United States Daughters of 1812

United States Daughters of 1812
Name	United States Daughters of 1812
Founded	1892
Type	Lineage society
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Leader title	President General
Leader name	(varies)
Website	(official)

United States Daughters of 1812 is a lineage-based patriotic organization for women who can trace descent from participants in the War of 1812. Founded in 1892, it promotes historical preservation, commemorative ceremonies, and civic remembrance related to the War of 1812, the Treaty of Ghent, and events such as the Battle of New Orleans and the Burning of Washington. The society maintains chapters across the United States and participates in observances tied to figures like Andrew Jackson, James Madison, and William Henry Harrison.

History

The organization originated during a period of late 19th-century American commemorative activity alongside groups such as the Sons of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Revolution, and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Early founders responded to anniversaries of the War of 1812 and events like the Battle of Lake Erie, the Battle of Baltimore, and the funeral commemorations for veterans of the Peninsula Campaign. The society established national coordination amid contemporaneous institutions including the United States Naval Academy, the Smithsonian Institution, and municipal historic preservation efforts in cities such as Baltimore, New Orleans, and Boston. Throughout the 20th century the organization engaged with federal observances linked to the Treaty of Ghent, coordinated memorials at sites like Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, and worked with state historic commissions in Virginia, Maryland, and New York.

Mission and Activities

The society’s mission emphasizes preservation of records related to participants in the War of 1812, commemoration of battles such as the Battle of Plattsburgh and the Battle of Tippecanoe, and education about leaders including James Monroe, Zebulon Pike, and Oliver Hazard Perry. Regular activities include placing historical markers at sites like the Chesapeake Bay shoreline, restoring monuments such as those honoring Tecumseh or General Jacob Brown, and organizing wreath-laying ceremonies at national shrines including the Arlington National Cemetery and the Washington Monument. The organization collaborates with institutions such as the Library of Congress, the National Archives and Records Administration, and state societies like the Massachusetts Society for the Colonial Dames of America in programs about naval actions involving ships like the USS Constitution and privateer operations tied to ports such as Baltimore and New Orleans.

Membership and Eligibility

Membership is lineage-based and requires documented descent from an individual who served in capacities tied to the War of 1812, including service in state militias such as the New York Militia, naval service aboard vessels like USS United States (1797), or civil support roles in locales such as Maine shipyards or Pennsylvania ports. Prospective members often rely on records from the National Archives and Records Administration, pension files from the Bureau of Pensions, and compiled service records referencing engagements at the Battle of Lake Champlain or expeditions involving figures like Winfield Scott. Chapters maintain genealogical committees that consult resources such as the Daughters of the American Revolution Genealogical Research System and courthouse archives in jurisdictions including Philadelphia, Charleston, and Savannah.

Organizational Structure

The society is organized into local chapters, state societies, and a national body led by officers including the President General and board members drawn from chapters in regions such as the Mid-Atlantic States, the New England States, and the Deep South. National conventions align with commemorations at venues like the National Portrait Gallery and coordinate resolutions that may be presented to congressional delegations or federal agencies including the United States Congress and the Smithsonian Institution. Committees focus on historic preservation, genealogy, patriotic instruction, and communications with allied organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

Notable Members and Chapters

Notable members have included women active in preservation and genealogical scholarship who corresponded with curators at the Library of Congress and historians at the American Antiquarian Society. Prominent chapters are situated in historic municipalities such as Baltimore, New Orleans, Savannah, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.. The society has honored descendants of military figures like William Henry Harrison, Andrew Jackson, and naval commanders such as Isaac Hull and Stephen Decatur through commemorative events and publications.

Symbols and Publications

Emblems used by the organization often reference motifs from the era of James Madison and the War of 1812, including imagery related to the Star-Spangled Banner and iconography of vessels like USS Constitution. The society issues newsletters and periodicals documenting state chapter activities, genealogical findings, and accounts of commemorative efforts; publications are distributed among members and deposited with repositories including the Library of Congress and state historical societies such as the Massachusetts Historical Society and the New-York Historical Society. Awards and recognitions conferred at national meetings may bear names evoking leaders like Oliver Hazard Perry and events such as the Battle of New Orleans.

Category:Lineage societies in the United States Category:War of 1812 commemoration organizations