Dames Discovery | Fall/Winter 2022, Vol. 32, No. 2

ON THE COVER Called Into Service (Dumbarton House 1945) by Peter Waddell, 2021, Oil on Canvas. Called Into Service brings to life the commotion of moving day at Dumbarton House, when the decorative arts museum was transformed into a Red Cross workspace. The action centers on the hall as the treasures are readied and moved upstairs for storage. Caroline Peter of Tudor Place, a Dame, is in her Red Cross uniform. Flanked by several sewing machines purchased by the Dames for Red Cross use, she represents the new occupant. The painting shows the NSCDA putting its values into action. (Commission 2 of 4)

P resident 's Message KATHERINE

CAMMACK

It was such an extraordinary experience to be together in Washington, DC to celebrate t he indelible impact of a Dame with over 220 Dames. We made great strides in reestablishing our national Dames community after four long years of being apart. We were reminded of how deep and important friendships have played a key role in our success throughout our history and will in the years to come. We learned that wonderful things happen when people come together to talk, to exchange ideas and to develop common goals. The energy and power of coming together physically contributed to great progress in creating our vision for the future, engaging in meaningful discussions in our educational sessions, building alignment of our mission areas and celebrating our accomplishments.

Your National Society leadership was strengthened by the faith demonstrated by the Biennial Council's overwhelming support for the proposal to restructure our National Board (for details, see page 12). We are optimistic about our future and will always honor our traditions. To maintain the delicate balance of change and tradition, the tension of these opposite forces needs to be in balance. This type of tension is good. Like a suspension bridge, if the force of one element is too powerful or out of balance, the structure becomes unstable. We recognize that there is truth and wisdom on more than one side of an issue and each side is incomplete without the wisdom and input of the other. Having balance on both sides of change and tradition makes us better. We are committed to making our organization strong and vibrant.

Remember, if it’s not about American history and a genuine love of country, then it’s not about the Dames!

With appreciation and gratitude for you all,

PRESIDENT

Katherine Taylor Cammack

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Carol Cadou

EDITOR

Sonya Wolsey-Paige

COPY EDITORS

Margaret “Peggy” DeStefano Jean Perkins Susan Walker ADVISOR Lee Scott

Email | damesdiscovery@gmail.com Website | nscda.org

Please follow the NSCDA on your favorite social media.

editor's Note

Biennial is a unique experience, providing a feeling of our Society reaching ambitious heights and gaining new perspective. It all adds up to the compelling take-away that this great organization of ours is looking strong, with no shortage of Dames who are committed and passionate. I think you will find much to be proud of in the continuum of past, present and future endeavors.

As you will see, our awards and honors recognize exemplary people and their projects that support our mission through ever-changing landscapes. I could not be more excited to share the many expressions of excellence. In equal measure, one might find humbling moments of awe at the scope of achievement and talent across Societies.

Elsewhere in this issue, the photos speak volumes about the friendships and acquaintances formed, revisited and renewed at Biennial's various social dinners, cocktails, coffees and meet-ups. We've packed our pages with photos of tours, educational sessions and Council meetings – all of which remind us of the indelible impact of Dames. In so many ways we have missed gathering in person, never more keenly appreciated than in encounters that stir our hearts and minds.

DamesDiscoveryis published semiannually for the benefit of members of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America.

Submissions deadline:

February 1, spring/summer issue

August 1, fall/winter issue

Dames Discovery accepts submissions from Corporate Societies. NSCDA assumes no responsibility for statements made or opinions expressed by contributing writers and artists. While every care is taken to ensure information is correct at time of going to press, it is subject to change, and NSCDA takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. NSCDA reserves the right to edit and place all content.

Those who find their way to the NSCDA, whether in person or online, continue to enjoy an organization deeply rooted in flagship historical properties and tradition, as well as innovation, revelation and new initiatives. Our newly introduced membership outreach reflects great credit on those whose appreciation of the Dames and all we represent is exceeded only by their commitment to growing membership, sustaining us as a robust organization.

What better way to enjoy a digital detox than to read this Dames Discovery. Enjoy this issue! ― SWP

Artworks by Claudia Eoline Stewart Lane, Illinois Society. ABOVE AND PAGES 19 & 23: The NSCDA Badge, colored pencil on film. OPPOSITE : Hydrangeas, watercolor on paper.

C alendar

• SuBjeCT To Change

• a ddi T ional programS, inFormaT ion and T imely updaT e S: nSCda.org

JANUARY 31, TUE Audit Committee Finance Committee Meeting Virtual

FEBRUARY 2, THU National Board Meeting Virtual

APRIL 11–12, TUE WED Finance Committee Meeting Washington, DC

APRIL 12–14, WED FRI Dumbarton House Board Meeting Washington, DC

APRIL 14–17, FRI MON Gunston Hall Regents Meeting Mason Neck, VA

JUNE 8, THU National Board Meeting Virtual

SEPTEMBER 26, TUE Finance Committee Meeting Virtual

SEPTEMBER 27–29, WED FRI Dumbarton House Board Meeting Washington, DC

SEPTEMBER 29–OCTOBER 2, FRI MON

Gunston Hall Regents Meeting Mason Neck, VA

OCTOBER 16–18, MON WED Friends of Sulgrave Manor Meeting Saint Louis, MO

OCTOBER 20–22, FRI SUN National Conference Saint Louis, MO

I n M e M or I a M

NJ—2480

e Cho LiLLian roBerson FLinG

(m rs. Jim LLoyd FLinG)

September 16, 1959 April 6, 2022

New Jersey Society President 2013 2016 Roll of Honor 2017

Richard Ridgeway (c.1650 c.1723) NJ

SC—412A AL—1130

Jean "Bunny" P erry soua Le Gam BLe (m rs. wiLLiam Jordan Gam BLe) April 26, 1943 April 9, 2022

Alabama Society President 2009 2011 Roll of Honor 2013 Thomas Smith (1648 1694) SC

MA—3256A FL—494

norma FutCh K ent L oCK wood (m rs. wiLLiam GaiLL ard L oCK wood, Jr.) July 29, 1931 August 29, 2022

Florida Society President 1991 1992 Roll of Honor 1979

William Bradford (1589/90 1657) MA VA–6696 AL–805 m ary ear Le BradLey murray (m rs. John r eese murray) March 4, 1929 March 4, 2022

Alabama Society President 1997 1999 Roll of Honor 2000 Samuel Earle (1692 1771) VA

Note from HEADQUARTERS

by CAROL CADOU , Executive Director

We have enjoyed a stellar 90th anniversary year at National Headquarters Dumbarton House and the ability to celebrate our headquarters history with members and visitors near and far. The staff and I are rejuvenated each time we welcome Dames on site and are able to share new research, findings and plans for the future.

