Anan Harmon Chapter NSDAR Chapter History
Anan Harmon Chapter was formally organized January 23, 1924, with Christine Johnson Whitlock as organizing regent. Founding member and prominent Glen Ellyn philanthropist and historian, Ada Douglas Harmon, was descended from Revolutionary War patriot Anan Harmon whose name was chosen for the chapter.
In the 1920s the chapter contributed three chairs to Constitution Hall. Metal labels were attached to the chairs acknowledging the donors. When the chairs were later replaced these labels were returned to our chapter archives.
On Flag Day June 14, 1925, Anan Harmon Chapter erected a bronze marker which was bolted on a large boulder taken from Busch Farm and placed at Stacey Park where Main Street, St. Charles Road, and Geneva Road converge. The inscription read, “1834 – Dedicated to the Memory of the Pioneers of the District.”
In 1929 Anan Harmon Chapter and other DuPage County chapters marked the 1834 Hobson’s Mill near Naperville, Illinois with a monument and bronze plaque.
A marker commemorating the site of the first log cabin of Deacon Winslow Churchill was erected on June 12, 1934. On that same day, five graves of Real Daughters of American Revolution patriots were marked: Mercy Dodge Churchill, Matilda Lyon Dodge, Roxana Ward Churchill, and Marana Ward Powers. The grave of another Real Daughter, Ruth Meacham Standish, was marked on August 24, 1957.
In 1966 the Anan Harmon Chapter contributed an elegant Sheffield silver tray to the Illinois Room section of the DAR Museum in Washington, D.C., in honor of Organizing Regent Whitlock.
In 1991 Anan Harmon Chapter helped the Glen Ellyn Historical Society's Stacy’s Tavern acquire a donation of an historic oil lamp and 19th century glassware originally used in the Mansion House Hotel in Glen Ellyn which was in operation until 1873. An 1854 New Testament, owned by the chapter, was formerly on display at the DuPage County Historical Museum, but now resides with the chapter historian. In 1993 the chapter contributed to the Veterans' Memorial erected in Lake Ellyn Park by local veterans’ groups. In 1997 the chapter donated Ada Douglas Harmon’s original oil painting of the Deacon Winslow Churchill's cabin to Stacy's Tavern. The cabin was built in 1854, the year Glen Ellyn was founded.
In 1999 the chapter’s 75th year, a history of the chapter was written by the Historian Beverly Snedden, and the Regent Ellen Stortz. It was subsequently published under the title Our 75 Years as a Chapter. The copyright for the book and the Library of Congress number assigned to it are under the umbrella of the Anan Harmon DAR Chapter name.
Anan Harmon Chapter received national recognition as a World War II Commemorative Community and presented a World War II Commemorative flag to the village president in October 1995. In 2001-2003, the chapter was designated a Korean War Commemorative Community and received a Korean War Commemoration flag, posters, books, and brochures from the U. S. Department of Defense for its many programs and observances of events commemorating the Korean War.
In 2002 the chapter sponsored and wrote a special service for thirty Korean veterans buried at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, who had been interred without a burial service. The same was done for another twenty veterans in 2004. The chapter awards Youth Citizenship medals to eighth grade students at three middle schools, provides copies of NSDAR American Spirit magazine to area libraries, and sponsors the selected DAR Good Citizens from four Glenbard high schools in the national contest. Anan Harmon Chapter annually recognizes all participants of the American History Essay Contest and honors winners at a chapter meeting. In 2006, the chapter’s eighth grade American History Essay winner won first place at the district level.
The chapter has on occasion applied for and obtained special national awards for worthy recipients. In the early 1990s, the NSDAR Conservation Medal was awarded to DuPage well-driller and Illinois Water Quality Board President Jack Sisson and the NSDAR Community Service Award was given to the fire chief in Glen Ellyn. In 2003, we promoted the DAR national “Women in American History” initiative with an award to Virginia Krehmer Less of Glen Ellyn. In 2005, the NSDAR Americanism Medal was awarded to naturalized citizen and community activist/volunteer, Moin “Moon” Khan, for his work in promoting a better understanding between the American and (East) Indian communities and between peoples of the Christian, Jewish, and Moslem faiths. In 2006, the DAR Community Service Award was presented to Sylvester Daniels, a grade school student in Villa Park, for alerting residents of his apartment complex as well as the fire department to a fire in his building, thereby saving lives and property. In 2008, the chapter awarded the National Conservation Medal to Dr. William Schewe, superintendent of School District 45 in DuPage County, for the conservation programs he introduced. The National DAR Historic Preservation Recognition Award was presented to Linda Gilbert in 2012, for her work in preventing the destruction of historically significant buildings. That year also saw the chapter presenting Garry and Margaret Babbit with the DAR Conservation Medal for their many hours of volunteer work at the Willowbrook Wildlife Haven. In addition, Robert Kent was presented with the DAR National Community Service Award for planning over 29 Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances.
Anan Harmon Chapter presented the Illinois State Organization with a flag of the United States of America which had previous flown over the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. On June 18, 2011, this flag, as part of the State Regent’s Project, was permanently dedicated with the statue honoring women veterans at the C. E. Brehm Memorial Library in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. Also, during this year, the chapter sponsored the Illinois State Outstanding Junior Member, Elizabeth Bielenberg Hage.
On January 26, 2013, Anan Harmon saw the reorganization of it's Mary Chilton Society Children of the American Revolution.
