■y ^' Class ^llZQZ> _ Book ^.A.B^^ copy 2. ^(TUrf^^ j4d.xj-^^^^ ^OtiAM.*^ FOUNDING AND ORGANIZATION OF THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND DAUGHTERS OF THE REVOLUTION BY FLORA ADAMS DARLING, A. M. FOUNDER INDEPENDENCE PUBLISHING COMPANY PHILADELPHIA COPYRIGHT, 1901, BY FLORA ADAMS DARLING. The Autograph Edition is limited to five thousand copies. This is No i.i)..il PUBLISHERS. f Dedicate tbts worn to tbe men anD women of tbc patdotic Societies ot Bmerica, wbose cbaracters II aDmire, anD wbose frienDsbip bcnors me- FLORA ADAMS DARLING. Washington, D. C. January F'irst, 1901. CONTENTS. PAGE Introduction 9 Chapter 1 13 Chapter II. — a hope realized 74 Chapter III. — birth of the society in new york, FEBRUARY 22, 1891 85 Chapter IV. — a modern revolution 99 Chapter V. — the " darling " chapter, d. a. r. — A battlefield on HARLEM heights . II5 Chapter VI. — proposed compromise 131 Chapter VII. — the desha pamphlet 144 Chapter VIII. — daughters of 1812 185 Chapter IX. — adams ancestry in Europe and AMERICA 200 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. MRS. FLORA ADAMS DARLING Fronthpuce MRS. CAROLINE SCOTT HARRISON Facing Page 130 INTRODUCTION. THIS authentic and authorized history is the first that has been given regarding the foundation of the Alpha Society of Patriotic Women which was orga- nized October ii, 1890, and known as "Daughters of the American Revolution." From the day the stan- dard of the order was raised the society became famous. It is a natural desire of nations and people to be entirely assured of the basis on which a structure is erected or a great society is formed that it may rest securely on the Rock of Truth. The prominence the first society of the Daughters of the revolution attained has created an imperative demand to lift the cloud that covers its origin, and have it known who created the enthusiasm, who entered upon the work, who was the organizer that laid the corner stone of success, and, when this was accomplished, who were the co-workers with the founder — to aid through united efforts in crystallizing into achievement the ambition of the founder's dream of Patriotic Daughters, based on pedigree and patriotism, to become factors in the destiny of Our Home and Country. In order to secure historical fact beyond contradic- tion, the documentary evidence in this history has been submitted by the founder to a jury of expert historians, lawyers and men of letters, and after their long and faithful research from every point of view, we are able to present the History of the Founding herein set forth, fully verified by evidence, to stand the test not only of students of history, but the test of law. lO INTRODUCTION. We liave compiled claims and statements ; each, letter is in evidence, and nothing is more convincing than documentary verification, supported by original designs — original drafts of constitutions, resolutions and results. Our attention was called to the importance of this compilation under authorized researchers for the truth two years ago when the New York Tribune asked for facts, not fiction, and soon after, the Tribune announced that incontrovertible facts would be given. It has again become apparent that a more formal pub- lication alone can serve the object, aim and purpose of those interested in the " true story"; for the following item while welcomed with interest by all of the here- ditary patriotic societies only sounded a key-note of inquiry. New York Tribune : A gift of uncommon kind comes to the Daughters of the Revolution from the hands of Mrs. Flora Adams Darling, the founder of this and kindred associations. One part of the donation consists of different forms of original records of the foundation of these societies — letters of acceptance of office, minutes of meetings of early date, etc., etc., all of which have been carefully preserved. A collection has also been made of press-clippings subsequent to the organization of the Daughters of the American Revolution, in October, 1890, and continued to the present time, the whole of this material being now arranged in complete order to represent the different phases of the history of the several orders. The series presents every important episode of peaceful and stormy periods marking the advance of the three great associations — " Daughters of the American Revolution. A National Chapter — independent of state societies, the several chapters standing in the same relation to the Mother Society, as the Posts of the Grand Army of the Republic to the head of the army; the Daughters of the Revolution founded on the basis of the United States Republic of America — the general society is INTRODUCTION. ii made up of independent state societies — bound together by- bonds of confederation for a basis of general scope and security — the United States Daughters General Society of the War of 1812 founded on the same lines as the Daughters of the Revo- lution, the original design of the founder. The documents as well as the press-clippings omit no criticism of the founder and other officers whether favorable or adverse, showing also, in detail the origin and outcome of "a Mother of a Patriot Clause " that caused the disunion of the original society. By the adoption of " the Desha Clause," as it was known, the society in Washington became collateral, while the society in New York refused to recognize the clause and remained from the initial, lineal and based on state societies. The object, aim and purpose of the scope and plan of work of both societies run on parallel lines, and similarity of titles invited, atfirst, considerable confusion, especially, as both societies were instituted and organized by Mrs. Darling, founder, also vice-president general in charge of organization, during the initial year of the work of the former society and founder — also director general of the latter order; the title "general" employed to indicate officers of the general or national societies. In giving these facts from the original documents a valuable memorial is produced, that in the days to come will be of greater value than we can now forecast. To use the founder's words, when trans- ferring the trunks of evidence from Washington she wrote, " I have produced argument by submitting proof, for others to give the x'erdict." After the death of Mrs. Darling's only child, Edward Irving Darling, a question arose as to the disposition of the historical papers, which resulted in the price- less treasures coming into our possession, and we find pleasure in giving to the public a historical souvenir of the founding of the Mother Society of the Daughters of the Revolution. It will be found by the facts pre- sented that it was the elder who failed to carry out the 12 INTRODUCTION. design of the founder, and the younger society that retained lineal basis, state societies, colors, motto ; and the founder, as the head and director. And it is to be hoped that union will settle the matter upon a strong basis supported by just and equitable principles — with honor to all concerned. Editor CHAPTER I. IT was not by accident that the organization of * women into patriotic societies, with the object of perpetuating the deeds of their illustrious ancestors, was accomplished. The idea of forming an association of women to preserve Revolutionary relics was con- ceived in my mind during the Centennial Celebration of 1876, and as early as the summer of 1884 I had so far perfected my plans that I invited my friend Miss Eugenia Washington to visit me at my home at Nyack-on-the-Hudson, so that we could discuss the details of the Revolutionary Relic Society, which I intended should be a joint conception of a Washington and an Adams. After spending a week with me, during which time we visited the many historic points in the neighborhood, such as the Andre monuments and the jail from which he was taken to be hanged, the headquarters of Washington and many others, Miss Washington returned to the city of Washington. We had decided that the time had not come for the promulgation of the idea. In 18S9, I was in Washington, which has been m}' home for the greater part of my life. I called upon Miss Washington and suggested that the centennial celebration over the inauguration of the first president of the United States, which was then in progress made a propitious occasion upon which to launch our Revo- lutionary Relic Society. We at once set about inter- esting friends, and soon had a dozen ladies interested in the plan. Many promises of relics were made and the successful development of the society was assured. As a part of the work in view, I wrote to the Hon. 14 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. Hamiltou Fish, wlio had charge of the New York cele- bration, and requested that he invite Miss Washington to be a guest of honor, as she was the great-grand- niece of the immortal Washington. As a result of this letter Miss Washington was made one of the most welcome and conspicuous guests. During the spring of 1890 I was a guest at the home of General Marcus J. Wright, of Washington, D. C. He was at that time busily engaged in the forma- tion of the District of Columbia Chapter of the Sons of the Americon Revolution, and the general topic of conversation in the household, naturally, was in regard to that work. The close resemblance of the aims of the embryo Relic Society and the Sons of the Ameri- can Revolution suggested to me that it might be better for Miss Washington and myself to organize a society of Daughters of the American Revolution. I broached the project to General Wright, and he advised that we defer the matter until the Sons had decided whether or not they would accept women members. On Sunday, April 29, 1890, the day before the organization of the Sons in the District of Columbia, I called upon my life-long friend, Mrs. Colonel Thomas C. English, at her home, 1907 N street, N. W., Washington, D. C, where Miss Washington