted in " s lea et , and he rein enclo ed I send you a copy . I am the

— o f great grandd aughter S arah H owell Arn ett and Dr . B en

' a s u r e o n j amin Stockton , who was g in th e R . War , and cousin

o f . M a r e n Richard the Signer My moth er , Susan Patty cL , 8 is living at 3 , in good health and full poss es sion o f he r A f faculti es . nothe r descendant o the Revolution an d the

— Arnetts is also here M rs . Ann a Patton , daughter o f Rev . f o . Robt . Chapman , Goldsb oro , N . C Should you at any time

- visit Washington , I hope you will call and see your far away cousin , A AR FF H N N A H MCL EN WOL .

I called on M rs . B rown last night an d she has asked the w omen who are interested to meet at her h ouse to —morrow

evening . I will w rite you immediately afte r the meeting .

o Y u r friend ,

S . M . DE H A

MR M . W 0 O . . . MCD WELL Dear Si r : With great interest I have read you r Call to m the Wo men o f A erica . As a Daughter o f the Revolution W I respond . I am ready and illing to do anything in my

o o power to help keep green the mem ry of our f rebears . Relate d as I am to two Revolutionary families on my mother ’ s ’ ’ — 1 C0 . side Olive r Wolcott s and Charles Thomson s , an d to ’ Knowlton ( one o f Gene ral Washington s trusted aid es ) on

’ my father s side , it would be strange indeed i f my h eart failed to thrill to your patriotic appeal . Th e names o f William Marcy and General Lyon evince that ou r family has not failed in later times . " What can I do , and what shall I do I am willing and

fo r ready . Thanking you giving me the opportunity to show m my patriotism , I a ,

Most sincerely, R LO"I SE WOLCOTT KNOW LTON B OW N .

W . 1 6 . 45 K Street , N ,

2 2 1 8 0 . . C . Washing ton , D , July , 9 o Cap r n Sp rings , W . Va .

2 1 July 7 , 890 . McD we l My dea r M r . o l : I am much interested in t h e

a t o p per, for which I presume I am indebted you , in which o Of you prop se to o rganize th e Daughters the Revo lution . I have laid the pap er asid e fo r m o re care ful reading when I shall have recovered from a slight illness from which I am ff now su e ring .

I had relatives in the Revolutionary War- o r rather a n ce st o r s— but I am descended in regula r line from the patriot 1 66 — o f 7 Nathaniel B acon . But I come mainly from clergy

m en who did not bear arms in the Revolution . . I p resent , however , th e names of my daughters , M rs A r

thu r Page B rown and M iss Fanny Theodora Bland Pryo r .

- - Gen eral Pryor is the great great grandson of Richard Bland , the patriot whose w isdom is acknowledged i n all histories o f m — t — th e ti e member o f the first convention , etc . , e c and all

’ o f my husband s B land and Randolph ance stors we re eminent

in th e struggle for independence .

You may rely upo n my cord ial support ,

Sincerely , R RY R SA A A . P O .

— I P . S. am th e Pres ident for the State and City o f N ew

f . York o f the A ssoci . fo r th e Pres ervation o Va . Antiquities

1 0 t 4 9 Corcoran S . ,

. 1 1 8 . Washington , D C . , July 3 , 90 MR L : . M CDOWEL

: Dear Si r I n answer to a publish ed notice , I send my name to b e enrolled among the Daughte rs o f the American

Revolution . I am a granddaughter o f Christopher Ma rshall , ” chie f of the Committee o f D e fense , and W hose manuscript dia ry is now in possession o f the H isto rical Society o f Ph il a

delph ia . This was subsequently published , but in the event o f this being inconvenient for you to refe r to , i f proof is desired of th e important position h eld by Chri stoph er Marshall during th e Revolutionary War , I respectfully re fe r you to

1 8 1 0 t . . S my cousin , T Morri s Perot , Pine , Philadelph ia, who can give all in formation you may require , as he has j oined the Sons o f th e Am erican Revolution on the same claim I now present for mysel f .

