Today's DAR
By the very act of joining the Daughters of the American Revolution, we honor our ancestors. We honor their grit, fortitude, resilience, and perseverance as they took up arms in search of freedom and in defense of a fledgling country. We honor their sacrifice and their willingness to march into the unknown in order to found what would become the world’s leading democracy.
However, we also honor their descendants — our ancestors — and their work to preserve and grow what our founding fathers fought for. We honor their stories and legacies as well.
And during this upcoming 130th Continental Congress, we have a new way to honor those who came before us. President General Denise VanBuren recently announced the DAR Congress Cut Out initiative whereas we — as Daughters — can be part of this historic Congress through sponsoring a cut out of ourselves, “seated” next to dear friends and fellow Daughters as we would hope to in any given year.
Yet, we also have the truly unique opportunity to bring others with us to Congress — those who came before us and who may never have had the opportunity to attend Congress, or even to join the DAR itself.
I sponsored a cut out for my grandmother, Gladys Hall. A 72-year member of the DAR, she was a member of the Frances Slocum Chapter in Wabash, Indiana, and the third generation of women in her family to be a Daughter. She was never able to attend Continental Congress, yet she always enjoyed hearing about the work of the ladies, and once I joined, I made sure to call her from Constitutional Hall every year so she could feel as if she were part of the exciting week that is Congress. I loved sharing the DAR experience with her, especially as we shared the ancestor under whom we joined: Barnabas Van de Venter. She passed away in fall 2018 at the grand old age of 99, but I will feel a little bit closer to her during this year’s Congress as she sits among the ladies of the DAR. She always enjoyed a good suit and never looked anything less than put together, so I know she’ll fit right in!
Kate Sklikas of Acworth, Georgia, and the Kennesaw Mountain Chapter is also honoring the important women in her life. She is sponsoring cut outs of her grandmother, great-grandmother, and great, great-grandmother! Though eligible, they did not join the DAR. Kate has completed a supplemental application for each of these women’s maiden name line, and these cut outs will let the world know that they could have been Daughters.
Each of these ladies has their own story, as well: Kate’s grandmother Jeannette Brinson London (Patriot Adam Brinson) was a woman who loved elegant dinner parties and possessed a family story straight out of a novel. Her great-grandmother Elizabeth Foushee London (Patriot Joseph Foushee) had six sons and one daughter and was a much beloved grandmother by Kate’s father. Great, great-grandmother Maria Caroline Haughton London (Patriot Charles Houghton) was a mother and artist whose husband was wounded at Gettysburg, and whose son, Frank Marsden London, was an artist of fame himself.
Margaret Clarey of Florence, Arizona, and the Casa Grande Valley Chapter is honoring the memory of her ancestor, Hanna White Parmelee Stanton Crane, who joined DAR in 1893. Unfortunately, in the two years that followed, she fell on hard times and was dropped from DAR for non-payment of dues in 1895. When Margaret was working on her genealogy she discovered that there was a problem with Hanna’s application, and after requesting the application, found it red-lined. Unable to “correct” Hanna’s application, Margaret herself joined using the correct patriot and is planning to complete some 20 more additional supplementals in this family line. Feeling bad that Hanna never had the chance to participate in Continental Congress or stay active in the organization, it is only fitting that Margaret is sending her to Congress this year, dressed to join other beloved ancestors.
Each one of these ladies that Kate, Margaret and I have sponsored with a cut out have lived through turbulent times in our country’s history. They persevered, raised their families, served in their communities, and are lovingly remembered by us, their descendants.
However, we are just three ladies among many of you who have chosen this amazing opportunity to honor our beloved family members! We are honoring our sisters, mothers, aunts, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and beyond. We are acknowledging those ladies who have helped us on our own personal journeys, as well as those who helped sustain and support the work of the DAR before us. And we are making it possible for those ladies who were unable to become Daughters to experience the camaraderie and friendship of Congress, if in spirit only. We will all be there together to see the historic unveiling of the restored DAR Constitution Hall!
We encourage you to consider what ancestor you might bring with you this year!
Like our revolutionary patriots, this past year we have faced the unknown. Like them, we have adapted, using our strength and fortitude to deal with an unprecedented event. In honoring their fighting spirit, we do the same by coming together — albeit in a different way — to celebrate the work of our Society and our fellow Daughters. And this year, we have the opportunity to experience Continental Congress side by side with not only our friends and fellow Daughters, but our ancestors, and those ladies who are part of our stories.
You won’t want to miss attending this historic Continental Congress! Now everyone, even your ancestors, can be a part of this historic restoration! Visit www.DAR.org/DARCongressCutOut
Things to know about your Congress Cut Out
• Cutouts ordered together in the same transaction will be seated together for official Congress photos.
• Upload a favorite photo - past or present or take a new photo at the time of your order. Pins, Sashes and Congress attire encouraged!
• Special placement accommodations are available in the main aisle, rope line, platform and special donor recognition sections.
• Donors! Customize your Congress Cut Out to include Benefactors and Patriots, Heritage Club, Founders Club, Sustaining Supporter and 1890 Annual Giving Circle are all options for recognition on your Congress Cut Out.
• Pages of all Ages! Submit your photograph in your Congress whites and select the “Page” option to have your cutout placed in the main aisle in Constitution Hall.
• As always, contributions count toward donor recognition levels.
• Due to the nature of this event, all orders must be made online – no phone or mail-in orders, please.
• Seating is limited, so order early. All orders must be placed by May 7 in order to be included in the pre-Congress videos.
Please email [email protected] if you have questions about this project.
