Dorothy Q was the 8th chapter in Indiana to organize, receiving its charter on June 13, 1898. Josephine Tuttle Thomas was elected regent at the first meeting which was held in her home. She attended Continental Congress that year. There were fourteen charter members with twenty-two more women joining within the year.

The name Dorothy Q was suggested by Sophia Crane Ristine, chosen from a poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes entitled, "Dorothy Q, A Family Portrait," in honor of Dorothy Quincy Jackson, Holmes' great grandmother. A picture of Dorothy Q had hung in the family home at Cambridge, Massachusetts, and bore slash marks from sabers of British soldiers who had taken over the house during the Revolutionary War. 

Dorothy Quincy

Dorothy Quincy was born 1709, died 1762, and married Edward Jackson (1707-1757). Her daughter, Mary Jackson, married Oliver Wendell, and his daughter, Sarah Wendell, married Rev. Abiel Holmes, the father of Oliver Wendell Holmes. Her niece, also named Dorothy Quincy, married John Hancock, a noted patriot in Revolutionary days and signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Chapter History

At the chapter's third meeting, Mrs. Thomas appointed a committee to find the graves of the Revolutionary Soldiers buried in Montgomery County. Projects those first few years included an ice cream social with proceeds benefiting Company M, which was leaving for training in Tennessee. Aprons were sent to nurses in the Cuban War. Lineage books purchased in 1900, are still housed in Dorothy Q's library today. For their fourth birthday, members voted to purchase a bronze tablet engraved with the names of the Revolutionary War soldiers buried in the county. The tablet was purchased by the father of our first regent, Josephine Thomas, President of Wabash College for several years. The tablet was first placed in the college library, and later moved to the post office. In 1941, it was placed on the porch of the DAR house. In 1979, a second plaque with additional names was added to the porch of the DAR house.

In 1903, Real Daughter Lucinda Hardee McMullen of New Market, joined Dorothy Q Chapter. A gold spoon of the Daughters of the American Revolution was presented to her. A second Real Daughter, Elvira Mortimer Layne, was located in 1904 and joined the chapter. Mrs. Layne died September 4, 1907, and was buried in Old Indiana Creek Cemetery. Mrs. McMullen died October 1914 and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. Their graves were marked with bronze markers in 1924.

In 1904, under the regency of Julia Waugh, the children's patriotic essay contests were started. A marker was dedicated in 1906, at the Waynetown Cemetery, honoring William Bratton, who was a member of the Lewis and  Clark Expedition. 

In 1911, members of Dorothy Q assisted with the formation of the Montgomery County Historical Society, and all became members of the Historical Society.

The 13th annual convention of the Indiana State DAR Society was hosted by Dorothy Q in 1912. There were 51 chapters in the State and 150 delegates were guests of members and townspeople. The meetings were held in Center Presbyterian Church. Real Daughter Lucinda McMullen was introduced to the delegates and received an ovation. A collection of $49.00 was presented to her. Dorothy Q has been hostess to district meetings in 1928, 1929, 1956, 1962, 1981, and 1994.

Mrs. Alice Green Ross was elected regent in 1916. She served for seven years and never missed a meeting. Also in 1916, Indiana celebrated its State Centennial. DAR members had a prominent part in the celebrations. Dorothy Q was chairman of the exhibit of antiques on display at the high school. In the pageant in Crawford's Woods, the chapter presented Episode 3, Scene 1, in which Eleanor Ristine played the part of Mrs. Henry S. Lane presenting a silk flag to the 98 Montgomery County Volunteers in the Mexican War. Mrs. Ristine wore the "waist" Mrs. Lane wore at Lincoln's inauguration. Members also had a replica of a log house showing women and children going about their homemaking, as a handsome float in the parade.

In 1917, the chapter contributed $50.00 to help in the drive to save Turkey Run State Park. Also, $8.00 was given to entertain Company C, which had returned from the Mexican border.

Many war effort activities were undertaken by chapter members. During WWI, Dorothy Q helped sell bonds, knit, make surgical dressings, Red Cross work, sold war stamps, made garments, gave $50.00 toward the purchase of the Indiana DAR ambulance, adopted a French orphan, and helped with the restoration of Tilloly, France. Gifts and money were sent to an English girl during WWII, as well as members assisting with defense work, Red Cross, and contributions to DAR State programs, which gave seven times the amount asked of them for War Bonds, and helped with the furnishings of six Army hospital libraries.