met me. We three discussed the events of the day. Then I spoke of the plan I had for the expansion of the Revo- lutionary Relic Society (of which Mrs. English was to be a member) into the broader field of a National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, with the purpose of honoring the memories of the women of the Revolution, as the Sons did the men. Both Miss Washington and Mrs. English approved of the idea, and we discussed whom to invite. Miss FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 15 Washington said she knew three members of her family who would be eligible ; Mrs. English said she could vouch for three members of her immediate family, and I stated that the six members of my family (my five sisters and myself) would complete the number we would need to institute the society. Mrs. English said she would write at once to her aunt, Eliza Jones, who had the history of the family, and get her to give the details of the service of the Jones family during the Revolution. Miss Washington had often told me of the service of her ancestor, Colonel Washington, and the fact that my ancestor. Colonel Andrew Adams had resigned from the service of the King to take up the sword in defense of liberty, home and country, was common history to both Mrs. English and Miss Washington. I explained to the ladies that as I was in close touch with the Sons through General Wright (who was chosen vice-president of the District of Columbia Society the following day), I would get the papers and application blanks of the Sons and use them as a basis for our work. It was decided that the proper time for the announcement of the proposed society would be in the fall of the year, when Washington social life would begin to revive after the summer. I went to Culpepper, Va., and remained there until October 4, 1890. During the five months that intervened between April 29th and October 4th, I had written to Dr. W. S. Webb, president of the S. A. R.,for constitution and papers of the Sons and had received an express package con- taining the papers etc. I wrote to Dr. Webb and asked if he could favor me further by duplicating the papers and sending them to Miss Eugenia Washington. He courteously complied with this request. I received a l6 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. letter from Miss Washington, June 24, 1890, in wiiicli she said the package from Dr. Webb had been received, and that she would make known the intended organi- zation among the ladies of the departments, where there were many descendants of famous Revolutionary patriots. Miss Washington wrote me once and often twice a week during July and August, 1890, to keep me informed as to the progress she was making in inter- esting her friends in Washington in the Daughters of the American Revolution. In one of my letters to her I said that I would be in Washington on the ist of October, andthought that October i ith, the anniversary of the discovery of America, would be an appropriate day on which to organize. As early as July 4th I received a letter from Miss Washington, in which she stated that Miss Mary Desha, one of her friends, who held a position in the Pension Bureau, was interested in organizing a society called the Wimodaughsis. It was to be a benefit society, and would take in all of the wives, mothers, daughters and sisters of the United States, to work for the advancement of womankind. The com- pany was to have its headquarters in Washington, and was to issue stock at $5 a share. Its name was derived from a combination of the first syllable from the four words, making Wi-mo-daugh-sis. Miss Washington wrote me that she had taken some stock and was quite interested in the undertaking. She added that Miss Mary Desha, Mrs. Ellen Hardin Walworth and Mrs. M. S. Lockwood were in the society, and that they were also eligible to the Daughters of the American Revolution and much interested in the idea. I replied that it would be perfectly satisfactory to have FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 17 them become members of the D. A. R. Miss Mary Desba then opened correspondence witb ladies in whom she was specially interested in regard to the D. A. R., and she also extended me an invitation to become a member and officer of the Wimodaughsis. It was through the formation of these two societies, both in Washington, both being organized within two days of each other, the Wimodaughsis on October 9th and the Daughters of the American Revolution on October nth, and the peculiar coincidence that the promoters of the Wimodaughsis were all officers and charter members of the Daughters of the iVmerican Revolution, that a false statement of the founding of the D. A. R. has been established. I was in Washington on October 9th, and met the ladies who constituted the Wimodaughsis, at their club house. They were introduced to me. The list of mem- bers had been sent to nie by Miss Desha for approval for the D. A. R. I accepted those who were eligible for the Daughters of the American Revolution, and they were invited to meet at the Strathmore Arms, where I was a guest, on October 11, 1890. Miss Desha desired to have the two societies unite, and she proposed to turn over the stock of the Wimo- daughsis to the D. A. R. This I could not agree to, as the purposes of the Wimodaughsis were quite different from those of the Daughters. As many of the ladies who had joined the Wimodaughsis were eligible to the D. A. R., it was decided by them on October 9th that the Daughters would become a great and popular order, and they were anxious to unite with it. I arranged with Miss Desha, Mrs. Walworth, Mrs. Lock- wood and the other ladies, to give them official positions in the D. A. R. They were told what places I had 1 8 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. assigned to them, and all were thoroughly satisfied, and accepted. At the initial meeting of the Daughters of the American Revolution, October ii, 1890, the constitu- tion which I had drafted, and which had been read and corrected by Mr. William O. McDowell and Mr. Wilson L. Gill, two Sons of the American Revolution who were giving me the benefit of their knowledge of patriotic organization, was unanimously adopted. It did not contain a clause admitting members through the "mother of a patriot." The original draft as read at the meeting is reproduced in another part of this history. It was at this meeting that I was made the only exception, by being voted by resolution a life member in recognition of my work in founding the society. The seal and motto of the society were suggested by me and shown to the ladies at the initial meeting. The original drawing of the seal is here reproduced. When, at the conclusion of the third meeting, and FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 19 when most of the members had departed, Miss Desha hurriedly offered an amendment to the constitution to admit to membership through the " mother of a patriot " clause, I stood out firmly against such a subversion of the society. A quorum of the members was present, and they were told that the amendment was for the purpose of making Miss Washington eligible, as she was a great-grandniece of George Washington, and would otherwise be excluded. Not realizing that an amendment to the constitution was being "railroaded," the members voted. The amend- ment was declared passed. The constitution as adopted at the first meeting, provided that an amendment could not be made unless proposed at one meeting and voted on at the following meeting. So the proceedings by which the " mother of a patriot clause " was carried, making the D. A. R. a collateral society, were abso- lutely unconstitutional and are null. I refused then, as I do now, to recognize the legality of the proceed- ings, and I persisted that the constitution should remain in force as it had passed, until properly amended. I struck out the words " or through the mother of a patriot," in every paper and in each copy of the constitution I sent out. The cause for the insertion of the clause is not obscure. Miss Mary Desha was the leading spirit of the Wimodaughsis. When so many of that society came over to the D. A. R. I felt she deserved recognition, and I desired to place her as chairman of the Executive Board. I showed the list of officers I had selected to Mrs. President Harrison, who had accepted the presi- dent generalship of the D. A. R., which I had tendered her. Mrs. Harrison, who had accepted on the under- standing that she should have someone appointed to 20 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. take tlie burden of work from her, told me that she ap- proved of all the of&cers I had selected with the excep- tion of one. The exception was Miss Mary Desha, Mrs. Harrison stated that, in the capacity of chairman of the Executive Board Miss Desha would have to be in close of&cial touch with her, and would have to represent her of&cially at many places and on most occasions. For that reason Mrs. Harrison thought that a married woman, one who had social prominence and a residence of some pretension in Washington should be chosen for the office. I realized instantly that in endeavoring to give Miss Desha a place of such prominence I had committed an error of judgment. I suggested the name of Mrs. William D. Cabell. The suggestion was agreeable to Mrs. Harrison. I wrote to Miss Desha that she must be sacrificed for "the good of the cause," This was, of course, prior to the meeting November nth, and she proposed to accept the situation. Yet she was determined to regain the office. As before stated, the number of women in the several departments is very large, and a considerable proportion of them are the descendants of illustrious American patriots. Miss Desha, seconded by Mr. W, O. McDowell, who wanted to be a ''Daughter," planned to open the flood- gates of the Wimodaughsis, by letting in the wives, mothers, daughters and