Over the course of the last ten months, we have solidified plans and received permits to convert spaces throughout the building into new centers for learning, exploring and understanding the history of our nation. In late November, Headquarters will close as we begin a metamorphosis that will transform our ability to serve our members, public and mission. We will emerge in the spring of 2023 with a new Education Wing and spaces that will meet our growing on-site and virtual needs as we engage K-12 and adult audiences; a new mobility-accessible Visitor’s Center that will orient all to the history of the NSCDA, our National Headquarters Dumbarton House, and life in the Federal City; as well as an enhanced multipurpose room with adjoining catering kitchen. The updated facility will accommodate two elementary school classes for on-site learning, while being sophisticated enough to engage members and audiences across the country with virtual evening lectures and book talks. Thank you to all who have generously contributed as Friends of Dumbarton House, to specific renovation initiatives, to the Dumbarton House Fund for the Future, and who continue to support our National Headquarters in Washington, DC. Your generosity is enabling us to reach farther and better as we serve you, our Corporate Societies, Great American Treasures properties and multigenerational audiences.

Thanks to the unanimous approval of the Dumbarton House Board, the Museum will also engage our audiences with broader history and stories when we reopen. The period rooms will be furnished and interpreted to reflect the Federal City during the years 1790-1830. This change will enable our staff team to develop educational programming that spans multiple generations of Dumbarton House residents and highlights an important period in the formation of our nation’s capital and government. Please plan a spring visit, when Washington is in full bloom, to see the refurnished Best Chamber and learn about women’s roles in the Federal City. We look forward to seeing you then and whenever your travels bring you to 2715 Q Street.

With best wishes from the Headquarters team,

Dumbarton House 90th Anniversary Gala

TOP ROW FROM LEFT — Sally Wiebe, Allison Verich and Kristen Nunnally; Susan and Otey Walker; Leland Hutchinson and Jean Perkins; Richard Mayer and Ruth Donohugh. ROW 2 — gala attendees enjoying cocktails together. ROW 3 — Anna Duff; Katherine Cammack; keynote speaker George McDaniel; Jane Boylin. ROW 4 — Katy Amling, Genevieve Brown and Edith Stickney; Nan Whalen, Doris Dixon and Marta Dunetz. BOTTOM ROW — Stephanie Green, Alison Mundy, Elizabeth Webster, Sandy Webster, Winston Jenkins; Joanne Riddick, Stuart Cobb, Hannah Cox, Barbara Linville; Mary and Lee Waples with Barbara Burwell; Skipp and Mary Calvert, Dana Nixon, Stephen Memery and Liza Chapman-Memery.

Indelible Impact of a Dame 206

Registrants at the 64th Biennial Council • Executive Committee Meeting • National Leadership Meeting • Corporate Society Presidents' Meeting • National Board Reception • National Board Meeting

• Historic Preservation Walking Tour of Georgetown and Dumbarton House • Library of Congress Tour and Veterans History Project • Welcome Reception • Biennial Council Opening Session • Dame Impact lectures & educational sessions

• National Leadership Training Workshops

• Biennial Cocktail Reception & Dinner

• Biennial Council Closing Session

• Luncheon honoring incoming officers

• Arlington House Tours

• Memorial Service at Arlington National Cemetery

• Breakfasts, luncheons, meet-ups

TOP

NSCDA Executive Committee 2022-2024

ROW

FROM LEFT — President

Katherine Cammack; Vice President Residing in Region IV Ellen Boomer; Vice President Residing in Region III Lisa White; Vice President Residing in Region I Caro Williams; Vice President, National Headquarters Dumbarton House Edith Stickney; Vice President Residing in Region II Virginia Keller; Recording Secretary Mary Mundy; Corresponding Secretary Molly Carey; Treasurer Elizabeth "Bethe" Hagopian; Assistant Treasurer; Frances Root; Registrar; Lynn Goldsmith; Historian Sally Connelly

National Leadership TRAINING WORKSHOPS

VIRTUAL BIENNIAL

Back by popular demand (and a serendipitous benefit of our prior, first-ever virtual Biennial), the National Society offered a highly engaging way to learn about the mission and management of the NSCDA. As an early kick-off for the 64th Biennial Council, five online workshops brought the NSCDA to those who seek to expand their understanding and engage their peers from the Dames community.

• Registrar Basics and Mechanics

• The Ins and Outs of Being a Treasurer

• Tactics for Membership Engagement and Retention

• Speaker Easy: The Nuts and Bolts of a Speakers Program

• What is the Museum Alliance Committee?

To keep the Biennial momentum going throughout the ensuing year, online workshops and educational sessions are offered to members of all Societies.

• Encore presentation from Biennial: Finding our Founding Females

• More to follow ...

Dame Impact EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS

IN-PERSON AT BIENNIAL COUNCIL

The tradition of enrichment programs that offer carefully curated, timely support to Societies across the nation continued to great acclaim. Filled to capacity, exceeding expectations and producing standing ovations, four educational sessions brought prescient insights to Dames and their Societies:

• Creating Society Impact & Visibility: Cemetery Interpretation & Collaborations with NSCDA DC and IA

• Finding Our Founding Females

• Then and Now: Celebrating the 90th Anniversary of your National Headquarters

• Securing your Society's Future: Philanthropy and Strategic Thinking

A sincere thanks to those who continue to help enrich us all and strengthen the organization, and to the many who, by their presence and dedication, help to ensure the indelible impact of Dames.

A total of 3 evening events at Biennial

National

Board

Reception

87 attendees at Chevy Chase Club Welcome Reception 222 attendees at Hillwood Estate Biennial Cocktail Reception & Dinner 178 attendees at Omni-Shoreham Hotel

RIGHT: (back row) Dana Nixon, Jayne Middleton, Laura Roberts, Louise Rayford, Eileen Moody, Kathy Walker, (front row) Cardlin Bradley, Mimi Hurst, Elizabeth Donald and Lisa White. MIDDLE: Dames attending an educational session. OPPOSITE: Ginny Cain, Leslie Miller, Ann Fleming and Mona-Tate Powell.

Dispatch from BIENNIAL

SEEN AND HEARD

ABOVE: Jennifer Drayton and Kim Amsden; Sarah McComas; Carrie Hawley and Caro Williams; Kristine Bartley and Sarah Demarest.

