MEMBERSHIP
ELIGIBILITY
If you are interested in learning more about membership in the NSDAR, you can visit the Membership page of the National DAR website, read more below, or reach out to our chapter directly.
You very well may have a Patriot in your ancestry. If you’d like to explore the possibility, the Jacob Gaskins Chapter, NSDAR, can help.
Patriotic service during the American Revolution wasn’t limited to military duty. Many men and women of all backgrounds contributed in meaningful ways, from serving in civil roles to providing supplies, signing petitions, paying certain state supply taxes, or taking an Oath of Allegiance.
The Jacob Gaskins Chapter, NSDAR, warmly welcomes women age 18 and older, who can trace their lineage to a Revolutionary War Patriot. If you’re curious about exploring your family’s history, we’d love to help you get started.
APPLYING FOR MEMBERSHIP
To become a member, you’ll need to show documentation that connects you to your Patriot ancestor, beginning with yourself and tracing back through each generation. This usually means collecting records like birth, marriage, and death certificates, along with clear links between parents and children along the way.
But don’t worry, you're not alone in the process! Our chapter and state volunteers are here to guide you every step of the way, and our registrar and regent, both of whom are experienced in genealogy, are especially equipped to help you uncover your family’s story. We’d be delighted to support you as you begin your application and invite you to reach out to get started.
JOIN US
Visit the Membership page of the National DAR website for more information.
Interested in learning more about our chapter? Think you may have an ancestor who qualifies you for membership? Provide us with your contact information, and we will be in touch shortly. Our registrar is ready to help you learn more about your family’s history. You can also find resources on the Genealogy page of the National DAR website.
A Patriot, per the DAR, is someone who aided in the effort to gain American independence by serving or directly assisting in the Revolutionary War effort. Any woman showing a direct, ancestral connection to a Patriot is eligible for membership.
JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP
Did you know that DAR members under the age of 36 are considered Junior members? Juniors enjoy full membership and are encouraged to take on leadership roles by serving as officers and committee chairs. All the while, the organization understands that these members often have to balance their DAR responsibilities with their commitments to their careers, families, and other community involvements. Junior members also have the privilege to serve as pages at State and National Society events.
GENEALOGY RESOURCES
The first step is to gather what you already know by collecting documents for yourself, your parents, and grandparents, such as birth, marriage, and death certificates, or obituaries.
START WITH WHAT YOU KNOW
Consult living relatives to tap their memories, but proceed with some degree of caution. Stories often change over generations and are not considered reliable evidence.
SPEAK WITH YOUR RELATIVES
Websites like Ancestry, FindMyPast, FamilySearch, Fold3, and USGenWeb now provide access to digitized and transcribed historical records that were unavailable decades ago.
BEGIN BY LOOKING ONLINE
Despite online advances, not all genealogical records are available digitally, so you may need to eventually consult libraries, archives, and courthouses for relevant records.