Ed, Did these pensions apply to the Militia as well as the "Regular Army"? Jenny

Ladies & Gentlemen - I serve as the State Genealogist for the MD Society, SAR. I am only 22 years old and part of the youngest generation in the SAR. I have also served as President of the local SAR Chapter here in Harford County, MD and currently the Chapter Secretary. The chapter that I belong to basically was in a down fall and the charter was about to be thrown in. So I saved it... We went from 17 members to now 35 and growing. I organized a NEW Children of the American Revolution under the chapters sponsorship; researching with chapter members in getting an archelogy dig in a possible Revolutionary War Encampment site; working with prosepctive members to get them in; working with the local DAR Chapter in taking care of a local historical builting... The one sad thing is that only 1 to 3% of the members of the Children of the American Revolution join either parent organization... I myself am one of that 1 to 3%. My parents were not really interested, but now I have my father in who is the current State Secretary for the MD Society... The MD Society also stated a Patriots Program in the 5th Grade in the Elementary schools here in Maryland. The kids had to cite 11 different patriotic phases; state all names of 50 states/capitals; all US Presidents on and on... Tomorrow I will be presenting an awards to 56 students from ONE school who completed the PATRIOTS PROGRAM... The SAR also has a Citizenship Award, Knight Essay Contest for High School students; the latter involves prize money... There is also an Eagle Scout awards and an Oration Contest at the High School level... Where some of the youth programs lack is in the middle schools/junior high.. QUESTION - Is DAR doing anything for middle school age kids.. For someone to say DAR and SAR is a social club.. Wrong.. That was in the old days... This is the 21st Century... Sincerely, Christopher T. Smithson State Genealogist, MDSSAR Secretary, Col. Aquila Hall Chapter, MDSSAR Senior Pres., Bush Declaration Society, NSCAR http://users.starpower.net/wsmithso/sarindex.html http://users.starpower.net/wsmithso/bushdecsoc.html

Well, Jim -- you are very incorrect in your assessment of the DAR. It is not a social organization -- it is a service organization. The objectives are Education, History and Historic Preservation. They work with Veterans, immigrants, school children, conservation, American history, genealogical research, preservation of genealogical records, proper display of the American Flag, and many other projects to numerous to mention. If you would like to know more, go to the DAR web site at www.dar.org and check out everything. This is not your grandmother's DAR -- times have changed and so has the organization. Of course there may be members who do nothing more than attend an occasional meeting, but their dues and contributions go toward many wonderful and worthwhile projects. The SAR is very similar. Those guy are out doing programs, cleaning cemeteries, marking historic spots, and many of the same projects that DAR does. For all the great work done by these organizations -- SALUTE!!! Phyllis

Using info posted by Ed I did a web search typing in 1832 "Stat. 529" (for you novices the quotation marks direct your computer to search for the contents as a phrase) and found all of the info that I need to understand the various pensions. Thanks again for the help... and hope this helps someone else in turn. Elaine

Thanks you Carol. Well said. AMEN! Phyllis ---------- In a message dated Tue, 4 Jun 2002 6:09:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Scrapcat2 writes: > > > In a message dated 6/4/2002 4:14:44 PM Central Daylight Time, > jlstokes@supernet.com writes: > > > > Cc: <AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 5:10 PM > > Subject: DAR:Sar > > > > Just a reminder, the American revolution wasn't fought so people could join > > the DAR or SAR. Lets try not to trivialize it. Jim > > Jim... thank you for your note. Years ago, I would have said that same thing. > I always pictured the DAR as a "social organization". Some months ago, I was > invited to attend a DAR meeting as a guest and was amazed at the dedication > of the women to the history of the American Revolution, reverence and respect > for what our ancestors did to allow us to live in a free country, and a total > commitment to what America stands for. In the last six months, I've > faithfully attended the monthly meetings and have learned so much about the > history and events of the Revolution and what it means to be a patriotic > American today. > > In addition, I've gone to the DAR in library in Washington and was awestruck > at the research materials available to the public wanting to to research the > subject. The DAR Members go out to the schools and present programs on the > importance of the American Revolution and at what expense the Patriots fought > for our freedoms. > > I certainly did not intend to trivialize what my ancestors did during the > American Revolution. What I have learned has made me realize their great > personal sacrifices. My 6th great grandmother saw her husband, all 5 sons and > many of her grandsons fight and win a war. I can't imagine the anguish she > went through. My commitment to the DAR is in respect for her and those who > fought. > > This list is certainly not the place to debate an organization's goals, but I > did want to share my thoughts with you and respond to your message. > > Carol Kennedy > > > > > > > > > ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== > > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1 > 237

