Eligibility Requirements for Membership

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These are the membership eligibility requirements as set forth by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution in the most recent (1996) handbook.

Eligibility

"An applicant for membership must be no less than 18 years of age. She shall prove lineal blood line descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence. She must provide documentation for each statement of birth, marriage, and death. This shall include the applicant's birth certificate naming her parents. This applies to "new ancestors" and to previously accepted lineages for which documentation was not required at the time of acceptance."

Acceptable Service "The National Society accepts service, with some exceptions, for the period between 19 April 1775 (Battle of Lexington) and 26 November 1783 (withdrawal of British Troops from New York)."

Some examples of qualifying service are:

Signers of the Declaration of Independence
Military Service, such as participation in:
- Army and Navy of the Continental Establishment
- State Navy
- State and Local Militia
- Coast Guard and Privateers
- Military or Naval Service performed by French nationals in the American theater of war.
Civil Service (holding office under authority of the Provisional or new State Governments) such as:
- State Officials
- County and Town Officials such as:
  - Town Clerk
  - Selectmen
  - Juror
  - Town Treasurer
  - Judge
  - Sheriff
  - Constable
  - Jailer
  - Surveyor of Highways
  - Justice of the Peace
Patriotic Service, which includes:
- Members of the Continental Congresses, State Conventions and Assemblies.
- Membership in Committees made necessary by the War, including service on committees which furthered the cause of the colonies from April 1774, such as Committees of Correspondence, Inspection and Safety, committees to care for the soldiers' families, etc.
- Signer of Oath of Fidelity and Support, Oath of Allegiance.
- Members of the Boston Tea Party.
- Defenders of Forts and Frontiers, and Signers of petitions addressed to and recognizing the authority of the Provisional and new State Governments.
- Doctors and nurses and others rendering aid to the wounded (other than their immediate families)
- Ministers who gave patriotic sermons and encouraged patriotic activity.
- Furnishing a substitute for military service.
- Prisoners of war or refugees from occupying forces.
- Prisoners on the British ship "Old Jersey" or other prison ships.
- Service in the Spanish Troops under Galvez or the Louisiana Militia after 24 December 1776.
- Service performed by French nationals within the colonies or in Europe in support of the American cause
- Those who rendered material aid, such as furnishing supplies with or without remuneration, lending money to the Colonies, munitions makers, gunsmiths, etc.

The above information is quoted from the 1996 edition of the DAR handbook and National Bylaws pp.12-14.

For More information on qualifying service, or becoming a member of DAR, please contact Your Local Chapter or NSDAR

To become an associate member of the Sasebo Chapter we need :
a copy of your original application papers
a letter stating you are a member in good standing from your chapter
for complete information on becoming an Associate member - please e-mail us

If interested, please contact either our Regent, or the Chapter, by e-mail or snail mail for more info. Please mail all paperwork and written inquires pertaining to Associate membership in our chapter to us at our snail mail address NOT to the Units Overseas National Chairman, Mrs. Carol Rilling.

This page was last updated on July 13, 1999
Comments, corrections, and suggestions should be sent to Mrs. Dawn James.