It had as its three objectives:
Promotion of Education
Patriotic Endeavors
In our Nation's capital, a small group of women decided to organize under the name, Daughters of the American Revolution. During the summer of 1890 these women performed preliminary work and selected a President General. If you want prestige and notoriety for a society just getting started, who do you ask to be the first President General? Why you invited Mrs. Benjamin Harrison, the wife of the President of the United States, to be President General.
The Daughters of the American Revolution is organized and the dreams and outline for the work of the society is put into place. Today, within one city block, enhancing the beauty of the Ellipse in Washington, DC, is Memorial Continental Hall, Constitution Hall connected by the Administration Building. This complex of buildings includes:
exclusively by women.
From the small group that gathered in Mrs. Cabell's home for the first meeting, our society now has a national membership of over 170,000 with 2,950 chapters in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The National Society has fifteen overseas chapters with several in the planning stages. Since the founding over 804,563 women have joined the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.
Before Mrs. Bacon retired from office in 1897, she had presented the National Society with seven fully organized chapters and had three other chapters well toward organization.
Today we have 73 chapters totaling almost 4000 members in South Carolina. Thirty-four State Regents have served our state society. What wonderful women we have serving God, Home and Country. Daughters continue to tell the story of who we are and what we do.
Four women had the inspiration to form the Nathanael Greene Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. They met on November 12, 1896 at the home of Mrs. William Wierman Mayberry (Emma Westfield Mayberry) on South Main Street near Reedy River Bridge in Greenville, South Carolina. Mrs. Mayberry became the first Chapter Regent. The charter was granted on May 22, 1897 with the chapter number 328.
When organizing a chapter, a name must be chosen. Mrs. Mayberry's application for membership in the DAR was under the line of her father with their ancestor, James Gillespie. James Gillespie was born in Cheraw in 1754 and was Sergeant in Martin's Troops, Sumter's Brigade. He resided near General Greene's camp and acted as a guide to General Greene on his march from the Pee Dee. So Mrs. Mayberry knew of General Greene's greatness, thus it was given his as a name.
Nathanael Greene was born July 27, 1742 near East Greenwich, RI. Even with his Quaker belief, Nathanael still became a soldier in 1774 and in 1775 was made commander of Rhode Island Regiments. His ability won him many honors, higher ranks and George Washington's friendship.
Greene's generalship was largely responsible for the triumph of the American forces in the South. After the Americans were defeated in the Battle of Camden, August 16, 1780, Greene was chosen to succeed General Horatio Gates in command of the southern war theater and in early December he took over leadership of a shattered and destitute army.
Greene quickly reorganized it and devised a strategy of retreat northward into North Carolina, goading Lord Cornwallis, the British commander, into following him. His strategy succeeded in dividing the British forces, making possible the victory at Cowpens in January 1781, which was a real turning point of the war for independence. Within eight months Greene freed most of the Carolinas from British control. At the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on March 15, 1781, Greene suffered a defeat, but his troops fell back in good order without serious loss. Cornwallis, who was far from base, was compelled by lack of supplies to withdraw. Greene had lost the battle but won the campaign. His strategic skill thereafter brought the war in the South to a successful close.
It was said that Greene might have had a loss but never had a defeat. The minister of France, de la Luzerne, said of Nathanael Greene, "Other generals subdue their enemies by means with which their country or their sovereign furnished them, but Greene appears to subdue his enemy by his own means. He commenced his campaign, without an army, provisions or military store. He has asked for nothing since; and yet scarcely a post arrives from the south, that does not bring intelligence of some new advantage gained over his foe. He conquers by magic."
Nathanael Greene was a great man and Revolutionary War hero and worthy of having a chapter named in his honor.
Locally the Nathanael Greene Chapter has:
Presented portraits of Francis Marion and Thomas Sumter to the high schools and Jamestown Exposition
Contributed to Greenville YMCA
Gave flags to FurmanUniversity and Women Club, YMCA, Old 96 Girl Scout Council, Roper Mountain Science Center
Contributed to King's MountainMonument, Monument for Sumter, Marion, Pickens and the Memorial plaque to signers of the Constitution located at the South Carolina State House in Columbia
Worked with Red Cross and sold bonds
The Chapter has contributed to all National and state projects and programs.
Marked Dicey Langston Springfield's grave and later placed monument at home site in Travelers Rest and helped the preservation effort
Knitted Garments for the Battleship South Carolina
The first Children of the American Revolution Society in South Carolina, the Dicey Langston Society, was started by our chapter
Committee of twelve ladies constituted a sewing group for local army air base repairing hundreds of garments and turning hundreds of yards of net and colorful cotton materials into draperies for recreation room and mess hall
Planted 2000 pine trees at Hopewell Tuberculosis Sanatorium
Have presented American History Medals to High Schools since 1924. Today we also recognized Outstanding American History Teachers, Outstanding Seniors with Good Citizen Awards and work with children through Junior American Citizens
In 1943, a copy of Thomas Jefferson bi-centennial portrait was framed and presented to each of the 29 schools
Several members have written family histories that have been donated to the various libraries
Several objects have been donated to National Museum, specifically a quilt and 1818 Sampler
June 14, at the June meeting, Nathanael Greene Chapter held the first observance of Flag Day in South Carolina
Remembering that Promotion of Education is one of our Society's Goals:
TamasseeDAR School in the foothills of South Carolina was the idea of one of Nathanael Greene's members. When Frances Louise Hudson Mayes was State Regent, she spoke of her vision for a mountain boarding school for girls without transportation to school. Although it was not until the next state administration that the school was actually established, Mrs. Mayes set the groundwork for the project as a member of the Nathanael Greene Chapter.
The Nathanael Greene Chapter still continues to support Tamassee's projects, buildings and students with time, talent and treasures. Several Nathanael Greene members have served on the Boards of Trustees at the school with one of our members, Joyce Howard Ellis, having served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Designed pins for state clubs
Numerous State Chairmen and National Chairmen
Five State Outstanding Juniors Members of which we had three in a row in 1998-2000
Last year at Continental Congress we had three mothers attend with their daughters as pages
15 members have served as state officers holding several offices
3 State Regents:
1976-1979 Joyce Howard Ellis (Mrs. Fred Walter Ellis)
1997-2000 Ann Salley Crider (Mrs. Bennie V. Crider, Jr.)
We have had a proud heritage of service to God, Home and Country for over a century.
