John B. Denton, NSDAR

03/24/2026

Our next Gravestone Cleaning Workshop is this Saturday, March 28 at 9:00 a.m. at Oak Lawn Cemetery, 465 Cemetery Rd. Decatur, TX 76234, and you are invited!

So far, we have 20 adults and one child signed up. This is a great turnout for us! Some are local community members, and we will also have Daughters visiting us from Captain Nathaniel Mills in Hurst, Mary Isham Keith in Fort Worth, and John Abston in McKinney.

I attached the flyer in case you want to invite anyone else. RSVPs are not mandatory, but we do like to get a headcount: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044EA4A92DA4FEC52-61919277-gravestone. The weather is supposed to be beautiful, and this is a hands-on workshop, so wear your comfy clothes and sneakers (no sandals) and come on out this Saturday! If your family/friends can join us, we'd love to see them as well.

02/23/2026

As one of our Cherry Blossom Chapter activities, Jennifer McSpadden, Regent, presented an online program, "Death in Colonial and Early America" on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. This program fulfilled the requirements for an activity involving multiple chapters, as well as an activity for members who cannot attend meetings.

Participants explored the courage that shaped our nation through colonial hardships, soldiers’ sacrifices, and the Founding Fathers' views on death, all recounted through a blend of data and storytelling. The 45-minute program included a short video on archaeological finds in Jamestown, Virginia along with a pop quiz at the end of the presentation.

At least 66 Daughters from across the state attended. Because some chapters participated through shared screens in group viewings, total individual participation may have exceeded the recorded attendance. 32 chapters were represented, and 7 participants stated that they were unable to attend their local chapter meetings, confirming that virtual programs expand engagement for Daughters.

02/12/2026

Cheers to our French allies, and happy 250th, America!

01/24/2026

We are so proud of our members who do so much to serve our community. Barbara West McSpadden Amy Pegues

12/26/2025

12/13/2025

Wreaths Across America is TODAY and you are invited! The ceremony is at Wise County Veterans Park at 405 N. Trinity St., Decatur, TX at 11:00.

Please attend the ceremony and following the ceremony we break out to the cemeteries. Once the location coordinators get back to their cemeteries from attending the ceremony, wreaths will then be placed. No wreaths placement will happen until location coordinators arrive at their cemeteries. So, if you are wanting to go directly to one of our five cemeteries to help place the wreaths, please arrive around 11:30 -11:45 am Saturday, December 13, 2025.

Locations to choose from for wreath placement is below:

Aurora Cemetery: 507 Cemetery Rd, Aurora, TX 76078
Oak Lawn Cemetery: 465 Cemetery Rd, Decatur, TX 76234
Paradise Cemetery: Pecan Street, Paradise, Texas 76073
Pleasant Grove #01 Cemetery: 4789 S FM 730, Decatur, TX 76234
Sweetwater Church: 104 Private Rd 2312, Decatur, TX 76234

We will need volunteers at 9 am at the Oaklawn Cemetery to move 52 40lb wreath boxes from a trailer to the pavilion.

We have over 1,400 wreaths to place, so volunteers are welcome. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Smith at johnbdentonwaa@gmail.com

12/11/2025

We got our wreaths today! Thank you to all the volunteers that showed up to transfer the wreaths from our US foods tractor trailer to our designated location coordinators for our five Cemeteries that we are sponsoring wreaths at this year. Our driver for US foods was Russell Reynolds again this year. He is such a blessing. A veteran, thank you for your service, sir. He’s a driver with US foods to deliver our wreaths safely from Maine to Texas.
Please join us on Wreaths Across America day this Saturday, December 13 at 11 AM. We will have a ceremony at the Wise Veterans Park in Decatur, Texas and following the ceremony we will be putting the wreaths on locally buried Veterans graves at five Wise County cemeteries. Aurora Cemetery, Oaklawn Cemetery, Paradise Cemetery, Pleasant Grove One Cemetery, and Sweetwater Cemetery.

11/18/2025

This week as the documentary airs on PBS and we reflect on the extraordinary men and women who shaped our nation, I invite you to share your own genealogical journey. How did you discover you were a descendant of a Revolutionary War Patriot? What inspired you to join ? Your stories connect us all and remind us that history lives through every generation.
If you haven’t yet uncovered your own connection to the founding of America, there’s no better time to begin!

Start your journey of discovery at www.dar.org/DiscoverYourFamilyStory.
Current DAR members, please share this link with anyone who may be interested in embarking on their own genealogical journeys!

On the national level and in local communities, DAR collaborates with a variety of others to spread awareness of common objectives.

10/13/2025

DAR proudly joins our nation in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States Navy! Established on October 13, 1775, the U.S. Navy has safeguarded our freedoms, protected our shores, and exemplified courage, honor, and commitment for two and a half centuries.

As part of the DAR’s ongoing efforts to celebrate the upcoming Semiquincentennial of the the United States, we are honored to support the Homecoming 250 Navy Marine Corps initiative—commemorating the founding and proud traditions of our nation’s great military institutions that played a pivotal role in securing American independence.

DAR was proud to contribute $250k in 2023 to support this effort, that honors the service and sacrifice of those who have defended our nation for 250 years. Read the press release here: https://www.dar.org/national-society/media-center/news-releases/daughters-american-revolution-donates-250000-homecoming

Fair winds and following seas to the men and women of the United States Navy!

09/06/2025

Attending Fall Forum - our triple crown ladies-
Regent -Jennifer McSpadden
Member-Kathy Silvey

Our graduates today for Committee Leaders Course
Secretary -Dana Manoushagian
Registrar- Kathy Nobles

09/06/2025

Fun at Fall Forum in Austin
Regent-Jennifer McSpadden
Vice Regent-Mary Smith
Secretary-Dana Manoushagian
Registrar-Kathy Nobles
Parliamentarian-Leia Hatzenbihler
Members- Barbara McSpadden, Amy Pegues, Kathy Silvey

05/26/2025

On this Memorial Day, we pause to honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. Their courage will never be forgotten.