Downers Grove Chapter,
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
Downers Grove, Illinois

Organized on January 22, 1910

Formation of the Downers Grove Chapter can be credited to Mrs. Margaret Drake DeGroot who had been called upon by the Illinois State Regent to form a Chapter in this area.  After countless hours contacting possible members, the Downers Grove Chapter held their first meeting on the bitterly cold evening of January 22, 1910 with 12 charter members in attendance.

The name chosen for the chapter perpetuates the name of our village's founding settler, Pierce Downer of Vermont, who came to this area in 1832, staking a claim to 160 acres of government prairie timber land.

Mrs. Addie Summers Downer, a daughter-in-law of Pierce Downer was one of the charter members of the chapter.  His granddaughter, Helen Downer, later joined the chapter.

Who are the Daughters?

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded on October 11, 1890 with three main objectives:

• Historical - To perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American Independence.
• Educational - To promote the development of an enlightened public opinion.
• Patriotic - To foster true patriotism and love of country.

What do the Daughters do nationally?

Nationally, the Daughters of the American Revolution maintain the DAR Library in Washington, D.C. which houses over 105,000 titles relating to genealogy and history.
The DAR also owns the DAR Museum in Washington, DC which has a collection of 40,000 objects which trace the development of life in early America.
The DAR has several national committees to achieve its three main objectives:

• Americanism and DAR Manual for Citizenship Committee which is active in citizenship classes and naturalization ceremonies.
• DAR Good Citizens Committee which recognizes senior high school students who excel in qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism.
• American History Essay Awards are awarded each year to children in the 5th through 8th grades to promote knowledge of American History.
• Two DAR Supported Schools are located in Appalachia. They are Tamassee DAR School in South Carolina and Kate Duncan Smith DAR School in Alabama.
• DAR Service for Veteran Patients Committee volunteers time and donates goods to 161 VA Medical Centers nationwide.
• The Flag of the United States of America Committee promotes correct flag usage by providing thousands of flags to youth groups, schools, libraries and naturalized citizens each year. This includes Braille Flag Codes and the Pledge of Allegiance in sign language.

What do the Daughters do locally?

In addition to the national functions described above, the Downers Grove Chapter fulfills the above objectives by:

• Sponsoring local genealogy workshops for the public at the Downers Grove public library.
• Sponsoring the Pierce Downer Society, Children of the American Revolution.
• Presenting Good Citizens Awards to local high school students.
• Presenting American History Essay Awards to local students.
• Presenting an Excellence in Community Service Award.
• Providing volunteer services and material aid to local Veterans Administration hospitals and homes.
• Participating in the local Memorial Day Ceremony by honoring those who fought in the American Revolution.

More About the Downers Grove DAR:

Chapter Officers

Upcoming Meetings

Awards given by our Chapter

How to join the DAR

Pierce Downer Society C.A.R.

Send Mail to our Chapter

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Last updated on September 13, 2007.

For more information, visit the National Society  or the Illinois State Organization

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