Respectfully you rs ,

M ARY MORRI S H ALLOWEL L . 6 Mc Do w e ll M r . replied promptly to M iss Desha , enclosing the add resses of those whose letters had reached him , and suggesting that a meeting b e called at once fo r organization ,

f r r r a n m e n t . a e f r election of o ficers , etc , and g s made o a mass 1 1 th meeting on October , th e anniversary o f the discovery

. fi o f America Miss Desha n otified th e othe rs , an d the rst h meeting was held at the ouse o f M rs . Louise K . B rown , in

1 8 0 . the last week o f J uly , 9 Five were present , Miss Wash ff i n t o n e . . g , Miss D sha , M rs Wol , M rs B rown , and M rs . Ellen

H . Walworth . A fter an in formal conference , it was d e cided

McD w e ll . o i n to de fe r action till autumn , and M r was so o th W formed . But on July 3 he rote again , insisting that they

de lay no longer . Enclosed in the lette r were application

blanks o f the Sons o f the American Revolution , a constitution largely a copy o f thei rs , a plan o f organization and hi s own

fo r application membersh ip with a check for fees and dues .

A s it was to b e a society of women , th e application was not acted upon , o r the mon ey drawn . The check is preserved

and will have a place in Co ntinental H all . H erewith are sub m itt e d copies o f letter and check :

0 1 8 0 . New York , July 3 , 9 Dear M iss Desh a : Since w riting yo u this mo rning I have been at work on th e constitution , and I send it to you , and I also mail a con stitution book I enclose my appli cation fo r membership , prepared somewhat hurri edly, w ith my check fo r initiation fees and dues .

Sincerely you rs ,

W . O . MCDOWEL L .

h 1 8 2 2 6 . ot . . N ew York , July 3 , 90 No 79 The American Exchange National Bank Pay to th e o rd er o f Treasu rer Daughters o f the Ame rican Revolution

Five 35 Dollars .

E . W . O . M CDOW LL

Upo n receipt of this letter an o th er meeting was called at o the Langham in the apartments of M rs . Walw rth , August

1 A 8 1 8 0 9, 890 . A facsimile of the ca rd sent out ug ust , 9 s : ( add ressed to Mis Wash ing ton) , is here pres ented 7

H ere the actual o rganization took place . Invitations had

been sent to all known to be inte rested , but only Miss Wash i n to n g , Miss Desha , and M rs . Walworth w ere p resent . The

a - first step taken was to decla re the society national one .

' M D e l The constitution sent by M r . c o w l was tho roughly

reconstructed and th en . adopted . A Board of Management

i was appo nted as M iss Eugenia Washington , Miss M — s . . W Mary Desha , r Ellen H alworth , M rs . Mary O rr Earle ,

M c a r n f M rs . H annah L e Wol f , M rs . Flora Adams Darling ,

n i o . h . o o sb a M rs L uise K B rown , M is s S p P . B reckinridge an d

M r i sb- G . i ss Vi rgini a g y Mi ss Desha was chosen Chairman ,

- - h i . VVa s i n t o n M rs Walworth Secretary , and Mi ss g Registra r .

It was deci ded to secu re , i f possible , M rs . Benj amin H arrison

d a . A u u st l o th for President . The n ext y , g , a letter was sent

t h a t ‘ ffi c e to her requesting that she accept o ; also one to M rs . r W - Mo ton , i fe o f the Vice Pre sident , requesting he r to accept

’ th e plac e o f Treasur er . M rs . H arri son s reply was accident d ’ ally estroyed , but M rs . Morton s is here appended :

2 1 8 0 . Ba r H arbor , Aug . 3 , 9

h e r M M rs . Mo rton pres ents compliments to iss Desh a and " regrets that she ' cannot accept the position of Treasurer of t h e A ca Society o f Daughte rs o f the meri n Revolution , as he r ‘S time is oth erwis e o much occupi ed , and besides sh e i s not certain that she is eligible to membersh ip She begs that you ' will thank the lad ies fo r the compliment

paid he r .

o f ‘ Mr Mc D o w e ll Th e letter . is retu rned herewith . o " Mrs . Harris n replied early in S eptembe r , accepting the

f s n o t n o fice , but stating that h er paper could b e mad e out u til " as a ll t h e he r fath er , Dr . John Scott , return ed to the city ,

i family reco rds Were in his hand s . These papers were sent

r 1 1 8 0 . to the Registra November , 9

‘

D . a Mis s esha , M iss Washington , and M rs W lworth began

“ active work immedia tely after the m eeting o f August 9t h . Letters we re written to representative women o f di fferent m sections of the country , inviting them to become embers .

e . Notices of appointment were sent , and acceptances rec ived A notice was publi sh ed in the Washington Post o f August

1 8 1 0 t h e e li i , 89 , stating th e pu rposes of society , and th e g b ilit y claus e , and requesting women o f Revolutionary descent to s en d thei r names to the Registrar , M iss Washington , at D 1 1 . h er residence , 8 3 3th Street uring th e month s o f August 9 and S eptember Pro fessor Good e and M r . A . Howard Clarke ,

n o f the Smithsonian In stitutio , aided the wo rk , giving thei r W time and suggestion s henever thei r advice was sought . On