Hi, To add to this archives discussion of the wharf, from ...... Old landmarks and Historic Personages of Boston by Samuel Adams Drake, Rutland, VT: Charles E. Tuttle, rev. ed, 1971. (First edition 1872) P.114. The "T" of Long Wharf, formerly known as Minott's T (from Stephen Minott) is a part of the ancient structure known as the Barricado, or Old Wharf....It was built of wood and has openings on each side of Long Wharf for vessels to pass through....The Old Wharf, being for defence only, was only wide enough to work guns up on. It fell into gradual decay, and the last vestiges disappeared long ago. "T" Wharf which name has sometimes erroneously been connected with the Tea Party, has been noted for an excellent old well of water. (Stephen) Minott and Andrew Faneuil owned it in 1718." Jan

Jim I think you need to visit the DAR Web Site. http://www.dar.org They are doing more to save our history and keep patriotism high than any other group in this world. We are not a social organization and you need to know of what you speak, before you speak. Faye At 12:31 AM 6/5/02 -0400, you wrote: >Hi Carol, > I wasn't trying to single you out, yours was just the last in a long > line of messages, all seemed focused on joining the DAR. I see the DAR > as a social organization, I don't think they do anything serious to > better understand the American Revolution. > >Jim > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Scrapcat2@aol.com > To: jlstokes@supernet.com > Cc: AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com > Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 6:02 PM > Subject: Re: Fw: DAR:Sar > > > In a message dated 6/4/2002 4:14:44 PM Central Daylight Time, > jlstokes@supernet.com writes: > > > > Cc: <AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 5:10 PM > Subject: DAR:Sar > > Just a reminder, the American revolution wasn't fought so people > could join the DAR or SAR. Lets try not to trivialize it. Jim > > > Jim... thank you for your note. Years ago, I would have said that same > thing. I always pictured the DAR as a "social organization". Some months > ago, I was invited to attend a DAR meeting as a guest and was amazed at > the dedication of the women to the history of the American Revolution, > reverence and respect for what our ancestors did to allow us to live in a > free country, and a total commitment to what America stands for. In the > last six months, I've faithfully attended the monthly meetings and have > learned so much about the history and events of the Revolution and what > it means to be a patriotic American today. > > In addition, I've gone to the DAR in library in Washington and was > awestruck at the research materials available to the public wanting to to > research the subject. The DAR Members go out to the schools and present > programs on the importance of the American Revolution and at what expense > the Patriots fought for our freedoms. > > I certainly did not intend to trivialize what my ancestors did during > the American Revolution. What I have learned has made me realize their > great personal sacrifices. My 6th great grandmother saw her husband, all > 5 sons and many of her grandsons fight and win a war. I can't imagine the > anguish she went through. My commitment to the DAR is in respect for her > and those who fought. > > This list is certainly not the place to debate an organization's goals, > but I did want to share my thoughts with you and respond to your message. > > Carol Kennedy > > > > > > > > > >==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== > > > >============================== >To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, >go to: >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Elaine: I've been ROFL. I did the search you mentioned just out of curiosity, and the first page I came to, in small print at the botttom, said: "The above information was taken verbatum from the American Revolution message board for genealogy.com. It was written and posted as message #3250 by Ed, a historian on the American Revolution." Good grief! Someone citing me as an authority! Amazing! Actually, you didn't have to go that far - all the information is right here in the archives of the AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L list, where I've posted it two or three times over the years (not the text of the acts, just a synopsis.) Best regards, Ed -- For Revolutionary War information on the Internet, your fsirst choice should be AMERICANREVOLUTION.ORG

