Photos
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L to R: Front Row: Adele Irving, Regent of Beacon Fire Chapter of DAR; Katherine Bowers, State Historian; Rita Kline, Honorary State Regent; Janice Bongiovanni, New Jersey State Chaplin; Back Row: Jeff Ebert, Senior Pastor of New Providence Presbyterian Church; John Bale, President of New Providence Historical Society Credits: Linda Kale
New Providence's Phoebe Doty Hedges Honored by the Beacon Fire Chapter of the DAR
Tuesday, September 25, 2012 • 7:44pm
NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ - An intimate dedication ceremony was held on September 21, 2012 to honor a Real Daughter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Phoebe Doty Hedges of New Providence.
Coordinated by Second Vice Regent, Beacon Fire Chapter, Cindy Sullivan, the ceremony at the New Providence Presbyterian Church honored Hedges as one of 17 in New Jersey and one of only 767 Real Daughters in the country.
A Real Daughter is defined as a daughter of an American soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War. A bronze plaque was placed upon Doty's grave in recognition of her status.
“Our goal is to get all of these women recognized,” said Sullivan.
There were about 20 people at the Real Daughter Marker Ceremony including dignitaries and key members of the Beacon Fire Chapter and the New Jersey DAR State Chapter. Attendees included Ms. Rita Kline, the New Jersey State Ex-Regent, Ms. Katherine Bowers, State Historian, and Ms. Janice Bongiovanni, State Chaplain.
Hedges was the daughter of Minuteman James Doty, and wife to Edward Hedges. Hedges had four ancestors that were part of the DAR, one, Mildred Doty Theberath, still living. Theberath was said to have been a member of the Beacon Fire Chapter of the DAR from December 1922 until November 1923.
Sullivan said the process is quite lengthy in honoring a Real Daughter. First, the sponsoring DAR chapter must locate the grave of a Real Daughter. Second, they must show proof of her lineage as a daughter of an American Revolutionary soldier. This proof is then forwarded to the national DAR historian's office in Washington, D.C. for verification and approval. Once approval is received the sponsoring DAR chapter may progress to a dedication ceremony.
According to the DAR’s website, any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution, is eligible for membership.
DAR was founded in 1890, is headquartered in Washingon, D.C., and is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women’s service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America’s future through better education for children.
