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I think for me the point is in having a pride in your ancestors for their convictions, struggles and sacrifice, regardless of where they stood. It had to have been hell for many people to choose between loyalty to what they knew worked and loyalty to an unknown future.
I agree with you. Having these Loyalist ancestors put an unexpected dash of drama into my genealogical search. It was especially interesting as one of my ggggrgrandfathers was arrested for having a priest in his house for a baptism, when it was illegal in his country, and it was some of his descedents who were among those ancestors who said "no" to the American Revolution, gave up everything and walked north. Taking chances clearly was in their genes, I guess.
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I may not fit in with the old bitties, as one relative called them, but maybe I can bring a new generation of respect and patriotism.
Then again, I might want to watch my own fingers, eh?
Seriously, though, I am very excited to become a part of this organization.
Congratulations! I understand, I was thrilled to become a member of the UEL.
In fact, the line I'm working with now fought with George Rogers Clark against the Indians after the war, as well. We could keep the group real.
Interesting, my VA militia ancestors fought under him against Indians before the Revolution at the Battle of Point Pleasant when Clark was just a captain.
I've written about my link to the DAR previsously, but I'll mention it again.
My grandmother belonged to the DAR and was tremendously proud of it. I was a student in the 60's and was interested more in the story of Marion Anderson and Elanor Roosevelt. I was not about to join an organization with it's track record on segregation.
When I was in high school and looking at lists of scholarships I might be eligible for I came across the DAR listing. I was full of righteous indignation and wasn't about to join those "old biddies". My father sat me down and talked some sense into me. He also asked me to join to make my grandmother happy. She was thrilled. It took her about 30 seconds to whip out all the proper paper work. I joined. I applied for the scholarship which I received. It paid for my first two years of college.
Fourty years later I laugh that I was so full of being a part of the sixties that I nearly ignored this part of my heritage. Those ancestors, who I will never know, paid for me to go to college. And I sent a very nice "thank you" letter to the "old biddies" who approved that scholarship.
(I might add here that when I would go to the bookstore, scholarship students paid at a different window. As I carried up my books they would ask, "What scolarship?" And I'd say "D.A.R." Heads would always look up to see if I had on a pair of bi-focals and was wearing sensible shoes.)
I've written about my link to the DAR previsously, but I'll mention it again.
My grandmother belonged to the DAR and was tremendously proud of it. I was a student in the 60's and was interested more in the story of Marion Anderson and Elanor Roosevelt. I was not about to join an organization with it's track record on segregation.
When I was in high school and looking at lists of scholarships I might be eligible for I came across the DAR listing. I was full of righteous indignation and wasn't about to join those "old biddies". My father sat me down and talked some sense into me. He also asked me to join to make my grandmother happy. She was thrilled. It took her about 30 seconds to whip out all the proper paper work. I joined. I applied for the scholarship which I received. It paid for my first two years of college.
Fourty years later I laugh that I was so full of being a part of the sixties that I nearly ignored this part of my heritage. Those ancestors, who I will never know, paid for me to go to college. And I sent a very nice "thank you" letter to the "old biddies" who approved that scholarship.
(I might add here that when I would go to the bookstore, scholarship students paid at a different window. As I carried up my books they would ask, "What scolarship?" And I'd say "D.A.R." Heads would always look up to see if I had on a pair of bi-focals and was wearing sensible shoes.)
I actually read your earlier post a couple weeks ago and it's what finally made me decide to go to the meeting. I was planning on it eventually, but when I read your post I thought, this is something I can do for my daughter, so I better get on it. So I guess I should thank you for posting that.
Yours is a great testimony. There are a lot of little reasons like this that get me excited about joining.
Thanks for the info, bjh. I only found this out recently. I'm starting on my husband's family history and already I have credible evidence he could become a member. Do you have any firsthand information on this organization?
Nope. My mom was invited to DAR. I get my revolutionary genes from her. I've never bothered to try to join SAR.
I went to some DAR meetings several years ago and I found the process to prove qualification to be too difficult and time-consuming. So I stopped pursuing it.
I am eligible under at least one line that I know of, the problem is we are missing a solid link, to date, in a generation and so far, the records are just not there to prove the blood line enough for the DAR. It doesn't bother me much, except as part of a piece of a puzzle.
I have a cousin/friend that goes every year to the DAR library and the National Archives while her husband, in banking, gets CPE credits. She is eligible to join through several lines but isn't much of a joiner. She uses the library without membership.
About a year ago I discovered that one of my grandmother's ancestors served in the Revolutionary War, which I guess would make me eligible for S.A.R. membership. I looked into it briefly, but didn't see much point in joining to be honest. If you're excited to join the DAR, that's cool though.
The city of Cincinnati...formerly known as Losantiville...for many years the largest city west of the Appalachian Mountains....was named in honor of this society.
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