DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Being researched

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership organization of women dedicated to promoting historic preservation, education, and patriotism. DAR chapters are involved in raising funds for local scholarships and educational awards, preserving historical properties and artifacts and promoting patriotism within their communities. The organization was founded on May 9, 1890 in Washington D.C. and by 1895 had a nationwide membership exceeding 7,000. Regents and chapters were found in every state and were under the direction of the National Board composed of national officers and state regents meeting monthly. The Continental Congress met on February 22nd each year at which the chapter regents and delegates from each organized chapter were voters. (1) Some state chapters of DAR date from as early as October 11, 1890, and the National Society of DAR was incorporated by Congressional charter in 1896. In modern times an international organization DAR chapters are found Australia, Austria,the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom. DAR's motto is "God, Home, and Country."

The Julien Dubuque chapter of DAR was organized in 1894 by Clara Aldrich COOLEY and twelve women who met at her home. Mrs. Cooley served as a delegate to the National Congress in 1895 and presented the local chapter with its charter at a meeting held in her home. (2) Papers about the first battles and incidents of the American Revolution were read by Mrs. Shoup and Poole followed by an address by Mrs. Cooley. (3) Mrs. Cooley began the state regent of the organization and recommended June 14th as a day of commemorating the national flag in 1897. (4)

Patriotic observances have marked the local over the years. On April 29, 1898 members of the D.A.R., EARLY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION, and many school children traveled by boat to the site of the burial of Julien DUBUQUE to honor Arbor Day. Eleven trees were planted and numbered corresponding to schools in the city and sponsoring organizations: Prescott (1), D.A.R. (2), Irving (3), Franklin (4), Early Settlers (5), Marshall (6), Fulton (7), Lincoln (8), High School (9), Audubon (10), Jackson (11). (5) In 1899 a portrait of Abraham Lincoln and in 1900 a portrait of Benjamin Franklin were presented to the high school. (6) Framed American flags were given to the public and parochial schools of Dubuque in June, 1909. (7) The local chapter also sponsored the NATHANIEL GREEN CADETS. (8)

In 1906 Mrs. Bertha Lincoln HEUSTIS was chosen to sing the "Star Spangled Banner" to the one thousand delegates attending the D.A.R. National Convention in Washington, D.C. in 1906. (9) The City of Dubuque and the Julien Dubuque Chapter played hosts to the 23rd Annual Conference of the D.A.R. in 1923. Entertainment included a sight-seeing tour of the city as guests of the local chapter and the Dubuque Chamber of Commerce. Business of the organization and formal dinners were held in the HOTEL JULIEN DUBUQUE. (10)

Members of the chapter on May 4, 1928 attended the dedication of the Forest Reserve Park near Lamont. The national organization had planted 5,000 trees of which 93 were planted by the Dubuque chapter, one for each of its members. (11) The local chapter in 1930 also supported the national organization by contributing to the reconstruction of the Piney Ridge school's girls' dormitory. The school, located in Mississippi, was working with African Americans. Locally the Julien Dubuque chapter was one of six in the state compiling biographies of women active in the Revolutionary War. The local chapter was also presenting prizes to school children for essays on subjects of American history. (12)

Educational interests of organization included financial aid to a school for underprivileged children in the name of Mrs. Carl Bartels who, in 1970, had just completed a two-year term as Iowa regent. The Julien Dubuque Chapter also celebrated its diamond jubilee that year. (13)

Mayor Robert J. HORGAN was presented with the State Flag of Iowa in 1965 so that it could be flown at the DUBUQUE CITY HALL. (14)

In 1976 the Iowa American Bicentennial Heritage Committee carried out a grave registration project with hopes of canvassing every cemetery in every county by July 4th. Prior work of that type had been done during the GREAT DEPRESSION by the Works Progress Administration to provided jobs for the unemployed. The goal was to record grave sites of veterans so that they could be remembered by a small American flag on Memorial Day. WPA records, however, were incomplete with eighteen counties not canvassed. The only other major records were surveys done by the various chapters of the Iowa D.A.R. (15)

One of the best known activities of the DAR in Dubuque has been the marking of historic sites. The sites included:

Marker placed along the MILITARY ROAD south of Dubuque

Sign posted at First and Main designating the start of the Military Road in Dubuque.

The famous LOG CABIN at the HAM HOUSE

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Source:

1. "Patriotism Revived," Dubuque Herald, February 14, 1895, p. 18

2. "Dubuque's D.A.R.," The Dubuque Herald, March 3, 1895, p. 8

3. "Get the Charter," The Dubuque Herald, April 20, 1895, p. 5

4. "Flag Day," The Dubuque Herald, May 23, 1897, p. 2

5. "Patriotic Event," The Dubuque Herald, April 30, 1898, p. 8

6. "Fine Gift for High School," The Dubuque Herald, December 19, 1900, p. 5

7. "Dubuque Chapter Presents Flags," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, June 11, 1909, p. 2

8. "Way Back When," Telegraph-Herald, January 27, 1965, p. 11

9. "Dubuque Woman Wins New Laurels," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, April 18, 1906, p. 13

10. "Distinguished Women Attend Dubuque Meet," Telegraph-Herald, March 14, 1922, p. 1

11. "Dubuquers Attend D.A.R. Dedication at Lamont on Friday," Telegraph-Herald and Times-Journal, May 2, 1928, p. 5

12. Mrs. F. Oldt Presides at the Meeting," Telegraph-Herald and Times-Journal, March 23, 1930, p. 20

13. "Julien Dubuque D.A.R.," Telegraph-Herald, April 26, 1970, p. 51

14. "Iowa Flag Given," Telegraph-Herald, December 29, 1965, p. 9

15. Elliott, David, "A Different Kind of 'Flour' Decorating Old Tombstones," Telegraph-Herald, December 17, 1974, p. 9