' the 7t h o f Septembe r th ree hund red application blanks we re d ord ered ( Ge ney and Robe rts Files ) . The constitution as th adopted Aug . 9 was sent to M rs . Da rling an d o ther members

B a r r fo r o f th e o d any d esired suggestion . In a lette r dated '

’ “

1 2 . Septembe r th M rs Darling wrote Miss Washington , Th e ” constitution me ets my app roval in every particular . The “ d M c D o w ll same a y sh e wrote M r . e as fol lows : I have this moment finished revising the constitution o f the Daughters

o f the American Revolution , and find it desirable in eve ry ” e particula r . Preparations w ere b ing made for a mass meet 1 1 t h ing on O ctober , an d M rs . Earle was appointed to engage

rooms for th at purpo se at th e A rlington H otel , when a lette r t h wa s received from M rs . Darling , dated Octobe r 7 , Strath

M cD o w e ll more A rms , Washington , D . C . , stating that M r . would be with h er at the above addres s on the 1 1 t h o f

O ctobe r to o r g a n i z e ' t h e Society o f the Daughters of the Ame rican Revolution

McDo w e ll e M r . had been informed by Miss D sha in a lette r

1 o d ated August 7th , o f the organi zati n o f the society , and that as soon as people retu rned to th e city , th ere would be a

: m eeting of a ll the m embe rs . H e r letter was as follows 1 2 W 6 . 0 t . . F S , N ,

1 1 C . 8 0 . Washington , D . , August 7 , 9

M cD o w e ll : o My dear M r . I have p stponed w rit i n g t o you till I had som ething to tell . I took the constitution t t . and papers you sen to M rs Walwor h , and after reading them over w e decided to call a meeting at the Langham ,

wh ere M rs . Walworth lives . Only a few ladies cam e , but we o rgani zed and elected officers By the first o f September most people will b e home and we will try to have a meeting of al l the m embers 1I have written to

M r s M rs . H arrison and . Levi P . Morton , and Mi ss Washing ton i s sending notices to a great many friends Thanking you for all your interest and kindness and hoping

to see you soon in Washington ,

I am your fri end , RY M A DESH A .

To thi s letter he replied , endorsing all that had been done , and on Septembe r 2 md w rote again : I O 2 1 8 0 N ew York , Septemb er , 9 . My dear Miss Desha : I am ready to come to Washington and spend a day with you at any time that may

be convenient , ove r the preliminary w ork , and to attend late r , W i f you wish it, a fuller meeting I will bring ith th me the badge o f e S . A . R . and will study over a badge

‘ for the D . A . R .

S ince rely you rs ,

W . O . MCDOWELL .

M rs . Darling had approved the constitution , and in a lette r

ot h dated August 3 , accepted a position on th e Board o f M an a em en t : g . The letter i s h ere given

a . 0 1 8 0 . Culpeper , V , August 3 , 9 My dear Miss Washington : I thank you for sug

e st i n g g my name as one of the B oard of M anagers , which I

f" i m s si accept , but remember my personal a iction makes it p o

— bl e for m e to be an active vice president , fo r the patriots in l H eaven cou d hear any motion that I could hear . I really have no aspi rations or qualifications for any office o f r e

n li sp o bi ty . In view of thes e facts th is o ffer to organize a secon d time seemed somewhat strange , but feeling it important that the re f should be harmony of action , the o fice rs who had been work

ing during August and September agreed that M rs . Darling i should be n formed that the society was already organized , although the details were not perfected , an d that they had planned from th e first to have a general me eting on October l 1 h u t f t , b that th e o ficers al ready appointed on the Board

- a c must b e recogni zed . With thi s un derstanding which was

Mrs ‘ quiesced in by . Darling in a letter to Miss Desha , the meeting was held as proposed . Eighteen W ome n signed the formal draft o f organi zation in the following o rd er :

M iss Eugenia Washingt on

M rs . Flora Adams Darling

Mrs . Ellen H ardin Walworth

Mrs . M ary M or ri s Hallowel l Miss Susan Riviere H etzel Mr s . Margaret H etzel I I M rs . Ma ry V . E . Cab ell

M rs . Mary S . Lo ckwood

M rs . Alice M o rrow Clark Mis s Paulin e McDo w ell

A - M rs . da P . Kimberley A M rs . ureli a H adley Mohl M iss Floride Cunningham

M rs . Caroline L . Ransom

M rs . Em ily Lee Sherwood C M rs . H arriet Lincoln oolidge

“

M rs . Jennie D . Garrison

tar r m e cr e o fe . Mi ss M ary Desha , S y p

M Do w l M r . c e l p resided an d prepared motion s which w ere

' p resented by members and adopted .

