Illinois Society U.S. Daughters of 1812

elcome to the Illinois Society United States Daughters of 1812. Our national society was organized on January 8, 1892 on the anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans. Our goals are:

to promote patriotism;
to preserve and increase knowledge of the history of the American people by preserving documents and treasures;
to mark historic locations;
to record family histories and traditions;
to celebrate patriotic anniversaries;
and to remind citizens of the heroic deeds of those who moulded our government between the close of the American Revolution and the close of the War of 1812.

This is an exciting time to become a member of our society as we have just finished commemorating the bicentennial of the War of 1812 and interest in our organization is high. Look for us around the state of Illinois as we mark the graves of patriots, and participate in other historic events. A brochure with additional information about our national society is available here.

If you believe in the goals of our society, perhaps you would like to join us. In order to become a member, you must be able to prove lineal descent from an ancestor who rendered military, naval or civil service between the close of the American Revolutionary War in 1783 and the close of the War of 1812 in 1815. Military service may be in any one of sixteen recognized engagements between those dates. You can download a membership worksheet here.

Members of the Kaskaskia Chapter participated in a dedication ceremony for a fence surrounding the grave of Captain Benjamin Godfrey, War of 1812 veteran and founder of Godfrey, Illinois on October 21, 2018. The chapter donated to the project. The ceremony was sponsored by the Ninian Edwards Chapter, DAR. Attending the ceremony was State President Leah Beckhoff.

Honorary State President Lola DeGroff (right) installed the new officers able to attend. L-R, Leah Beckhoff, State President and Kathryn Zimmerman,.

Speaker 2018

Susan McPeters and Kathy Elliott present the program.

attendees 2018

Alice Cripe, Dorothy Albert, Virginia Rinehart, Marie Boedecker, Paul Dorocke, Mr. Elliott

Attendees 2018

Jone VanWinkle, Betty Ruth Hoellerich, Patricia Hopkins-Price, Honorary State President Carole Wylder,
Honorary State President Lola DeGroff, Jim DeGroff, Linda Wasem

Attendees 2018

Nancy Sheppard, Linda Williams, Christine Henderson

Head table

Outgoing State Registrar Joy Upton, speaker Kathy Elliott, and outgoing State Chaplain Leah Beckhoff

Head table

Outgoing State Secretary Kathy Zimmerman, speaker Susan McPeters, Sangamon River Chapter President Lynda Kerstein

Illinois Society N.S.U.S.D. 1812 held their annual meeting March 24, 2018 in Springfield, Illinois. Sangamon River Chapter
was the hostess chapter for this year’s meeting. Unfortunately there were many unable to attend at the last minute due to
inclement weather; including State President Kimberly Nagy. The program was “Forgotten Illinois: The Battle of Campbell’s
Island During the War of 1812 and the Monument Commemorating the Event” by Susan McPeters and Kathy Elliott.
Congratulations to Leah Beckhoff the new state president.

State President Kim Nagy presides over the 2017 State Council held at the Grace Lutheran Church in Springfield on March 11th. Kaskaskia Chapter was the hostess chapter.

Mary Truitt from the Illinois National Road Association of Illinois presented the program on the National Road.

Left - Dale Phillips, Superintendent of the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, gave an excellent program on the Battle of New Orleans at the state council meeting on March 28, 2015 in Springfield, IL. Right - newly installed state officers:: (left to right) Susan Dove, Chaplain; Kathy Zimmerman, Secretary; Rose Wilson, Curator; Kathleen Haas, Historian/Librarian; Teri-Ellen Rogers, Treasurer; Mary Barringer, Vice President; and Dr. Kimberly Nagy, President. Not present was Joy Upton, Registrar.

State President Lola DeGroff with President National Ginger Apyer during the National Society of the War f 1812 Triennial meeting in Baltimore, MD in September 2014. The President National dedicated the cannon which was purchased by the USD1812 for Fort McHenry.

March 29, 2014 state meeting in Springfield, IL.
(L) State President Lola DeGroff thanks author Eddie Price for presenting a wonderful program about the soldiers of Kentucky during the War of 1812. Price is the prize winning author of Widder's Landing. (R) Julie Worthen, president of the Kaskaskia Chapter, presents a Spirit of 1812 award to Jim DeGroff.

John Kinzie Chapter President Kim Nagy, State Historian Kathleen Haas, and State President Lola DeGroff presented a program at the First Annual Illinois Heritage Weekend in East Peoria, Illinois on September 28, 2013.

Charles Schweizer - spirit of 1812 award

Congratulations to Charles B. Schweizer who received the Spirit of 1812 award during the state council held in Bloomington, Illinois on March 2, 2013. He was nominated by the Kaskaskia Chapter. Behind him is State President Lola DeGroff and his daughter and son-in-law.

Dolley Madison (aka Barbara Kay)

Honorary State President Kathy Haas spoke at the Battle of Fort Dearborn
Commemoration Day at the Chicago History Museum on August 11, 2012

Illinois USD1812 members at Ninian Edwards marking

A historical marker was dedicated at the grave of Ninian Edwards on June 23, 2012, at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois. Congratulations to the Sangamon River Chapter who worked hard to make the ceremony a success.

During the state meeting in Springfield on March 10, 2011, State President Carole Wylder presented the Spirit of 1812 Award to William (Bill) Wilson. Mr. Wilson is an avid scholar of the War of 1812 era. He was the catalyst in the reconstruction of Hill's Fort in Greenville. He has authored books on Illinois forts and is a sought-after speaker about events of that era. Wilson serves as Chairman of the Illinois War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, president of the Hill's Fort Society. He is a member of the Illinois Society of the War of 1812.

At an event held at historic Pere Marquette in Grafton, Illinois on July 24, 2011, Carole Clements Wylder,
State President, tells those attending about the goals of the USD1812 in Illinois.

The U.S.D. of 1812 Insignia is the property of and is copyrighted by the National Society of the United States Daughters of 1812. Authorization must be received by the National Society.

Web hyperlinks to non-U.S.D. of 1812 sites are not the responsibility of the N.S.U.S.D. of 1812, the state societies, or individual U.S.D. of 1812 chapters

Website developed by webmaster on September 30, 2010.
Last update February 2, 2019

Illinois Society
United States Daughters of 1812

Our Motto

"Liberty, Fraternity and Unity"