Dorothy Q Chapter assisted with the unveiling of a monument in Oak Hill Cemetery honoring Jacob Westfall, Revolutionary War Soldier, on October 10, 1917. Mr. Westfall was born October 10, 1755, and died in 1835. His grandson presented the monument in honor of his grandfather and a tribute to patriotic soldiers from Montgomery County. The next year $5.00 was contributed to the memorial at Valley Forge, as a tribute to William Davidson, who suffered there in 1777. A bell in the Carillon of Bells was purchased, and $5.00 was contributed toward the chapel at Valley Forge.

Miss Mary Hostetter, a member of Dorothy Q, served as State Chairman of the Valley Forge Bell Fund, and spoke at the dedication of the bells in April 1933. In 1946, Fred Turner gave $25 in memory of his wife, Augusta Turner, and her name was placed on the Bell Tower.

A plate engraved "Dorothy Q, DAR," was placed at the entrance to a room at Culver Hospital, after the chapter spent $250.00 to refinish the furniture and the room at the hospital. The chapter had 83 members in 1919. In 1922 there were 100 members. Although membership has been over 200, the 1922 figure is appropriate today. Alice Ross Green served as our chapter regent for 7 years, and two terms as State regent.

A local C.A.R. group was established in 1924 during Julia Waugh's second term as regent. Jessie C. Watson was instrumental in its organization. It was organized as the Isham Floyd Society, the name honoring the fourteen-year-old drummer who accompanied George Rogers Clark on the expedition from Kaskaskia to Vincennes, the Battle of Vincennes being the only battle of the Revolution fought on Indiana soil. Six trees were planted as a memorial to deceased members during this time. When the cornerstone of Constitution Hall was placed, each chapter was allowed to place the names of five members. Dorothy Q chose Julia Waugh, Eliza Davidson, May Taylor, Jessie Watson, and Bell Hall.

In 1926, an agreement with Isaac C. Elston, III, was signed to purchase his father's house for the chapter. Colonel Isaac C. Elston had built the house in 1882. Mr. Elston offered the Queen Anne style home to several clubs for use as a club house as a memorial to his parents, but none had accepted.

The house was appraised at $12,000. The chapter was to pay $2,000.00 down, as well as spend $600.00 a year on repairs and improvements for a period of five years. The $2,000.00 down payment was contributed by members, friends, and townspeople. Many projects were completed for the $600.00 per year requirement, including serving a high school senior banquet, as well as other meals for profit, ice cream socials on the lawn, card parties, candy sales, rummage sales, and Thanksgiving dinners. Rooms were rented in the house, a mile of pennies was collected, and items sold such as brooms, pecans, vanilla, and bridge tallies.

August 26, 1926, was the first meeting in the new chapter house. A committee, named The Elston Memorial House Board, was incorporated in 1928 and was established to see that the home is well taken care of. The papers which were signed bear the names of Julia D. Waugh, Jessie Watson, Alice G. Ross, Hallie M. Butler, and Arminta Ames. Present board members are: Lucille Bonwell, Jane Swank, Betty Morrison, Lela Lofland, Eileen Kenyon, Virginia Wilcox, Lois McMullen, Cynthia Galloway, Patricia Broshears, Carol Kershner, Joan Zach, Mary Pickel, Nancy Pickel, Regent ex-officio. Jane Hawley and Eleanor Herr serve as Honorary Members. The year the house was 100 years old; it was accepted on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. The National Register plaque is located on the front porch. The colors of red with green trim are the original colors.

In 1928, under the guidance of Jessie Watson, the chapter aided in the restoration of Williamsburg, Virginia, and sold commemorative plates of the George Rogers Clark Expedition.

The Good Citizens Committee was started in 1936, with ten girls from the ten county high schools participating. In 1939, Florence Oltman from Crawfordsville was the state winner. The chapter gave her a piece of luggage for the pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. In 1946, Carolyn Teague of Wingate was also state winner, and three years later, we had our third state winner with Susan Harvey. Several from the county have been included in the top thirteen.

