By Audrey McMullen
SPECIAL TO THE HIGHLINE TIMES

Founded in Des Moines on Jan 20, 1963, the Tillicum chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Tillicum is the local chapter covering the south King County area.

The chapter is welcoming an influx of new members dedicated to the principles of Preservation, Patriotism and Education. We are active in our community in fields of American History in the schools, commemorative programs in the schools; Conservation, Good Citizens, Flag of the USA, literacy with a program of new books for the Des Moines Library Summer Reading Programs, giving honorariums and offering scholarships, Project Patriot sending phone cards, care packages, to our active service personnel and visiting Seattle Veteran’s Hospital on Memorial Day and thanking them for their service to our country.

Tillicum’s 50th Anniversary: WOW! It is said that time flies when you are having fun so it is obvious Tillicum chapter has been having one whale of a time serving as state officers, national committee chairmen, outstanding junior state winners, hard working pages at state affairs, in addition to locally placing patriotic displays in schools and libraries, contribution to state C.A.R. (children), promoting American history essay contests in schools, presenting flags and good citizenship medals, recording cemetery records, giving JROTC medals, etc. All this and keeping our chapter operating so smoothly.

Tillicum chapter stared on Jan. 31, 1962 when there was a picture in the West Seattle Herald of state Regent, Mrs. Douglas, and her announcement of a new D, A.R. chapter to be organized in Southwest Seattle and South King County.

On Feb. 10, 1962, Mrs. Douglas and Mrs. Richard, state extension chairman, met with interested ladies at the Swept Wing Inn Greeter’s Room at the Sea-Tac Airport. Present were Evelyn Gullikson, Betsy Hobbs, Marian Jennings, Elizabeth Nolte, Shirley Stevens, Mary Suldahl, Ellen Vane, Ella Davis Worrell, Clarice Lugenbeel and Audrey McMullen.

Our first requirement was to become a member-at-large and we needed an organizing regent appointed. Mrs. Alexander Britton, new state regent submitted Clarice Lugenbeel’s name as Clarice had been a member of DAR since 1934 and was a past chapter regent of Spokane Garry Chapter, Spokane WA. Clarice is alive today and our oldest member.

During the rest of 1962 we worked on DAR papers, securing the required 12 members for a new chapter and selecting a name for our chapter.

National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution requires the name must relate to something before 1825 and be of historical significance in the locality. Researched were Arthur Armstrong Denny – 1822 – 1899 Seattle founder; Dr. Charles Pickering 1805 – 1822 zoologist with Capt Charles Wilkes expedition; Lt. Peter Puget 1765 – 1822, N. W. explorer of Point Pully (Three Tree Point) also with Wilkes expedition and TILLICUM, an Indian word meaning “people-friends.”

The majority vote was for Tillicum, which Audrey McMullen, who wrote this article, had researched. The Denny party would have starved to death if the Indians hadn’t fed them.

Our date of organization is Jan. 20, 1963 and the signing took place at Clarice Lugenbeel’s home. On Feb. 1, 1963 in Washington D.C. at NSDAR Headquarters, Mrs. Florence C. Harris, organizing secretary general presented Tillicum chapter, Des Moines Washington state for confirmation. Tillicum had completed the work within the year.

On Feb. 23, 1963, state regent Mrs. Alexander Britton came to visit Tillicum chapter and installed their first officers at a dinner meeting in Burien. Organizing members and new officers were Regent: Clarice Lugenbeel - Spokane Garry Chapter; Vice Regent: Virginia McIlroy (Shatemuc Chapter - New York; Corresponding Secretary: Betsy Hobbs – Olympus Chapter; Treasurer: Lora Bell – Michigan; Registrar: Florence Guslander – Rainier Chapter – Seattle; and new Members: Nan Boileau, Evelyn Gullikson, Merle Allisson, Marian Jennings, Lucille Kerr Lugenbeel, Audrey McMullen, Mary Susan McMullen, Elizabeth Nolte, Shirley Stevens.