sisters of patriots, which was equivalent to inviting all womankind to join. By the increased vote that this would bring in, Miss Desha and her adviser hoped to control the society, 1 incurred Mr. McDowell's further enmity when I declined to accept his paper applying for membership to the Daughters, I was willing, as is so often quoted, to have him the " Pope," but I drew the line at admit- FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 21 ting liiiu to sisterhood. Mr. McDowell also desired to have the seal of the society, " a cradle, and in it Baby McKee." Because I would not give my approval to this indelicate suggestion he and his clique harbored the bitterest enmity against me. From October 11, 1890, the day the D. A. R. Society was organized, until June 18, 1891, when I resigned from the position of vice-president general in charge of organization, there was never a word uttered by any member of the society to the effect that I was "an arrogant usurper;" that I " had appropriated the work of others ;" that I "was not eligible to my own society ;" that I "was not the founder or even ofie of the founders of the society." None of these statements appeared until I had withdrawn from the organization and founded a lineal society, "Daughters of the Revo- lution," from the Darling Chapter in New York. I held undisputed position as founder in the D. A. R., making all appointments and having charge of the organization of chapters in the several states. Every commission was issued by me. That the officers of the board in Washington recognized me as founder and organizer is proven by their letters to me after my departure from that city to begin the work of forming the societies in New York and New Jersey. These letters and all the correspondence and official papers that I held at the time of my resignation from the office of vice-president general in charge of organization, are reproduced in this history to form an incontro- vertible chain of evidence sustaining me in my position as founder of the Daughters of the American Revolution. I have written innumerable letters to those who were connected with the organization during my official 22 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. term, and I have not, to this date, been confronted witli a single one of my letters which disproves my state- ments. The only use that has been made of my letters, or those of any other member of the societies, has been to take certain paragraphs and phrases, and fit them to suit the case of those who were working to secure the honor of founding the society. The unsubstantiated use of words that has characterized the writings of Miss Mary Desha, who wrote authoritatively for the Board of Managers, cannot stand with the reproduced evidence and letters which she and the other members of the society wrote to me before and after the organi- zation, October ii, 1890. In her " Pamphlet " (printed in full elsewhere in this book) she sets the date of the founding of the D. A. R. as July, 1890. But the society still retains the date, October 11, 1890, although it has erased a year's history to take the founding from me to bestow it upon Miss Washington, Miss Desha and Mrs. Walworth, as the facts will prove. With this general outline of the facts and points that I propose to establish, I shall proceed in detail. In April, 1889, the anniversary to celebrate the centennial of Washington's taking oath of office as President, at New York, was a special event to the kin of the father. Mrs. Lewis Washington told me of the numerous honors crowded upon her. I suggested she should divide with Miss Eugenia Washington. I felt Miss Washington had a place of right with founder's kin. I wrote this opinion to Hon. Hamilton Fish, supplementing it with the observation that Miss Washington had been so long in the Dead Letter Office, she had, in fact, become a dead letter — no one calling for her ; nor had she appeared on the ramparts sell- ing "Washington's Waistcoats." Hence, she was an FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 23 unclaimed memory of departed glory. He responded with pleasure and made her "the Washington feature of the show." The event united our desires to carry out a plan together to place her properly as a Wash- ington. It was after her return from the New York celebration, 1890, that we first talked of the D. A. R. Society. I told her two ladies had called on me from Virginia to unite in the relic work, that I had to go to Culpepper to remain on business matters for some time, but upon my return, we would form our Society of Daughters. She said she was much occupied in office, but she would do what she could. Up to this date I had never seen or heard of Mr. W. O. McDowell, who afterwards became the disturbing element in patriotic societies ; nor had I ever seen or heard of Mrs. Lockwood or Miss Desha. I had heard of Mrs. Walworth, but had not her acquaintance. During the winter of 1889-90, Miss Cleveland, the authoress, visited me at Culpepper, desiring me to read and criticise a new book that she was about to publish, which I did. While there she told me Mrs. Ivockwood had written " Historic Homes of Washing- ton," which she desired me to criticize. I sent word to her, "with pleasure." Soon after, I had an invitation to the Strathmore Arms, April, 1890. While there, I told Mrs, Lockwood of my intended Daughters of the American Revolution, which, at once, she approved and applauded. She desired me to go with her to see Mrs. Emily Sherwood, a correspondent for several papers, to give her the scope of the idea, so that she could set forth the nature of the work. I did so, and early mjicne^ 1890, she sent me a type-written copy for approval. I wrote her it was a little early to use, as the society would not organize until October. The 24 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. article appeared before our first meeting. Slie brought me a copy when we took up the work. I invited her to become a member. I do not recall the date, but with Mrs. Lockwood I visited her home in Anticosti the third Sunday in April, 1890. The next Sunday I spent at the house of Gen- eral Marcus J. Wright. He was interested in the organization of the District of Columbia Societ}^ of Sons of the American Revolution, of which he was elected vice-president. I told him of my Society intentions, w^hich he approved, but regarded it wise to have the Sons fully organized before the Daughters. I also saw Dr. G. Brown Goode, and his advice ran parallel. I thought they both regarded it a hazard to invite a modern revolution. No doubt the}^ foresaw that peace would be as impossible as Noah found with the animals in the ark. But my ignorance of societies made me fearless, and the time had come to advance the idea, and I did so without counting the cost ; but for a time I was the ark of the covenant floating in peace. Miss Washington met me that Sunday evening at the home of Mrs. Col. T. C. Eng- lish, and in the presence of Mrs. English we talked over our plans. I told them what General Wright said, but that we would institute the work without delay, for " the hour had come." Mrs. English said, " I will write to cousin Eliza Jones who has the pedigree and service of our family." Before I returned to Culpepper, Mrs. English had securedher ancestor's record for admission, which she gave me, written by Mrs. Eliza Sinclair Jones on the wood cover of a fruit basket. Mrs. Madison Bal- linger was the next to give me her lineal pedigree. Miss Page Robinson, Mrs. Truehart Buck, Mrs. J. W. Green, with members of my own family and fully FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 25 verified, were secured before July 4, 1890. I invited Mrs. Wriglit to become one of " tbe original thirteen," but she decided to "wait a bit." General and Airs. Wright visited me during June in Culpepper ; the General brought exploited work to show me the vwdiis operandi ; besides. Dr. Webb, president general of the S. A. R. National Societ}^, New York, had sent me by express, early in June, 1890, a constitution, applica- tion blanks and other printed matter, to guide my work. When I acknowledged ithe favors, I asked him that one be sent to Aliss Washington, my co-worker in the societ}'. He did so. She wrote me she had received it, and of the progress she was making ; she said '' a society called Wi-mo-daugh-sis is being organized by Miss Mary Desha ;" that she had united with it, i. e., had taken stock to the amount of $5.00 (I believe this the specified amount) ; she also wrote that Mrs. Brown, Mrs. W^alworth, Miss Desha and Mrs. Wolf had expressed a desire to become " Daughters," and that Miss Desha would write an article for the Post. I was much pleased to leave Washington in her charge while I was working "at large." I arranged with the editor of the Adams Magazine, New York City, formerly the Gotham, to have the magazine become the exponent of the society and that I would take the historical department, as I was to make the New York society my "home field." All of these arrangements were made during June and July, 1890. It is a question in my mind now^ as it was tJien^ whether history or developed patriotism was the motive power of my action; still, it was history first, last and all the time that animated me most, and there was but one position I desired. All of these plans and desires I made known to Miss Washington, and her letters to me were full of interest. I sent my own 26 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. application to sliow tlie plan ; it was made on a blank sent to me from tlie New York S. A. R. I also had one sent me from New Jersey and one from tlie District of Columbia. Barly in August Miss Washington wrote me she met Mrs. Walworth and Miss Desha, to talk over the matter, at Mrs. Walworth's rooms ; that both were executive women, who understood such matters, and would be of great service. I replied: "get them to take not only