Members of the Ska-Hase-Ga-O DAR Chapter created birthday kits to donate to the Lima Food Pantry. Photo by Stephanie Dempsey
The Ska-Hase-Ga-O Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) chapter from Lima, NY recently celebrated its 114th anniversary. The history of the chapter began back in January 1908, when women in Lima interested in forming a chapter met and organized. The members chose to name their chapter Ska-Hase-Ga-O in honor and respect of the Native American tribe which had once occupied the Lima area. Ska-Hase-Ga-O means ”It was once a long creek”. On November 11, 1908, the chapter was officially recorded with the National DAR organization.
The DAR is a linage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from men and women who aided in the cause of the American Revolution, also known as Patriots. Patriots were those who served as soldiers, signed petitions, furnished supplies, served as doctors and nurses, were prisoners of war, ministers, members of the Boston Tea Party and even wives who offered aid at the encampments. Any women 18 years of older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership.
The Ska-Hase-Ga-O has been an active part of its community since its founding in 1908. Examples of the chapter’s activities include donating books to help establish the first Lima public library in 1909, serving dinners to Civil War veterans on Memorial Day in 1911, donating artifacts to help establish the Tennie Burton Museum in Lima, sponsoring a yearly Good Citizen Essay contest in Livingston County for High School Seniors as well as, creating a yearly Veterans Flag display in front of the Veterans Memorial in Lima. Recently, in honor of the chapter’s anniversary, members donated items to create birthday kits to donate to the Lima Food Pantry.
Today, the Ska-Hase-Ga-O chapter is currently the only active chapter still in existence in Livingston County.
For information about the DAR or the Ska-Hase-Ga-O chapter, please visit www.facebook.com/skahasegaoDAR/ or send your inquires to skahasegao@gmail.com.
