Your Chapter, NSDAR
Somewhere, CA

Welcome to Your Chapter, NSDAR

California DAR

The National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR or DAR) was founded in 1890 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The DAR is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women's service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America's future through better education for children. Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background who can prove direct lineal descent from a Patriot of the American Revolutionary War, is eligible for membership. Since the organization’s founding in 1890, over one million members have been admitted into membership.

The DAR is the largest women’s volunteer service and female-led organization in the U.S. Our work focuses on three core areas:

*** Patriotism ***

*** Historic Preservation *** 

*** Education ***

 

The Santa Margarita Chapter is very active in the Oceanside area. We have monthly buffet breakfast meetings, held the first Saturday of each month, September – June with a program that supports our National Society’s mission and our chapter’s emphasis on service to our community.

As a chapter, we sponsor and participate in several patriotic events and are dedicated to supporting our veterans and active-duty military.  If you are looking for a sense of community and service, you are in the right place!

How Do I Join DAR?

Any woman 18 years or older who can prove lineal, bloodline descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence is eligible to join the DAR. She must provide documentation for each statement of birth, marriage, and death, as well as documentation of the American Revolutionary War service and residence of her Patriot ancestor (unless already documented in the DAR’s Genealogical Research System (GRS).)

The Santa Margarita Chapter, NSDAR, registrar will provide guidance and assistance with the application process and research; it is a team effort! You are not expected to do all the research on your own.

Getting Started is as Easy as 1-2-3!

1 Finding Your Lineage
 
  • Do you have a mother, aunt, grandmother, or first cousin in the DAR? If so, please proceed to Step 3.If no known relative was in the DAR, your first step toward membership requires establishing your lineage.
  • Start with the genealogy worksheet to help point out possible lines. Write only the data which can be proven. Once the worksheet is completed, fill out the pedigree chart for persons born 1700-1765, as these are the most likely to have provided service.
  • The following links are provided to assist you with completing a pedigree chart.

RESOURCES:

Start With What You Know

Speak With Relatives
Start Looking Online
Genealogy Worksheet
Pedigree Chart

 
2 Identify Your Patriot Ancestor
 
  • Once you have followed your lineage, you can begin to identify potential patriots. Service to the cause for American independence can be proven in many ways. The following links will assist you in determining the eligibility of civil or patriotic service for your patriot.
  • If your ancestor is not listed in the Patriot Index, that does not mean that person did not provide service, it just means that no one has proven their lineage from that person. This means it is up to you to prove that line and service.
RESOURCES:
Using the Genealogical Research System
Genealogical Research System - Patriot Index
 Search the Library Catalog

 
3 Application Process
 
  • Once you have all the information from Steps 1 and 2, email our chapter registrar and she will help you organize your lineage using the Application Worksheet. Be certain to list proof documentation. 
  • If you need additional help in locating the necessary information, email our registrar or contact us to attend one of our meetings.
RESOURCES:
Application Worksheet
 Hot Tips from the Lineage Research Committee 

 

To see some of the recent activities of the Santa Margarita Chapter, NSDAR, click here.

We are so pleased that you are interested in finding out more about the DAR and particularly our chapter; you have come to the right place!

To connect with our chapter and meet some of our members, please click here.

 
Today's DAR

See what the DAR is doing today. Check out our channel on YouTube!

Photos Courtesy of Chapter Members