: 1 Thus far the facts are as follows O n July 3th Mrs .

’ t h e Lockwood s articl e appeared in th e Post , condemning a o ction of the Sons at L uisvill e , and asking whe re th ey would ’ s place H ann ah Arnett , but making no uggestion of a woman s society .

1 M D o w e ll On July 2 5 t M r . c published in the same paper A a formal call to merican women to organize . The proof o f e t h th se two facts can be obtained from the old files o f e Post , which have been care fully examine d during thi s yea r

Th e meeting of Augu st 9th w as h eld in respons e to M r .

’ M c Do well s urgent call to organi ze and fo r that expres s pur

' fo r pose . The l egal formaliti es such action we re complied f with , an d th e action itsel was regular from first to last . H ad every on e invite-d been p res ent " there would have been ten - M c D o we ll founders instead o f three . H ad M r . followe d up his call by attending this meeting with th e th ree who did a t

n . tend , th ere would have bee fou r founders While eve ry one can recognize th e fitn ess o f having women foun ders and

’ a c organizers for a woman s society , it i s equally fitting to

M D o w e ll knowledge here that M r . c gave valuabl e aid to

the th ree women who founded and carried it on . For his

services he d eserves and will have grateful rem embrance .

e During th ese months of August and Septemb r M rs . Sara

A . Pryor actively ai ded the work in N ew York City , an d was in constant correspondence w ith the members o f th e Soci ety at Washington and el sewhere . H er commis sion as Regent fo r

1 1 th 1 8 0 . that C ity bears date , Octobe r , 9 1 2 F acsimile o f the Commission .

Unde r Autho rity o f the Co nstitution o f the N ation al S o ci ety o f the Daughters

o f the Ame rican Revoluti o n , R . o M rs oger A . Pry r is appointed Regent

o f N e r for N ew Yo rk City , in the State w Yo k ,

To form a Chapter o f which she shall be th e presiding Officer until

1 8 2 O ctober eleventh , 9 .

H er acceptance i s respectfully requested .

F RA A DA M AR G ( Signed ) LO s D LI N ,

i n . i n Vi c e Pr es de t Gener a l i n Ch a rg e o f Org a n z a ti o .

Washington City, h 1 1 t 1 0 . October , 89

At the meeting o f October 1 1 th o rganization was carried

n o t b e u n . on , g A notice was s ent to the Washington Post that night for the morning pape r , of which the following is an “ : extract An organization , patriotic in purpose , was per f e ct e d yesterday at the Strathmore A rms . At this meeting the th ree found ers w ere p resent and what ever was accomplished was supplementary , and not in any

sens e a process o f annulment . H ad that been permitted , or even p ossible when the w i fe o f the President of th e United f States had al ready consented to take o fice , the eighteen f women p resent , with th ei r p residing o ficer , would all h ave f been ounders , fo r they all participated equally in whatever

- was done .

“ O ctobe r 1 1 th had been sel ected as th e day on which to f celebrate , not e fect , org anization o f the society , becaus e it ’ - o b e was the date o f C lumbus d iscovery o f America , and cause that discovery was made possibl e by th e generosity o f

"ueen Is abella , but this celebration was n eve r intended to iffi obliterate , or alter the date o f organization . I t i s not d cult to - understand that the larger meeting Of October 1 1 t h t h overshadow ed that o f August 9 , especially as it continued u the work beg n then , and the habit soon fo rmed o f referring to O ctober 1 1 th as the d ate o f o rgani zation has grown and 1 3 ' hardened into settled conviction wi th all but the fi rst workers

and those who w ere clos ely as sociat ed with th em . On O ctobe r 1 8th an adj ou rned meeting was held at th e

f . house o M rs . Wm . D . Cabell Th e Washington Post o f the “ next morning had th e following notice : The parlors o f

’ Pro fessor and M rs . Cabell s resi dence at 1 40 9 M assachusetts Avenue were com fortably fille d last even ing by a numb er of W repr esentative omen o f thi s city , i ncluding M rs . H arrison , and the organization o f the Daughters o f th e American Revo lu ti o n w as completed As th e m eeting of Octobe r 1 1 th was subsidiary to that

th 1 8 o f August 9 , and adj ourned to th e th , it will be seen that th ree meetings w ere requi red to complete the organi zation

