About NSDAR
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is a not-for-profit, apolitical women’s organization that fosters the goals of promoting historic preservation, education and patriotism. It was founded on October 11, 1890, by Mary Smith Lockwood, Mary Desha, Ellen Walworth and Eugenia Washington, a pioneering group of women who were frustrated at being excluded from similar men’s organizations. As founder Mrs. Lockwood asked in a letter printed in the Washington Post, “Were there no mothers of the Revolution?”
Today, the DAR has many active members organized into thousands of chapters in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., U.S. overseas territories and internationally. Over one million women have joined since the founding in 1890—and you can be one too!
Membership is open to any adult woman who can show proof of lineal descent from a Patriot of the American Revolutionary War. The DAR does not discriminate based on race, religion, or ethnic background.
To learn more about the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, visit the National Society website.
About Our Chapter
On March 5, 2020, the Tabitha Moffatt Brown Chapter, NSDAR, and David Hill Chapter, NSDAR, merged to become the newly-formed Tabitha Moffatt Brown-David Hill Chapter, NSDAR, of Aloha, Oregon. We are named after two Oregon pioneers. Tabitha Moffatt Brown is officially recognized as the Mother of Oregon. David Hill was an early Oregon politician and the namesake of Hillsboro, Oregon.
Comprised of 75 members, the Tabitha Moffatt Brown-David Hill Chapter, NSDAR, is a shining example of what happens when a group of civic-minded women from all walks of life comes together to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism. Together, we have sent hundreds of valentines to our active-duty service members and veterans, supported the Chemawa Indian School in Salem, cleaned up our local historic cemeteries, and so much more!
Genealogy and lineage are an important part of our society, which is why we have dedicated volunteers to help you research your family background and prove your lineal descent from a Patriot of the American Revolution. To date, our chapter has proven 132 Patriots with more in the works!
We meet monthly, conveniently at lunchtime, from January through June and August through November. We offer a hybrid meeting option for those who cannot get away to attend chapter meetings. If you are interested in joining us for a meeting and learning more about the Tabitha Moffatt Brown-David Hill Chapter, NSDAR, please email the chapter regent.
About Our Namesakes
WHy We Love Tabitha
Age is just a number. Tabitha Moffatt Brown left Missouri for Oregon at 66 years old. After raising her children as a widow and teaching school to do it, Tabitha was not about to be left behind when her adult children wanted to move West.
When the going gets tough…
Tabitha not only went west on the Oregon Trail, but she and her son’s family also took the brand new Applegate Trail through Southern Oregon. They lost their way and ran out of food. Tabitha made it out alive, penniless. Or so she thought.
It is about the kids.
Tabitha found a small coin in a glove and used that to begin a sewing business that turned her future around. In Forest Grove, she opened a school for orphans from the Oregon Trail that ultimately became Pacific University. Education is one of the three main pillars of the DAR, and we could not have a better founder.
We carry our family stories with us.
Tabitha’s father was Dr. Joseph Moffatt, a doctor in the American Revolution. Tabitha modeled the work ethic and courage of her Patriot father. Today, multiple descendants of Tabitha have participated in events with our chapter, and some have even become chapter members. Their involvement is a reminder that genealogy is about the family story and how we carry it onward.
WHy We HONOR David
Building a community starts with us.
David sold part of his land to become the future Washington County Courthouse and hence, the beginning of a town. He did this in good faith. The new town never actually paid David Hill, finally paying his widow after his death by court order.
Support for democracy is at the core of who we are.
David was one of the original signers of the treaty at Champoeg to help form the Provisional Government of Oregon. The challenge of surviving day to day was all that many settlers could handle. Traveling 28 miles from his farm to Champoeg was a much bigger hardship without roads than it is today. And the days lost working one’s own land claim was another hardship. David’s courageous efforts helped Oregon become a state.
When the going gets tough…
David supported his local community by traveling to Bridgeport, later named Farmington, to get the mail. Before the era of decent roads, this was an all-day trip and a dangerous one. Today, we all often hear our own families’ updates within days or hours of an event. We can only imagine how treasured those letters were from the home folks far away. His application to be the official postmaster was still in the
works when David passed away.
