Our Members
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The Colonel Thomas Lothrop and Old Colony Chapters of the DAR were once separate chapters. Founded the same year that the DAR was incorporated, Cohasset's Colonel Thomas Lothrop Chapter began in 1896. Hingham's Old Colony Chapter was founded even earlier on February 14, 1894. In 1997, the two chapters merged, which seemed natural to many members, since Cohasset was once a precinct of Hingham.
Our chapter includes over 30 members and prospective members. Members come from all walks of life and from towns as close as Cohasset, Hingham, and Scituate and from as far away as Dedham, Hanson, and Cape Cod. Some of our chapter members are retired, some are homemakers, and some are working professionals. The common thread of our chapter's members is an interest in genealogy, patriotism, historic preservation, community service, and education. To learn more about membership click here. |
Chapter History
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COLONEL THOMAS LOTHROP CHAPTER EARLY HISTORY
Colonel Thomas Lothrop Chapter was formed June 2, 1896. Mrs. Charles A. Gross was the first Regent and the twelve charter members for nine months composed the Chapter. Founded the same year that the DAR was incorporated, Cohasset’s Colonel Thomas Lothrop Chapter Charter began in October 19, 1896. After considering the records of various Revolutionary soldiers who went to war from the Town of Cohasset, the name of Colonel Thomas Lothrop was adopted for the name of the Chapter. Thomas Lothrop, a descendant of Reverend John Lothrop of Scituate and Barnstable was born November 9, 1738 in Hingham. At the age of seven, Thomas’s father died, his mother remarried and moved from Hingham so Thomas moved to Cohasset to live with his mother’s uncle, Deacon John Jacob from whom he inherited a large estate. As a youth he served as private and lieutenant in the French and Indian War around 1757- 1760. He was an active participant in town affairs in time of peace. A member of the Committee of Inspection and the Committee of Correspondence, he entered the Revolutionary Army as Captain very early in the war. He was commissioned 2nd Major in Colonel Benjamin Lincoln’s regiment, the 3rd Suffolk, and February 7, 1776 was commissioned as 1st Major and later Lieutenant Colonel of the 2nd Suffolk. He was in command of the forces at Nantasket in 1778. In 1745, Cohasset was part of Hingham referred as the” second precinct” of Hingham. Cohasset did not become separated from Hingham until 1770. Colonel Thomas Lothrop built his house in 1760 on Spring Street, “near the cold spring”. He had twelve children. He served the town as Moderator, Town Clerk, Selectman and Representative for many years until his death in 1813. The first two years the Chapter work was limited to the study of local history, with reading of papers on the ancestry of members and kindred topics, a Colonial Tea, a lecture or reception, with donations to various patriotic objects. The Chapter observed October 19 (the start of the Chapter Charter) and April 19 (April 19, 1775, British and American soldiers exchanged fire in the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord) in suitable fashion. Beginning with 1898, the Chapter purchased pictures for a room of the Osgood School. A lecture on Cohasset in the time of the Revolution, with illustrations was given by one of the Chapter members. By a Loan Exhibit in 1901, and several smaller fundraising efforts, money was raised for a Revolutionary Boulder and tablet which was dedicated in June 1902 on Cohasset Commons. In 1903 a complete list of all cemetery inscriptions in the town was prepared for the New England Historical Genealogical Society. In April 1905 the Chapter sent a contribution for the Continental Hall Fund, in June a donation of a photograph of Turner's “Fighting Temeraire” to the seventh grade of the Osgood School Cohasset, in October, and proceeds from a fundraiser to the Paul Revere House Fund. Chapter field trips occurred in June to historically interesting places. In 1905, the Chapter had about 60 members, from Cohasset, Scituate, and surrounding areas. In 1906 seven members of the Chapter were descendants of Colonel Thomas Lothrop. The Chapter Regent at that time was Miss Eva E. Lawrence. Colonel Thomas Lothrop Chapter Twelve Charter Members:
Citations from the History of the Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution. December 1891 – December 1905. Boston, Massachusetts Citations from Constance W. Parker – Ex-Regent, Colonel Thomas Lothrop Chapter, 1977-1980 Cohasset Historical Society Archives, Colonel Thomas Lothrop Chapter Charter Members List OLD COLONY CHAPTER EARLY HISTORY Old Colony Chapter Hingham was organized very early in the history of the Daughters of American Revolution, in the beautiful old town of Hingham, Massachusetts distinguished for its services in the Revolutionary War. To this it sent 750 of its citizens, including the dear friend of Washington, Major-General Benjamin Lincoln, whose great-granddaughter was one of the charter members of the society, and whose fine old house is one of the valued substantial relics of the past of Hingham. Hingham’s Old Colony Chapter was founded on February 14, 1894. This was the third Chapter formed in Massachusetts, and as at first drew its members from Hingham and Cohasset, this section being known as the “Old Colony,” it took the honored title as its designation. It has never had a "Real Daughter" but had two granddaughters of revolutionary heroes, one of them Paul Revere among its members. Authorized by Mrs. Wallworth, Vice-President General of the National Society, and Mrs. Green, Acting State Regent of Massachusetts, the Chapter’s first meeting was called at the house of Mrs. James Henry Robbins, appointed to organize a Chapter by the National Society. There it organized on March 10, 1894, with 14 charter members. Mrs. Robbins, great-greatgranddaughter of General Israel Putnam, as originator of the movement, was accepted as Regent. The number of the Chapter was limited to 50 members besides the Regent, and this limit was not changed until 1905, when the By-Laws were amended, and it was raised to 60. The first 11 meetings, covering a year, were held at the house of the Regent, and many interesting historic documents, letters, journals, and family records were read, and addresses delivered on patriotic subjects. For some years Independence Day was celebrated by the Chapter with appropriate exercises and guests were invited. From eight to ten meetings a year were held annually, where business has been transacted and papers and documents of historic interest read. The earliest public service of the Chapter was a contribution to the fund for the Mary Washington Memorial, the first monument in the world erected to a woman by women. |
Subsequently, the Chapter contributed to the endowment fund by which the grave of the mother of Washington is to be forever cared for in a befitting manner. In 1894, earth from General Lincoln's grave was sent to the Sequoia Chapter of California, to help to plant a memorial tree.