Biennial Cocktail Reception and Dinner

PRECEDING PAGE: TOP ROW — Adrian Pressley, Virginia Nicholson, Leslie Hudson, Linda Moncrief, Molly Monroe and Gayle Talman; Mimi Hurst, Susan Walker, Lisa Liles and Jane Boylin. ROW 2 — Joyce Artz and Joanne Parker; Caro Williams and Mattie Whitney; Carol Gould and Ellen Lewis; Patricia Meyer Stevenson and Holly Hunt. ROW 3 — Francie Root, Mary Mundy and Ellen Boomer; Jim and Deana Stone and Mark and CeCe Gwathmey, all veterans with assistance dogs from America’s VetDogs. ROW 4 — George and Kathy Henry ; Steven Edward and Virginia Keller; Dana and Walter Nixon; Connie and Hollis Plimpton. ROW 5 — Linda Dillow, Barbara Welch, Mary Hickok, Barbara Kooch and Jan Geddes; Elizabeth Rightmyer, Mona-Tate Powell, Ann Fleming, Ginny Cain and Leslie Miller. BOTTOM ROW — Carol Rush, Becky O'Connor, Gina Whelan, Mickey Herr, Sally Wirts, Barbara Wood, Gwen Bryant and Peggy Conver.

ABOVE: TOP ROW — Carol Cadou; Stuart Cobb, Katherine Cammack and Anna Duff; Kim Robey ; ROW 2 — Caro Williams, Bethe Hagopian, Sally Connelly and Lisa Liles; Stuart Cobb with Christy James and Anna Duff at the piano. ROW 3 — guests at the Biennial Dinner. BOTTOM ROW — keynote speaker Lisa Sasaki, Interim Director of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum; Katherine Cammack with honoree Charles Duell; Marianna MacIntyre and Margaret Freeman; Caro Williams.

Arlington House Tours & Memorial Service at Arlington National Cemetery

In keeping with the long-standing tradition of each Biennial Council, Dames and guests gathered at Arlington National Cemetery for a wreath-laying ceremony as the last event of the weekend. In 1902, the Dames financed the memorial to those who lost their lives in the Spanish-American War; it was the first memorial erected at Arlington by a women’s society. In 2008 the NSCDA rededicated the monument to all who serve our country.

Leadership & Governance VISION. Passion. IMPACT.

by KATHERINE CAMMACK , National President

After two years of concentrated work by close to 100 Dames, I am pleased and proud to report that on Saturday, October 15, 2022, the Biennial Council overwhelmingly approved a governance proposal that will allow each of us the opportunity to better serve our important mission.

Change challenges us to think and act in new ways, to imagine new possibilities and to react to current events and societal trends. According to management expert Peter Drucker, “an organization must be organized for constant change.” Our new governance structure provides the organizational nimbleness and mission focus we need to succeed in an ever changing nation. Why, you may ask, is one of the goals of the current NSCDA Strategic Plan (2018–2024) focused on implementing a new governance structure? The answer is straightforward. In order to have a strong organization, we need to have the right officers in our national leadership, who can lead and address our national priorities and concerns. We also need a strong National Board.

Since 1891, we have held fast to our mission of historic preservation, history education and patriotic service. When evaluating our national governance structure, it became clear that to achieve our goals, we needed to have mission represented by a national officer at the highest level of our organization. We need and must have our mission remain the focus of our work together. We must also think strategically about our future and the funds necessary to execute our mission, so we recommended the addition of national officers for Advancement (including philanthropy and strategic planning), Finance & Investments, and Corporate Society Engagement for our Executive Committee. We also know that a strong national organization and national focus will lead to strong corporate

societies and a thriving membership. If we can view our impact nationally, rather than solely by state, we have a compelling mission that can positively raise our public profile and more deeply engage our members. Also, it has never been more critical for our Society to amplify our voices, to raise our public profile, and to more clearly articulate what we do. I heard recently that the Dames, like other organizations, are only one generation away from extinction. Our new governance structure will ensure our longevity as we focus on the NSCDA’s mission and purpose and the need to continually evolve and adapt so that our important message will resonate with the public and the next generation of Dames.

To meet this important governance goal, the changes approved by the Biennial Council reflect our strategic plan and focus to:

1. Strengthen and grow the NSCDA by elevating our Board to one focused on policy and oversight.

2. Amplify the voices and work of our standing committees by having a representative or liaison for each standing committee on the Executive Committee.

3. Create a nimble governance structure that will not only be more adaptive but also have representation from critical areas not currently represented by a national officer.

4. Modernize our organization in ways needed to increase our impact.

The results are a governance structure that refocuses our Vice Presidents on organizational priorities, including our commitment to our Corporate Societies, and streamlines the National Board standing committees from fifteen to ten. With the approval of the proposal, we will have five Vice Presidents – Advancement, Corporate Society Engagement, Finance & Investments, Mission

Initiatives and National Headquarters Dumbarton House as of October 2024.

The next two years will be transitional, as we work with current National Officers on a thoughtful transition plan. When the new governance structure takes effect in 2024, the new National Officers will be elected to the Executive Committee and the National Board will be streamlined. Our Executive Officers and National Board will focus on our organizational strategic priorities and will work across all Societies on common areas of concern and challenge. The new structure will reinforce our commitment to meeting the needs of all of our corporate societies – large and small. The Nominating Committee will continue to ensure that we have broad representation from Dame leaders around the country.

The last two years have brought our nation more change than expected. I am grateful for all of the Dames who participated in working groups, reviewed multiple drafts of the governance proposal, and endured endless Zoom meetings. Despite the pandemic, and without the ability to hold discussions in person, our members came together to draft a plan and path for the future. Their dedication and commitment have been extraordinary.

I am confident that our new governance structure is in the best interest of our beloved NSCDA—now and in the future. I look forward to walking beside you as we make the transition and work together on more ways to make the NSCDA star shine brighter.

n SCDa e

C o MMI ttee 2020–2022

w I th honorary

P re SID ent S

TOP FROM LEFT: Anna Duff, Jane Boylin, Mary Mundy, Susan Walker, Katherine Cammack, Sally Connelly, Lisa Liles, Bethe Hagopian and Stuart Cobb.