The chapter also sponsored a senior girl at Tamassee Mountain School. Since the chapter organized the first Junior group in the state, it received $15.00. For several years, the chapter sent boxes of tools and rags for rugs to Ellis Island. A chapter flag was presented to the chapter, and in 1936 it was carried at the state meeting in Terre Haute.

Mrs. Mabel Shanklin was elected regent in 1952, and during her term of office, the chapter made the Gold Honor Roll for three consecutive years. Because of her dedication and hard work, the chapter won honors and recognition throughout the state. Through her research, Mrs. Shanklin brought in many new members. In 1954, Dorothy Q had 119 members. The Gold Honor Roll Award was also received during the terms of Marian Thompson, Esther Olds, Donnis Widener, Eleanor Herr, Mary Dykes, and Betty Swoverland. The Tri-Color awards for the chapter's program books have been received many times.

Donnis Widener's project during her term as regent was copying cemetery records. Copies were typed and sent to the national DAR Library, Indiana State Library, Crawfordsville Public Library, and the Chapter House Library. The 9 volumes of inscriptions were completed the last day of November 1973. These were retyped in 1981 to replace the worn copies at the Crawfordsville library.

The chapter received the President General's citation for the bronze plaque placed on the Lew Wallace Study grounds at the David Wallace medallion in the sunken garden. The plaque honored David Wallace, past Governor of Indiana, and father of Lew Wallace who had authored Ben Hur. The chapter hosted the dedication. During Mrs. Widener's term of office, sixty-two new members were welcomed into the chapter.

In 1967, Dorothy Q Chapter joined Olde Town Chapter of Logansport to conduct a dedication of the marker for George Washburn, Revolutionary War Soldier buried in the Wilson-Killen Cemetery, north of Round Hill.

A new C.A.R. society was installed in 1969 with Virginia Wilcox acting Senior President. This society was named Susan E. Wallace for the wife of Lew Wallace. Under this society, there were four C.A.R. state presidents:  Mike Howell, Jeff Bennett, Jay Zach, and Rich Otten. The society is now (as of 1998) defunct.

In 1974, when Romana Ainsworth was regent, an 8' by 12' flag was presented to the Lew Wallace Study. It was dedicated on June 24, 1965. Mae McClamroch and Evelyn Frame presented the chapter with a new chapter banner in 1982.

On June 18, 1983, with several national and state officers, state chairman, and chapter regents present, Mrs. Widener gave the program, which she entitled, "Highlights of 85 Years of Dorothy Q." During her presentation, Donnis mentioned the dedicated efforts of the 34 regents of the chapter in addition to the members in furthering the historical and patriotic traditions of the national society.

In 1984, Mae Bunnell McClamroch became a life member of DAR. Patricia Best became a life member ten years later.

Prior to the October meeting in 1985, markers were dedicated for Eula Biddle Duke at the Waynetown Cemetery and for Anna Beam Stout at the Wesley Cemetery. State regent Mrs. Marion H. Miller and state chaplain Mrs. Lowell Osborne attended the dedication and the chapter meeting held afterward.

Lucille Gentry Bonwell and Cassandra Rowland Henderson received certificates for their fifty year membership on September 19, 1987. A national DAR marker was placed on the grave of Mae Bunnell McClamroch, who contributed much to the chapter, state, and national DAR schools.

The 90th anniversary of the chapter was celebrated on June 18, 1988. Mrs. Eleanor Hostetter Herr gave the history of the chapter using the book on its history, by Donnis Widener, as her source. Mrs. Herr gave another program on June 13, 1993, when the chapter was 95 years old.

The Lutheran Cemetery South of Crawfordsville was the setting on October 15, 1988, for the marking of the grave of Frederick Armantrout, Revolutionary War Soldier.

Joan Zach, State Conservation Committee Chairman, presented the NSDAR Conservation Medal to Mrs. Nancy Stwally in 1989. Mrs. Stwally was nominated for the award by the chapter because of her commitment to wildlife management, care of injured wildlife, and her weekly column in the Journal Review, "Out My Back Door." In 1991, Mrs. Zach presented a state conversation committee certificate to Helen Ashby for planting 2,400 trees.

In June 1991, Judith Schmidt presented the program, "We Celebrate." She focused on the activities of the DAR Society since its founding in 1890. These activities have included preservation of historic shrines, promotion of the study of American history and government, and support of several schools.

