BEVERLY — Dewalt Mechlin's contribution to our independence will forever be remembered in Beverly as long as there's an active chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
The Dewalt Mechlin chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is named for the patriot who was injured at the Battle of Bound Brook in New Jersey. Mechlin was one of 60 soldiers killed or wounded in the sneak attack.
This year, the chapter on the far Southwest Side celebrates its 100th anniversary and has been named the special honoree for the Beverly Hills/Morgan Park/Mount Greenwood Memorial Day Parade.
"We are not the oldest chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, but we are one of the oldest in the state," said Karolyn Kuehner, who serves as chaplain of the Beverly group.
Howard Ludwig explains what it means to be a part of a DAR chapter:
The parade begins immediately after the annual Ridge Run on Memorial Day — usually about 10:30 a.m. The march starts at 110th Street and makes its way up Longwood Drive to Ridge Park.
There are about 100 members of the Dewalt Mechlin chapter and several worked to revitalize the parade after participation slumped to just over a dozen entrants in 2013, said Kuehner, who also works as a piano teacher.
"It just seemed like such a shame that the parade had diminished," said Kuehner, who also sits on the parade committee for the Beverly Area Planning Association.
The parade has since bounced back. Roughly 40 participants made the march last year and 60 groups are expected at the parade this weekend, Kuehner said.
Beverly's Memorial Day Parade "is growing, and it's very, very exciting," she said.
The Dewalt Mechlin chapter is hoping for a similar resurgence — though Kuehner admits that it's not easy to join the women's club. Members must prove they are of lineal descent to someone who fought or aided in the American Revolution.
Kuehner was "verified" in February 2014. With the help of her history buff daughter, Soffia Kuehner Gray, Karolyn Kuehner learned she was related to Pierre Chastain. He was one of the few plantation owners on the James River in Virginia to prohibit slave ownership.
His son, the Rev. John "Ten Shilling Bell" Chastain, signed an oath of allegiance with the patriots, though he never went on to fight in the revolution.
Still, that was enough to earn Kuehner membership into the Washington, D.C.-based organization. Other members have been "verified" by relatives who offered soldiers shelter in a barn or gave a side of beef to troops stationed nearby, Kuehner said.
"Everyone in the DAR has their patriot stories," said Kuehner, proudly displaying her Daughters of the American Revolution blue ribbon on her left shoulder.
Finding this tie to history may sound daunting, but the Daughters of the American Revolution offers help to potential members through its genealogical archive that dates back to 1896.
There's also a common misperception that the group largely consists of "ladies who lunch," said Kuehner, who wasn't at all interested in participating in a high-society club.
But she soon learned that the group was truly a service organization on both a local and national level. The Dewalt Mechlin chapter hands out high school and college scholarships annually, hosts genealogical workshops, works on the Memorial Day Parade and more, Kuehner said.
She believes this service component — along with the group's patriotic history — is what will appeal to new members. While the local chapter's ranks may consist of 100 people, the Dewalt Mechlin chapter once boasted nearly 400 members.
And many of the active members are aging, as 80-, 85- and even 90-year-old birthday celebrations aren't uncommon. Only about a dozen women regularly attend the monthly meetings, Kuehner said.
She hopes for a larger turnout at an upcoming 100th anniversary celebration planned for Oct. 17 at Ridge Country Club at 10522 S. California Ave. in Beverly.
On display will be minutes from the first meeting and other notable documents from the local chapter, Kuehner said.
As for the upcoming parade, Kuehner said among the highlights provided by the Dewalt Mechlin chapter is an 85-year-old member who walks the route dressed as Betsy Ross.
While sewing a flag, the member entertains children and others along the route with stories about American history.
"We do a lot," Kuehner said.
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