Daughters of the American Revolution

Today I'm going to blog about my experience in joining the wonderful ladies of DAR Augustin Clayton Chapter. I joined many years ago (probably around 2002).  I'll have to check to see when the

actual date was and come back to update this post for accuracy since I have a brain fog today.

Anyway, it took about a year to find all my paperwork.  As you all probably know, you must do the research to prove that you are a descendant of an American Revolutionary War Veteran.  My war hero was Captain James Cartledge.  He served in North Carolina but died later died after the Revolunary War in Washington, Georgia.

But I didn't come by this information very easily.  In the beginning, I wanted to research my lineage on my mother's side as she always wanted to become a DAR. Since her passing in 1987 it was a desire for me to complete this as a remembrance of her.  So, I started out with my maternal grandparents, Etsie Harris and Wilson Reames.  I researched it all the way back to the Revolutionary War and used many books and documents to complete my application.  After completion, it was submitted to Washington through my current chapter.  

After about 6-8 weeks our chapter was contacted to say that my lineage could not be proven because there was one book that was incorrect and the National DAR in Washington had received paperwork for other applications from the same area and found this particular book "The History of Harris County" by Elisabeth Barfield stated some incorrect information.  I knew that my part in this book was correct because my Big Mother, Etsie Harris (pictured above on the left in my heading) was interviewed by the author as Mrs. Barfield was in her Sunday School class at our church, Rose Hill Baptist in Columbus, Georgia during the 50's and 60's.  My Aunt, Lois Harris Geiger (also pictured above in the fur coat and hat) had told me this story many times and also told me the history as it was also stated in the book. In fact, Aunt Lois (AKA: Nannie) was present for the interview with my Big Mother.  My mother even had a copy of this book in our home as I was growing up.  Well this information was devastating and I was so assured that the information I had submitted was correct and didn't understand why they had denied my application.  

However, something good did come out of that disappointing phone call.  It seemed that when they denied this application, they wanted to approve another line for me that was already proven in the National DAR records.  The one of my father's line, being my paternal grandmother, Ruby Dean Cartledge.  They already had all the information on file there in Washington and sent my approval on that line.  We just had to resubmit another application stating my lineage to Ruby Dean.  And we did and I was inducted into the DAR.  

However, I always vowed that I would prove the lineage to my mom's heritage.  I never have done that; however, I did do a DNA testing out of Houston to see if there was ever someone out there that had a line I belonged to for my maternal side.  One day maybe