Ninian Edwards Chapter, NSDAR

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR or DAR) was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. The DAR is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women's service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America's future through better education for children.

As DAR members we volunteer millions of service hours annually in our local communities by supporting active duty military personnel, awarding scholarships to students, and supporting schools for underserved children.

The DAR is one of the most inclusive genealogical societies in the country. Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution, is eligible for membership.

The Ninian Edwards Chapter NSDAR was organized June 24, 1912, in Alton, Illinois. The chapter was named for Ninian Edwards, the only governor of the Illinois Territory (1809 to 1818). After Illinois was granted statehood, Ninian Edwards was one of the first two men who served in the United States Senate (1818 to1824). Ninian Edwards also served a term as Governor of the State of Illinois (1826 to 1830).

On September 16, 1912, the Ninian Edwards Chapter NSDAR placed a bronze tablet in the Madison County Courthouse, recognizing twenty-three Revolutionary War soldiers buried in the county. In 2007, research proved fourteen more soldiers not named on the plaque, and the chapter placed a second bronze tablet to honor them. Graves of nineteen Revolutionary War soldiers and three daughters of Revolutionary War patriots have been marked.