BOTTOM: Mimi Hurst, Mona-Tate Powell, Ellen Boomer and Caro Williams.

ns C da e xe C utive C ommittee 2022–2024

P resident Katherine Cammack (NC—III)

vi C e P resident r esidin G in r e G ion iv Ellen Boomer (DC—IV)

vi C e P resident r esidin G in r e G ion iii Lisa White (GA—III)

vi C e P resident r esidin G in r e G ion i Caro Williams (CO—I)

vi C e P resident, nationa L h eadquarters d um B arton house Edith Stickney (FL—III)

vi C e P resident r esidin G in r e G ion ii Virginia Keller (OH—II)

r e C ordin G s e C retary Mary Mundy (SC—III)

C orres P ondin G s e C retary Molly Carey (Va i V)

treasurer

Elizabeth "Bethe" Hagopian (MA—IV)

a ssistant treasurer Frances Root (NY—IV)

r e G istrar Lynn Goldsmith (WV—IV)

h istorian

Sally Connelly (OH—II)

From the Archives BREVIA: Mrs. Lamar

by SALLY CONNELLY , National Historian

Clarinda Pendleton Lamar (1856–1943) was a woman of integrity and talent who made her mark on the NSCDA in various volunteer iterations and as our National President (1914–1927). As a young woman, she wrote witty short stories that commented on manners, marriage and courtship. The spirited fun she demonstrates as the romance writer of Mrs. Meriwether’s Wedding gives us an inkling of the fun she brought to this organization as a Dame.

1894 Founding Member of the Georgia Society

1904 National Secretary of NSCDA

This forceful, well-educated Georgia Dame led the National Society through the roaring 20s and made a lasting impact in changing times. She played a role in many of our great accomplishments: the Mayflower Canopy over Plymouth Rock, Sulgrave Manor in England (the ancestral home of George Washington), Gunston Hall (the home of George Mason) and the purchase and restoration of Dumbarton House in Washington, DC (NSCDA Headquarters Dumbarton House Museum). She was also a founding member of the Georgia Society. In 1934 she published A History of the National Society of Colonial Dames of America. Outside of her NSCDA commitments, her engagements further bore the hallmarks of a patriot, an intellectual and a leader with ambition and grand civic purpose.

1910 National Vice President. Moved to DC as Joseph Rucker Lamar appointed to Supreme Court

1914 National President (1914–1927)

1925 Visit to Sulgrave Manor. Attended the Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, where she was received by King George V and Queen Mary.

1926 Published The Life of Joseph Rucker Lamar

1927 National Honorary President

1928 Chair of National Headquarters Committee when Bellevue was purchased, refurbished and named Dumbarton House

She loved the Dames and made numerous friends among the belles of both Georgia and Washington, DC, many of whom were among the greatest supporters of the Society and its early historic preservation efforts. Clarinda’s husband Joseph Rucker Lamar was a Supreme Court justice. Later in life she turned to writing history and a biography of her husband, who died in 1916. The Life of Joseph Rucker Lamar (1926) recalls moments in their life in the nation’s capital, including their friendships with President and Mrs. William Howard Taft and President and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson. First Ladies Helen Herron "Nellie" Taft (OH/CT—436) and Ellen Louise Axson Wilson (NJ—537) were also Dames.

ABOVE: 1925 — Clarinda Pendleton Lamar with Lady Lee of Fareham looking at a book containing the names of 35,000 subscribers to the endowment fund for Sulgrave Manor (Photo courtesy of Dumbarton House, Museum & National Headquarters of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America)

Lamar AWARDS HISTORICAL ACTIVITIES

The Clarinda Pendleton Lamar Awards for Excellence (Lamar Awards) recognize and honor state projects and programs in our three mission activity areas: Historical Activities, Museum Alliance and Patriotic Service.

Every Society is encouraged to present projects for National consideration. Winners in each mission category are announced at Biennial Council. The criteria for judging projects submitted include support of the NSCDA Mission, impact on the Society and/or its local communities, potential for replication in other locations, accomplishments and impact overall, and bonus points for wellwritten and presented materials. Judges for these awards were the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Historical Activities, Museum Alliance and Patriotic Service Committees (for their respective projects), along with President Katherine Cammack and Honorary Presidents Anna Duff and Marcy Moody for all three project areas.

• Learn more about the NSCDA awards by visiting nscda.org.

Museum Alliance GRANT FUNDS

West Virginia Society

M ark twa I n CoMe S to we St vIrgI n I a

North Carolina Society Burgw I n-wr Ight P re Sent S

MUSEUM ALLIANCE

Georgia Society taSt I ng tra DIt IonS: a fr ICan a Mer ICan fooDwayS at the a n Drew L ow houSe MuSeu M

Texas Society

SL ave Quarter ex Per IenCe: a weeken D for CoMM un Ity at the neIL CoChran houSe MuSeu M

PATRIOTIC SERVICE

Florida Society foar froM hoMe

Illinois Society no Dough DI nner S

South Carolina Society veteranS h IStory P rojeC t

Museum Alliance Grant Funds of $12,500 each were awarded to two Great American Treasures from an immensely deserving applicant pool. Each project advances the preservation or awareness of the historical trusts (buildings, collections, landscapes, gardens or communities) of the NSCDA. Saving and protecting the fabric of this nation's heritage through service to people, places and objects stands at the heart of the NSCDA mission and vision. Congratulations to the 2022 awardees:

West Virginia Society C ra Ik-Patton houSe

Wisconsin Society h IStor IC I n DI an agenC y houSe

• Learn more about Great American Treasures, historic places curated by The NSCDA by visiting greatamericantreaures.org.

Roll of HONOR

by MARY HALLOCK FIELDS , National Roll of Honor Committee Chair

ALABAMA 2021

Laura Morrisette Clark Margaret Stephenson Troiano Mary Stimpson Turner

Julie Suk Whiting

ARIZONA 2022 Margo Brownsey Caylor

ARKANSAS 2022 Josephine Miller Brown Osborne

CALIFORNIA 2021

The NSCDA Roll of Honor is the highest honor given by a State Society to a worthy Dame within its membership. The award originated following the 1941 Golden Jubilee Anniversary of the founding of the NSCDA. The first recipients were the NSCDA Founders and Officers whose strong leadership, vision and commitment to the ideals of the NSCDA set the standards for the award. Nomination to the Roll of Honor was expanded to allow State Societies to recognize their own outstanding members.

Given by a Society annually, each new Roll of Honor recipient is recognized at every Biennial; each name is written in calligraphy in the Blue Leather Book that is safely kept in the archives and displayed only at Biennial or by special request. The requested donation that accompanies each nomination goes to The Golden Jubilee Fund II, which benefits the NSCDA Headquarters Dumbarton House.

The NSCDA is proud to add 33 names for 2021 and 29 names for 2022 to the Roll of Honor. These 62 Dames are from 26 Corporate Societies, and they showcase a wide variety of talents, skills and devotion to the ideals of the NSCDA. Congratulations to these outstanding Dames.

