The National Society of the DAR was but six years old when, in 1896, a group of prominent club women met at the home of Mrs. Stephen Van Cullen White to form a Brooklyn chapter of the DAR. The objects of the formation of the chapter were to promote the erection of a suitable memorial to the memory of martyrs, civilian, military and naval, who perished in the noisome prison ships anchored in the Wallabout Bay, during the Revolutionary War and help the building of Continental Hall in Washington, D.C.

Mrs White was made chairman of the meeting and the first Regent of the new chapter. As soon as she had procured the charter from Mrs. Benjamin G. Harrison, the President General of the national society, Mrs. White resigned from the regency in favor of Mrs. Henry Earle, so that she, in collaboration with her husband, the Honorable Stephen V. White, could devote her entire time to the memorial committee of which she was made chairman of the women’s activities.

Soon after the founding of the Fort Greene Chapter the children of the members were organized into an enthusiastic, growing chapter of the Children of the American Revolution and called themselves, “Little Men and Women of ‘76’, Mrs. John Van Buren Thayer was one of its leading proponents. By 1900 those children had grown into young men and young women. The young women formed a new chapter of the DAR calling the chapter “Women of ‘76’, and in 1906, to accommodate business women who could not attend through the week, the Battle Pass Chapter was formed and met on Saturdays. Thus did the parent chapter provide two other chapters in Brooklyn for the NSDAR.

In 1908 the great shaft, designed by McKim, Mead and White and erected on the hill in Fort Greene Park, up from the crypt containing the remains of the Prison Ship Martyrs, was dedicated by President William Howard Taft. Fort Greene had contributed $10,000 of the $105,000 collected by friends of the project and the Federal Government.

Later, in the newly erected Continental Hall, Fort Green contributed a beautiful spiral staircase to the Memory of Eliza Chandler White, the prime worker of Brooklyn for the war memorial. Eight members also gave memorial chairs costing $150 each, in memory of loved ones.

Support of our approved schools play an important part in our endeavors by contributing clothing and scholarship money to children of Tamassee and Crossmore Fort Greene has had a special interest in for steering devotion to our country among school children, a yearly feature of which was the sponsoring of an essay contest on “What the Flag of the USA Means to Me”. The prize was a $50 US Government Bond given by our member, Mrs. Joseph W. Phair, until her death in 1967.

During the Regency of Miss Julia Ring, many handsomely embroidered silk regimental size flags were given by members as memorials to loved ones in WWI. This of $30,000. Included is Washington’s Naval Flag, pine Tree etc. Recently the flags were transferred to Fraunces Tavern.

The Dutch Revolutionary dwelling, known as Lefferts Homestead, now resting within the confines of Prospect Park, near the Willinki entrance, is sponsored by the Fort Greene Chapter. The valuable and interesting Americana, including a large collection of old Dutch Bibles, that forms a museum is open ot the public Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, from one to five P.M. and is insured by the Park Dept.

During the two World Wars Fort Greene subscribed over $1,000,000 in bonds and gave more than their quota to radios, mobile kitchens, ambulances and amphibian boats.

All these activities are in accordance with the aims of the national society “to perpetuate the memory and spirit of the men and women who achieved American independence.” With the national society we cherish, maintain and extend the institution of American Freedom. We aim to foster through medals for good citizenship in the public schools and the dissemination of literature on the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence patriotism and love of these United States of America. We hope that our program of Americanism will aid in securing for all mankind the blessings of liberty and peace.