: th f d 1 1 t h of the society August 9 , ounde ; O ctober , organi z a t i o n 1 8 carri ed on ; O ctob er th , organi zation completed . At

’ thi s meeting of th e 1 8th th e colo rs o f Washington s sta ff W ( d ark blue and hite ) were chos en for the rosette , and a seal

and motto were decid ed upon . Two resolutions which we re f adopted O ctobe r 1 1 th were discuss ed. The first was o fered “ — by M rs . H arri et L . Cool idge That a monument be e rected ” in Pari s to th e memory o f George Washington ; the second “ by Mi ss Desha , That ai d b e given to the Mary Washington ” ff Association . A thi rd w as o ered by M rs . Ma ry S . Lock “ o fi r e w od , That the society should secu re rooms and later a p roof building i n which to depos it Revolutionary relics and ” M D n ld f . c o a historical papers ; and a ou rth by M rs M ary , That li fe membership dues and charter fees b e set asid e for ” this purpose . Fro m th i s time meetings w ere held each month over which M rs . Cabell presid ed , as M rs . H arri son accepted

the presid ency with . the un derstanding that she shoul d not be

obliged to attend regula rly , h er time b eing fully occupi ed .

It i s not easy to estimate the debt the society owes to M rs .

Cabell . H er spacious residence was its meeting place fo r

more than a year . Board meetings we re h el d there constantly .

2 2 n 1 8 1 O n the d of February , 9 , she gave a grand reception ,

th e first o f a s eries . No pains were spared in the preparations .

M rs . H arrison , with M rs . Cabell , received the members . The rooms w ere lavishly deco rated with the Flag , and as the guests ente red th e hall th ey passed between a double line o f guards dressed in th e continental buff and blue . Th ere were 1 4 m i t e t e at that tim e a number o f elaborate designs , submitted

' r r m by s ev e a l fi s o f j ewele rs in N ew York and Philadelphi a .

“

They s eemed to me t rite and uncharacte ristic , and I well rem ember that no one of th em embodied the id ea of a spin

ning wheel o r any part the reo f .

>l< n O the twentieth o f April , at a me eting of th e Board ,

' m d -m the committee ade a report of progress , but aske for ore ” time . Th ey were unable to recomm end any o f the d esigns

which had at that time been submi tted . They then began

“ ‘ in e n n wo rk arnest , there b ei g co siderable anxiety in the " B oa rd that the badge should be decided upon . I remembe r having modestly suggested t h e i dea o f repeating -i n th e i n

” s ig n i a ‘ t h e spinning — Wh e e l e m bl e m which had al ready been

" ’ h i e t t accepte d fo r the s eal o f t e So c y . I was requested h y he

' ' c o m m itt e e ‘ t o draw a My fi rst rough sketch whi ch

' was submitted to the committee at a meeting wh i ch w a s h eld

’ in m y ' office at the Smithsoni an late -i n April was n o t t th o r

a t o 1n s e l f c oughly s tis factory y , _ since the stars which proj e ted

’ beyond th e rim of the whe e l looked too much like the han dles i f on the ste ering wh eel o f a ship , while the d sta f pointed to

th e right in stead o f to the l eft , as at present , and had its tip

lower down , so as to suggest the i dea o f a cannon .

Th e sam e evening , afte r a numbe r of trials , the badge was “ n d eveloped in precis ely i t s prese t fo rm . My rough sketch

. l was elaborated by my young friend M r . Pau B rockett , was ’ r e s en t e tl t o e wa s p th e committ e on the following day , and r ' ‘ a p p r o v e df On May 2 6t h all th e design s w ere submitted to

' " the B ea r d of Man agem ent with a favorable recommendation

f Wa s for the whe el and dista f design , which unanimously l

' w h i ch wa s adopted . The sketch submitted to the Board i s T 3 ‘ e n l herewith enclosed ( c o su r e A) .

It was then sent to M essrs . J . E . Caldwell and Company , o’ o f Philadelphia , by wh m the d esign was refined and con T structed i i i m etal . h e only modification suggested by them Wa s that th e "a x should be done in platinum rathe r than in silver , which was obj ected to on account o f its liability t o

tarnish .