an interest, but an office." • It must be clearly understood here that Miss Washington, Miss Desha, Mrs. Walworth and Mrs. Wolf were waiting to form the Wi-mo-daugh-sis Society ; at the same time Miss Washington and I were perfecting our plans for the Daughters. The extracts from letters of mine that Miss Desha and the other "pretenders" have printed, if published with the complete text, would show that they referred to this stock company of wives, mothers, daughters and sisters of America. Miss Washington was the person who took active part in both undertakings. To facilitate the enrollment of members in the District of Columbia, Miss Washington and I decided to have 500 application blanks for the Daughters of the American Revolution printed. I sent Miss Wash- ington the copy for the blanks. She gave the order to a printer, and on my arrival in the capital on October 4, 1890, I secured the package of application blanks and paid $12.50 for them. I immediatel}^ took one to show Miss Washington. I found her much distressed over the sudden death of a niece. I told her every detail of the meeting was attended to ; that I had received acceptances from a number of ladies, and that the organization would pass off successfully. FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 27 She was present at the meeting, October nth, but, because of her recent bereavement, she took no active part in the ceremonies, beyond accepting the office of registrar general. However, since that initial meeting of a great organization a variety of claims have been made ; and, in view of the divergencies, it seems wise to give the views of each claimant, for they remind me of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, clothed in different detail, with the same climax in view. I have never heard that Mrs. Lockwood claimed more than that I asked her "to hold the position of historian for me during the year I should be organizing." She did this. The year I had the magazine I did the work and assumed the worry of the Official Department without compensation of any character. Subsequently I was informed that Mrs. Lockwood was made editor, and her daughter, manager, of the D. A. R. official mag- azine, for which a salary is paid of $1200 a year. This would be consolation, if not satisfaction. Whether the officers of the Daughters of the American Revolution now receive salary or not, I do not know; I only know for myself that, directly or indirectly, I have never received one dollar's compensation for the three societies of which I was founder and organizer. I paid my own expenses to meet the demands of the societ}^, and for the Daugh- ters of the American Revolution the sum of $610 out- side of usual expenses, which I gave for the " good of the cause." I received and sent $1 with every appli- cation blank sent to me personall}^ From the $2 dues paid to chapters through this source during the months from October 10, 1890, to June 18, 1891, 1 received $352. I paid out $426.40. My accounts were submitted by an attorney to the members of the Advisory Board 28 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. Committee — General Shields and Colonel McDonald. After deducting and arranging life memberships in New Jersey, Massacliusetts and Rliode Island, to meet new conditions of separated societies, they found due me $10.90, whicli I gave to the society through General Shields. I will here add I have never heard my finan- cial methods questioned, nor have I ever received thanks for the contribution, or the slightest recogni- tion for the service I rendered, nor did I desire it ; but, for this very reason, I had a business settlement made that would stand the test of law, reported and signed by Assistant Attorney-General Shields and Colonel Marshall McDonald, who conferred with my attorney, who forwarded it to me. General Shields in his report says : There was no agreement, express or implied, that Mrs. DarHng should be paid for her services. On the contrary, she has repeatedly stated that she was working for "the good of the cause." On June 8, 1890, she sent in a receipt, of which the following is a copy : National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution. To Mrs. Flora Adams Darling : To active service attending the organization in ten States, from October istto June ist, with personal expenses, etc., etc ;^6oo The only compensation I ask or desire to receive is " the good of the cause." Flora Adams Darling, Vice-President General, In Charge of Organization. I was glad that the society accepted the gift, for in my opinion a founder of any society should assume more of the expense than any other. I was told, and FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 29 I believe it to be true, that Dr. Webb paid to the credit of the S. A. R. $15,000 to secure high class organiza- tion to give an object lesson of the best form that could be offered ; and as a rule Sons were generous contributors. I did the best I could on my limited income, but those with whom I had affairs were most liberal when bills were rendered ; otherwise the expenses I incurred for the society would have reached three ciphers instead of two. That this history may not seem to repeat I will turn a leaf backward and now give the details of the initial meeting October i ith, and the meeting of Novem- ber II, 1890, when I announced "the society is con- summated." In my way I had written andlaid oulall the details regardless of commas and semicolons, when Mr. Wilson L. Gill, of Ohio, who, with Mr. McDowell, was active in the work of the National Society of S. A. R. to organize state societies, came to Washington, and called upon me to gain knowledge of my progress. He had been made acquainted with my progress through the letter sent in June to Dr. Webb for the S. A. R. papers. This was before I had ever met IVIr. McDowell. Mr. Gill looked over my constitution and plans, and gave unqualified approval. He kindly offered to revise the construction of the constitution, which he did. The objects of the proposed society and the basis of membership were printed, the proofs sent me and I approved them. The circulars were delivered to me and paid for by me. Mr. Gill also suggested that the order of business which I was to read at the first meeting be put in type writing ; also the list of officers who had accepted, in the event they could qualify. Mrs. Admiral Porter 30 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. declined the office tendered, and was subsequently- elected honorary vice-president, and with her name at the first meeting I proposed as honorary officers Mrs. Gen. Grant and Mrs. Jefferson Davis ; but for some reason after I laid down the office of organizer their names seemed to die with my official death. I had called on each lady before the meeting, and each with an "if" accepted. Mrs. Walworth and Miss Desha, also Miss Washington, called on me. I was then a guest of Mrs. Lockwood's; so, of course, was in touch with her. She went with me to see Mrs. President Harrison, who said she would accept if her papers of admission could be secured. To make it absolutel}'- certain that she was eligible I told her I would attend to this personally, which I did before October nth. Dr. Goode found me the service of her ancestor with date and data. Dr. Scott, Mrs. Harri- son's father, gave me his grandfather's record in the " Pennsylvania Line of troops." I told Mrs. Harrison of her eligibility and asked her to be present. She said "it would be better form to remain away and be duly notified." I admitted this, but desired the influence of her presence. On the morning of October nth I received a message from the Executive Mansion, Mrs. Harrison's application paper with fee and dues, to assure absolute certainty of her acceptance when I announced her name as president general of the society; also a letter (which appears on pages 31 and 32) from her niece, Mrs. Dimmick, now the wife of ex-President Harrison. Further, it was stipulated on my part to aid Mrs. Harrison by relieving her from the detail duties of her office, and immediately after the formal announcement of her acceptance the following resolution was decided FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 31 EXECUTIVE " MANSION , WASMINCTOM. ImoU^ (M^ ^ H^ 32 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. Qto dJJ^ {LtLj:X^ FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 33 upon ; it was also sent out by the Associated Press, and General Marcus J. Wright gave me the privilege of having my mail addressed to his residence. His home was near the White House. I also told Mrs. Harrison that a committee would be named to visit the Executive Mansion to acquaint her of her election. Mrs. Harrison and I had copies of the following reso- lution : ^^fiyu-uru^ .oc^^n^ ^y^^. -7^^^^-^<^^-^^ -^E/^-^^ /C.