I am 72 and have MS and am so very grateful when I can at least search for something on the net... and quite often find what I am looking for. And if not there are almost always those who will offer a helping hand. Thanks, Ed, for the reference numbers. When the weather cools and I can go to the library again this Fall this will be a big help. Elaine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ed St.Germain" <Patriot1@americanrevolution.org> To: <AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2002 1:25 AM Subject: [A-REV] Re: REJECTED PENSIONS > I've always wondered why people think *everything* somehow has to be on > the Internet somewhere! > > You can find the text of the pension acts of 1789 (1 Stat. 95), 1792 (1 > Stat. 243), 1806 (2 Stat. 376), 1818 (3 Stat. 410), 1820 (3 Stat. 569), > the two pension acts of 1823 - 3 Stat. 782 and 4 Stat. 269, as well as > the one of 1832 (4 Stat. 529), in any large law library. > > Best regards, > Ed > -- > For Revolutionary War information on the Internet, your first choice > should be AMERICANREVOLUTION.ORG

In order to qualify for a pension one had to meet a set of criteria, maybe she didn't meet that criteria. If he was killed in the war he may have qualified but if he died after the war of unrelated causes than he probably wouldn't unless it was after 1832. By 1832 most of those who had served and hadn't been killed or maimed and who finally qualified for a pension had already died. Jim ----- Original Message ----- From: "MJK" <lender@netrox.net> To: <AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 1:57 PM Subject: [A-REV] REJECTED PENSIONS > One of my ancestor's widow applied for a pension and was denied...even > though her brother ,a pensioner, testified regarding her husband's > service.........a shame, since her husband did indeed serve in PA and > VA...... > now available in this day and age, his records are in the PA archives and I > have a certificate of service from PA for him............I wonder how many > failed to get a pension because of this?? It was a wonder that anyone was > still alive to even offer any proof! > > > ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== > > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >

I haven't seen any interesting discussion of the American Revolution here from the DAR crowd, all I've seen is what one needs to get access to the DAR. I think the DAR supports a kind of 3rd grade conception of the American Revolution, its good guys vs bad guys, Patriots vs Loyalists. They promote a kind of mythology about the American Revolution rather than the facts. I went to elementary school in the early 50s and I what I learned about the American Revolution was awful. It was won by the founding fathers and the was nothing about the average soldier. Nothing about their being a draft in Pennsylvania, nothing about black soldiers, nothing about the fact that the British were also fighting the French, Dutch and Spanish at the same time and so had larger issues than the colonies in North America. Nothing about the fact that 1/3 supported the war, 1/3 were opposed and 1/3 were neutral. When I was in school they turned the American Revolution into some kind of 50's sit-com. I thnk the DAR continues that kind of attitude today. Jim > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "A-Flame Corporation" <aflame@fuse.net> > To: <AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 5:45 PM > Subject: Re: [A-REV] Fw: DAR:Sar > > > > I must respond! > > > > It is my firm belief that our history is not being adequately taught, at > all levels > > in school. I hope that the DAR/SAR organizations are addressing this > problem. > > > > It is easier to fight for a country, when you know why we are all here! > It is > > easier to know where you are going, if you know where you have been! > > > > James Baker > > > > "James L. Stokes" wrote: > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "James L. Stokes" <jlstokes@supernet.com> > > > To: <Scrapcat2@aol.com> > > > Cc: <AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com> > > > Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 5:10 PM > > > Subject: DAR:Sar > > > > > > Just a reminder, the American revolution wasn't fought so people > could > > > join the DAR or SAR. > > > Lets try not to trivialize it. > > > > > > Jim > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > From: <Scrapcat2@aol.com> > > > > To: <AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com> > > > > Sent: Monday, June 03, 2002 3:19 PM > > > > Subject: [A-REV] Re: Military Service & DAR > > > > > > > > > > > > > In a message dated 6/3/2002 12:03:26 PM Central Daylight Time, > > > > > AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Remember, lots of ancestors in the Rev. War never saw military > > > service. > > > > > > They > > > > > > signed a petition, they gave money and aid to the War effort, they > > > were > > > > a > > > > > > local constable, etc. , You need to check with the NSDAR re this > > > > because > > > > > > their records will indicate what kind of service your ancestor > > > > performed. > > > > > > > > > > This is really good advice. There are a number of types of War > effort > > > > > services performed by a Patirot that allows a descendant to join the > DAR > > > > or > > > > > SAR. > > > > > > > > > > Carol > > > > > ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ============================== > > > > > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy > > > records, > > > > go to: > > > > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== > > > > > > ============================== > > > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy > records, go to: > > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > > > ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== > > > > > > > > ============================== > > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, > go to: > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > >

