Guide to the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Jonathan Dayton Chapter Collection


Title:
National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Jonathan Dayton Chapter Collection
Repository:
Wright State University Libraries Special Collections and Archives
Phone: 937-775-2092
http://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/
Creator:
Daughters of the American Revolution. Jonathan Dayton Chapter (Dayton, Ohio)
Dates:
1927-2002
Quantity:
7.0 linear feet
Abstract:
This chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is named for Jonathon Dayton, the youngest person to sign the U.S. Constitution. The Jonathon Dayton Chapter of the DAR was organized on Feb. 18, 1896 and chartered Apr. 8, 1896. The collection contains scrapbooks outlining the history and activities of the Dayton, Ohio Chapter and includes clippings, photographs, programs, local histories, and genealogies.
Identification:
MS-244
Language:
The records are in English

History of National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Jonathan Dayton Chapter

The National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) was founded in 1890. On July 13, 1890, Mrs. Mary Lockwood of Washington, D.C. was upset at the denial of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) to admit women into their society. She wrote an article in the Washington Post entitled "Women Worthy of Honor." The Registrar General of the SAR responded to her article July 21, 1890, proposing assistance in the structuring of a Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. On August 18, 1890, a notice appeared which outlined the Society's purpose and qualifications for membership. On October 11, 1890, the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution was official; it was incorporated by an Act of Congress in the District of Columbia on June 8, 1891.

The news spread rapidly and chapters applied in the hope to become one of the early associates. The formation of this type of society was unusual in the United States. Dayton formed a local chapter which was named for General Jonathon Dayton. The founder of the local chapter, Mrs. Silas Burns, was from Cincinnati where she helped with the formation of the Cincinnati chapter. Seventeen well known local women joined the newly formed chapter. The seventeen charter members were:

Louise Latham Devereux Burns

Francis Louise Achey

Jesse Leech Davisson

Louise Achey Kennedy

Sarah Dechart

Mary Colby Thrasher

Flora Lewis Hughes Hodge

Sara Jerome Patrick

Anna Kimmel Welliver

Charlotte Reeves Conover

Anna Mathiot Dorsey

Hattie Mason Hooker Lytle

Harriet Snyder King

Martha Olivia Hawes

Emma Thompson Beaver

Mary Ellen Gebhart

Hannah Follett Clark

The chapter was organized February 4, 1896; the charter was granted April 8, 1896. Three of the charter members were "Real Daughters." These members had relatives who had fought in the American Revolution.

The DAR is a living reminder of the patriots of 1776. The goals of the society are to keep alive the spirit of the men and women who fought for American independence, to promote the development of an enlightened public opinion, and foster patriotic citizenship.

The Jonathon Dayton Chapter was named for General Jonathon Dayton who was a distinguished lawyer, senator, and soldier. As a statesman, he helped with the development of the U.S. Constitution and was Speaker of the House of Representatives; as a lawyer, he was a knowledgeable jurist; and as a soldier, he served under Lafayette. General Dayton never saw the town named for him.

Chapter activities over the years include: studies of U.S. History, marking of local historic places and graves, beautification of local parks, contributing to local charities, donating books and flags to local schools, the organization of the Mary Van Cleve Chapter of the Children of the American Revolution (CAR), student essay contests, and the sponsoring of ROTC activities and awards at two local high schools (Walter E. Stebbins and Fairborn Baker).

Scope and Content

The Jonathon Dayton Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is one chapter of this organization to bring together female decedents of soldiers of the American Revolution and to keep their spirits alive through a variety of different activities around the Dayton area. This collection is predominately scrapbooks from several years of their activities with documents, photographs and newspaper clippings inside. This collection is only divided into two series:

Series I, Scrapbooks, contains scrapbooks detailing local chapter and national society activities and events from 1927 to 1988. The activities include local and American history, local political and social issues, social events, details of chapter meetings and national conventions, various programs, awards and honors given to the chapter, and lists of chapter members.

While the original labeling of the scrapbooks was maintained, there appears to be some inconsistency in the dating and order of the scrapbooks. Dates in some were easily identified while the dates in others were uncertain. There seems to be some overlap in the dates of several scrapbooks, as though a new scrapbook was started as the older one was being completed. It is also possible that several scrapbooks were maintained at the same time since there are several scrapbooks with similar starting and ending dates. In later years, the chapter maintained a scrapbook and a press book at the same time. The information in the press book is similar to the information in the chapter scrapbook.

Several of the scrapbooks contain folders with assorted items: loose newspaper articles and Xerox copies of scrapbooks which showed some deterioration.

Scrapbooks 22 and 23 have no clear dates. Scrapbook 22 contains copies of newspaper articles entitled "Our Forefathers" by Lindsey M. Brien, and "Your Clan and Mine" by Ralph E. Pearson. These articles contain genealogical information about Dayton families. Scrapbook 23 contains assorted newspaper articles about early U.S. Presidents and early American history. There are also newspaper articles written by Lindsey M. Brien about local Ohio towns.

There is a break in the date span of the scrapbooks from 1963-1979.

Series II, Chapter History, contains a detailed chapter history from 1896-1976. The history was written to commemorate the Bicentennial. The history describes the formation of the HSDAR on the national level in 1890, and the formation of the local chapter in 1896.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged into two series:
Series 1: Scrapbooks, 1927-2002
Series II: Chapter History, 1976

Restrictions on Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Restrictions on Access

There are no restrictions on accessing materials in this collection.

Related Material: Related Material

MS-272, Ohio Society Sons of the American Revolution Collection (OSSAR)


Subject Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Patriotic societies--Ohio--Dayton
Women--Ohio--Dayton--Societies, etc.

Organizations/Corporations:

Daughters of the American Revolution. Jonathan Dayton Chapter (Dayton, Ohio)--History

Material Types:

Scrapbooks

Technical Requirements

The scrapbooks are digitized. The digital files are available in the reading room for reference viewing.


Preferred Citation

[Description of Item, Date, Box #, Folder #], MS-244, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Jonathan Dayton Chapter Collection, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio.

Acquisition Information

The Scrapbooks of the Jonathon Dayton Chapter of the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) were accessioned into the Wright State University Department of Special Collections and Archives in June of 1992. The scrapbooks were donated by the Jonathon Dayton Chapter of the NSDAR.

Other Finding Aid

The finding aid is available on the Special Collections & Archives, Wright State University Libraries web site at
https://wright.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/207.