■^^ 2£_^K^, ^^^i^. Thus matters stood when Mr. William O. Mc- Dowell, with his little daughter, arrived in Washington on Friday afternoon. I had him hear the whole story. I read to him the draft of constitution, order of business, and asked him to preside and that Mr. Gill would act as secretary. This they consented to do. Mr. McDowell expressed a desire to make the society a gift of a minute book with a letter of his ancestor, Hannah Arnett, on the front leaf, which was accepted with pleasure. He, with Mr. Gill, spent Saturday 34 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. morning in my parlor congratulating me upon my plans and suggesting practical ideas to develop the same, and not until I heard this praise of my work had it ever dawned on me that it was anything out of the ordinary ; but they readily discovered that which I already knew, that I could never be a presiding officer, unless on exceptional occasions, when everything was in my own hands going in ni}^ own way. At 2 P. M., October ii, 1890, the hour and descendants met, and without will of my own I was the centre of the occasion. I fancy all who were present remember the day and hour, and so long as the result remains it matters little who was the creator. The meeting was called to order by Mr. McDowell. Mr. Gill and Miss Desha were efficient aids with pen- cils and reports. At the proper time I gave the basis of work, read the order of business and announced officers and committees. Then a vote was taken to confirm my work, and the resolution acknowledging me founder was passed, for which I returned thanks. This resolution is reproduced in facsimile in the minutes of the first meeting, later in this chapter. It furnishes ocular testimony that on October 11, 1890, there was no opposition to my being termed founder. But, on the contrary, the resolution was adopted unanimously. The draft of the constitution which I had offered to Mr. Gill and Mr. McDowell for correction was read and adopted. It was ordered printed, the proof to be sent to me for correction. When the page proofs were sent to me I discovered that in Article III, Section I, the clause had been inserted : "or from the mother of such a patriot." This insertion I looked upon as ille- FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 35 gal, and drew my pen througli it. The correction I indicated to be made was not made at tlie printers, and the constitution was printed with the collateral clause surreptitiously incorporated. Upon discovering this, I at once notified the offi- cers of the society that I should ignore the "mother of a patriot" clause; and in all constitutions I sent out I drew my pen through the spurious clause. The plan of organization submitted by me was as follows : To organize the National Daughters of the American Revo- lution, October i ith, the anniversary of the discovery of America in the following manner : In order to make the initial of this society in full accordance and harmony with the Sons of the American Revolution of the District of Columbia, to appoint the wives of the officers of the Sons, the president general and the vice-president general of the society. The offices of the National society are to be made as broad and comprehensive as possible, to embrace all sections of the country, to advance the influence of the Society in the several states under the direction of the General Society to be located in Washington, D. C. The objects of the society are to perpetuate the memory and the works of the women of Revolutionary fame ; to promote and encourage proper observance of days commemorating American historical events ; to cherish American laws and tradi- tions of the Republic, as stated in the Constitution. The objects are both patriotic and social, but specially to stimulate pride in birth, as being Americans and descended from Revolutionary ancestors. The officers, to be appointed the day of organization, after duly signing the constitution making us a society. S6 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. Orighial Draft of the Constitution. Accepted at the Meeting of Oct. nth., i8go. Constitution OF THE Daughters of the American Revolution. article i. The name of this society shall be Daughters of the Ameri- can Revolution. ARTICLE II. Objects of the Society. The objects of the society are to perpetuate the memory and the spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence, by the encouragement of historical research in relation to the Revolution and the publication of the results, the preservation of documents and relics and of records of the indi- vidual services of Revolutionary soldiers and patriots, and the promotion of celebrations of all patriotic anniversaries ; to carry out the injunction of Washington in his farewell address to the American people — "to promote as an object of primary impor- tance institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge." thus developing an enlightened public opinion, and affording to young and old such advantages as shall develop in them the largest capacity for performing the duties of American citizen- ship ; to cherish, maintain, and extend the institutions of Ameri- can freedom ; to foster true patriotism and love of country, and to aid in securing for all the blessings of liberty ; to secure and preserve the historical spots of America, and to erect thereon suitable monuments to perpetuate the memories of the heroic deeds of the men and women who aided the Revolution and who created constitutional government in America. Any woman may be eligible for membership who is of the age of eighteen, and who descends from an ancestor who, with unfailing loyalty rendered material aid to the cause of Indepen- dence as a recognized patriot, as a soldier, or sailor, or as a civil officer in one of the several colonies or states ; provided the applicant shall be acceptable to the Society. FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 37 ARTICLE III. Section i. The officers of the National society shall be a President General, Vice President General at large in charge of organization, seven Vice Presidents General, two Secretaries General, two Registrars General, one Treasurer General, one Historian General, one Surgeon General, one Chaplain General, who shall be elected by ballot by a vote of a majority of the members at the annual meeting of the Congress of the Society; to hold office for one year and until their successors shall be elected, and who, together with the Presidents of the States Societies ex-officio, shall constitute a General Board of Mana- gers, of which seven shall constitute a quorum. Section 2. An Executive Committee consisting of a chair- man and six other members, to be appointed for the first year by the Vice President in charge of Organization, and subse- quently to be elected, by the Board of Managers, which shall in the interim between meetings of the Board, transact such busi- ness as shall be delegated to it by the Board of Managers. ARTICLE IV. Initiation Fees afid Dues. Section i. Until the organization of the State Societies the initiation fee shall be one (i) dollar ; the annual dues two (2) dollars ; or the payment at one time of twenty-five (25) dollars shall constitute a life membership, with exemption from payment of dues thereafter, payable to the National officers. Section 2. The annual dues shall be payable on the first day of November of each year. Sec. 3. After the organization of the state societies, each State Society shall pay annually to the Treasurer General twenty-five cents (25) for each active member thereof. All such dues shall be paid on or before the opening of the annual Congress of the National Society to secure representation therein. 38 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. ARTICLE V. Meetinors and Elections. Section i. The annual Congress forthe election of officers and transaction of business shall be held on the iith day of October in every year. Section 2. Special meetings shall be called by the Presi- dent by order of the Board of Managers, or whenever requested in writing so to do by twenty-five officers or 200 members rep- resenting at least five State Societies, on giving thirty days' notice, specifying the time and place of meeting and the busi- ness to be transacted. Sec. 3. The following shall be members of all such general and special meetings. (i) All officers and ex-Presidents General and ex- Vice Presidents General of the National Society. (2) The President and the Vice President of each State Society. (3) One delegate at large from each state society. (4) One delegate from every one hundred members of the Society within a state, or a fraction of fifty and over. ARTICLE VL By-Laws. The Executive Committee shall have authority to adopt and promulgate the By-Laws of the National Society, to pre- scribe the duties of its officers, to provide its seal and to desig- nate its insignia. ARTICLE VII. Until the meeting of the first National Congress which will take place on the nth of October, 1 891, at lO o'clock A. M., in the city of Washington, D. C, the officers elected this day, October i ith, 1890, shall be the National officers. Amendments to this Constitution, submitted in writing at one meeting and may be acted upon at the next meeting of the Board of Managers. A vote of two-thirds of those present shall be necessary to adopt an amendment. FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 39 The first constitution and by-laws of the Daugh- ters of tlie American Revolution was issued by me on December 2, 1890. The changes it underwent at the bands of the Committee on Constitution from the original draft I gave tbem are interesting to note. The text in full is here given : Constitution OF THE National Society of the Daughters OF THE American Revolution. President General, MRS. BENJAMIN HARRISON. Vice Presidents General in Charge of Organization, MRS. FLORA ADAMS DARLING. 2028 G St., Washington City. Honorary Vice Presidents General, MRS. JAMES K. POLK, MRS. THOMAS A. HENDRICKS, MRS. DAVID D. PORTER. Vice Presidents General, MRS. WM. D. CABELL, MRS. WM. EARLE, Presiding. MRS. H. V. BOYNTON, MRS. A. W. GREELY, MRS. F. O. ST. CLAIR, MRS. G. BROWN GOODE, MISS MARY DESHA. MRS. WM. C. WINLOCK, Secretaries General, MRS. ELLEN HARDIN WALWORTH, MISS S. P. BRECKINRIDGE Registrars General, MRS. EUGENIA WASHINGTON, MRS. A. HOWARD CLARKE. Treasurer General, Historian General, MRS. MARSHALL McDONALD. MRS. MARY S. LOCKWOOD. Chaplain General, Surgeon General, MRS. TUNIS S. HAMLIN. MISS CLARA BARTON. Advisory Board. MR. G. BROWN GOODE, Chairman, PROF. WM. C. WINLOCK, PROF. WM. D. CABELL, COL. MARSHALL McDONALD, MR. WM. o. McDowell, gen'l h. v. boynton, gen-l marcus j. WRIGHT, REV. EDWARD EVERETT HALE. MR. EDWIN D. mead, MR. WILSON L. GILL, Secretary. 