' ‘ la t e r aft e r Some months , the dies had been made and the v i t badges w ere ready to be deli ered , was found necessary to n pate t th e d esign , and I was requested , as the invento r , to

>“ ’ Mi ss B reckinridge s last report . She resigned d irectly — H a fterward s . M . B . I O make th e necessary application . This was don e August 3 ,

e 1 1 1 8 1 . 2 2 8 9 Th e patent was issued S ptember , 9 , and bears the se rial number Copies o f the design and speci

fi i o n c at are enclosed herewith ( enclosu re B ) . My claims in the patent were made ove r to the National Society of the

i f r A . f o t o , Daughters of th e mer can Revolution The fee _ y

r o e . d lla s was paid by M ss rs Caldwell and Company , and in con side r a tion o f this fact and o f th e considerabl e expens e o f making t h e d ies they were granted the exclusive right to

manufactu re for a peri o d o f years . I am told that in a report read at the last Continental Congress it was stated that my design was an elaboration

o f one first d rawn by M r . Edward Roby . This is not true ,

’ for I n ever saw M r . Roby s design o r even h eard of it until

- n less than two w eeks ago . No such desig was ever in my f O . posession or in that the committee It is , of course , quite

possible that M r . Rob y may h ave d rawn a wheel design be fore

a s I did , and i f he h a memorandum of th e d ate h e can readily t h establish this fact . I have no disposi ion to dispute i s claim ;

indeed it would be very ungracious for me to do so , since

' r e c e n t l a s su r e d M rs . Roby has y me that his design ( wh ich f she described as a whe el without the dista f ben eath it , was

earlier than mine .

All this , how ever , is quite immaterial , since I am positive o f th e fac t that und er my own pencil grew up the emblem in its present form — a wheel of gold over a d ista ff filled

s ilx e r "a x n 0 with , the wheel with thirteen spokes , havi g p

‘ p o s it e th e en d o f each a star intended for th e reception o f a

j ewel .

The d isposition o f the legend was also mine , th e rim being divid ed into an upper and lower portion by golden s tars on d “ D either si e , having above the stars the wo rds aughters of ” “ ” v th e and below Ame rican Re olution , in letters of gold

upon a surface of blue enamel . A statement th at th e badge was d esigned by me was pub li s h f 1 2 e d in the o ficial organ of the Society for Decemb er , 89 ,

and has never been contradicted . I have , I con fess , taken much pleasu re in my connection with the origin of the em blem which i s now wo rn by so many o f Ame rica ’ s most rep r n i e se t at v e women . The spinning wheel from which the original sketch wa s I 7 made wa s on e which was used by my moth er early in th e

centu ry, and now stand s in my dining room . When the Me mo rial H all , which it is p roposed by th e Daughters to erect , i s compl eted I shall take great pleasure in presenting to th e f f Society this wh eel , should it be d eemed o su fici ent interest

to de serve a place among thei r treasu res . f You rs faith ully ,

R D . ( Sign ed ) G . B OW N GOO E

The above statement relates to only on e o f th e insignia o f

the Society . The colo rs , blue and white , w ere a dopted in 1 8 1 January , 9 , an d the rosette , precisely identical with th at of

. o f the Sons the American Revolution , but made in blue and white enamel and in the fo rm o f a pin , was at that time ff decide d upon . The emblem o f the wheel and d ista w as , as 6 h 1 1 Ma v 2 t 8 . I have said , adopted , 9 The ribbon o f blue and white was ord ered by the committee to be woven in accord ance with specification and sketch fu rnish ed by them , said

r wi t sketch and specification are h e e h e n clo s e d ( enclosure C ) . Anoth er fact which may be o f inte rest in connection with

' th e histo ry o f the in signia is t h a t th e members o f the B oard o f Ma n agement made themselves i n div i du ally r e sp o n sible fo r f a ce rta in number o f the badges . To the best o my memory

th is number was twenty . Without this pledge the j ewellers

would not go to th e expense o f making the d ies . Th e first badge to go to a member o f t h e Society l eft Cald ’

1 1 1 . w ell s e stablishment July , 89

In the d raw ing, A design ates the representation o f a spin —wh ff ning eel , an d B designates the rep resentation o f a di sta across the same . C designates th e repres entation o f a number o f stars a r f ranged at intervals on the rim o the wheel A . On th e “ face o f the wheel i s the name o f the Society , Daughte rs o f ” th e American Revolution ; but this forms no patentable ele f ment o the design . I claim

The design fo r a badge , substantially as shown and d e

scribed .