The chapter was awarded a plaque at the Indiana State Conference in October 1991 by Tamassee School, honoring Mrs. John McClamroch and the Dorothy Q Chapter, in appreciation for the monetary donations to the school. A "Shining Light Chapter" certificate was received in 1994 in recognition of the endowment fund contribution by Mary Pickel.

Columbus Quincentennial was celebrated with a library display, programs by the C.A.R., lists of books on Columbus, and a program by the state chairman of the Columbus committee.

On September 18, 1993, local World War II nurses were honored on their golden anniversary. Ruth Pierce Smith, Dorothy Q member and Air Corps Nurse, introduced the nurses who related their experiences in the war.

A Flag of the United States of America was presented to the Boys and Girls Club in 1994. Also that year, Mary Pickel donated a chair for the DAR  Library in honor of Joan Zach, and presented the book, "75 Years of Mountain Magic," to the chapter library.

The Chamber of Commerce Christmas ornament featured the Elston Memorial DAR home in 1994. An informational pamphlet on the house was printed and placed in the city visitors center. The house is open to the public for tours during the Christmas Candlelight tours and the Strawberry Festival.

The 75th observance of the passage of the 19th amendment to the Constitution in 1920 was observed at the regular meeting of the chapter on October 21, 1995. Edith Dallinger appeared in costume of the 1915-1920 era, and gave a first person account of events during the women's suffrage movement.

With the beginning of the new year on Sept 20, 1997, plans were revealed for the celebration of the 100th birthday of the chapter. Regent Nancy Pickel displayed T-Shirts printed with a picture of the Elston Memorial House to be sold to help defray expenses for the celebration.

Throughout the years, members of Dorothy Q Chapter have given many hours working on various committees. Contributions have been sent for many national projects, including American Indian scholarships at Indian schools, the DAR Museum in Constitutional Hall, the various mountain schools supported by the DAR national society, DAR Manuals for Citizenship purchased for local immigrants, veteran's hospitals, genealogical records sent to the DAR library, scholarships, all President General's projects, repairs for buildings owned by the society including Constitution Hall, and other special requests. Each year clothing is collected and sent to Tamassee or Kate Duncan Smith schools in South Carolina and Alabama. Often over 1,000 pounds of clothing is donated. Pat Broshears has been chairman of this committee for many years.

Bible records, cemetery tombstone copies, as well as courthouse and family records have been compiled and sent to local, state, and national libraries.

Constitution Week is recognized with store displays, the mayor's proclamation and programs. A National Defense report is presented at each meeting, and members are encouraged to fly the Flag of the United States of America on holidays.

Essay contests for fifth and sixth grade students have been sponsored for many years, where prizes are awarded. Each year a senior from each of the high schools is named a Good Citizen, and participates in the state and national contests. The county winner and parents attend the state Good Citizens luncheon in Indianapolis. The winner announced at that meeting is awarded a scholarship. Dorothy Q has had three state winners and numerous students in the top 13 honored.

Dorothy Q Chapter has also sponsored the C.A.R. society and supplied senior leadership. Several members have served as state officers, and chairman for C.A.R. as well. The Conservation Committee has recorded numerous birds fed and trees planted.

Chapter members serve on the Elston Memorial Foundation Board committee, which oversees the upkeep of the house. The house is on the National Register of Historic Homes, and open to the public at various times of the year.

During Dorothy Q Chapter's 100-year history, in addition to interesting programs at each meeting, the members have striven to uphold the guidelines of the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, in addition to supporting activities in Montgomery County. Many members have served as chairmen on state and national committees as well as held state offices. The chapter has been hostess to state and district meetings as well as sending delegates to those meetings. In short, Dorothy Q has served the community in addition to the state and national societies.

Special thanks to Eleanor Herr and Mary Jane Flaningam for their excellent work on the history of our chapter. Much of what is included here is their words, thoughts, and deeds.  Some of the work was taken from Donnis Widener's, "History of the Chapter," and used with permission. Information was also extracted from old papers and secretaries' minutes.

We regret that we cannot provide lineage information. The information on this page cannot be used as proof of service or lineage for purposes of joining DAR. For membership inquiries, please contact chapter for membership, Rebecca McCloud or fill out the membership interest form on the NSDAR website http://services.dar.org/dar/darnet/pmd/prospective.cfm

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Revised: January 19, 2008