40 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. ARTICLE I. Name. The name of this Society shall be the Daughters of the American Revolution. article ii. Objects of the Society. The objects of this Society are (i) To perpetuate the memory and the spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence, by the acquisition and< protection of historical spots)and the erection of monuments ; by the encouragement of historical research in relation to the Revolution and the publication of its results ; by the preservation of documents and relics, and of the records of the individual services of Revolutionary soldiers and patriots, and by the promotion of celebrations of all patriotic anniver- saries. (2) To carry out the injunction of Washington in his fare- well address to the American people, "to promote, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge,"] thus developing an enlightened public opinion and affording to young and old such advantages as shall develop in them the largest capacity for performing the duties of American citizens. (3) To cherish, maintain and extend the institutions of American freedom, to foster true patriotism and love of country, and to aid in securing for mankind all the blessings of liberty. ARTICLE III. Membership and Organization. Section i. Any woman may be eligible for membership who is of the age of eighteen years, and who is descended from an ancestor who, with unfailing loyalty, rendered material aid to the cause of Indepedence as a recognized patriot, as soldier or sailor, or as a civil officer in one of the several Colonies or States, or of the United Colonies or States ; or from the mother V FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 41 of such a patriot; provided that the applicant shall be acceptable to the Society. Sec. 2. After a local Board of Management shall have been established, all applications for membership shall be passed upon by the Local Board, and if the applicant shall be deemed satisfactory and her claims reasonable, the application shall receive the endorsement of the Secretary and Registrar, and be forwarded to the National Board of Management for final action. Sec. 3. When twelve or more members of the Society shall be living in one locality they may organize a Chapter. They may elect a presiding officer whose title will be Regent, and who will be delegate to the National Congress, of the Society, and a secretary and such other officers as may be required. Sec. 4. When the Chaptershall have fifty members or more it may elect an additional delegate to the National Congress, for each fifty members and fraction over twenty-five. Sec. 5. The officers of the National Society shall be a President General, Vice President General in Charge of Organi- zation, eight Vice Presidents General, two Secretaries General, two Registrars General, one Treasurer General, one Historian General, one Surgeon General, one Chaplain General, and such other officers as shall be found necessary. These officers shall be elected by ballot by a vote of the majority of the members present at the annual meeting of the Congress of the Society, and shall hold office for one year and until their successors shall be elected, and who, together with a Regent from each State chosen by the delegates from each State to the Congress, shall constitute a National Board of Managers, of which seven shall constitute a quorum. Sec. 6. A National Executive Committee of nine, of which the President General shall be Chairman ex-officio, shall be elected by the National Board of Managers, and shall, in the interim between the meetings of the Board, transact such business as shall be delegated to it by the National Board of Managers. 42 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. Sec. 7. The first Regent for each Chapter shall be appointed by the Vice President General in Charge of Organi- zation, who shall also designate which Regent shall be member of the National Board of Managers for the first year. ARTICLE IV. Initiation Fee and Dues. Section i. The initiation fee shall be one (;^i) dollar^ which must be forwarded to the National Society with the apphcation for membership; the annual dues two {$2) dollars; the payment at one time of twenty-five (^25) dollars shall constitute a life membership, with exemption from payment of dues thereafter, payable one-half to the Chapter and one-half to the National Society. Sec. 2. The annual dues shall be payable on or before the 22nd of February in each year, one-half of which (;^i) shall be forwarded to the National Society, and one-half retained for use by the Chapter. ARTICLE V. Meetings and Elections. Section i. The annual congress for the election of ofificers and transaction of business shall be held in Washington City, on the 22nd day of February, or if that be Sunday, on the following Wednesday, in each year. The annual meeting of the Chapters for the election of officers shall be on October I ith, or if that be on Sunday, on the following Wednesday. Sec. 2. Special meetings shall be called by the Board of Managers, or by the President General when directed so to do by the Board of Managers, or when requested in writing so to do by twenty-five or more members representing Chapters in at least three States, on giving thirty days' notice, specifying the time and place of meeting and the business to be transacted. Sec. 3. The following shall be members of all general or special meetings. (i) All the officers and ex- Presidents General and ex- Vice Presidents General of the National Society. FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 45 (2) The Regents of the Chapters. (3) One delegate for every fifty members of the Chapters. ARTICLE VI. By-Laws. The National Board of Managers shall have authority to adopt and promulgate the By-Laws of the National Society, to prescribe the duties of its officers, to provide its seal, and to designate its insignia. ARTICLE VII. Amendments. Amendments to this Constitution may be offered at any meeting of the Society, but shall not be acted on until the next meeting. A copy of every proposed amendment shall be sent to the Regent and Secretary of each Chapter, at least thirty days prior to the meeting at which it is proposed to be acted upon. By-Laws OF THE National Society of the Daughters OF the American Revolution. article i. Election of Officers. Nominations of officers shall be made from the floor, and the election shall be made by ballot. A majority shall elect. The nominations may be acted upon directly, or may be referred to a committee to examine and report. article ii. Officers. The duties of the general officers shall be such as usually appertain to their offices, and they shall have such other duties 44 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. as are hereinafter imposed. They shall report at the annual meeting, and at such other times as may, by the National Board of Managers, be directed. ARTICLE III. President General. Section i. The President General, in addition to her general duties, shall be ex-officio Chairman of the National Board of Managers and of the Executive Committee, and a member of every other committee. Sec. 2, At each annual meeting she shall appoint the fol- lowing Standing Committees : Committee on Auditing, Committee on Finance. The duties of the above committees shall be such as usually pertain to committees of like character, and such as may be defined by the Board of Managers. article IV. Vice President General. Section i. In the absence of the President General one of the Vice Presidents General shall be elected to preside at the Annual Meeting. Sec. 2. In the prolonged absence or inability to act of the President General, the executive authority shall be vested in the Vice President General first in order of precedence. article v. Secretaries General. The Secretaries General, in addition to their general duties, shall have charge of the seal, give due notice of all meetings of the National Society or National Board of Managers, of which they shall be ex-officio members. They shall give due notice to all general officers and Chapters of all votes, orders and pro- ceedings affecting or appertaining to their duties. They shall FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 45 distribute all pamphlets, circulars, rosettes and supplies as directed by the National Board of Managers. ARTICLE VI. Treasurer General. Section i. The Treasurer General shall collect and receive the funds and securities of the National Society. She shall deposit the same to the credit of the Daughters of the Ameri- can Revolution, and shall draw them thence for the use of the National Society as directed by it or by the National Board of Managers upon the order of the President General, counter- signed by the Secretary General. Her accounts shall be audited by a committee to be appointed at the Annual Meeiing. Sec. 2. She shall, if so required by the General Board of Managers or the Executive Committee, give bonds for the safe custody and application of the funds. ARTICLE VIL Registrars General. The Registrars General shall keep a register of the names and dates of the election, resignation or death of all members of the several Chapters, and shall have the care and custody of all applications for membership, duplicates of which, properly approved by the National Officers shall be retained by the Registrars of the Chapters. They shall issue, upon the requi- sition of the Secretaries or Registrars of the Chapters, certificates of membership and insignia to every member entitled thereto, through such Secretaries or Registrars. ARTICLE VIIL Historian General. The Historian General shall have the custody of all the historical and biographical collections of which the National Society may become possessed, and shall catalogue and arrange 46 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. the same, and shall place the same in a fire-prcof repository for preservation. She shall prepare for official publication by the Society, historical and biographical sketches of the Revolution- ary ancestors of members, and of distinguished women of the Revolution. ARTICLE IX. Chaplain