E RG R D G O E B OW N GOO E. Witnesses " R " P A L B OC ETT , " W G J . LO I S ILLI E. — ( Not e D r . Goode was a member o f the A dvisory Board 1 8 . C o f the S ociety , and M rs Goode was on the I nsignia ommit

n a n d tee . This desig presented assigned to th e Daughters - was suggest ed to D r . Goode by an ol d spinning wheel belong o M ing to his grandmother , now deposited in th e Nati nal u seum . )

Appendix B . Patent fo r th e Insignia of the National Society o f the

Daughters o f the American Revolution . Design

G . B . Good e

B a d e g .

. 2 1 0 . 2 2 1 8 1 . No 53 Patented S eptember , 9 ( Fo r ill u stration o f badge in colors see Plate

Inventor ,

E RGE R ooDi G O B OW N G j ,

W I D R H I M By JOH N A . E E S E ,

: A t t o r n e Witness es y . N A CL P . F . E,

M W I D R H I M W . C . E E S E .

United States Patent O ffice .

Geo rge B rown Goode , o f Washington , District of Columbia i y D assignor to the Nat onal Societ , aughters of the American

Revolution . D esign fo r a Badge .

2 1 0 Sp ecification forming part o f Design No . 53 , dated Sep

2 2 1 8 1 . 1 8 1 . tember , 9 Application filed August 3 , 9 S erial 1 No . T erm of patent , 4 years . I 9 To all whom it may concern : G B e it known th at I , eorge B rown Good e , a citi zen of the i United States , residing in th e city o f Washington , D strict o f Columbia , have invented and produced a new an d original

o f e fi d esign for a badge , which th e following is a sp ci cation ,

n o f re fere ce being had to the acc mpanying d rawing , orming h o f p art t ere .

The leading featu re o f my design fo r a badge is the rep r e s e n t a t i o n - ff o f a spinning wheel w ith a di sta the reon .

f . o 1 0 Dr Goode had s erved th e s ciety rom August , 89 , with such ability and earnestnes s that every member was glad in

having him so closely associated with thi s beautiful Insignia .

u 8 1 8 1 o On J ne , 9 , the society was inc rporated unde r the laws o f Congress for th e District o f Columbia as th e “ Na t i o n al o f Society , Daughters the American Revolution , the

o f o f signe rs the act inco rporation being M rs . Ca roline Scott

M r s " H arrison , M rs . H enri etta Gre ely, . S ara E . Goode , M rs l D n . Mc o a d . . . E. . Mary E , M rs M ary V Cabell , M rs H elen M

a n d Boynton , Miss Eugeni a Washington , M is s M ary Desha

Mrs . Ellen H . Walwo rth was not in the city and could not be reached . It has been publ icly stated that the office o f State Regent , 1 8 1 — o r was n ot create d until Ap ril , 9 but the books o f the g a n i z i n g Vice Presid ent show ed th at letters had been w ritten 1 8 0 as early a s Novembe r , 9 , asking prominent women in di f t ferenc e States to s erve in this capacity . Th e firs five to be

m . confir ed w ere M rs . N . B . H ogg, o f Pennsylvani a ; M rs

McAlli s t e r Jo shua Wilbur , o f Rhode I sland ; Mi ss Louise W . ,

f . o f N ew York ; M rs . De B . R . Keim o Conn ecticut , and M rs

Wm . Wi rt H enry , o f Vi rginia . The constitution adopted August 9th requi red amendment

1 8 1 . and some revision , and in M ay , 9 , Gen Shields , wh o ha d A been elected Legal dvisor , was requested , as chai rman o f a committe e of th ree , to revi se certain portions . Thi s h e gra c i o u sly d id to the entire sati s faction o f the society .

a 1 1 During M y and Jun e o f 89 , th ere was som e friction between th e Board and the organizing Vice President . The Board found that it was impossible to establish th e society on any solid busin ess foun dation s under methods so independent

“ as hers . On the other hand , she appeared to doubt th e good 2 0 faith of the Board and declined to make any repo rts o r sub

mit to any rules . Th e matter culminated in June , when on the 1 8th she wrote that she would not recogni ze the authority

of the Board , at th e same tim e forbid ding th e use of her name . Und er these condition s the only possible course was to f 1 1 8 1 . declare her o fice vacant , which was done July , 9

Th e departmen t was then put in charge of a committee . On

1 2 August th a lette r was received from M rs . Darling, dated t h August 7 , resigning from the society . It has been stated that her action wa s due to the controversy over the eligibility

r claus e , but the ecords show that this discus sion did not occu r

i n until month s afte rward . About thi s time a chapte r New

’

Yo rk , composed la rgely of M rs . Darling s personal friend s , s eparated from the National Society an d organized unde r her

— w w it h direction the Daughters of the Revolution State so cieties .

