Mary Park Foster (Mrs. John W. Foster), of Indiana; Mary Virginia Ellet Cabell (Mrs. William D. Cabell), of Virginia; Helen Mason Boynton (Mrs. Henry V. Boynton), of Ohio; Henrietta Greely (Mrs. A. W. Greely), of Washington, District of Columbia; Lelie Dent Saint Clair (Mrs. F. O. Saint Clair), of Maryland; Regina M. Knott (Mrs. A. Leo Knott), of Maryland; Sara Agnes Rice Pryor (Mrs. Roger A. Pryor), of New York; Sarah Ford Judd Goode (Mrs. G. Brown Goode), of Washington, District of Columbia; Mary Desha, of Kentucky; Sue Virginia Field (Mrs. Stephen J. Field), of California; Sallie Kennedy Alexander (Mrs. Thomas Alexander), of Washington, District of Columbia; Rosa Wright Smith, of Washington, District of Columbia; Sarah C. J. Hagan (Mrs. Hugh Hagan), of Georgia; Mary Stiner Putnam (Mrs. John Risley Putnam), of New York; Mary Leighton Shields (Mrs. George H. Shields), of Missouri; Ellen Hardin Walworth, of New York; Mary E. MacDonald (Mrs. Marshall MacDonald), of Virginia; Eugenia Washington, of Virginia; Alice M. Clarke (Mrs. A. Howard Clarke), of Massachusetts; Clara Barton, of Washington, District of Columbia; Mary S. Lockwood, of Washington, District of Columbia; Frances B. Hamlin (Mrs. Teunis S. Hamlin), of Washington, District of Columbia; Martha C. B. Clarke (Mrs. Arthur E. Clarke), of New Hampshire; Lucia E. Blount (Mrs. Henry Blount), of Indiana; Jennie A. O. Keim (Mrs. Randolph De B. Keim), of Connecticut; Louise Ward McAllister, of New York; Effie Ream Osborne (Mrs. Frank Stuart Osborne), of Illinois; Marie Devereux, of Washington, District of Columbia; Belinda O. Wilbour (Mrs. Joshua Wilbour), of Rhode Island; Georgina E. Shippen (Mrs. W. W. Shippen), of New Jersey; Julia K. Hogg (Mrs. N. B. Hogg), of Pennsylvania; Katherine C. Breckinridge (Mrs. Clifton R. Breckinridge), of Arkansas; Sara Isabella Hubbard (Mrs. Adolphus S. Hubbard), of California; Mary L. D. Putnam (Mrs. Charles E. Putnam), of Iowa; Delia Clayborne Buckner (Mrs. Simon B. Buckner), of Kentucky; Emily Marshall Eliot (Mrs. Samuel Eliot), of Massachusetts; Lucy Grey Henry (Mrs. William Wirt Henry), of Virginia; Elizabeth Blair Lee, of Maryland, Mrs. Francis P. Burrows (Mrs. Julius C. Burrows), Mrs. Mary H. McMillan (Mrs. James McMillan), Mrs. Emma Gregory Hull (Mrs. J. A. T. Hull), Mrs. Mary B. K. Washington (Mrs. Joseph Washington), and their associates and successors, are created a body corporate and politic, in the District of Columbia, by the name of The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, for patriotic, historical, and educational purposes, to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American independence, by the acquisition and protection of historical spots and the erection of monuments; by the encouragement of historical research in relation to the Revolution and the publication of its results; by the preservation of documents and relics, and of the records of the individual services of Revolutionary soldiers and patriots, and by the promotion of celebrations of all patriotic anniversaries; to carry out the injunction of Washington, in his farewell address to the American people, “to promote, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge,” thus developing an enlightened public opinion and affording to young and old such advantages as shall develop in them the largest capacity for performing the duties of American citizens; to cherish, maintain, and extend the institutions of American freedom; to foster true patriotism and love of country, and to aid in securing for mankind all the blessings of liberty.
(Feb. 20, 1896, ch. 23, §1, 29 Stat. 8.)
The society is authorized to acquire by purchase, gift, devise, or bequest and to hold, convey, or otherwise dispose of such property, real or personal, as may be convenient or necessary for its lawful purposes, and may adopt a constitution and make bylaws not inconsistent with law, and may adopt a seal. Said society shall have its headquarters or principal office at Washington, in the District of Columbia.
(Feb. 20, 1896, ch. 23, §2, 29 Stat. 9; Mar. 3, 1915, ch. 89, 38 Stat. 955; Feb. 5, 1926, ch. 11, 44 Stat. 4; July 30, 1951, ch. 255, 65 Stat. 130; Oct. 1, 1976, Pub. L. 94–443, §1, 90 Stat. 1475.)
1976—Pub. L. 94–443 substituted provision authorizing the society to acquire, by purchase, gift, devise or bequeath, real and personal property, and to hold, convey or otherwise dispose of it for provision which authorized the society to hold real and personal property in the United States in an amount not to exceed $10,000,000.
1951—Act July 30, 1951, substituted “$10,000,000” for “$5,000,000”.
1926—Act Feb. 5, 1926, substituted “$5,000,000” for “$1,000,000”.
1915—Act Mar. 3, 1915, substituted “$1,000,000” for “$500,000”.
The Society shall report annually to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution concerning its proceedings, and said Secretary shall communicate to Congress such portion thereof as he may deem of national interest and importance. The Regents of the Smithsonian Institution are authorized to permit said national society to deposit its collections, manuscripts, books, pamphlets, and other material for history in the Smithsonian Institution or in the National Museum, at their discretion, upon such conditions and under such rules as they shall prescribe.
(Feb. 20, 1896, ch. 23, §3, 29 Stat. 9.)
The society and its subordinate divisions shall have the sole and exclusive right to use the name “National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution”. The society shall have the exclusive and sole right to use, or to allow or refuse the use of, such emblems, seals, and badges as have heretofore been adopted or used by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
(Feb. 20, 1896, ch. 23, §4, as added Oct. 1, 1976, Pub. L. 94–443, §2, 90 Stat. 1475.)