Welcome to the
General Samuel Hopkins Chapter
of
Henderson County, Kentucky

***NEW***
THE GEORGE WASHINGTON BICENTENNIAL INFO-LINE

On the 11th of February of 1896 a Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Henderson, Kentucky was approved and known as the

General Samuel Hopkins Chapter

and the following officers of said Chapter were selected:
bullet Helen Catlin McClain, Regent
bullet Nannie Dupree Norris, Vice Regent
bullet Annie M. Starling, Recording Secretary
bullet Margaret Dixon Jonas, Treasurer
bullet Fannie J.S. McAllister, Registrar
bullet Mary Atkinson Cunningham, Historian
Within the years of 1876 - 1892 the New World was marked by a revival in patriotism and an intense interest in the beginnings of the United States of America. Associations such as the Society of the Cincinnati which dates from the close of the American Revolution, the Sons of Revolutionary Sires, the Sons of the Revolution, and the Sons of the American Revolution offered men opportunities to perpetuate the memory of ancestors who fought for their country. A resolution at a meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, on April 30, 1890, excluded women from membership. but, women, too, felt the desire to express their patriotic feelings in suitable ways, and many of those who read of the Louisville meeting were indignant at being excluded.

That summer the Sons of the American Revolution met in Washington, D.C. The newspaper account of this meeting provided the impetus to bring together women of the North, South, East, and West in the common interest of historic, educational and patriotic pursuits. A handful of women in the capital put this matter as an earnest endeavor founded a society of their own, the Daughters of the American Revolution. So reads an excerpt from the DAR publication titled "In Washington.... the DAR Story."

Of the four founders, Miss Mary Desha, Miss Eugenia Washington, Mrs. Mary Smith Lockwood, and Mrs. Ellen Hardin Walworth, Miss Mary Desha was a Kentuckian. She helped prepare the DAR Constitution, was the designer of the Society's Seal, was first chairman of the Board of Managers and became Vice President General. She was also the sponsor of the Lexington, Kentucky Chapter.

Mrs. Benjamin Harrison, wife of the President of the United States, became the first President-General of the National Society, 1890-1893.

The three fold purpose of the NSDAR is exactly the same now as it was when the Society was organized, October 11, 1890.

  1. Historical: - "to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American independence."
  2. Education: - "to carry out the injunction of Washington in his farewell address to the American people, "to promote, as an object of primary important, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge, thus developing an enlightened public opinion...:
  3. Patriotic: "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.
The General Samuel Hopkins DAR chapter the third oldest in the state of Kentucky has reached the milestone of its 100th birthday in 1996.
Revolutionary Ancestors of Past and Present Membership of Gen. Samuel Hopkins Chapter, NSDAR
Historical Publication of General Samuel Hopkins and the Beginning of Henderson County
General Samuel Hopkins Chapter Charter
Nancy Hart DAR Memorial Page
On the local level, the General Samuel Hopkins Chapter, named for Henderson County's Revolutionary personality, erected a monument in 1916 in the northeast corner of the Court House yard, bearing the names of 12 men who served from this County. The burial place of General Samuel Hopkins has been marked by a roadside plaque located on Highway 54. Lucy Audubon, daughter of John James Audubon and for whom the Chapter of the Children of the American Revolution was named is buried in the small cemetery. The grave of Thomas Smith, Revolutionary soldier, has been marked and is located at the entrance to Audubon State Park. Other Revolutionary graves are in the process of being marked by the General Samuel Hopkins Chapter. The General Samuel Hopkins Chapter sponsored the organization of the Lucy Audubon Chapter, Children of the American Revolution, the Installation Ceremony having been held on February 20, 1965, under the leadership of Mrs. James C. Kirchgessner and Mrs. Robert C. Phillips.

The local chapter supports the public library, North Junior High's ongoing oral history project and other community programs and agencies. I

 It also has annually sponsored an essay contest for fourth, fifth and sixth graders; Good Citizenship awards for junior high youths, and a Good Citizen contest for high school seniors.

 A prospective DAR member must be at least 18 years of age and able to trace her lineage to an ancestor who served the patriot cause during the American Revolution.

 The Kentucky state DAR has a genealogical workshop committee that will help those interested in joining the organization complete DAR papers for membership.

For Membership Information
NSDAR NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
Member Services
1776 D Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006-5305
(202)628-1776
National Daughters of the Revolution Home Page
 http://www.dar.org/

The General Samuel Hopkins Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution meets on the first Saturday of each month at noon except for the summer months, July, August and September.

The Officers of the General Samuel Hopkins Chapter
May 1999 - May 2000

Regent  Jeanette Barrow Oldham 
1st Vice Regent  Patsy Yates Thomas
2nd Vice Regent  Virginia Thomas Knight
Recording Secretary  Leigh Ann Dosch Wehr 
Corresponding Secretary  Jeannine Goldey O'Nan
Treasurer  Gisele Stone Purdy 
Chaplain  Jonel Sharp Harmon
Registrar  Jean Spoehr Watson
Historian  Barbara Westerfield Hilyerd
Librarian  Judith Sutton Thompson 
Parliamentarian Mary McClarney Bowling
NOTICE
The DAR Insignia is the property of and is copyrighted by the National Daughters of the American Revolution.
Web Hyperlinks to non-DAR sites are not the responsibility of the NSDAR, the State Organizations or individual DAR chapters.

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