Fort Nelson Chapter, NSDAR
Portsmouth, Virginia
Eligibility
DAR membership is open to any woman 18 or older who can prove blood lineage to a man or woman who aided the cause of the American Revolution. There are many ways your ancestor could qualify as a patriot:
MILITARY SERVICE: member of the Continental Army or Navy, member of a local or state Militia or Navy, privateer
CIVIL SERVICE: any job in support of the new State government such as sheriff, constable, jailer, surveyor of highways, justice of the peace, town clerk, juror, town treasurer, judge
PATRIOTIC SERVICE: signer of Oath of Allegiance or Oath of Fidelity, paid Supply Tax, member of Committees of Correspondence, member of committees to care for soldiers' families, member of state conventions, signer of petitions recognizing the authority of Provisional and new State governments, minister giving patriotic sermons, provider of material aid such as guns and food, provider of medical care to the wounded, prisoner of war or refugee
Applying for Membership
To apply, you will need to provide documentation that establishes your direct lineage to your Patriot ancestor, beginning with yourself and tracing each generation back to your qualifying ancestor. This typically includes records such as birth, marriage, and death certificates, as well as documentation that clearly identifies the parent-child relationship in each generation.
You don't have to do it alone. Our chapter and state volunteers are available to guide you throughout the application process. Both our chapter regent and registrar have extensive genealogy experience and are happy to assist you in gathering documentation, answering questions, and helping you get started. We encourage you to reach out—we look forward to helping you begin your DAR journey.