† Deceased

Ellen Loe Rollins Coombs Anne Campbell Merrifield 2022 Sarah Anne Collier Heatwole Adele Lee Hall Zachrisson

COLORADO 2021 Mary Warren Daley

CONNECTICUT 2021

Lucy Eaton Holcombe † Mary Granberry Waterman †

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 2022

Gretchen Romweber Bukowski Sarah Kay Giddens Glenday Katherine Mary Prendergast

FLORIDA 2021

Elinor Lee Keen Boushall Elizabeth Ann Barrs Howard 2022

Anne Tucker Towers Ball Shereth Louise Landrum Coble Jane Leontine Raby Hual

GEORGIA 2021 Mary Lee Doss Stevens 2022

Marilyn Ruth Brown Hunt Virginia Adelaide Carswell Nicholson INDIANA 2021 Mary Jaquelin Bennett Dorothy Susannah Day Sencaj

IOWA 2022 Cynthia Ann O'Brien

KANSAS 2022

Phyllis Susanne Campbell Irby Kristi Gayle Enos Wright

MARYLAND 2021 Frances Elizabeth Newton Harwood Lindsay Joye Thompson 2022 Helen Lucy Harvey

MASSACHUSETTS 2021 Susan Shelby Patterson Harding †

MICHIGAN 2021 Suzanne Birks Phillips Nicholson Salome Alberta Edgeworth Walton 2022 Helen Jean Dodenhoff Cynthia Taylor Semple

MINNESOTA 2021 Tammis Archambo McMillan Jill Rudnitski 2022 Susan Hathaway Dunnavan

MISSISSIPPI 2021 Olivia Watson Neill Linda Ann Thompson Robertson

NEW JERSEY 2021 Caroline Jane Fling Halfinger

NORTH CAROLINA 2021 Alice Shepherd Glover 2022 Fairley Bell Cook

OREGON 2021 Marjorie Warren Pease Wilson

2022

Carolyn Grace Perkins McKinney Catherine Colburn StahlerMiller PENNSYLVANIA 2022

Virginia Melcher Jarvis Whelan

SOUTH CAROLINA 2022 Lawrene Herndon All Frances Jenkins Henderson Ford

TENNESSEE 2021 Mattoinette Picot McCeney Campbell TEXAS 2021 Linda Jo Faulkner Condit Rowena Woodward Houghton Dasch Mary "Meepsie" Lintot Dougherty Eileen Lovejoy Arnold Moody 2022

Sarah Talbott Gaitskill Almy Vereen Huguenin Coen Woodward

VIRGINIA 2021 Elizabeth Dotson Steele Forman 2022 Mary Macon Frischkorn Willingham

WEST VIRGINIA 2021 Mary Elizabeth Reeser Emmons 2022 DeArmond LaFollette Arbogast

THE NSCDA AWARD FOR PRESERVING HISTORY'S FUTURE

by ANNA DUFF , Honorary President

The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America Award for Preserving History’s Future honors an individual or individuals outside of the NSCDA who have provided exemplary leadership in promoting our national heritage in the areas of historic preservation, history education and/or patriotic service, all of which are at the heart of the mission of the NSCDA.

CharlesHalliwell

Pringle Duell was born on June 10, 1938 in New York City. During his youth, both at Christmas and in the spring, he would visit his grandparents at Middleton Place, where they had lived since 1925. In 1965, Duell provided his grandfather with financial advice that helped him secure the property. Four years later, his appreciative grandfather died and left the property, both the plantation and a house in downtown Charleston, to Duell. His sudden inheritance compelled him to leave a financial career in New York and move his family to South Carolina.

CHARLES HALLIWELL PRINGLE DUELL 2022 Award Recipient

Historic Landmark to the Foundation. In an interview he explained: “My family and I believe the history doesn’t belong to just us, but to all who are interested in it. Yes, you can own bricks and mortar and land, but Middleton Place is a microcosm of America’s political, agricultural, African American, botanical and culinary past. A lot happened here. If you don’t know where you’ve come from, how can you even think about where you’re going?” The foundation spurred the transformation of Middleton Place with drastic physical improvements, stable finances and a prominent place in the Low Country’s heritage tourism trade.

Charles found the national landmark in deteriorated condition. Home of a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a First Continental Congress president, Middleton Place also was the residence for hundreds of enslaved men, women and children. From the beginning, his challenge was to preserve the history contained in the houses and lands of his ancestors, while also making them sustainable, relevant and accessible for future generations of all Americans. Charles created the Middleton Place Foundation in 1974 and turned over the ownership of this National

Duell’s wife Sallie serves on the Middleton Place Foundation and is a South Carolina Dame. Charles and Middleton Place have another connection with the Dames. Henry Middleton and his wife Mary rented Bellevue (now Dumbarton House) from 1816 to 1818, so that the family could join Henry while he served in Congress. While living in Washington, Henry and Mary enjoyed entertaining and hosting parties and dinners regularly. A dinner party they held on April 4, 1818, to mark the end of the congressional session, is the subject of the third of four commissioned

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP

LEFT : Captain Edward K. Pritchard, IV USMC, Honorary President Anna Duff, award recipient Charles Duell with his wife Sallie (proud grandparents of Captain Pritchard) and NSCDA President Katherine Cammack; NSCDA Assistant Treasurer Francie Root and NSCDA Vice President for NHQ Dumbarton House Edith Stickney applauding NSCDA Development Committee Chair Genevieve Brown (center) for her nomination of inaugural award recipient Charles Duell; Katherine Cammack presenting the award to Charles Duell (the framed artwork was created by Illinois Dame Claudia Lane); Charles Duell reflecting on the honor of receiving the first NSCDA Award for Preserving History's Future.

paintings in the Ages of Dumbarton series being painted by Peter Waddell for Dumbarton House. Guests attending that evening included: Secretary of State John Quincy Adams and his wife Louisa; Secretary of the Navy Benjamin Crowninshield and his daughter Elizabeth; Senator George W. Campbell and his wife Harriet; Representative Samuel Ringgold and his wife Marie; and Judge Henry Johnson. Senator Mahlon arrived following the Senate session that day.

Charles has served the preservation community as a member of the board of directors of the Classical American Homes Preservation Trust, as a trustee emeritus of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and as a member of the International African American Museum steering committee.

VIRGINIA STUART COBB Award for Generosity and Purpose

by SUSAN WALKER , Former National Corresponding Secretary

The NSCDA Award for Generosity and Purpose, established in 2020, has been renamed to honor Virginia Stuart Cobb, a Dame who continues to inspire this generation of Colonial Dames. The award is conferred by the National President at Biennial Council to recognize a Dame for

her impact on the Society through her leadership, philanthropy and service to the NSCDA and her community.

