Linares Chapter, NSDAR

San Diego, California

Welcome

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR or DAR) was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. The DAR is a non-profit, non-political, volunteer women’s service organization — the largest in the United States. Any woman 18 years or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove direct lineal descent from a Patriot of the American Revolutionary War, is eligible for membership. Our work focuses on three core areas: patriotism, historic preservation, and education.

The Linares Chapter is very active in the San Diego area. We have a monthly luncheon meeting, held September through June, with a program that supports our National Society’s mission and our chapter’s emphasis on service to our community. As a chapter, we sponsor and participate in several patriotic events throughout the county and are dedicated to supporting our veterans and active-duty military.

If you are looking for a sense of community and service, you are in the right place! If you are not sure if you descend from a Patriot, contact us and we can help you with free look-ups in the DAR’s Genealogical Research System.

Chapter Culture

Our members are a diverse group of women of all ages, with varied backgrounds, talents, and professional experiences who are direct descendants of American Revolutionary War Patriots. We are part of District XIV, which encompasses eleven different chapters in San Diego and Imperial counties. We feel what distinguishes our chapter is that we truly enjoy one another’s company, respect one another, and have loads of fun, all while promoting our National Society’s objectives. We have a variety of committees you can be involved in — Lineage Research, Community Classroom, DAR Service for Veterans, American History, and Conservation — so there is something for everyone.

Linares Chapter, NSDAR, members are quite active in supporting the San Diego community:

• We work with local schools to promote DAR Scholarship contests, American History essay contests, Junior ROTC, and DAR Good Citizens awards.
• We regularly support our veterans and active-duty military through donation drives and events held at the Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals and the Chula Vista Veteran’s Home, and participate in Wreaths Across America annually.
• We commemorate historic events, such as celebrations for Flag Day, the Spirit of ’45, and Honor Flight.

Chapter History

On September 30, 1934, twelve Daughters met to form a new DAR chapter, with Nellie Conger Stewart appointed as the founding regent. The program that day focused on the 1775–1776 expedition of 240 men, women, children, and soldiers from the state of Sinaloa, led by Lieutenant Colonel Juan Bautista de Anza, to establish an overland route from Monterrey, Mexico, to San Francisco, California.

The trek took the group through eastern San Diego County, following Coyote Creek (now called Borrego Springs), which bubbled from the ground and descended from Coyote Canyon. On Christmas Eve, the weary travelers camped in the Native American village of Lower Willows, currently known as Santa Caterina. It was during this stop that a baby boy was born to Maria Gertrudis Rivas, wife of Ignacio Linares, one of de Anza’s thirty-eight soldiers. The next day, the priest who documented the group’s trip, Father Pedro Font, baptized little Salvador Ignacio Linares, believed to be the first child born to non-natives in California. A few miles from this location, near Upper Willows, is the monument commemorating his birth.

Isabella V. Churchill, the chapter’s second regent, made a motion to call the chapter “Anza De Coronado.” Over the first several years, there were votes for various chapter names, including “Juan Bautista de Anza” and “Linares de Coronado.” In 1942, the permanent name of “Linares” was finally chosen. In April 2008, the San Miguel Chapter, NSDAR, merged with the Linares Chapter, NSDAR.

The San Miguel Chapter, NSDAR, was organized on February 27, 1928. The chapter name was taken from the mountain just behind the Sweetwater Valley in San Diego County, Mount San Miguel. This chapter was the first county unit of the DAR outside of the City of San Diego and was organized with sixteen members.

2024 - 2026 Chapter Board