National Nuggets - What are Real Daughters?

If you have heard my program about Real Daughters then you are familiar with the term.  For those of you who haven’t heard about Real Daughters, let me tell you about them.

All Daughters of the American Revolution are descended from Revolutionary War patriots and soldiers.  Imagine, though, joining the DAR through the Revolutionary War service of your own father.

This was the distinct privilege of a Real Daughter. Not to be confused with the “daughter of a Revolutionary war soldier or patriot,” a Real Daughter was distinguished because she was both a DAR member as well as the actual daughter of a soldier or patriot.  In the early years of the National Society, a DAR chapter who could name one or more Real Daughters among its members was extremely proud of this living link to the American Revolution.

Artifacts of Real Daughters that are part of the NSDAR Museum Collection

At one of the first organizational meetings of the Daughters of the American Revolution one of the many topics discussed was the interesting fact that there were several widows and at least two daughters of Revolutionary War soldiers living. The names of twenty-three widows still on the United States pension list were read and seemed an impressive number to many at the meeting.

At Continental Congress in 1895, a Miss Laws from Ohio reported on a “true Daughter” in the Cincinnati Chapter and stated “there are less than a dozen in the whole country.”

At Congress in 1895, the State Regent of New Jersey proposed the idea of presenting each Real Daughters with a souvenir spoon as a gift from the National Society.  They decided to use the Official Souvenir Spoon already being produced with added personalized engravings in order to honor each individual Real Daughter.  Every "Real Daughter spoon" was engraved with the daughter's initials on the back of the handle along with the message "Presented by the National Society DAR" on the bowl.  The Real Daughter's National Number was often engraved on the back of the handle as well.

As the issues of administration, organization, and solidifying the Constitution and By-Laws were gradually settled, officers and members could reflect on what had occurred in the Society during its formative years.

They realized the steadily growing number of Real Daughters within their ranks. By the late 1890s, National Officers reported regularly on the statistics of these ladies.  Chapters began to actively search for Real Daughters.

In the end, there would be 767 Real Daughters!

During a meeting of the National Board of Management in January 1903, the Board decided to form a committee devoted solely to processing the applications of Real Daughters. Several daughters of Revolutionary patriots died while waiting for the verification of their papers and were never officially accepted into the Society. Through a resolution, the DAR vowed to place the names of these women “upon the role of honor,” but this did not make up for the lost opportunity of including them in the National Society. The new committee worked to ensure every potential Real Daughter’s application was reviewed in a timely manner.

Eventually, the Committee took control of all matters concerning the Real Daughters. They began recording the names of women who had received spoons and kept track of those who needed pensions. Members of the Committee often made regular visits to local Real Daughters, bringing gifts or news of the Society. They celebrated birthdays, mourned deaths, provided companionship, and made the Real Daughters feel important and special. This committee existed until 1943 after the death of the last Real Daughter, Annie Knight Gregory.

Real Daughters Committee, Helen Coe Hammond (left) and Grace A. Coe (right) visited Real Daughter Caroline Randall (center) on June 15, 1938

DAR chapters treasured their Real Daughters. Several chapters, without direction from a state society or the National Society, created “pensions” for Real Daughters living in poverty. In some cases these pensions were a Real Daughter’s only source of income. Upon hearing this disturbing news, many officers and members of the National Society also took up the cause of supporting these overlooked women and began petitioning the United States government to provide pensions for Real Daughters. At the Ninth Continental Congress in 1900, Corresponding Secretary General Kate Kearney Henry read the names of seven Real Daughters who were to receive U.S. pensions, but questioned “why the rest are not entitled to the same bounty at the hands of this Government.” While many DAR members continued their efforts to persuade government officials to secure more pensions for Real Daughters, there was never a comprehensive federal ruling. The DAR, however, persisted in collecting money for its own contributions.

letter about pensions for Real Daughters

The stories of some of our Real Daughters are fascinating.  The NSDAR Historian General’s Office provided wonderful information about these daughters and published a book My Father Was a Soldier: Real Daughters of the American Revolution.  I encourage you to get a copy to read. 

SCDAR also had Real Daughters!  One occasion of note occurred in late October/early November 1898.  The Columbia Chapter presented Mrs. Hobson, the elderly grandmother of Lieutenant Hobson, a Real Daughter spoon.  Her father was a young soldier in the American Revolution and fought in the battles of Cowpens, King’s Mountain, and Guilford Courthouse.  Her spoon was placed on exhibition at Sylvan’s Jewelers in downtown Columbia for all to come and see! 

Sylvan's Jewelers in downtown Columbia, SC

I am searching for a Real Daughter spoon.  If anyone knows a family that would like to donate a Real Daughter spoon to prevent it from being lossed and sold without understanding its real meaning as well as to protect its value and care in the future, please let me know.