Stuart’s outsized effect on our National Society — its future, its reputation and its impact — is nothing short of remarkable. Through the values she affirms and through the initiatives she sustains, she has been vital to the organization in these extraordinary times. Stuart is the consummate Dame for her faithful support of the NSCDA in word and in deed.

The Virginia Stuart Cobb Award for Generosity and Purpose will continue to honor a member who has provided exemplary leadership in furthering the mission of the NSCDA. Like Stuart, she will be recognized for her outstanding qualities, including generosity of spirit, philanthropic leadership, vision for the future of the Dames, and devotion to the Dames, and she will serve as an inspiration for the Dames and her community.

ABOVE: NSCDA Vice President for NHQ Dumbarton House and award recipient Edith Stickney with Honorary President and eponymous award honoree Stuart Cobb

Stuarthasmadea formidableimpactonthe organization,yetshewears herlegendlightly.

 Who lights up a room when she enters? Edith!

 Who greets everyone with a smile? Edith!

 Who inspires others to join any endeavor she is leading? Edith!

 Who encourages others to give generously to the Dames? Edith!

EDITH H. STICKNEY 2022 Award Recipient

Q:

2022 award recipient, Edith Huntley Stickney exemplifies the ideals of the Virginia Stuart Cobb Award for Generosity and Purpose. Since becoming the Lady of the Dumbarton House Board from the Florida Society in 2012, she has chaired: the annual Friends of Dumbarton House Campaign, which flourished under her leadership; the Steering Committee of the very successful Comprehensive Campaign; and the Legacy Circle which will ensure our future as an organization.

She has generously shared her time, talent and treasure in all of these endeavors, as well as with various special campaigns for our National Headquarters Dumbarton House. Her vision and energy have contributed to the nurturing of a “Culture of Philanthropy” in our organization, which adds to the strength of our National Society. Elected and installed as NSCDA Vice President for NHQ Dumbarton House at Biennial, she will continue to share her effervescent energy and champion the mission and vision of our organization.

Edith was proposed for membership to the Dames by two friends who were in the Miami Town Committee. As a relatively new member, she was elected the Chair of the Town Committee, thus beginning her strong commitment to the Dames. As a Town Committee Chair, she attended meetings in Jacksonville, found that many of her friends were Dames, and enjoyed participating in the leadership of the Florida Society. She especially enjoyed learning about the work of the Dumbarton House Board. She was so impressed by their leadership and all that they accomplish. When asked in 2012 to be the Lady of the Dumbarton House Board from Florida, she was pleased to have this opportunity. As a Lady, Edith was recognized for her energy and enthusiasm, especially for raising money!

Q: What inspires you about being a Dame and financially supporting the Dames?

Edith loves supporting our mission, especially historic preservation. She enjoys the relationships, the people, following the examples of others and working together.

The Dames make things happen, and these accomplishments encourage her to be a part of this organization that provides so many opportunities for service.

She is so energized and inspired by other Dames!

She also has a strong faith and firmly believes that things work out well when you live your faith and are positive and loving. Her parents were very generous, and because of them, she was raised with the legacy of giving. It is also fun to give, to see what a difference it makes, to see what one’s gifts accomplish.

Q: What other organizations are you involved with — either as a volunteer or by way of professional avocation?

Edith is a licensed psychotherapist with a PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy. She worked first with children in foster care, then served as Clinical Director at Bay Point Schools, residential schools for boys in the juvenile justice system. It was a wonderful time in her life.

Over the years, this Dame has been involved at her church, art museums, and her local garden club, but most of all she loves to spend time with her family and friends.

After Edith returned home from Biennial, former Corresponding Secretary Susan Walker visited with her through Zoom, a visit that included cameo appearances of her beloved Siamese cats, “the Boys,” Nip and Tuck.

How did you become a Dame and become so involved in the work of the Dames?

by HOLLY HUNT , National Membership Committee Chair, MOLLY CAREY , Former Vice Chair National Membership Committee and LISA LILES , Former National Registrar

At the 2022 Biennial Council, Holly Hunt, Molly Carey and Lisa Liles, unveiled a Membership Drive to help bolster membership levels across the Regions. Aided by Corporate Societies and enthusiastic Dames, the National Society has targeted a membership of 15,295, a net increase of 250 members over a two-year span.

Now is the moment to take the essential next step toward maintaining longevity, mission excellence and the social fabric that distinguish our organization.

To mark this special drive, two exceptional Societies will be awarded $5,000 each for increased membership from June 2022 to October 2024. Prizes will be awarded to the Society that generates the greatest number of new members and to the Society that generates the highest percentage of new members. Every President and Registrar is apprised of the Drive specifics/award particulars. We hope you will embrace this Membership Drive and we look forward to presenting the awards at Biennial 2024.

Every Dame has a role to play—by growing membership together, we all do better.

This intensified focus on increased membership levels invites your active efforts in strengthening member recruitment. To help members talk about the Dames, don’t forget our Talking Dames series! Created for this moment, this refreshing series helps Dames rediscover what makes this organization extraordinary, kicking off conversations about our strengths and our shared legacy as Dames. There are now four editions that can be found on our national website (nscda.org): Talking Dames To Potential Candidates, In Trying Times, Dames Pick-up Lines (adjacent article) and Our Mission in Action.

Legacy: We are all legacies whether we are the first in our family to join the Dames or a fourth-generation member. Legacy is what we inherit from our Dame ancestors and what we pass on to our Dame descendants. Legacy candidates are our mothers, daughters, grandmothers, granddaughters, sisters, aunts, nieces and first cousins. Our lineages back to a qualifying ancestor are all about family after all!

Regions: Candidates from states without a Corporate Society can be invited to join the NSCDA through a neighboring Society. Dames who move to a non-NSCDA state can continue their involvement through a neighboring Society.

Friends and Family: Although not included in the Membership Drive, at the discretion of individual Societies, this outreach allows adopted daughters, granddaughters and daughters-in-law, who do not qualify for membership, to affiliate with Dames. This unique non-member program welcomes non-lineal family.

For immediate questions contact: LISa LILe S, lliles5939@gmail.com, (317) 979–1991; hoLLy hunt, hollyhunt@mindspring.com, (917) 297–8697; MoLLy Carey, mollyjordancarey@gmail.com, (804) 334–5704

TALKING DAMES

DAMES PICK-UP LINES

FOUNDED 1891//15,000+ MEMBERS//44 CORPORATE SOCIETIES

COLONIAL DAMES/NSCDA

• You can always bring our National project areas into conversation: preservation, education and service to the military.