Hi Carol, I wasn't trying to single you out, yours was just the last in a long line of messages, all seemed focused on joining the DAR. I see the DAR as a social organization, I don't think they do anything serious to better understand the American Revolution. Jim ----- Original Message ----- From: Scrapcat2@aol.com To: jlstokes@supernet.com Cc: AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 6:02 PM Subject: Re: Fw: DAR:Sar In a message dated 6/4/2002 4:14:44 PM Central Daylight Time, jlstokes@supernet.com writes: Cc: <AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 5:10 PM Subject: DAR:Sar Just a reminder, the American revolution wasn't fought so people could join the DAR or SAR. Lets try not to trivialize it. Jim Jim... thank you for your note. Years ago, I would have said that same thing. I always pictured the DAR as a "social organization". Some months ago, I was invited to attend a DAR meeting as a guest and was amazed at the dedication of the women to the history of the American Revolution, reverence and respect for what our ancestors did to allow us to live in a free country, and a total commitment to what America stands for. In the last six months, I've faithfully attended the monthly meetings and have learned so much about the history and events of the Revolution and what it means to be a patriotic American today. In addition, I've gone to the DAR in library in Washington and was awestruck at the research materials available to the public wanting to to research the subject. The DAR Members go out to the schools and present programs on the importance of the American Revolution and at what expense the Patriots fought for our freedoms. I certainly did not intend to trivialize what my ancestors did during the American Revolution. What I have learned has made me realize their great personal sacrifices. My 6th great grandmother saw her husband, all 5 sons and many of her grandsons fight and win a war. I can't imagine the anguish she went through. My commitment to the DAR is in respect for her and those who fought. This list is certainly not the place to debate an organization's goals, but I did want to share my thoughts with you and respond to your message. Carol Kennedy

Hi: I was Registrar of my local NSDAR Chapter in the early 1980's. Many women wanted to join and had an ancestor in the Rev. War but when it came to proving it, that was a different story. You have to prove each generation from yourself back to the person who was either in the War as a soldier or did some kind of special duty. Your best thing to do is to ask the DAR if someone has gone in on this ancestor and pay the fee and obtain the copy of the application. When a woman is accepted into the DAR, she has the right to either request that her application remain private or that it can be made public. I chose to make mine public so that it might help someone else. I obtained a copy of an application of my mother's first cousin, someone she never mentioned. I didn't even know the woman existed. I knew of her father though because my mother always talked about her Uncle Preston. The application gave me some ideas as to where the information that I needed would be. For instance, it told me where I would be able to obtain the military record from the State of New Jersey. The DAR normally will not accept Family Histories but in the case of my mother's cousin, they had, so I knew I could use that history. I had my birth certificate, both of my parents' birth, marriage and death certificates to prove that they were indeed my parents, although it was my mother's line that contained the Rev. War ancestor. From there, I went back to her parents - marriage and death certificates - and back and back. Each generation, I used the corresponding page from the family history. In fact, I could have gone back further as I got information on my Rev. War soldier's parents. The hardest thing for me was to find the DAR. Through a chance conversation with two ladies at the library, I finally found a chapter. I then worked for the next three months to put my papers together. Fortuantely, where I worked, my boss let me use the copier on my lunch hour and after work. He thought I was crazy to want to join the DAR but he humored me. I got everything together and gave it to the Registrar of the Chapel I joined. One week later, I got a late-night telephone call from the Registrar, telling me I had been accepted. This doesn't always happen so quickly; it may be months before they go through your material and accept you or not accept you. They may ask for further information. In my case, I had a great-grandmother with two surnames. Later, when I saw the original copy of my application, someone had written by the two surnames: adopted. I have two ancestors in the Cumberland County Militia, PA whom I could put in as supplementals. However, I have an ancestor who was supposedly at Saratoga in Morgan's Rifleman, Con't Line, and the NSDAR has never heard of him. When I last wrote to them, some years ago, they were thrilled and hoped that I would find more on him so that I could bring in a new ancestor. None of my ancestors, as far as I know, ever got a pension. My Rev. War ancestor (the one I was accepted by the DAR) died in Kentucky in 1818. I do have a pension record of a possible relative who got the pension in 1818 in Cincinnati, OH. I believe he got $8.00 a month. When he died in 1822, his wife applied and she had a terrible time getting it. She finally got it and had it until the 1840's when she died. When I received the pension file in the 1980's on this man, I noted that his son had asked for the information on his father, for family history purposes, in the 1850's. His great-granddaughter asked for the information in 1895. This soldier, by the way, was a Green Mountain Boy and apparently was at the Battle of Saratoga as well. I was very proud to be accepted into the NSDAR. They are the oldest women's organization in the USA and own the land around the White House. They do so much good - they have schools for underprivileged children. To me it was a honor to be part of this great organization, since my mother's people came to this country long before the American Revolution. My mother always talked about her family and the history around them. I was amazed at one of our readers on this list who had 35 ancestors in that war. She is to be honored. I will probably never find that many because I am the daughter of an immigrant, as my father was born in Wales and came to this country in the 20th century. However, he had two relatives in the American Revolution - one at Lexington and Concord in the Welsh Fusilliers and the second at Bunker HIll in the American army. I wish I knew their names but I don't. I'm proud to be an American. Annie

Thats what our fore fathers fought for, taxation without representation, rights, constitution, and what a good job they did for they have lasted us all these years and served us well, and they would not want us to lose any of what they fought for and won. My 3rd. great grand father that i know of fought and believe others also. know that The Patriot " Terrence O'Connor " the pioneer, enlisted in Sept. 1776 in Prince William Co.,Va. in the Virginia Continental Troops under Col. Daniel Morgan, commanded by General Woodford, serving three years ,two months, discharged by Woodford at Bush encampment on North River, On his tombstone it reads "A Soldier Of The Revolution, An Associate Of Washington And Lafayette" stella

I've always wondered why people think *everything* somehow has to be on the Internet somewhere! You can find the text of the pension acts of 1789 (1 Stat. 95), 1792 (1 Stat. 243), 1806 (2 Stat. 376), 1818 (3 Stat. 410), 1820 (3 Stat. 569), the two pension acts of 1823 - 3 Stat. 782 and 4 Stat. 269, as well as the one of 1832 (4 Stat. 529), in any large law library. Best regards, Ed -- For Revolutionary War information on the Internet, your first choice should be AMERICANREVOLUTION.ORG

