Over two hundred years ago, American colonists, sacrificed their lives and fortunes to "establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty" and in doing so, left a legacy to the American people. Membership in the DAR will allow you to perpetuate their legacies through supporting the efforts of the National Society by promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America's future through better education for children.
Any woman 18 years or older who can prove lineal, bloodline descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence is eligible to join the DAR. This means that your ancestor could have provided food for soldiers, served in the military, served their town as sheriff, or provided medical aid to the wounded.
Joining the DAR does not require an interest in genealogy, but it helps to have knowledge of your ancestry. To determine your eligibility, you will need to gather documents for yourself, your parents, grandparents, and possibly great-grandparents. With 94 chapters in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (PSSDAR) has volunteers who can assist you if you need help with your research.
Please visit the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution "How to Join" page.
Following the signing of the Treaty of Paris which ended the American Revolutionary War in 1783, two treaties were made with six nations, thus relinquishing to the United States all of the Northwest to a line parallel with the southern boundary of New York, then tapering to a point in Springfield Township between four and five miles east of the Ohio line. This tract consisted of 202,187 acres, extending some 40 miles along Lake Erie and 18 miles along the New York boundary.
New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, after protracted negotiations and arguments (as each state claimed this tract), released their claims for a total of $151,640.25 to the United States Government. The Federal Government in turn conveyed the tract to Pennsylvania, and a patent, signed by President George Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, was issued on March 3, 1792. The tract was called the "Triangle" due to the shape of the land in question.
The Triangle Chapter, NSDAR, was organized October 13, 1916, with seventeen organizing members: Laila Culbertson Jarvis; Cora Knapp Rogers Pierce; Jennie Burnley Heath; Iris Stebbins Hewitt; Bessie Reynolds Stow; Carolyn Griffin Alden; Margaret M. Caldwell; Katherine Miles Davidson; Margaret Alice Griffin; Mary Griffin McLaughlin; Harriet Miles; Mary E. Mills; Nellie Pierce Palmer; Jennie Groves Sprague; Mary Bostwick Walker; Lillian Beckwith; and Carrie Beckwith Watt. Mrs. George Pierce was the Organizing Regent. At the organizing meeting, the patriotic work of the chapter began with the voting of $50 to the Philippine Scholarship fund. On October 19, 1916, Mrs. Pierce attended the State Society’s Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Upon her return, she presented the chapter with their new gavel, made of wood from Valley Forge; this was a matter of sentiment to her, as one of her ancestors had endured the winter of 1777-78 there. This gavel was made of wood from the home of Dr. George de Benneville, who cared for many of the wounded in both armies during the Revolutionary War. Mrs. Pierce at this time also presented the chapter Regent's pin, which has been worn by each succeeding chapter Regent.
The chapter meets on the second Friday of the Month, March through December. For more information about meeting times and locations, please contact the Chapter Regent.