• I went to an interesting lecture/program sponsored by the Colonial Dames.

• Ask a friend who might enjoy a lecture/program to join you.

• Your daughter is moving to _____. You should consider proposing her for the Dames. It’s a great way to meet new people in a warm and welcoming way and can be a soft landing in a new town.

• The Colonial Dames sponsor an amazing workshop in Washington, DC for high school students who are state winners of a nation-wide essay contest.

• If in a conversation about restoration and history—mention the Dames own/operate/manage more historic properties than the National Trust, second only to the National Park Service.

• Mention our Great American Treasurers website, which showcases our historic preservation efforts. Every Treasure tells a story from our past that will fascinate, inspire, surprise or bring to life a slice of our past you’ve never imagined.

• If in a conversation about immigration—mention the naturalization ceremonies the Dames support nationwide.

• If in a conversation about the military—mention our support of the military: America’s VetDogs, USO, Wreaths Across America, Wounded Warrior Project, Veterans History Project, etc.

ANCESTORS & GENEALOGY

• Have you ever researched your family tree? Are you named for an ancestor?

• I gave my family a subscription to Ancestry.com as a present. Do you have an experience with Ancestry or any other research site?

• DNA testing is all the rage these days. Have you sent your DNA for testing? Did you find anything interesting in your ancestry and lineage?

• I’m such a mutt—I'm part Irish/German/Scottish and have a relative who came to America during the potato famine in the 1920s and one who came as early as the 1700s. (Fill in your own heritage and dates).

• Do you have relatives in a lineage/heritage/patriotic group?

DAR, Sons of the Revolution, Sons of the American Revolution, Colonial Warriors, The Society of the Cincinnati, etc.

Membership Drive 2022–2024

Are you excited? But, does that make you nervous? Do you ever wonder how to “bait the Dames hook” in conversation? Why not try some of these phrases and questions to find common ground with a potential candidate or family member of a potential candidate ... sprinkle freely and see where the conversation takes you! Mention the Dames when it feels right. If they take the bait, offer to help them through the process. Know your audience.

MISSION

Historic Preservation Education

Patriotism

TAG LINE

Entrusted With History’s Future

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.nscda.org

by MOLLY CAREY and LISA LILES , Co-chairs of the 250 by 250/Founding Females Committee and SALLY CONNELLY , National Historian

To honor the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, The NSCDA has set an objective to have 250 female ancestors on the Registry of Ancestors (ROA) by 2026. Women make up 50% of our ancestry, yet the foundational roles they played in what was to become America are under appreciated or all too often forgotten in the annals of history. As observant students of the past, we can celebrate the presence of women in the early colonies and create a ROA that has balance and integrity.

How can you contribute to this unique program? All Dames are invited to help alter the imbalance through a concerted effort to add women to the ROA. The door is open to search for and nominate your female ancestors or others who could qualify. Examples abound of women who played significant roles in colonial society. Their names are found on the early membership applications, in diaries, obituaries, early histories, legends and in our colonial graveyards. With your help, we can honor them by including them in the ROA.

In all of history women have made a difference, including in each original British colony. Our first National Historian, Ann Hollingsworth Wharton (1845–1928), points out that the first “Colonial Dames” were teachers in the original colonies or women of distinction. In 1895, Anne published Colonial Dames and Days in which she speaks to the importance of women in the early colonies, whose sacrifices and grit formed a society from the wilderness. There’s no time like the present for the NSCDA to recognize these women as qualifying ancestors and add to our ancestor base for proving lineage.

The ROA contains 10,000 men and 46 women that candidates can use as a qualifying ancestor. To date 67 NSCDA members have qualified for membership through female qualifying ancestors. The first three qualifying female ancestors added to the ROA were Mary Chilton and Susanna White of Massachusetts and Jane Lowe Sewall Calvert of Maryland—for whom brief introductions follow.

“Iwentthroughthisvery journeyandsawfirst-hand whatawonderfuldifference itcanmaketouseawoman ancestorwhenIlearnedthat ConstanceHopkinshadbeen approvedasaqualifying ancestor.Mygranddaughter (age9)becamethefirst “JuniorDame”inOhio.I wasdelightedtotellherthat herlineagegoesbacktoa girlontheMayflower.After yearsaskingthemtojoin,my twosistersweresocaptivated bytheideaofawoman ancestortheydidsoproudly, usingMissHopkinsastheir qualifyingancestor.Ibelieve searchingforwomenancestors isagreatwaytoconnectto history”.

-SallyConnelly, NationalHistorian

“When we look into the faces of some of these Colonial Dames, as they have come down to us in portraits of the time, and read there the strength, nobility, and self-restraint that the lines disclose, we realize how much these women contributed towards the character-building that rendered the Revolutionary period an almost phenomenal epoch in the history of nations”.

❶ Orphan on the Mayflower

m ary ChiLton oF m assaChusetts (1606 1670)

Legend has it that the 12-year-old “orphan” Mary Chilton was the first to step on a rock that became known as Plymouth Rock, so it is appropriate that she was one of the first female ancestors placed on the ROA. By the time she had set foot at Plymouth in 1620, both her parents had died on the Mayflower crossing. In the 1623 land division document, the orphaned “Marie Chilton” is listed. She was married before 1627 to John Winslow (ROA), but was a landowner in her own right.

❸

AKA "Lady Jane Baltimore"

❷

Mayflower Passenger

susanna white winsLow oF m assaChusetts (1577–1680)

Susanna came on the Mayflower with husband William White and son Resolved. She gave birth to son Peregrine while the Mayflower was still anchored off the tip of Cape Cod in November 1620. William died the first winter at Plymouth on 21 February 1620/1, and a few months later Susanna remarried fellow Mayflower passenger Edward Winslow (ROA), whose wife also did not survive that first winter. Their marriage was the first marriage at Plymouth. Susanna was one of only four adult women to see the "First Thanksgiving" at Plymouth.

L ady Jane L owe sewaLL CaLvert oF m ary L and (B. 1633 1700/1)

Lady Jane Lowe Sewall Calvert was a qualified ancestor of the NSCDA as early as 1999. Jane Lowe Sewall Calvert, daughter of Sir Vincent and Anne (Cavendish) Lowe, married Henry Sewall “Secretary of the Province of Maryland” in 1654 in England. Colonel Henry Sewall and his wife Jane Lowe emigrated to Maryland in 1661 with three children, but he died in 1665. The following year, Third Lord Baltimore (ROA) Governor Charles Calvert married Sewall’s widow. At a time when most land grants were made to men, Lady Jane was the patent holder of numerous tracts totaling nine thousand acres in Maryland.