The first gift of the Chapter to the National Society at Washington was a copy of the History of Hingham in four volumes, very valuable as a genealogical and historic record and gratefully accepted by the Association. Among its early resolutions was one appointing a committee to decorate the graves of soldiers on Memorial Day, and a wreath for the Soldiers Monument, and other flowers were annually sent by the Chapter to the cemeteries of Hingham. On July 4, 1894, the Chapter observed Independence Day at the grounds of the Hingham Polo Club, and in 1895, Independence Day was celebrated by an afternoon tea, accompanied by an exhibit of Colonial and Revolutionary relics at the house of Miss Susan B. Willard, then treasurer of the Chapter and later Chapter Regent, and founder and early benefactor of the Hingham Historical Society. In November of 1895, the Chapter purchased pictures for the two grammar schools of Hingham, as a reward for the five best compositions written by the pupils of each school on historic subjects, and to the Center School was awarded a framed engraving of Trumbull's “Battle of Bunker Hill,” and to the West School, another of the “Massacre of Wyoming.” In 1896, the Fourth of July was celebrated by a patriotic tea and an exhibition of Colonial and Revolutionary living pictures, and on September 19, 1896, the centennial of “Washington's Farewell to the People” was celebrated. In December 1896, the Old Colony Chapter voted to join the State Association of Chapters, making annual contributions for each of its members. Washington's Birthday was celebrated in 1897 by a Colonial Tea, with the committee of reception and many of the guests in the costume of the Revolutionary period. In April 1897, the 122nd Anniversary of the Battle of Concord and Lexington was celebrated; funds were raised towards the purchase of General Putnam's Wolf Den and were sent to the Elizabeth Porter Putnam Chapter, of Putnam, Connecticut. In response to the appeal of the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, which had promptly offered it services during the Spanish-American War, a committee was appointed to assist in procuring nurses for the hospitals of the Army and Navy. Of the 1000 trained women nurses provided for the government by the Daughters of the American Revolution Hospital Corps, 72 trained to the credit and honor of the Old Colony Chapter, through the dedicated work of its then Vice-Regent, Miss Sarah Whittimore Daggett. Miss Daggett continued her efforts with the Chapter throughout the war, sending supplies and relief wherever they seemed most needed. In recognition of her work, the National Board, Daughters of the American Revolution, presented her with a gold medal and she was invited to visit Washington as the guest of the War Department, and in 1899 she was elected State Regent of Massachusetts. In 1898, the Chapter served the Massachusetts Volunteer Aid Association. Supplies were sent to the Daughters of the American Revolution Hospital Corps, and the members offered support for the soldiers in the field and for the Hospital Ship. An emergency fund was raised by the Chapter, and money sent to the Daughters of the American Revolution Hospital Corps, and to the Massachusetts Volunteer Association, and numerous meetings were held to work for the soldiers and sailors. Magazines and books were sent to army posts. Donations were raised for the Spanish-AmericanWar Fund, the Tuskegee Institute, the Nantasket Reservation for the State, and a statue of Washington and Lafayette presented to the people of France by the women of America as well as volunteering and fundraising for other domestic and international causes. On October 5, 1899, the State Conference of the Daughters of the American Revolution met at the historic Old Meeting House in Hingham by invitation of the Old Colony Chapter. In the early 1900’s, the Chapter raised money and sent books to Guam on appeal from the first Governor of Guam, Captain Leary, U.S.N. A lecture on the “Education of Girls” was given in support of the fund for the education of Cuban teachers. Contributions were made to aid famine victims in India as well as the Perry Memorial Association in Japan. Contributions were sent for the monument in Arlington Cemetery, to honor the volunteer nurses who died in the Spanish-American War. Donations were made to the Continental Hall Fund in Washington, the preservation of the frigate “Constitution” in Boston, the Paul Revere Memorial Association to the purchase of his former dwelling and the purchase of the Dorothy Quincy House. In 1903 the Chapter presented a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence to the Hingham High School as well as raising funds marking the historic sites in the town. In 1904 members compiled a listing of cemetery inscriptions in three Hingham cemeteries for the Massachusetts Genealogical Society. Also in 1904, the Chapter published a book entitled “Hingham, A Story of early settlement and life, its ancient landmarks, its historic sites and buildings.” By March 1906, the twelfth year of Old Colony Chapter’s existence, it had held 108 regular meetings, beside the numerous public gatherings to which guests were invited. The organization had, during this time, and always united and peaceful, its officers have been appreciated and sustained, the work cordially and generously carried on. It has been earnest in good works, helpful to other Chapters, nobly generous in a great emergency. It has identified itself with the movements for the good of the community and the State, as well as for the nation and it's time of need. It has cherished and studied the history of its fathers, and is now engaged in collecting local annals of domestic and patriotic interest. It has been, and is constantly alive to the needs of the hour, as well as mindful of the past, and its members are always ready for any emergency which may arise and call for their helpful service. Old Colony Chapter Charter Members:
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Our Patriots or Our ActivitiesThis section can be used as a list of Chapter Patriots or a description of the activities that they chapter participates in.
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Chapter Officers
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Regent |
Vice regent |
Chaplain |
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