Welcome
We are so glad you found us. The Kewanee Chapter has been active in
the Henry County area for more than 100 years. We are very proud of our
past and are looking forward to the next 100 years of promoting the
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) motto: God, Home, and
Country. As a lineage society, DAR members can trace their family tree
back to an ancestor (man or woman) who supported the cause of American
independence. Your family member may not have fought but may have
supported the American cause in other ways, such as providing food or
shelter to the troops. Do you have a Revolutionary patriot in your
family tree? To become a member, a woman must be at least eighteen
years old
and be able to prove blood descent from a person who rendered patriotic
service during the American Revolution. Membership in the DAR honors
and preserves the legacy of your patriot ancestor. If you think you are
eligible to join, come to one of our meetings, or send us an email.
Over two hundred years ago, American patriots fought and sacrificed for
the freedoms we enjoy today. Through participation in the DAR's various
programs and activities, you can continue this legacy by actively
supporting historic preservation, promotion of education, and patriotic
endeavors. Did you know that if you have a relative who is or was a
member, the process of joining is simplified?
Chapter History
Symbolic of the thirteen original colonies, the Kewanee Chapter had
thirteen charter members. In October 1897, these women applied to the
National Society for a charter, which was received January 3, 1898, and
signed by then President General Letitia Green Stevenson from Illinois.
Organizing Regent Amy Rhodes Blish and chapter members chose to name
the chapter after the city which is named for a Potawatomi chief,
Kewaima, meaning "prairie chicken." During World War I, chapter
members
donated 2,500 hours for war relief work. They knitted items, assembled
comfort kits and even adopted three French orphans for a year. Chapter
members have been serving veterans ever since. In 1919, the chapter and
local veteran organizations erected a monument for deceased veterans in
Wethersfield Cemetery. These days, members
volunteer at and donate items to the LaSalle Veterans Home and send
handmade items to veterans and their families.
Chapter members are passionate about promoting patriotism and
encouraging education. Each year we join another local chapter in
hosting a Flag Day observance. The chapter donates books to a women's
prison, holds grave markings, sponsors the DAR Good Citizens contest to
recognize seniors from local high schools, and the American History
Essay Contest for fifth through eighth grade students. 
We are especially proud to be entrusted with the preservation of our Chapter House pictured at right. You can learn more about this historic structure here.