General. The Chaplain General sha'l conduct such services as occa- sions may require. ARTICLE X. Chapters. Every Chapter shall (i) Notify the Secretary General of the election and appointment of all officers and delegates. (2) Pay to the Treasurer General on or before the 22nd day of February the sum of one dollar for each active member thereof (3) Transmit to the Registrar General all approved applica- tions for membership, and notify her of the resignation or death of any members thereof. ARTICLE XI. General Board of Managers. Section i. The National Board of Managers shall prepare and carry out plans for promoting the objects and growth of the Society; shall generally superintend its interests and shall execute such other duties as shall be committed to it at any meeting of the National Society. It shall have charge of the printing of the Diploma and the manufacture of the Insignia, and shall determine the price at which the same shall be issued, and shall also have charge of printing all membership rolls. Sec. 2. It shall have power to fill any vacancy occurring among the general officers, and an officer so elected shall act until the following annual election and until her successor shall be elected. FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 47 Sec. 3. The President General may call meetings of the National Board of Managers at any time she may deem neces- sary, and shall call such meeting upon the written request of any five members thereof, provided that not less than five days' notice of the time and place of such meeting shall be given. ARTICLE XII. Executive Committee. The President General may call a meeting of the Executive Committee at any time, and shall call such meeting on the written request of three members thereof. ARTICLE XIII. Seal. The seal of the Society shall be two and three-eighths of an inch in diameter, charged with the figure of a dame of the Revolutionary time sitting at her spinning wheel, the legend, "Daughters of the American Revolution," and the motto, "Home and Country." 48 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. ARTICLE XIV. Certificates. All members of the Society, wherever admitted, shall be entitled to a certificate of membership duly attested by the Presi- dent General, Secretary General and Registrar General, coun- tersigned by the Regent, Secretary and Registrar of the Chap- ter to which such member shall belong. ARTICLE XV. Insignia. ARTICLE XVJ. Official Magazine. The Adams Magazine shall be the official exponent of the Society. ARTICLE XVII. Indebtedness. No debts shall be contracted on behalf of the National Society. Every obligation for the payment of money, except checks drawn against deposits, executed in the name or on behalf of the National Society, shall be null and void. ARTICLE XVIIL Guests. The wives of Sons of the American Revolution who are not eligible to membership may be included in all social events of the Society in which their husbands are invited to participate, and husbands of members of this Society who are not eligible to membership in the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, may be invited to participate in such events. FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 49 ARTICLE XIX, Amendme?its. These By-Laws may be altered or amended by a vote of three fourths of the members present at any meeting of the National Board of Managers, notice thereof having been given at a previous meeting, the same to be subject to ratification or rejection by a majority of votes at the next general meeting of the Society. As the history of the Daughters of the American Revolution turns upon the events that transpired at the initial meeting I deem it proper to give in fac- simile the resolutions passed at the meeting. The original in the handwriting of the secretary of the meeting, Mr, Wilson L. Gill, is in my possession, together with the other records referred to in this history. ^^^2.^:*^^^ 50 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. When it was decided upon by Miss Desha and Mrs. Walworth to change the society from a lineal to a collateral basis they went about their work systema- ticall3^ Every paper that I had drawn up and had printed was changed while in the hands of the printers, and the "mother of a patriot" clause was inserted. The original blanks that were ordered printed by Miss Washington and which I paid for on my arrival in Washington contained strict eligibility requirements. The clause underwent the following unauthorized alteration : ANCESTOR'S SERVICE. I may be eligible to membeiBhip in tbe Society who is above the acre of eigbteen yeftis, and is descended ftva an ancestorJ who assisted in estabtishing American Independence dunng the War of tbe Revolution, either as a military or naval officer, a soldier or a sailor ; an official in the service of any of the thirteen original Colonies or of the united Coloines or States or of Vermont . a member of a Committee of Correspondence or of PnbUc Safety, or a rw:c^uiied patriot who rendered material service in the cause of American Independence. When the applicant derives eligibility of djembership by descent from more than one ancestor, and it is desired to take advantage thereof, the history of each of said ancestor's services and the intermediate generations of the pedigree may all be written upon these pages ; but it is desired that tbe history of each ancestor shall be written opon a separate blank, when possible. State fully such docomentary or txaditionai authority as you found the following record upon, and also the residence of ancestors, if known. My ancestor's service in assisting in the establishment of American Independence durmg the War of the Revolution, were as follows: Official stationery was furnislied tlie several officers. As vice-president general in charge of organiza- tion, I appointed regents tliroughont the country. The certificates of appointment, by which every office of the Daughters of the American Revolution held office during the initial year read as follows : FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 51 (^#. ».„.^„„,.~-.... ^^^^/i/u^^^n,^^ A^ y^yi^^^^i^y^.. - - ^^^^^<^^ 1^2^^ ^ ^ .,...,.„„„ „„™,..«r.^r.' ^ __. '^^W«i«fJ^~^««^.^l^<»*J«y^'^>«»^^ The following are the important orders wliicli I issued at this time and wliicli went into effect by virtue of my powers as organizer. The Daughters of the American Revolution. Order of Business and Rules of Order shall not be deemed By-laws and can be changed by a vote of the regular society. The officers shall each perform the duties incident to their respective offices, which are defined in the by-laws, or the President with the consent of the Executive Committee may direct in the absence of such definition until acted upon by the Board of Managers. In the interim between annual meetings any matter ot moment to the society shall be presented to the Executive Com- mittee for action and after careful consideration, then the same be reported to the society and the vote shall appear on the 52 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. minutes, and on the final vote the roll shall be called, and the ayes and nays be recorded. Members may resign if their dues are paid and they are not under charges of any kind. A member can be expelled if found undesirable from social status or for unbecoming conduct. In all cases charges must be made in writing stating specific cause of complaint. The Presi- dent shall appoint a committee of five to inquire into the case and report to the society the findings of fact signed by the majority of the committee, the society shall vote upon the report, the decision when spread upon the minutes shall be final, but if good cause is shown in writing indorsed by three members may be reopened again and decided upon in a just and equitable manner. An Attorney-General shall be retained to act for the society in legal matters and no other counsel shall be consulted regard- ing matters of the society by individual members, nor shall any outside business connected with other associations be presented before the general society without its consent by vote, nor shall matters of individual interest be brought in conjunction with affairs of the society. An authorized correspondent shall prepare an article for the press when desirable, or upon special occasions reporters and other correspondents may be invited to be present upon invita- tion of the lady who shall act in the capacity of hostess. The Adams Magazine, the official exponent of the society will devote fifteen pages each month to matters pertaining to the society and furnish a copy without expense to each regent as a medium of communication between the various chapters and the society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. (Signed) Flora Adams Darling, Vice-President General in Charge of Organization. December 2d, 1890. DUTIES OF OFFICERS. The Board of Managers shall be made up of officers of the National society and one regent from any state who has raised a FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 53 chapter in her community ; twenty-one members in good stand- ing shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Board of managers has power to fix the duties of officers not otherwise determined ; until the board is formed the power shall be vested in the organizing officer known as the Vice- President General of Organization, who shall have supervision over the society as provided in the Constitution. The Board shall appoint an invitation Committee whose duty shall be to find out who are eligible to membership and report their names and residences to the registrars who will present them to the Executive Committee for further action. Every applicant must be endorsed by a member of the society, to stand sponsor for the same as a desirable and worthy member. The application blanks shall be kept carefully by registrars, as quality, not quantity, is