Okay yankees I have a ? about the D.A.R.

[underpants]

So my wife and I are totally addicted to the "Gilmore Girls" (we finally watch the delayed airing of last week's show) and Mrs. Gilmore is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It is mention regularly.

We don't have the DAR (as far as I know) here in Va....PLENTY of other remembrances thank you.

Is it for the upper crust? Is it really only for direct descendents?

In short-what is the deal with the DAR?

[cssmall]

1. It's not just a Yankee thing.

There is the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution. In some places, it a good place to gather historical (whether accurate or precise enough is up to you) information, geneological research, etc. In some areas, they are actually beginning to allow African-Americans in (fucking finally someone recognizes that African-Americans fought too). Otherwise, in most places for what I understand it is another arrogant clique.

I could join personally, but have balked at the chance, even though I'm proud of Daniel Fields O'rear. If I have a son, I probably will name him after DF, who never owned a slave and according to some documentation actually worked with African-Americans in the fields, even though he didn't "need" to sharecrop. :eyes: I don't know too much about that, but at least he didn't take part in the establishment conspiciously.

You have to have a DIRECT descendant that fought in the war. As I have three, I think, I could easily join, but you really have to get to know the people that attend the meetings.

[hfojvt]

4. that about sums up what I have heard about them

except that you have to BE a direct descendant. Which puzzle me, because what the heck is an indirect descendant? Adoptions? Or step-parents? That is not any sort of descendant at all. Either you are a descendant or not. Would I be considered an indirect descendant of US Grant because a) we are related and b) he's much, much older than I am? That seems absurd to call a 3rd cousin 4 times removed a "descendant."

[Momgonepostal]

10. I think it means if your gggreat uncle...

was in the Revolution, that's not enough to qualify you. It would have to be someone in your direct line, not one of their siblings of nephews, etc. So I'm a direct descendant of my grandfather, but not of his sister, my great aunt. Does that make sense?

[hfojvt]

12. it makes perfect sense

I just do not see the need for the word "direct". I am a descendant of my grandfather, and I am not a descendant of his sister or of his father's 2nd wife. Or am I somehow considered an indirect descedant of my grandfather's sister? If there are "direct" descendants, then there must also be descendants which are not "direct". What are they then? Any younger relative who is not a descendant, or do they need to be in the following generation? Thus my younger 1st cousins are not descendants of mine, but their kids are, although they are not "direct" descendants. They can still glom onto my notoriety anyway.

[underpants]

8. I see

thanks. I am, obviously, not very familiar with it.

[Saphire]

14. I'm a member, but never have gone to meetings....just not my thing.

[kick-ass-bob]

2. I remember them having an essay contest when I was in school.

That's all I know about that.

[FuzzySlippers]

3. I think the only qualification for joining is to prove

direct descent from an ancestor who fought in the American Revolution--for the colonials that is. I could probably qualify, but I wouldn't think of joining. They're a bunch of RW loonies.

[miss_kitty]

5. oh yeah there's DAR in VA

http://www.vadar.org/

[cssmall]

6. now that web address' name is just fucking creepy.

Dunh dunh dunh, dun-da-dunh, dun-da-dunh. Hoooo-kah. "Luke, I am your father"

AHHHHHHHHHH!

[miss_kitty]

13. That's what I thought!

I had to check the spelling.

I spent ages looking for Avedon's tour de force portrait of the DAR-but I was only able to find written word.

[underpants]

7. I didn't know that

thanks

[enigami]

9. It's a terrorist organization

Just Ask the British

[WCGreen]

11. My line from the Emerald Isle starts before the Revolution....

And there was a decorated colonial soldier in my direct lineage....

But they frown on Papists..........

[cssmall]

15. My roots, on that side, are from about 1650, a minor lord.

Then, the rest of'em weren't anything important. Being an archaeologist acutally helps the family figure out if there was a tall teller in the family. But, yesterday, I proved that a member of the family was a relative (grandchild) of a Lt. Governor of Virginia. Even found a speech by the political bastard.