Anan Harmon Chapter was formally organized January 23, 1924, with Christine Johnson Whitlock as organizing regent. Founding member and prominent Glen Ellyn philanthropist and historian, Ada Douglas Harmon, was descended from Revolutionary War patriot Anan Harmon whose name was chosen for the chapter.
In the 1920s the chapter contributed three chairs to Constitution Hall. Metal labels were attached to the chairs acknowledging the donors. When the chairs were later replaced these labels were returned to our chapter archives.
On Flag Day June 14, 1925, Anan Harmon Chapter erected a bronze marker which was bolted on a large boulder taken from Busch Farm and placed at Stacey Park where Main Street, St. Charles Road, and Geneva Road converge. The inscription read, “1834 – Dedicated to the Memory of the Pioneers of the District.”
In 1929 Anan Harmon Chapter and other DuPage County chapters marked the 1834 Hobson’s Mill near Naperville, Illinois with a monument and bronze plaque.
A marker commemorating the site of the first log cabin of Deacon Winslow Churchill was erected on June 12, 1934. On that same day, five graves of Real Daughters of American Revolution patriots were marked: Mercy Dodge Churchill, Matilda Lyon Dodge, Roxana Ward Churchill, and Marana Ward Powers. The grave of another Real Daughter, Ruth Meacham Standish, was marked on August 24, 1957.
In 1966 the Anan Harmon Chapter contributed an elegant Sheffield silver tray to the Illinois Room section of the DAR Museum in Washington, D.C., in honor of Organizing Regent Whitlock.
In 1991 Anan Harmon Chapter helped the Glen Ellyn Historical Society's Stacy’s Tavern acquire a donation of an historic oil lamp and 19th century glassware originally used in the Mansion House Hotel in Glen Ellyn which was in operation until 1873. An 1854 New Testament, owned by the chapter, was formerly on display at the DuPage County Historical Museum, but now resides with the chapter historian. In 1993 the chapter contributed to the Veterans' Memorial erected in Lake Ellyn Park by local veterans’ groups. In 1997 the chapter donated Ada Douglas Harmon’s original oil painting of the Deacon Winslow Churchill's cabin to Stacy's Tavern. The cabin was built in 1854, the year Glen Ellyn was founded.
In 1999 the chapter’s 75th year, a history of the chapter was written by the Historian Beverly Snedden, and the Regent Ellen Stortz. It was subsequently published under the title Our 75 Years as a Chapter. The copyright for the book and the Library of Congress number assigned to it are under the umbrella of the Anan Harmon DAR Chapter name.
Anan Harmon Chapter received national recognition as a World War II Commemorative Community and presented a World War II Commemorative flag to the village president in October 1995. In 2001-2003, the chapter was designated a Korean War Commemorative Community and received a Korean War Commemoration flag, posters, books, and brochures from the U. S. Department of Defense for its many programs and observances of events commemorating the Korean War.
In 2002 the chapter sponsored and wrote a special service for thirty Korean veterans buried at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, who had been interred without a burial service. The same was done for another twenty veterans in 2004. The chapter awards Youth Citizenship medals to eighth grade students at three middle schools, provides copies of NSDAR American Spirit magazine to area libraries, and sponsors the selected DAR Good Citizens from four Glenbard high schools in the national contest. Anan Harmon Chapter annually recognizes all participants of the American History Essay Contest and honors winners at a chapter meeting. In 2006, the chapter’s eighth grade American History Essay winner won first place at the district level.
The chapter has on occasion applied for and obtained special national awards for worthy recipients. In the early 1990s, the NSDAR Conservation Medal was awarded to DuPage well-driller and Illinois Water Quality Board President Jack Sisson and the NSDAR Community Service Award was given to the fire chief in Glen Ellyn. In 2003, we promoted the DAR national “Women in American History” initiative with an award to Virginia Krehmer Less of Glen Ellyn. In 2005, the NSDAR Americanism Medal was awarded to naturalized citizen and community activist/volunteer, Moin “Moon” Khan, for his work in promoting a better understanding between the American and (East) Indian communities and between peoples of the Christian, Jewish, and Moslem faiths. In 2006, the DAR Community Service Award was presented to Sylvester Daniels, a grade school student in Villa Park, for alerting residents of his apartment complex as well as the fire department to a fire in his building, thereby saving lives and property. In 2008, the chapter awarded the National Conservation Medal to Dr. William Schewe, superintendent of School District 45 in DuPage County, for the conservation programs he introduced. The National DAR Historic Preservation Recognition Award was presented to Linda Gilbert in 2012, for her work in preventing the destruction of historically significant buildings. That year also saw the chapter presenting Garry and Margaret Babbit with the DAR Conservation Medal for their many hours of volunteer work at the Willowbrook Wildlife Haven. In addition, Robert Kent was presented with the DAR National Community Service Award for planning over 29 Memorial Day and Veterans Day observances.
Anan Harmon Chapter presented the Illinois State Organization with a flag of the United States of America which had previous flown over the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. On June 18, 2011, this flag, as part of the State Regent’s Project, was permanently dedicated with the statue honoring women veterans at the C. E. Brehm Memorial Library in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. Also, during this year, the chapter sponsored the Illinois State Outstanding Junior Member, Elizabeth Bielenberg Hage.
On January 26, 2013, Anan Harmon saw the reorganization of it's Mary Chilton Society Children of the American Revolution.
