Membership in the Maryland Society Daughters of the American Colonists

Eligibility

Article III, Paragraph (a), NSDAC Bylaws: Any woman who is a citizen of the United States of America, is of good moral character, and has attained her eighteenth year, shall be eligible to membership, provided that she shall be acceptable to the Society and shall be the lineal descendant of an ancestor who rendered civil or military service in any of the colonies prior to July 4, 1776. Legal adoptions shall not qualify for lineal descent.

Eligible Service - Prior to July 4, 1776 - In the following capacities

• In battle under colonial authority
• Under the banner of Great Britain in North America in any of the wars in which colonies participated
• All military and naval service of the colonies
• Furnished troops or funds (Documentation of tax assessments alone does not meet this criteria.)
• Filled office of Governor; Lieutenant Governor or Deputy Governor
• Member or Delegate to Council or Assembly
• Member of the House of Burgesses
• Deputy or Representative of the General Court
• Commissioner of the United Colonies, of Boundaries or Treaties, of Import of Excise, to the French or Indians
• Secretary, Magistrate, Selectman, Justice, Judge of any Court of Law of Equity, Attorney, Advocate, Solicitor, Juryman, Sheriff, Constable
• Founder or Trustee of any College in North America founded prior to 1775
• Minister of the Gospel or Commissary of the Bishops of London
• Member of the Committee of Safety of the Continental Congress 1774 and 1775
• Member of the Council of Safety of 1689
• Signer of the Mayflower Compact
• Speaker of the House of Deputies
• Physician or surgeon
• Member of Provincial Congress
• Signer of the Declaration of Independence (Documentation must establish that the signer was elected to represent the colonists prior to July 4, 1776.)
• Huguenot Refugee
• Signer of the Oath of Allegiance to Great Britain (The Oath of Allegiance was taken by the Freemen of New England, the Dutch in New Amsterdam, the Swedes in Delaware, and other early settlers. Documentation must be submitted that the oath was taken prior to July 4, 1776.)
• Original Land Owner, not inheritor (Documentation must establish that the ancestor received the land through a grant or patent, or from the Indians; that he was actually the first colonial owner of the specified tract of land; and that he did not buy it or inherit it.)
• Member of the London, Plymouth or Virginia Companies who actually came to the colonies, or the first immigrant descendant of any member of these companies who resided in the colonies
• Palatine Settler
• Descendant or Covenanter from Scotland
• Salzburger of Georgia