Ed: Thank you for the information regarding the earlier acts for pensions and payments. I was commenting on the Act of 1832 under which I find most of the pension applications citing. Do you know if these various acts have been published on the Net so that we can read the complete text and amendments to the acts. And if so, can you provide a URL for them. Only one of my ancestors lived to be able to apply under that act. The others either died earlier or did not have Continental service so did not fall under the pension act. Some states were generous in providing land grants as payments or incentives to do service. Hence the heavy migration from the eastern states to the midwest. Unfortunately, I have read where so many of those men fought and then lost their homes because they could not pay taxes on their land because they were fighting a war and not harvesting crops, etc. It really was a shame that these men were subjected to such harsh actions after giving so much. I hope everyone who is working on their Revolutionary War ancestors keeps in mind the hardships they suffered along with their families and honor their memories by having a Plaque placed on their graves which the government provides for military veterans. As someone said: We should be doing this research for Them not Us. Tree Mother ----- Original Message ----- From: Ed St.Germain <Patriot1@americanrevolution.org> To: <AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 5:49 PM Subject: [A-REV] Re: rejected pensions > Someone said: "...You are indeed correct. A Revolutionary Soldier had to > live to a pretty ripe old age to get a pension..." > > This is purely and simply wrong. > > On August 26, 1776, the first pension legislation for the American > colonies as a group was enacted. A resolution of the Continental > Congress provided half pay for officers and enlisted men, including > those on warships and armed vessels, who were disabled in the service > of the United States and who were incapable of earning a living. The > half pay was to continue for the duration of the disability. > > On May 15, 1778, another resolution provided half pay for 7 years after > the conclusion of the war to all military officers who remained in the > Continental service to the end of' the war. Enlisted men who continued > to serve for the duration of the conflict were each to receive a > gratuity of $80 after the war under the terms of the same enactment. > > The first national pension legislation for widows was a Continental > Congress resolution of August 24, 1780, which offered the prospect of > half pay for 7 years to widows and orphans of officers who met the > requirements included in the terms of the resolution of May 15, 1778. On > October 21, 1780, the Continental Congress resolution of May 15, 1778, > was amended to provide half pay for life to officers after the war; but > on March 22, 1783, the half-pay-for-life provision was changed to 5 > years' full pay. > > Pension legislation during the Revolutionary War was designed to > encourage enlistment and > acceptance of commissions and to prevent desertion and resignation. > > After the war, pensions became a form of reward for services rendered. > Both during and after the Revolution, the States as well as the U. S. > Government awarded pensions based on participation in the conflict. > Public acts, under which the majority of such pensions were authorized, > encompassed large classes of veterans or their dependents who met common > eligibility requirements. Private acts concerned specific individuals > whose special services or circumstances merited consideration, but who > could not be awarded pensions under existing public acts. > > Best regards, > Ed > -- > For Revolutionary War information on the Internet, your first choice > should be AMERICANREVOLUTION.ORG > > > > ==== AMERICAN-REVOLUTION Mailing List ==== > > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >

I find many references to the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832, which prompted the flurry of Rev. War pension applications now on file. Does anyone know where... on the web... the actual text of the Act of Congress can be found?

Thanks for the wonderful reply.........I never set out to search for AMREV ancestors.........but as I gathered the info on all the soldiers who came before my father, I was astounded by so much given by them all..........I think the DAR has helped to save them obscurity..........and for this they are to be thanked...........I hope my children will carry on the memory of their grandfather as well and what he gave in WWII.

If you think about it, has anything changed? I just read several days ago that they have approved VA benefits for WWII Veterans exposed to nuclear radiation. It is the same with Viet Nam Veterans exposed to Agent Orange. Rex Jones

In a message dated 6/4/2002 4:14:44 PM Central Daylight Time, jlstokes@supernet.com writes: > Cc: <AMERICAN-REVOLUTION-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2002 5:10 PM > Subject: DAR:Sar > > Just a reminder, the American revolution wasn't fought so people could join > the DAR or SAR. Lets try not to trivialize it. Jim Jim... thank you for your note. Years ago, I would have said that same thing. I always pictured the DAR as a "social organization". Some months ago, I was invited to attend a DAR meeting as a guest and was amazed at the dedication of the women to the history of the American Revolution, reverence and respect for what our ancestors did to allow us to live in a free country, and a total commitment to what America stands for. In the last six months, I've faithfully attended the monthly meetings and have learned so much about the history and events of the Revolution and what it means to be a patriotic American today. In addition, I've gone to the DAR in library in Washington and was awestruck at the research materials available to the public wanting to to research the subject. The DAR Members go out to the schools and present programs on the importance of the American Revolution and at what expense the Patriots fought for our freedoms. I certainly did not intend to trivialize what my ancestors did during the American Revolution. What I have learned has made me realize their great personal sacrifices. My 6th great grandmother saw her husband, all 5 sons and many of her grandsons fight and win a war. I can't imagine the anguish she went through. My commitment to the DAR is in respect for her and those who fought. This list is certainly not the place to debate an organization's goals, but I did want to share my thoughts with you and respond to your message. Carol Kennedy