Mission Membership – March 2013

How often have you been talking to someone about our Society, only to have her reply, “Oh I wish I were eligible but my family all came from …” (you fill in the blank)?  It’s easy to think just of our colonists as the patriots who secured our freedom and to forget those friends from France, Holland, Spain and even Canada who helped our ancestors in their quest for Independence.

Thanks go to Jane Cote of Josefa Higuera Livermore Chapter for sharing the story of the new membership for her mother, 96 year old young Margaret Morse.

When I joined DAR 18 years ago my Mom was so excited for me, but at the same time would lament how she wished she could join. With her French Canadian ancestry she believed it was impossible. Many times these past 18 years she would tell me “I wish I could join” and I always told her, “ I know there was a battle in Quebec during the Revolutionary War and I just know one of our *Canuck ancestors had to have helped the Patriot cause. One day I would prove it; the challenge was too great to pass up. And so I set out all those years ago to find one of our *Canuck ancestors that could be proven to have served in the American Revolutionary War, and always felt somewhere in my heart that I would succeed. It took me a while and it wasn’t easy, but I did it! I think the hardest part was trying to translate the French records. My French was really rusty as I soon found out, but thankfully I have a friend in Canada that jumped in to give me all the help he could, which was priceless. It was one of the happiest days of my life when on December 8, 2012 I was able to call and tell Mom that she was in fact a member of DAR.

*The term Canuck is first recorded about 1835 as an Americanism (American term), originally referring specifically to a French Canadian.

Bev’s note: Take the time to research ancestors from  other countries who helped the cause for American independence. You may find the next new patriot for our Society. Among the downloadable references on the DAR website are Finding Your Spanish Patriot and  African American Genealogical Research at the DAR Library — Brochure.

Q’s and A’s

Q. I remember when we used to be able to request a certificate for our supplemental ancestors from the state registrar. Is there any way to get one now?

A. Our National Society will provide just such a certificate for a $10.00 fee. The order form is on the DAR Members’ website in the Registrar General’s Forms and can be downloaded.

Q. I updated the e-Membership data base with my new email address, but it is still not showing in the state online directory.

A. When you update a member’s contact information in e-membership, designate State Corresponding Secretary on the drop-down menu labeled “email.” This will result in an automatic notification to the State and will then result in an update to the State Directory.

Bev Moncrieff California
State Registrar
registrar@CaliforniaDAR.org

This entry was posted in Chapter Regent, Chapter Registrar, Membership, Mission Membership, News - State. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.