Aurora Chapter

Chapter History

Lucy Stevens Nelson
Organizing Regent

The Aurora Chapter, NSDAR, was organized on October 12, 1912, with thirteen members. The organizing regent, twenty-three year old Lucy Stevens Nelson, is the youngest in the state to ever hold this office. The chapter quickly grew. Aurora is a Lantern Chapter, having contributed organizational and membership support in 1988, to the newly-formed Elias Kent Kane Chapter, located "up the Fox River" in St. Charles. Today the Aurora Chapter, NSDAR, has over 130 members.

The chapter has placed several historical markers in the area. Plaques include: a boulder in Oswego where an early French mission once stood (1926), the Stone Mill erected 1856 in Sandwich (1971), the Gray-Watkins Grist Mill built in 1853 on the Fox River by the founder of Montgomery (1983) and the Lewis B. Judson House, founder of Oswego, built in 1884 on Galena Blvd. in Aurora (1985). Recent updates include refurbishing the plaque at GAR Hall that was originally placed in 1918. In October 2023, the Aurora Chapter’s commemorative brick was unveiled in the walkway at Batavia’s Flag Day Monument. In September 2024, a ceremony was held with the Fox Valley SAR at Spring Lake Cemetery in Aurora where a new marker was placed at Revolutionary War soldier Frederick Vaughan’s gravesite. Organizing Regent Lucy Stevens Nelson is buried at Riverside Cemetery in Montgomery. Her gravesite never had a marker. In March 2025, the Aurora Chapter, NSDAR, dedicated a black granite marker in grateful recognition of her service.

Aurora is proud to have in the Smithsonian Institution 150 pieces of pattern glass given by member, Mrs. Justus Johnson. She also donated a framed daguerreotype of her Revolutionary War ancestor to the NSDAR Museum. Member Miriam Williams donated a diary from 1864 and a leather paymaster's pouch to the NSDAR Museum.

The chapter supports the Waubonsie Society C.A.R. and hosts their Flag Retirement Ceremony in June. All children from the age of 0 to 21, who trace their lineage back to an ancestor who provided service during the American Revolution are eligible for membership. The chapter annually presents youth awards. In 2025, DAR Good Citizen medals were awarded to seniors in six area high schools, and American History essay awards were presented to younger students. Junior ROTC medals were awarded to students at East Aurora High School, Marmion Academy, Mooseheart and West Aurora High School. The chapter annually presents Community Service awards to local volunteers or volunteer organizations.

Active support for veterans at the Edward Hines, Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital includes a Christmas stocking project. In 2024, the chapter filled 220 stockings. Over 1,000 holiday and Valentines cards are distributed to the veterans at Hines. The chapter has participated in the Top of Illinois Stand Down in Rockford for the past four years. The chapter distributed PLARN sleeping mats made by chapter members as well as flashlights and rain ponchos.

The Aurora Chapter, NSDAR, has several DAR Project Patriot activities valuing active-duty military members. The chapter collects gently-used paperback books which are shipped annually to ships and bases in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. In 2024, as part of Operation Gratitude, chapter members and family tied paracords and wrote notes for 880 care packages. Christmas was made a little brighter for military members from Aurora when $500 in Amazon gift cards were sent as part of the City of Aurora’s Gifts from Home program to those deployed in 2024.

Chapter members annually participate in several local volunteer activities. The chapter has members who walk in Mutual Ground’s Walk for Hope and this year’s donations were over $1,000. A volunteer workday in February 2025 at the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry was accompanied by a donation of 3,789 diapers plus wipes and adult products. Earth Day is celebrated by work days at local forest preserves, most recently at Oakhurst Forest Preserve in Aurora.

The chapter also participates in the City of Aurora parades at Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day. 3,271 flags and 256 patriotic keychains were handed to those watching the parades in 2024. Plans are underway to celebrate the United States Semiquincentennial with more patriotic festivities honoring America 250!

Meeting programs include such topics as genealogy research, women’s issues, national defense and special visits by State Regents and District IV Directors. Many chapter members attend DAR Days, District IV meetings, Illinois State Conference, and Continental Congress in Washington, D.C.