Daughters of the American Revolution

Listening to all the fireworks going off in my neighborhood until after midnight last night, I wondered how many gave even a passing thought to the great sacrifices that accomplished our nation's independence. I tried to imagine what it was like to actually be in midst of the Revolutionary War (or any war for that matter) and hear live canons and firearms.

It was on this day in 1776 that the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress, announcing that the thirteen American colonies were then independent from the British Empire. Yet the American Revolutionary War continued on until 1783.

I watched part of a 2 hour program on PBS last night about the Revolutionary War entitled "Rebels and Redcoats", as told by a British historian. As I watched the re-enactments dramatized on screen I thought of my fifth great-grandfather Darius Webb who fought in the Revolutionary War.

It took a considerable amount of research by my cousin and researcher Jonathan Webb Deiss to verify in fact that Darius was a veteran of that war. Service of his brothers Ebenezer, Jr., Christopher and Jonathan had been clearly established, but no Compiled Service Record could be found on file at the National Archives for Darius. Eventually though Jonathan found Darius' service records associated with three Massachusetts regiments that were raised up in Hampshire County, Massachusetts for very short terms of service.

With tremendous gratitude to Jonathan Webb Deiss, all the official documentation is available that verifies that I am indeed a "daughter" of the American Revolution. However, I have not officially applied to the National Society which has as its objectives, historic preservation, patriotism and education. These are all things that I value greatly yet for now it seems enough to know that I am a descendent of Revolutionary patriot without having to process all the official paperwork.

America
Lyrics by Samuel Francis Smith
My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring!