As America approaches the 250th anniversary in 2026 of the ratification of our Declaration of Independence, the local Molly Foster Berry Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is planning activities to commemorate this significant anniversary. The first event will be a free genealogy workshop on Saturday, May 17, 2025, from 10:00 to 2:00 at the Fort Scott Community College Library in Bailey Hall, 2108 South Horton, Fort Scott, Kansas.
A visiting team of genealogists from the Kansas Society of Daughters of the American Revolution will be at the workshop to present and assist attendees with researching their family history. “If you have ever wondered if you have an ancestor who contributed to American independence, either by serving as a soldier or by providing civilian assistance to the war effort, this is your opportunity to get help with research,” chapter Regent Barbara Ritter stated.
Attendees are requested to pre-register by contacting either Barbara Ritter (913-636-4892, ksbritts@gmail.com) or Jean Strader (620-778-0266, jest10166@gmail.com). Please RSVP by May 14, 2025. Anyone who is interested in DAR but is unable to attend the workshop, please contact Barbara Ritter. There is no charge for the workshop.
Upon pre-registration, attendees will be emailed a generation chart to be filled out and brought to the workshop. The chart covers three generations (yourself as the first generation, your birth parents as the second, and your great-grandparents as the third). Information needed includes full names, birth dates and places, marriage dates and places, and death dates and places, or as much of that information is available to you for all three generations. If attendees have information on any earlier generations, they are encouraged to also bring that to the workshop.
Any woman 18 years or older may join DAR by documenting her lineage to an ancestor, male or female, who aided in the cause of American independence through military, civil, or patriotic service. Founded in 1890, the DAR is one of the largest women’s lineage based, nonpartisan, and patriotic nonprofits in the world, with 185,000 current members and approximately 3,000 local chapters. The DAR mission encompasses three key areas: historic preservation, education, and patriotism.