Historic Preservation
Working to preserve American History
What does the Joanna Troutman Chapter, NSDAR Do?
The Joanna Troutman Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR or DAR), works to further the goals of the DAR and create a sisterhood of patriotic volunteers through our chapter work, our committee activities, our projects, and our fundraising activities. We strive to laugh, love, and serve. We have five regular chapter meetings on the first Sunday of the month in the afternoon, a November veterans’ event, a Christmas social, and an end-of-the-year chapter appreciation event. If you are interested in finding out more about Joanna Troutman Chapter, NSDAR, please feel free to contact us.
Our chapter is unique in that it has an annual theme around which many of its activities and projects revolve. Examples of past themes include "Women's Issues" and "Education". Additionally, our major service project will be continuing our mission of historic preservation by documenting the ancestry of a local family cemetery we recently restored.
Continuing with our education focus, we will again be sponsoring a Veteran-Student essay contest with monetary educational use award at Lone Star College - Tomball campus. Our “Joanna’s Club” will encourage members to read memoirs and novels about personal educational experiences. We will continue hosting our Heritage Circle get-togethers in members' homes to participate in chapter-related activities and projects as we enjoy each other's company.
How do we spend our time?
Working to preserve American History
PROMOTING PATIOTISM FOR OUR NATION
Better education for children
Supporting veterans, women, and the national objectives
Who was Joanna Troutman?
Joanna Troutman is known as the "Betsy Ross of Texas." In 1835, when the Georgian Battalion marched to assist Texas in her fight for independence, Joanna, a native of Georgia, created a flag of white silk bearing a blue, five-pointed star. On the front, it said, "Liberty or Death," and, on the reverse side, in Latin, it stated, "Where Liberty dwells there is my country." The Troutman flag was unfurled first in Velasco on January 8, 1836, then it was carried to Goliad where on March 8, 1836, it became the first flag to fly over an independent Texas.
A bronze statue by Pompeo L. Coppini was erected at her burial site in the Texas State Cemetery, and her portrait hangs in the state capitol in Austin, Texas.