Ketoctin Chapter, NSDAR is located in Loudoun County, Virginia.  The chapter was organized on April 5, 1950, with twelve organizing members to preserve our American heritage, patriotism, and love of country.  Over the years, the Ketoctin Chapter, NSDAR has flourished and now has over 200 members.  Our chapter is named in honor of Ketoctin Church near Round Hill, Virginia; where the pastor, John Marks, was instrumental in Loudoun County during the American Revolution.  Marks furnished the largest number of soldiers to Washington’s Army out of any county in Virginia for the American Revolution.  Since the 1700s, Ketoctin has been spelled a variety of ways.  It is believed the name was derived from the same Native American word as the nearby Catoctin Creek and Catoctin Mountains, meaning “ancient wooded hill.”

Ketoctin Chapter, NSDAR is now one of 3000 chapters of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR).  Our chapter actively conducts many events throughout the year, including regularly scheduled meetings September through May, special events, and field trips.  Ketoctin Chapter, NSDAR sponsors the Reverend John Marks Society (C.A.R.).  Our Ketoctin Chapter, NSDAR supports many service projects that include scholarships, awards, grave markings, recognition awards, veterans, and other patriotic activities.

Virginia DAR

The Ketoctin Chapter, NSDAR is part of the Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution (VADAR), which is made up of 130 chapters in nine districts with about 9,000 members. The Ketoctin Chapter, NSDAR is only one of two chapters located in Loudoun County.  Visit Virginia DAR on Facebook.

The Virginia DAR supports five historic properties significant to the American Revolution:

Historic Smithfield in Blacksburg, VA—build in 1773, was the home of Revolutionary War patriot Colonel William Preston, who’s descendants include four Virginia Governors.

Kenmore in Fredericksburg, VA—built by George Washington’s sister, Betty and her husband Fielding Lewis.

Stratford Hall in Stratford, VA—home of Richard Henry & Francis Lightfoot Lee, the only brothers to sign the Declaration of Independence.

Woodlawn Plantation in Alexandria, VA—given by George & Martha Washington as a wedding gift to Nell Custis and Lawrence Lewis.

Yorktown Custom House in Yorktown, VA—built around 1720 by Richard Ambler, the first Collector of Customs for the York River District.

National Society DAR

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was organized on October 11, 1890, and incorporated in 1896 by an Act of Congress.  The main headquarters is in Washington, D.C.  The founding members were Mary Smith Lockwood, Eugenia Washington, Ellen Hardin Walworth, and Mary Desha.  NSDAR is a non-profit service organization for women who are directly descended from an ancestor who aided in the American Revolution.

NSDAR is a group of women dedicated to promoting historic preservation, patriotism, and education.  NSDAR members volunteer in our local communities and contribute thousands of dollars in scholarships and funds each year for students, including more than a million dollars in support of schools that provide for special student needs.  NSDAR members volunteer to support our active military, our veteran patients in the Veteran Administration Hospitals, and programs supporting the US Constitution.  To date, more than 1 million women have joined since NSDAR was founded 130 years ago.

NSDAR is one of the most inclusive genealogical societies in the country, with approximately 185,000 members in 3000 chapters across the United States and internationally.  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. Visit NSDAR on Facebook.