Tucker’s Barn Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution Organized

LENOIR, NC (September 26, 2029) — A Daughters of the American Revolution chapter in Caldwell County is one step away from becoming official.

After a meeting Sept. 7, a report signed by 45 organizing members proposing the creation of a local chapter named Tucker’s Barn has been sent to the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. In May, the NSDAR approved the organizing of a chapter in Lenoir. The chapter is expected to be chartered by the NSDAR in October.

The new chapter’s name is a nod to local history. In 1771, the North Carolina Legislature was petitioned for a new county and county seat, closer to the western part of the state and easier to access than Salisbury. The area around Tucker’s Barn or Tucker’s Muster Ground was selected in 1777 for a governing seat. William Tucker’s property was the local meeting place for many functions, including public meetings, voting and social gatherings. The local militia also held drills there four times a year.

Lenoir has been one of the largest communities in the western part of the state without a DAR chapter. That wasn’t always the case. In 1920, the Col. Ninian Beall Chapter was organized in Lenoir. This chapter existed for 49 years. The Fort Grider Chapter was organized in Lenoir in 1970 and disbanded in 1984. Tangible evidence of these chapters’ efforts at historic preservation remains in the form of marked Revolutionary War Patriot graves and other efforts. The Fort Grider Chapter was formed to help preserve Fort Defiance.

Starting last fall, a series of meetings were held to determine if there was enough interest to start a chapter here. And the response was tremendous. The organizing group includes 34 new DAR members as well as 11 women whose membership is being reinstated or transferred from another chapter.

They are: Donna Annas, Cynthia Beam, Evelyn Beam, Georgianna Bland, Anna Bottoms, Jeana Brown, Patricia Davis, Cynthia Day, Debbra DeVusser, Phyllis Fields, Katrina Franklin, Teresa Gilbert, Claudia Greene, Deborah Hage, ElizaBeth Hage, Diana Hale, Karen Hatton, Emily Hedrick, Regina Hefner, Jeannie Hollar, Joelle Jefcoat, Shirley Kanode, Melanie Lee, Dorothy Little, Denise Lunsford, Paulette McCall, Catherine McDaniel, Katherine McKee, Sondra McKeon, Velda McLean, Sherry Miller, Deborah Mirco, Alma Mullinax, Terri Oppel, Beatrice Pope, Charis Proffit, Lynn Proffit, Vickie Setzer, Brenda Smith, Alta Steele, Judy Steele, Amy Tobergte, Linda Walker, Marisa Wallace and Martha West.

During the organizing meeting at Kings Creek Baptist Church, the new members took their oaths and received DAR pins. A slate of chapter officers also was sworn in. They are: Cynthia Day, Regent; Cynthia Beam, Vice Regent; Anna Bottoms, Chaplain, Teresa Gilbert, Recording Secretary; Martha West, Corresponding Secretary; Melanie Lee, Treasurer; Regina Hefner, Registrar; Sherry Miller, Historian; and Velda McLean, Librarian.

On behalf of the 7,500 Tar Heel members, state Regent Carole Weiss welcomed the Tucker’s Barn group as it prepares to join the 104 other DAR chapters in North Carolina. Other state officers who attended were: Mary Tatum, Recording Secretary; Anne Hobbs, Organizing Secretary; Rosie Craig, Treasurer; Donna Rhyne, Registrar, Libby McAteer, Historian; and Nancy Wark, Librarian. Elizabeth Graham, NSDAR Vice President General and Honorary State Regent, also attended and welcomed the chapter on behalf of NSDAR. Robin Meyer, NCSDAR District II Director, welcomed the chapter to the district.

In attendance also were representatives of the following Chapters – Col. Frederick Hambright, Daniel Boone, Edward Buncombe, Hickory Tavern, John Hoyle, Joseph McDowell, Major William Chronicle, Mary Slocumb, Mecklenburg Declaration, Micajah Bullock, Quaker Meadows, Samuel Johnson, Stamp Defiance, Vesuvius Furnace, Waightstill Avery, Yates Mill and others – as well as the Col. Alexander Erwin Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution from Morganton.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism. Any woman age 18 or older – regardless of race, religion or ethnic background – who can prove direct lineal descent from a person who served in the military or a civil capacity during the war or rendered material aid to the American Independence cause is eligible.

With more than 177,000 members in about 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world’s largest and most active service organizations. DAR members are committed to volunteer service having served more than 12.5 million hours in communities throughout the world during the past three years. To learn more about the work of today’s DAR, visit www.DAR.org or connect with social media at facebook.com/TodaysDAR, twitter.com/TodaysDAR and youtube.com/TodaysDAR.

To inquire about membership in the Tucker’s Barn Chapter, please call Cynthia Day at 828-748-4004, or email tuckersbarndarchapter@gmail.com.

A National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Press Release