State’s newest Daughters of the American Revolution chapter holds inaugural meeting

GREENWOOD, SC – The Issaqueena Chapter, NSDAR, recently held its inaugural meeting as the newest chapter of the South Carolina State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (SCDAR).

Organized in March, the chapter is named for Issaqueena, a Native American Indian whose story is steeped in the history and folklore of Upstate South Carolina. The legend begins with an infant born into a Choctaw or Creek Indian tribe sometime in the mid-1700s. She was given the birth name Issaqueena, but her name was changed to Cateechee when she was later captured by the Cherokee.

Forced to live with the Cherokee in the Keowee Indian Village, Issaqueena was a slave to the chief, Kuruga. While captive, she became acquainted with Allan Francis, a white trader who traveled frequently to the village where Issaqueena lived. The pair eventually fell in love.

When she learned of a pending attack by the Cherokees against Fort Cambridge, now Ninety Six, where Francis lived, she rode her pony 96 miles to warn the settlers of the attack.

“The story of Issaqueena represents the spirit of DAR women, who can trace their lineage to the Patriots of the American Revolution,” said Helen Nazzaro, the chapter’s regent. “Resilient and determined to make a difference in the lives of others, Issaqueena is our proud namesake.”

The chapter holds its meetings at 5:30 p.m. on the first Thursdays of the month. “Our meetings are designed for a diverse group of women of all ages, especially those who work or have daytime schedules that are not conducive to early meeting times,” Nazzaro said. “We are pleased that many younger women are interested in joining the DAR.”

The guest speaker for the meeting was Kimberly Mason, a member of the Choctaw Tribe and a DAR member in South Carolina. Also joining the meeting was Anne Allen, the SCDAR state American Indian chair.

Among the state and regional officers for SCDAR were Alice Caskey, State Vice Regent; Carolyn Nations, State Chaplain; Nan Jones, State Registrar; Mauri Noorai, State Organizing Secretary; Robin Verenes, District III Director; Julie Hardaway, State Speakers Bureau Chair; Susan Davis Faulkner, Trenton Chapter Registrar, and Regina Orzeckowski Luker, Hudson Berry Chapter Registrar.

To learn more about the Issaqueena Chapter, NSDAR, visit the chapter’s website at www.issaqueena-dar.org or Facebook page at www.facebook.com/issaqueena.nsdar.

For information on membership and meetings, email [email protected].

To learn more about the national organization and Patriots who served in the American Revolution, visit www.dar.org.

CUTLINE: Alice Caskey, left, vice regent of the South Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution, was a special guest at the inaugural meeting of the Issaqueena Chapter, NSDAR, of which Helen Nazzaro is regent. Contributed Photo