The Founding of Our Chapter

The story of the Colonel William Cabell Chapter, NSDAR, began in the fall of 1949 with a chance discovery and a shared passion for history. Amy G. Kennedy, Regent of the Patience Wright Chapter in Laguna Beach, learned that Balboa Island resident Mabel Brown Boardman was a DAR member originally from Iowa. Recognizing an opportunity to expand their community, Amy reached out to Mabel to propose establishing a new chapter in the Newport Beach area. They were quickly joined by Edna Lee Tutrell Rider, a past State Organizing Secretary and Past Regent of the Patience Wright Chapter, who eagerly offered her expertise to bring the vision to life.

The momentum culminated on August 1, 1950, when an organizing luncheon meeting was held on the scenic dock of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club. Mabel Boardman, stepping into her new role as Organizing Regent, presided over the landmark event. The occasion was graced by several distinguished guests and sponsors, including:

• Florence Whitmore Fuller, State Regent (officiating her very first organizational meeting)

• Katherine Horton Glass, State Organizing Secretary

• Amy Kennedy, Regent of the Patience Wright Chapter

• Edna Rider, past State Organizing Secretary

• Cadden McKellips, Arizona State Historian

That afternoon, twenty-four pioneering women officially stepped forward to become the chapter's charter members, laying the foundation for decades of service, patriotism, and fellowship.

The Colonel William Cabell Chapter was named in honor of the distinguished patriot ancestor of two of our charter members: Katherine Martin Seamon and her daughter, Katherine Seamon Finch.

Colonel William Cabell was a pivotal figure during the American Revolutionary War, serving as one of just four men on a critical Committee of Safety and performing vital civil duties to support the cause of independence. His lineage also directly connects our chapter to the very origins of our national society; Colonel Cabell was the ancestor of William Daniel Cabell, the husband of DAR co-founder Mary Virginia Ellet Cabell.

Mary Cabell’s influence on the DAR cannot be overstated. In 1890, she became one of the 18 charter members of the national society's very first chapter, which frequently met in her Washington, D.C. home.

When Caroline Lavinia Harrison—wife of the President of the United States—was elected as the first President General of the Society, it was with the understanding that Mary Cabell would handle the heavy, day-to-day administrative duties of the office. Because of her tireless leadership, Mary Cabell was uniquely honored with the titles of Vice President General Presiding and, following Caroline Harrison’s passing, President General Presiding. She remains the only Daughter in history ever to receive this singular honor.

We are profoundly proud of the pioneering women who established our chapter and the rich history they passed down to us. Today, we carry their legacy forward, dedicated to continuing our traditions of service, history, and patriotism for generations to come.

National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

California State Society Daughters of the American Revolution