Center for Archival Collections

Introduction | Agency History | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

Introduction

The Martha Pitkin Chapter, D.A.R. collection consists of materials relating to the organization and activities of a patriotic women's group in Sandusky, Ohio, whose members had ancestors who fought in the American Revolutionary War. The materials are divided by record group and chronologically within the record groups when possible. The materials date inclusively from 1867 to 2000 and include minutes, programs/yearbooks, and scrapbooks.

The Pitkin Chapter Papers were initially donated to the Center for Archival Collections through the cooperation of the Sandusky Library, 114 West Adams Street, Sandusky, OH, on January 2, 1996, with additional material added in October 1997. No restrictions exist on the use of this collection. Duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and research. The collection was processed and register prepared in October 1997 at Bowling Green State University by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts, and revised in May 2004 and March 2005.

Agency History

The Martha Pitkin Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution was established on April 29, 1897 by a group of Sandusky, Ohio women who had ancestors who fought in the American Revolution, in affiliation with the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The chapter was named for an ancestor of the chapter founder, Mrs. Jay Osborne Moss, who was a lineal descendent of Martha Pitkin through her revolutionary ancestor, Matthew Griswold, Governor of the Connecticut Colony.

The activities of the Chapter covered a mix of patriotic education, public service projects, genealogical research, and social activities. Examples of their endeavors in these areas include support of placing books in local libraries, marking of veterans' graves and historic sites, war relief work in both World War I and II (including contributions to the Red Cross and support of French war orphans), Americanization instruction for immigrants, placement of lineage books in the library, and various pageants and presentations at meetings.

Scope and Content

The Martha Pitkin Chapter, D.A.R. Papers span the years 1867 to 2000. The largest portion of the collection is the secretary's books which contain the minutes of the activities of the organization as well as membership lists and committees. The proceedings of the Chapter also are represented by a few minute books of the Executive Board, which includes consideration of program activities as well as approval of new members.

The minutes, scrapbooks, and reports from the periods of both World Wars and afterwards give a view of humanitarian projects and support for veterans.

The extensive series of yearbooks illustrate the actual programs presented by the Chapter in their meetings, with various topical groupings such as educational, spiritual, and patriotic used to categorize the events. These yearbooks also provide the names of the hostess for each meeting and an annual roster of the active members.

Series Description

PROCEEDINGS

MINUTES - MEETING MINUTES
1897-1976
Arranged chronologically
Bound volumes of Secretary's books, including meeting minutes, membership lists, and committee information

MINUTES - BOARD MINUTES
1912-1942
Arranged chronologically
Bound volumes of Board Minutes, including consideration of programs and new members

REPORTS

HISTORIAN'S BOOK
1897-1959
Arranged chronologically
Annual summary of chapter activities and committee work

HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF CHARTER MEMBERS
n.d.
Alphabetic sketches of the Revolutionary ancestry of charter members, done for the Historian's Record Book

SCRAPBOOKS AND SCRAPBOOK MATERIALS

PROGRAMS/YEARBOOKS
1902-1997
Arranged chronologically
Program booklets with dates, topics and hostess for meeting; also includes list of chapter members with addresses

STATE CONFERENCE PROGRAMS
1961-1962, 1966
Conference program, including memorial roster by region

SCRAPBOOKS
1902-1976
Arranged chronologically
Scrapbooks of clippings, programs, and other memorabilia, collected by the Chapter, or by individual members

Inventory

Roll 1

1. Secretary's book (Minutes), Jan 1897-Sept 1902
2. Secretary's book (Minutes), Jan 1903-Jan 1904
3. Secretary's book (Minutes), Jan 1905-June 1912
4. Secretary's book (Minutes), Sept 1912-Apr 1915
5. Secretary's book (Minutes), May 1915-May 1920
6. Secretary's book (Minutes), Sept 1920-May 1925
7. Secretary's book (Minutes), Sept 1925-March 1932
8. Secretary's book (Minutes), May 1932-June 1941
9. Secretary's book (Minutes), Sept 1941-June 1953

Roll 2

1. Secretary's book (Minutes), Sept 1956-Nov 1961
2. Secretary's book (Minutes), Jan 1962-June 1976
3. Minutes of the Board,Sept 1912-July 1921
4. Minutes of the Board,Sept 1921-Nov 1942
5. Historian's book, 1897-1907
6. Historian's book, 1908-1942
7. Historian's book, 1943-1959
8. Historian's book, 1966-1970; 1997
9. Historical Sketches of Charter Members, n.d.
10. Programs/yearbooks, 1902-1912
11. Programs/yearbooks, 1912-1919
12. Programs/yearbooks, 1920-1931

Roll 3

1. Programs/yearbooks, 1931-1945
2. Programs/yearbooks, 1946-1960
3. Programs/yearbooks, 1961-1978
4. Programs/yearbooks, 1979-2000
5. Scrapbook, 1904-1931
6. Scrapbook (Annette Fitch Brewar), 1902-1904
7. Scrapbook (DAR War Work in WW I), 1917-1919
8. Scrapbook, 1931-1955
9. Scrapbook, 1946-1956

Roll 4

1. Scrapbook, 1957-1959
2. Scrapbook, 1959-1966
3. Scrapbook, 1966-1970
4. Scrapbook, 1970-1971
5. Scrapbook, 1971-1972
6. Scrapbook, 1973-1974
7. Scrapbook, 1974-1975
8. Scrapbook, 1975-1976

Manuscripts by Subject | Women's Studies Collections