Welcome to the
FORT CHISWELL CHAPTER OF THE NSDAR
The Fort Chiswell Chapter was organized February 22, 1924, in Bristol, Virginia, with Mrs. A. Pierce Pepper as Organizing Regent. The chapter currently has a membership of 87 ladies who range in age from 28 to 98. Members live in Bristol, Tennessee and Virginia as well as Michigan, Maryland, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Arizona, and as far away as California.The chapter was named for Fort Chiswell which was a frontier fort built as an outpost during the French and Indian War. It was constructed about 1758 by Colonel John Chiswell, his son-in-law, Speaker John Robinson, and Colonel William Byrd III. The fort was situated at the junction of the Great Trading Path and the Richmond Road. Fort Chiswell was to protect lead mines near the New River, in the valley, and the settlers who had come to work in the mines. As much as 300 pounds of lead was sold at a time. When the American Revolution broke out, these mines proved of great value to Virginia.It was at Fort Chiswell that a declaration of independence for the colonies - the first- was written and signed by the men of the "West Augusta." On January 21, 1775, this declaration was submitted to the General Assembly.
The Fort Chiswell Chapter was organized February 22, 1924, in Bristol, Virginia, with Mrs. A. Pierce Pepper as Organizing Regent. The chapter currently has a membership of 87 ladies who range in age from 28 to 98. Members live in Bristol, Tennessee and Virginia as well as Michigan, Maryland, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Arizona, and as far away as California.
The chapter was named for Fort Chiswell which was a frontier fort built as an outpost during the French and Indian War. It was constructed about 1758 by Colonel John Chiswell, his son-in-law, Speaker John Robinson, and Colonel William Byrd III. The fort was situated at the junction of the Great Trading Path and the Richmond Road. Fort Chiswell was to protect lead mines near the New River, in the valley, and the settlers who had come to work in the mines. As much as 300 pounds of lead was sold at a time. When the American Revolution broke out, these mines proved of great value to Virginia.
It was at Fort Chiswell that a declaration of independence for the colonies - the first- was written and signed by the men of the "West Augusta." On January 21, 1775, this declaration was submitted to the General Assembly.
.
A pyramid-shaped historical marker
of sandstone,which is dedicated to
the original Fort Chiswell, is
situated 200 yards northwest of
the fort's original location.
For information or to comment please contact the :
Regent, Emily Kausch
For membership contact the:
Registrar, Myra Orr
Webmaster
Sandra Parsell
Web hyperlinks to non-DAR sites are not the reponsibility of the NSDAR, the state organizations, or individual DAR chapters.
Page last updated: February 9, 2010
