Ah, Susan, I believe the term is 'hearsay', not "heresy". Washington was great, but not a proper saint by most definitions. And I hope you find your evidence. Those Opdykes are in my tree also, but I share a lifelong vendetta with many against the DAR for what they did to Marian Anderson lo those many years ago. I must be part elephant. Cheers and happy hunting, Gary in Berkeley ----- Original Message ----- From: "Susan Pena" <sweetsue63@sbcglobal.net> To: <NJHUNTER-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 12:17 PM Subject: [NJHUNTER] John Opdyke Inquiry > I am trying to find a document that states that George Washington actually did make John Opdyke's home in Headquarters, NJ his "headquarters" for a few days during the Rev. War. I need something like a diary page, a document, a letter mentioning this, a map, a deed -- something associated with the house, etc. that states this. > > I have checked in the book, "The Op Dyck Genealogy" written by Charles Wilson Opdyke and I have that information. > > I belong to DAR and John Opdyke has now been removed from the DAR Patriot Index because they say the story is "heresy" and there is no proof that this actually happened. They will not be admitting anyone to DAR on this line until some form of proof that is not "oral tradition" is issued. I have a pending Supplemental that could be verified if I could find this additional piece. I have already submitted the book listed above and they will not accept it. Furthermore, all those now belonging to DAR under John Opdyke will remain in the organization but no more will be allowed to join, as it stands right now until this proof is found. John Opdyke is my grandfather through his daughter, Elizabeth Opdycke Arnwine and her daughter Elizabeth Arnwine Carroll (Daniel Carroll, husband). This would have been a new child on the line, which I was most excited about. > > Please, if you know of somewhere to look or find this info, I would appreciate knowing where to get it or I will pay you for a copy of what you have and the postage to mail it, if there is such a document or piece of evidence. > > Please contact me at: > sweetsue63@sbcglobal.net > > Thanks > Susan Shuler Pena > > > ==== NJHUNTER Mailing List ==== > This mail list is archived at: > http://newsarch.rootsweb.com/th/index/NJHUNTER > > ============================== > Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. > Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx > >

Many Americans are familiar with this incident, and some will continue to choose to harbor personal vendettas against the DAR for its unfortunate decision back in 1939. The following portions of the DAR President General's welcoming remarks, which she made during the January 27th Marian Anderson Commemorative Stamp Dedication Ceremony, may be of interest to the rest of you: "It is most fitting that we gather in Memorial Continental Hall at Constitution Hall, the place which historically represents a sad chapter in our country's history and in the history of DAR. We deeply regret that Marian Anderson was not given the opportunity to perform her 1939 Easter concert in Constitution Hall but recognize that in the positive sense the event was a pivotal point in the struggle for racial equality." ... "I stand before you today wishing that history could be re-written, knowing that it cannot, and assuring you that DAR has learned from the past." (Full text can be found here: http://www.dar.org/natsociety/content.cfm?ID=613&hd=n ) Roz Bellis Alexandria VA -----Original Message----- From: Gary Smith [mailto:garymarian@comcast.net] Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 9:07 PM To: NJHUNTER-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NJHUNTER] John Opdyke Inquiry Ah, Susan, I believe the term is 'hearsay', not "heresy". Washington was great, but not a proper saint by most definitions. And I hope you find your evidence. Those Opdykes are in my tree also, but I share a lifelong vendetta with many against the DAR for what they did to Marian Anderson lo those many years ago. I must be part elephant. Cheers and happy hunting, Gary in Berkeley ----- Original Message ----- From: "Susan Pena" <sweetsue63@sbcglobal.net> To: <NJHUNTER-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 12:17 PM Subject: [NJHUNTER] John Opdyke Inquiry > I am trying to find a document that states that George Washington actually did make John Opdyke's home in Headquarters, NJ his "headquarters" for a few days during the Rev. War. I need something like a diary page, a document, a letter mentioning this, a map, a deed -- something associated with the house, etc. that states this. > > I have checked in the book, "The Op Dyck Genealogy" written by Charles Wilson Opdyke and I have that information. > > I belong to DAR and John Opdyke has now been removed from the DAR Patriot Index because they say the story is "heresy" and there is no proof that this actually happened. They will not be admitting anyone to DAR on this line until some form of proof that is not "oral tradition" is issued. I have a pending Supplemental that could be verified if I could find this additional piece. I have already submitted the book listed above and they will not accept it. Furthermore, all those now belonging to DAR under John Opdyke will remain in the organization but no more will be allowed to join, as it stands right now until this proof is found. John Opdyke is my grandfather through his daughter, Elizabeth Opdycke Arnwine and her daughter Elizabeth Arnwine Carroll (Daniel Carroll, husband). This would have been a new child on the line, which I was most excited about. > > Please, if you know of somewhere to look or find this info, I would appreciate knowing where to get it or I will pay you for a copy of what you have and the postage to mail it, if there is such a document or piece of evidence. > > Please contact me at: > sweetsue63@sbcglobal.net > > Thanks > Susan Shuler Pena > > > ==== NJHUNTER Mailing List ==== > This mail list is archived at: > http://newsarch.rootsweb.com/th/index/NJHUNTER > > ============================== > Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. > Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx > > ==== NJHUNTER Mailing List ==== Visit the Updated Hunterdon County GenWeb page at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~njhunter ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx

> "I stand before you today wishing that history could be re-written, > knowing > that it cannot, and assuring you that DAR has learned from the past." The DAR performs a valuable genealogical service for all of us by maintaining genealogical records on its members. They require that all applications be on acid-free paper and are more scrupulous now, I gather, about proofs of descendancy. However, in order to underscore that statement that the DAR has, indeed, "learned from the past" I feel they must expunge from their application the requirement that "the applicant is personally acceptable to the Society." I will feel that that they have learned from the past when membership is open to anyone who proves descendancy from a patriot -- or even if they can't but want to be a pert of this patriotic organization. I see no harm in opening membership to anyone and having different classes of members (as most organizations do), some of whom descend from patriots from the Revolutionary War and some who descend from patriots who fought for our country in other ways and other wars. Lynne