Ancestors Spark Daughters' Patriotism

About 100 members of a local group can boast of a family heritage that is as old as the United States.

Nancy Ranck is one of them.

She traces part of her heritage to an officer who served at Valley Forge, Penn. where the American Continental Army camped during a harsh winter of 1777-78, Ranck said. Pennsylvania Brigade Capt. James McDowell lived in Chester County, Penn., which is close to Valley Forge.

About 230 years later, McDowell's descendant and fellow "daughters" like her gathered to remember their Revolutionary War ancestors who founded a new nation, and celebrate the U.S. Constitution.

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), which was founded 118 years ago, petitioned Congress to set aside Sept. 17-23 annually to be dedicated for the observance of Constitution Week.

Monday, Ranck and fellow DAR members, along with Sebring Mayor George Hensley, celebrated Constitution Week.

"The forefathers who penned this wonderful Constitution that we operate under - what foresight they had to establish what this nation would be and continue to be," Hensley said.

Women who have an ancestor who fought in or supported the American Revolution are eligible to join the DAR.

"To be a prospective member it means we believe we can trace your relatives to an ancestor who fought in the American Revolution," said Patriots (Highlands) Chapter Regent Joyce Holmes. The ancestor could also be a man or woman who provided food or medical attention to the soldiers.

Those who came to the aide of this county during the Revolutionary War were not all from a similar background, she noted.

"We are a group that is multicultural with a lot of people from around the world," Holmes said. "When you see us gather at national meetings it's a very multicultural group of people - not just Europeans."

Monday, a 12-year-old filled in for Founding Father Ben Franklin.

Jacob Howell, an Avon Park Middle School sixth-grader, donned his Halloween costume from 2007 when he trick-or-treated as George Washington. Wearing spectacles added to the Franklin look.

As Franklin, Howell said, "I am best known for contributing to the formation of the United States, representing the country abroad, experimenting with electricity and developing inventions,"

At www.dar.org, one can check the DAR Patriot Index, which contains names of Revolutionary patriots, both men and women, whose service (between 1775 and 1783) has been established by the National Society of the DAR.