Alva Review-Courier -

The May meeting of the NWOGS was held at the Alva Public Library on May 14 with Mary Barker presenting program “DAR 101.” Mary is the current Frontier District Director and the past Chapter Regent of DAR.

DAR is a women's organization dedicated to promoting historical preservation, education, patriotism and honoring the patriots of the Revolutionary War. To become a DAR member you have to establish your heritage back to a Revolutionary War Patriot. Mary discussed DAR Patriotic Reference Books that are in the library and can be a great help in searching for Revolutionary War ancestors. Other resources valuable in your search are newspapers and micro film. Many times you will learn interesting facts about your ancestors such as their occupation, where they lived and if family has put together a history that information can be used just be sure to document very carefully where you learned the facts. When visiting cemeteries be sure to document name and location of cemetery and also take a picture of the grave stone or do a rubbing of the stone. Do not forget to write down your family memories, collect pictures and write on back who they are and where picture was taken. Pictures, movies and slides can be put onto a flash drive. We also need to remember the Bible kept track of who beget who. The DAR magazine is a great resource and are available in the library. The magazine is published internationally.

A business meeting was held after the program. The group discussed revisions of the groups By Laws/Constitution. Lois Brown reported to the group that Wharton Funeral Home has provided a number of obits which she put in the Obituary Book she has maintained for a number of years. These Obituary Books are available at the Alva Public Library in the Genealogy Room.

Lance Harzman did a wonderful job on the banner he presented to the group.

Renetta Benson reported interesting information concerning the Capron Cemetery. A thermal ground imaging specialist was at the Capton Cemetery and performed imaging on several areas to establish empty graves in areas with no headstones. One site was an unmarked grave and the rest of the area had no graves.

Lenny Reed presented information about the streets in the Alva Cemetery being named after the Alva funeral homes and the sextons of the cemetery.

There will be no meetings in June and July. The Aug. 13 meeting will be at the one-room schoolhouse at the Cherokee Strip Museum at 10 a.m. The program will be presented by Peggy Goodrick. She is a columnist for the Enid News and Eagle. She will discuss how education has changed.