' ’ In Oc t o b e r o f this y e a r n a t i o n a l officers and State an d chapter Regents were invited by the President Gene ral to a h ’ c . con ference w i h was held at M rs Cabell s house . M rs . H ar

’ ri son p resided . Free discu ssion was invited and a full under d stan ing was reached between th e State an d chapter Regents ,

and the National Boa rd . An eloquent appeal fo r Continental f H all was made by M rs . Cabell . Th e next day o ficers and

members w ere entertained at a reception given by M rs . H ar h t e . rison . in White H ouse

1 1 1 8 a t . On th e 4th o f December , 9 , a meeting held at M rs ’ f Cabell s resid ence M rs . Ellen H . Walworth o fered a resolu tion that “ a committee be appointed to conside r ways and m ean s o f erecting a fi r e — proo f building and founding a home h for the society , w ich shall al so be the M emo rial Hall o f th the Daughters of the Ame rican Revolution , and that e sai d

committee be in structe d to b ring an ea rly report to the Board .

u It was carried unanimo sly . The first Congress was h el d in the Church of Our Father

n 2 2 h o 2 1 8 . w Feb ruary , 9 Those o were privil eged to attend - co m r a sh i will remember the patriotic fervor , th e warm de p , and th e dignity of th e sessions — a dignity that was the mo re

noticeable because , notwithstanding the lack of parliamentary

s m ethods , th e e being at that time almost unknown to the m aj ority of members , it stamped itself indelibly upon those who lo oked on from th e o uter ranks . I t was a dign ity that i s always p resent where noble aims and high purposes have 2 1 taken such possession of an audience that no room i s l eft fo r small ambition s and selfish pursuits . Th e soci ety felt the need of a magazin e in which to reco rd

w r k 1 8 2 M r s ff an d o . its history , and in May , 9 , Shields o ere d a s re olution , which was unan imously adopted , that such a pub li a i n a s c t o . should at once be assumed , with M rs Walworth

t o edito r . Fo r w years it wa s carri ed on under he r able man

m n ag e e t . The illnes s o f th e Pr esi dent General th rew a shadow ove r

1 8 2 th e last days of 9 . H e r loyalty to the soci ety endeare d her to all , and her d eath in October was a personal sorrow to

those who had be en associated with her i n the wo rk . H e r

u n beauti ful portrait , painted by Daniel H untington , wa s veile d i n the Congress o f 1 894 upon the platform whe re two

years be for e she welcomed th e regents an d delegates . This portrait was a gi ft from members of th e society to the N a

tion , and w as placed in th e White H ouse . M rs . Ellen H . Walworth first suggested this gra c e ful act which was aecom

" li sh e d u n t i r i n i n t e r e s t p largely th rough he r g . Much of thi s early history is taken from th e Smithsoni an

1 8 0 - 1 8 Repo rt 9 97 , which w as p repared from th e first minutes

th e f o f the National B oard , letters in p os session o Mi ss Wash i n t o n g , and th e attested s tatements o f M iss Wash ington and

Miss Desha . It was then sent to eve ry member o f the fir st

n National Board who could be reach ed , o t only in Washing

ton , but through the country , for h e r signature . These sig

s w- natu res were o rn to as genuine , before a notary , and the manu script was given to the chai rman o f the Printing Com m i t t e e o f the United States Congress for publication . Its con cluding paragraphs are as follows :

“ ' A s the meeting of August 9t h wa s one of preliminary o r g a n i z at i o n whe re officers w ere appointed and a constitution f a dopted , it is a simple matte r o law that th e exi stence of the

society began at that time . This was recognized by the Con

1 8 gress o f 89 , which d eclared Miss Eugenia Washington , M iss

Mary Desha , and M rs . Ellen H ardin Walworth the founde rs ” o f the organization , awa rding th em medals as such . “ Reali zing the fact that be fore many years the first wo rkers

o o r in this great soci ety will pa ss away , and with th em all pp t u n i t y for securing th e true h isto ry of th ese early years , w e , the officers o f the fi rst National B oard desi re to d eclare the truth

2 2

f i n t e r r e not only correct , but s ecure rom any doubtful p

a i o n t t .

Y h ai r m a n EL . C . H EN M BO NTON , d B M R R D R A P R (Sig n e ) EL L E I L L E , M B n "A B . R (Sig ed ) EL I ET H OW ON .

Signed the two living Founders , R M A Y DESH A .

L RD A L W R EL EN H A I N W O TH .