A Guide to the Margaret Lynn Lewis Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution Collection

A Guide to the Margaret Lynn Lewis Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution Collection

The Margaret Lynn Lewis chapter of the DAR was organized in Roanoke in 1894 by Lelia Smith Cocke (Mrs. Lucian H. Cocke), who was its first regent (chapter leader). The chapter was named after Margaret Lynn Lewis, who emigrated from Scotland to near Staunton, Virginia, in 1832 with her husband John Lewis. They were the parents of Revolutionary War General Andrew Lewis.

DAR Members must have a documented ancestor who aided in the effort for American Independence. The purpose of the organization is to preserve and memorialize the history of men and women who were active in the effort of obtaining American Independence and to promote education regarding American history and citizenship. The Margaret Lynn Lewis Chapter donated time and money to a wide variety of efforts that furthered these goals. For several decades they sponsored a Good Citizen award to a local high school student. They also erected local monuments to memorialize patriotic causes and individuals.

Chapter members of note include Sarah Johnson Cocke (the second Mrs. Lucian H. Cocke) who, when she lived in Georgia, was a national charter member and one of the first vice-presidents general of the national DAR. Sally Smith Rowbotham (Mrs. Arthur Rowbotham) served as state regent and national vice-president of the DAR in the 1930s (though she had moved to Altavista, VA at that time). Willie Walker Caldwell (Mrs. Manley M. Caldwell), author and writer for The Roanoke Times, was a Republican national committee member. Several members were founders of the Roanoke Civic Betterment Club.
This collection includes scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, photographs, and other memorabilia amassed by members of the Margaret Lynn Lewis Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Items document the activities of the local, state, and national DAR, as well as colonial and local history. Coverage of the chapter’s founding through the 1960s is limited. Materials created prior to the 1970s suffered water damage; there is reference in later documents to the flooding of a bank vault in November 1985 that affected the chapter’s memorabilia trunk. Only portions of early scrapbooks were salvaged and included in the donated items. These and some later items showed signs of mold; once digital copies were made of them, they were discarded. Digital copies were also made of later scrapbooks to document page order and item placement; these were then disassembled to remove newsprint and protect photographs.

Margaret Lynn Lewis Chapter members

Roanoke Public Libraries

No known restrictions. Virginia Room copy fees apply.

pdf

Text

MargaretLynnLewisDARCollection