DAR Application Process Has Officially Begun

Gwinnett Historic Courthouse

     I had my meeting with the DAR Registrar and a member of the Lineage Committee today.  There was a little confusion over where we were meeting, but we were able to connect when she sent me an email with her phone number - I was at the top of the wrong staircase.

     As I wrote yesterday, I had prepared a binder with all of my documents proving lineage back to my patriot ancestor, John Cash (A020406), and had already sent in a pedigree chart.  The first thing the ladies wanted to know was whether this line connects with the singer, Johnny Cash, which it does (he's my third cousin, twice removed).

     The Registrar has looked up my ancestor in the DAR's Genealogical Research Database, where other members had joined through John's son, Moses (my 5th Great-Grandfather).  They had not, however, joined through Moses' daughter, Elizabeth (my 4th Great-Grandmother).  I paged through the binder I'd brought, browsing through each generation of death certificate, census records and wills, proving the lineage from myself to Elizabeth, and then Elizabeth to Moses.  

     The DAR ladies seemed very pleased with my records and, based upon the meeting, feel that I have everything that I need.  I left my binder with them, and they will start work on my application.  Apparently, I have to be voted in, but the way they mentioned this it seems like a technicality.  Also, because I'm under 36, I would be a junior member.  From some of what they said, I got the feeling that the DAR in general is short on junior members, who have certain rolls to fill within the society.  She said that they're a very active chapter, though didn't go into great detail on what all they are active with.

     And in a moment of genealogical serendipity, as we were discussing nearby research repositories, the Registrar mentioned a great map she found at one library.  The map included a road that lead to the property of one of her husband's Burkhalter ancestors.  I had to stop her there and bring up my Burkhalter ancestors, who were from the same area.  I haven't done a ton of research on this line, so I had to pull out my phone to look up the family, but it looks like I found a new cousin!

     The Registrar thinks that I could be a full member by the end of January.  I'm looking forward to moving forward with my application (though no so excited to part with the $150 in fees and dues) and plan to attend the next society meeting in January.