the prime object of the society. The " Manual of Parliamentary Practice " by Luther S. Cushing is recommended to be adopted as the controlling auth- ority in all proceedings aflfecting the general interest of the society. The Executive Committee shall be composed of officers of the society to examine and report upon the books of officers at least once in six months or as often as the President may direct, compare vouchers and records, see that they correspond with collections and disbursements and make a plain, intelligible statement to the society at the next regular meeting after examination. All resolutions or questions of doubt referred to them they shall examine carefully and report thereon at the next meeting after reference. The Auditing Committee shall examine and act upon all accounts referred to them, and keep regular account thereof, showing when presented, by whom, the amount, what for, and the amounts allowed by them ; they shall be ready at every meeting to show their books, which shall be open at all times for the inspection of members. The Finance Committee shall advise upon all disburse- 54 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. ment of funds accruing to the society whether by gift or by accumulation from memberships, also report to the Board of managers their opinion regarding investments or outlays for monuments, or purchasing historical spots of special interest, also aid in procuring ways 'and means to build a Memorial Kail to the Women of America. The Committee on Revolutionary Relics and Documents shall collect all mementoes and documents of those who took part in the American Revolution and maintained the inde- pendence of America ; they shall report all gifts obtained by purchase or received at each general meeting and deposit the same with the historian of the society, to be employed in writing a history of the Women of the Revolution. The Advisory Board shall be consulted in matters of moment to the society, such as disbursing funds, building, or in other such matters as materially affect the interest or repu- tation of the society. The opinion of one shall not be regardeo as sufficient, but each shall have a right of expression and be duly considered, but in no way binding upon the action of the society. The Printing Committee shall order all stationery for the use of the society, furnish the different chapters with the same, supply all application blanks and superintend the publishing of the Constitution and all other works of the society under this branch and submit estimates to the Executive Committee through its chairman. The President shall preside, preserve order, sign warrants drawn on the treasurer for the payment of audited accounts and all other papers of the society, and see the officers perform their duty, enforce the Constitution, by-laws, and rules and regulations of the society, appoint all committees, not otherwise provided for, give the casting vote when a tie occurs, examine and announce all ballotings, direct the secretary to call all special meetings and make full report at the monthly meeting. The Vice-Presidents, in the order of their rank, shall per- form the duties of president in her absence or inability and, as FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 55 members of the board of managers aid in the interest of the society through individual endeavors and so far as possible attend all meetings of the board of managers. The Secretaries General shall keep account of the proceed- ings of the society and board of managers ; she shall draw all warrants on the treasury for the payment of accounts, when allowed by the auditing committee, present them to the Presi- dent for her signature ; she shall affix the ^seal to all documents ordered by the society, keep the papers properly filed ready for inspection any time. When their term of office expires deliver to her successor all books and papers together with all other property of the society and take a detailed receipt for the same. The Treasurer shall receive receipts and disburse all moneys belonging to the society and keep regular account thereof. When a warrant is properly presented and signed she shall endorse it on which the bank will pay and not otherwise ; she shall make a report of the receipts and disbursements at every regular meetingof the society, and frequently call together the auditing, finance and printing committees to consult together upon financial matters of the society. The Registrars-General. The Registrar shall keep a record book showing the names of members, when admitted, place of residence and date of death ; also collect dues and keep a regu- lar account thereof to notify all members when three months in arrears, and at each meeting pay all amounts received to the treasurer, take her receipts and retain them as vouchers of settlement, and attend to all matters pertaining to membership ; at the end of their term to make a full report and deliver to their succcessors in office within one week after their term of office expires, with all the books and other property belonging to the society. The Chaplain-General's duties are well understood ; the Historian-General's well defined in the Constitution. The Surgeon-General. This officer shall in the event of public calamity imperiling members of the society hasten to their relief officially when called upon by the President to do so. 56 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. She shall report the conditions to the society and be supplied with means to furnish rehef and be reimbursed for all expendi- tures incurred while engaged in affording relief, or in the event of war she will be at her post of duty, but it is to be hoped white-winged Peace will hover over the Daughters of the American Revolution, Our Homes and Country. (Signed) Flora Adams Darling Vice-President-Getieral in Charge of Organization of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Washington City, December 2d, 1890. If the records of the society have not bee destroyed or altered, these papers and many others of an official character are in evidence of my unques- tioned authority in the society. The day after the initial meeting, the Sunday papers approved and applauded the new society, and gave extended details of the founding, founder and friends of the work. The report of the Washington Post will give an idea of the reception given the Daughters by the press of the country. An organization, patriotic in purpose and which promises to have a large influence in promoting that sentiment, was per- fected yesterday in the Strathmore Arms. Amongst the names associated with this new enterprise, which is called the National Society of the American Revolution, are those with which the National Capital and the country are familiar. The purpose of the Society is stated in its first resolution to be " the securing and preserving of the historical spots of America, and the erec- tion thereon of suitable monuments to perpetuate the memories of the heroic deeds of the men and women who aided the Revolution and created constitutional government in America." The first undertaking in this direction by the Daughters of FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 57 the Revolution will be the completion of the monument to the memory of Mary Washington, mother of Gen. Washington, and every American patriot is requested to send in a contribution, large or small, to the treasurer, Mrs. Col. Marshall McDonald, of Washington, D. C. The officers elected yesterday were as follows : President general — Mrs. Benjamin Harrison. Vice-president general at large, in charge of the organiza- tion, Mrs. Flora Adams Darling. Vice-presidents general — Mrs. Admiral D. Porter, Mrs. William D. Cabell, Virginia ; Mrs. Gen. A. W. Greely, U. S. A. ; Mrs. Dr. G. Brown Goode, Connecticut ; Mrs, William C. Winlock, Massachusetts ; Mrs. Gen. H. V. Boynton, Ohio ; Mrs. Dr. F. O. St. Clair, District of Columbia. Secretary generals — Mrs. Ellen Hardin Walworth, New York ; Mrs. Gen. Walter Browne, Tennessee. Treasurer general — Mrs, Marshall McDonald, Virginia. Registrars general — Miss Eugenia Washington, Virginia; Mrs, A. Howard Clarke, Massachusetts. Historian general — Mrs. M. S. Lockwood, District of Columbia. Surgeon genend — Miss Clara Barton, District of Columbia. Cliaplain General — Mrs. Tunis S. Hamlin, District of Columbia. Executive committee — Mrs. Admiral Porter, Mrs. Flora Adams Darling, Mrs. William D. Cabell, Miss Mary Desha, chairman, and Mrs, John Randolph. Advisory board — Mr. W, O, McDowell, Dr, G. Brown Goode, Prof W. G. Winlock, Gen, Marcus J, Wright, Gen. H. V. Boynton, and Mr. W. L. Gill, secretary. The society by resolution tendered its thanks to Mr, William O. McDowell for his enthusiasm, which largely led to the creation of the organization. Flora Adams Darling was elected a life member for her efforts in founding the society. The ribbon of the badge and rosette adopted is to be red with white edges. 58 FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. Amongst those present were the following named ladies : Eugenia Washington, Flora Adams Darling, Ellen Hardin Walworth, Mary Morris Hallowell, Aurelia Hadley Mohl, Houston, Texas ; Florida Punningham, South Carolina; Caro- line E. Ransom, Emily Lee Sherwood, Ada P. Kimberly, Susan Riviere Hetzel, Virginia Margaret Hetzcl, Virginia; Harriett Lincoln Coolidge, Boston, Mass. ; Mary V. E. Cabell, Virginia; Jennie D. Garrison, Mary S. Lockwood, Washington, D. C. ; Alice Morrow Clarke, Pauhne McDowell, Newark, N. J. ; Mary Desha, Gertrude Randolph, Mrs. William C. P. Breckin- ridge, Mrs. Clifton Breckinridge, Miss N. Preston Breckinridge, Miss Lucy Pickett, and Mrs. Alice Pickett Skeis. — From the Washington Post. The following letter from Miss Desha met with my approval : FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 59 0ct. ir ^ ^. J/ X- A^ -^ 6o FOUNDING OF THE DAUGHTERS. 'M^ ^^