Anne hoLLinG sworth wharton, First nationa L h istorian, nsC da :

History Highlights The Dinner Party: Brushing with History at Dumbarton House

by SARAH BAHLEDA , historian

On Saturday April 4, 1818, Henry and Mary Middleton held a dinner party that is the subject of the third painting in the Ages of Dumbarton series (see related article on descendant Charles Duell, pages18–19). These historical paintings by Peter Waddell celebrate the many people who have lived at, worked at, and visited Dumbarton House. The Middletons were renting Dumbarton House, then known as Bellevue, in 1818 when he represented the State of South Carolina in Congress. The Dinner Party will be presented to the Dumbarton House Board at their Spring 2023 meeting.

In the spring of 1818, John Quincy Adams recorded in his diary a dinner party in the nation’s capital at the home of South Carolina Congressman Henry Middleton. Adams was one of the guests and wrote: …Mrs. Adams called for me at the office at 5 OClock, and after leaving Mary Hellan at her mother’s went and dined at Mr. Middleton’s at Georgetown. Mr. and Miss Crowninshield, Judge Johnson of Louisiana, Mr. and Mrs. GW Campbell, Genl. Dickerson, and Genl. and Mrs. Ringgold were there…

This guest list may contain several names that are unfamiliar to us today; they were, however, men of position and power at this time. John Quincy Adams was Secretary of State and Benjamin Crowninshield was Secretary of the Navy. General Mahlon Dickerson and George W. Campbell were members of the Senate. Henry Middleton, Judge Henry S. Johnson, and General Samuel Ringgold were members of the House of Representatives. Louisa Adams, John Quincy Adams’ wife, was a frequent guest at the Middleton House-—perhaps finding kinship with Mary Middleton, who was also raised in Europe. Harriet Campbell and Marie Ringgold were longtime acquaintances, having met through Dolley Madison. Fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Crowninshield, the Secretary’s daughter, was perhaps serving in her mother’s place that evening or looking for the society of the Middleton children.

When Congress first met, the men elected came to Washington, DC on their own. As Washington became established as the Federal City, the men started to bring their wives. Most children, however, were left at home in the care of other family members. The Middletons were unusual in

that the entire family moved to Washington and rented an elegant residence. In contrast, most congressmen lived in one of the boarding houses or hotels that catered to the government’s representatives.

The Middletons were popular hosts. Both were musically talented, witty and good conversationalists. While the enjoyment of an evening may have been a goal of most 19th-century dinner parties, social events in Washington were used to gain favor and attention for bills by members of Congress and Presidential Cabinet Secretaries. As Congress grew in power, a complex set of social obligations was developed to lobby the body. As Catherine Algor recounts in her book Parlor Politics in Which the Ladies of Washington Help Build a City and a Government: Socializing was a business from five o’clock onward, and both guests and hosts complained about going to the parties that everyone else complained about giving but go and give they did.

In this latest work, Peter Waddell is painting a dinner party that demonstrates the role Dumbarton House served as meeting place for Washington’s early leaders. With historic

accuracy, he is putting brush to canvas to capture the atmosphere of a Federal era dinner party. Items owned by the Middleton family will be shown alongside the architectural details of the museum’s historic dining room, the interactions of the guests dressed in their finery, and a sumptuous dessert course set out on the table. All will bring to life the diary entry written by John Quincy Adams more than two centuries ago.

The NSCDA Award for Preserving History's Future 2022 recipient Charles Duell visiting Dumbarton House with his wife Sallie. Artist Peter Waddell and historian Sarah Bahleda met recently with Charles Duell, Henry Middleton’s descendant, to discuss the furnishings Henry and Mary Middleton brought from their South Carolina plantation to Dumbarton House. CLOCKWISE: Anna Duff in conversation with Sallie Duell; Charles Duell is greeted by Carol Cadou; Charles Duell and Genevieve Brown view “Making DC,” an exhibit that tells the story of the (third) capital of the United States; Charles Duell, Genevieve Brown, Holly Hunt and Anna Duff examine the recently uncovered original wall of Dumbarton House; Charles and Sallie Duell in the dining room.

NSCDA End NOTE

With Gratitude

The West Virginia Dames honored Jane Boylin for her superb and heartfelt leadership (as NSCDA Vice President and Chair of the Dumbarton House Board from 2016 to 2022) with the restoration of the NSCDA seal in the courtyard of the lower terrace at Dumbarton House. Shown with the seal in the background are West Virginia Dames Dixie Wilson, President of the West Virginia Society; Kit Wellford, Lady of the Dumbarton House Board (DHB); Jane Boylin, retiring Chair of the DHB; and Priscilla Lawson, retiring Member-at-Large of the DHB.

The NSCDA

“Unlike other historic-patriotic societies, whose formation and rapid growth marked the closing years of the 19th century, The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America was not an organization whose metes and bounds were determined from the beginning; but rather a growth, an evolution the result of compromises and adjustments ... It is an organization with very definite aims — to study and to teach.”

A History of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America: From 1891 to 1933, by Mrs. Joseph Rucker Lamar, 1934 (National Society President 1914–1927)

Meet Me in St. Louis

Please join us for our first-ever in-person National Conference! Come to enjoy, learn and celebrate the Dames' sense of purpose. With you in mind, the planning and preparations have begun, with a focus on the theme Gateway to History's Future.

Overheard after Biennial

...

"There is nothing like the energy of a room full of Dames. Everyone was reconnecting, exchanging ideas and even meeting inperson for the first time after fours years apart. I cannot wait to see what comes out of this 2022 Biennial. We are a force, and we are BACK IN ACTION!"

"A huge Biennial highlight was watching the Societies receive their Lamar Awards and the Museum Grant Funds in-person. They deserve this recognition for all their hard work. Everyone was celebrating with them. Huge moments!" 

"The Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Service filled me with an immense sense of gratitude. All the goosebumps, all the feelings, all for everyone who came before us and acted to keep us safe. This is how we pay it forward." NATIONAL CONFERENCE • OCTOBER 20-22, 2023

2715 Q Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 3041

Phone (202) 337 2288

NEW MEMBERS & YOUNG DAMES

With our new National Membership Drive, it's more important than ever to celebrate and identify new members at Dames gatherings. Blue and yellow bows are offered upon request and at no charge to Corporate Societies and their Town or County Committees, as a gentle way of welcoming new members and Young Dames.

BagS & BowS

If your Society would like to offer this charming embellishment to your meeting and event name tags, kindly contact Margo Barry, member of the National Membership Committee, at margobrry@ icloud.com. The bows come in a lovely monogrammed quilted bag for safe keeping.