About Us

Chapter History

General Henry William Harrington Chapter, NSDAR, was originally organized April 12, 1941, with Elizabeth N. Walker as the organizing regent. There were seventeen members in that first chapter. However, on October 17, 1956, the chapter was disbanded for unknown reasons.

Interest in family history inspired a group of Richmond County women to meet in 1979. Their goal was to establish a local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. After they received approval to organize the chapter, members voted to once again honor Richmond County’s famous American Revolutionary War General Henry William Harrington by naming the chapter after him. On October 15, 1981, at Ellerbe Springs Hotel, the General Henry William Harrington Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was organized, confirmed, and received its charter with officers of the North Carolina State DAR Society officiating.

The Organizing Regent was Doris Marion Rice who served from 1981-1982. Charter members included Frances Rogers Allen, Robin Gordan Belperain, Katherine McDonald Benoy, Martha Reynolds Gordon, Martha Gordon Hawkins, Bette Strickland High, Mary McLaurin Hudson, Norva Hawley Jernigan, Anna Allen McLaurin, Bennie Beth Shaw Milstead, Elizabeth Hynson Moore, Janet Laurel Norton, Louisa Porter Preslar, Elva Faye Reynolds, Harriet Huron Ross, Laura McLaurin Smith, and Nellie Hawley Woodall.

Chapter Members With State Regent

General Henry William Harrington

Harrington was a great military leader and strategist. He was promoted to brigadier general and became the highest-ranking officer of the militia in the Carolinas during the American Revolutionary War. General Harrington was given command of the forces at Cross Creek (now Fayetteville). On April 6, 1780, he entered Charleston, South Carolina with a force from North Carolina to help defend the city from siege by the British.

Harrington also had an outstanding career in state politics continuing throughout the American Revolutionary War and beyond. He served in three regular sessions of the Assembly of 1781 and as a senator in two sessions. As a member of the General Assembly, he helped to pass the act of June 2, 1784, which created the town of Rockingham and named it for the British Charles Watson-Wentworth, Marquis of Rockingham. In addition, he assisted in laying out the new town into half-acre lots.

In 1789, he was one of the first three trustees of the University of North Carolina. In 1791, Harrington was elected by the North Carolina Legislature to a position on the Council of State, which he assumed in January 1792. Other attributes given to Harrington include that he was an effective promoter of business ventures and real estate developments; a successful farmer and plantation owner who carried on agricultural experimentation well-advanced for his time; and a highly education person who promoted schools and helped found the county’s first academy. In addition, he was a developer of trade and shipping on the Pee Dee River, a knowledgeable engineer, a mining expert, and among the first justices of the peace to be appointed when Richmond County was formed in 1779.