Membership Inquiries
The NSCDA-IN is one of 43 corporate societies of The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America. The corporate societies are located in 42 states and the District of Columbia. Our state society is comprised of 143 members. We are dedicated to furthering an appreciation of our national heritage through historic preservation, patriotic service and educational projects.
Membership is sponsored and managed at the state level. It is based on lineage to an ancestor with recognized service related to the founding of our country before July 5, 1776 and dedication to the Society’s mission.
Inquiries may be directed to the Indiana Society Registrar by completing the form linked at the bottom of this page. Please include information regarding relatives who are or were members of the NSCDA, your location and other details you wish to share in your communication. We look forward to hearing from you.
What Are the Steps to Becoming a Member?
The first step is to identify an ancestor listed in the NSCDA’s Register of Ancestors (ROA). Each Colonial state determines what meets the requirements for qualified, recognized service for ancestors included in the ROA. If you find that your ancestor is not listed, please send us your ancestor’s name and we will verify whether he/she is a qualified ancestor.
We are an organization that welcomes new members. All candidates for membership in the NSCDA are proposed by at least two members. If you know a Dame, please contact her to express your interest in membership, or you may contact the Indiana Society to inquire further about membership.
A Candidate Fee applies upon acceptance of an extended invitation.
It is the Candidate’s responsibility to provide proper documentation to prove direct descent, i.e., birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates, or other corroborating proofs that will demonstrate the direct link to the qualified, recognized ancestor.
A member of the Candidate’s Helper Committee will contact the candidate to create a Line of Ascent listing each generation from the candidate to her qualifying ancestry, which will then be submitted to the Colonial Society. The candidate’s helper will then assist the candidate with research and preparation of lineage papers to be submitted to the Colonial Society of her ancestor’s service within one year of becoming a candidate.
After completing required lineage papers, a genealogist and a registrar of the appropriate Colonial state society will review the papers.
Upon the approval of lineage papers, the candidate is notified by the Indiana Society registrar and issued a local dues statement. Annual dues are payable upon receipt of membership notification.
Once dues have been received by the Indiana Society, a welcome packet, including a copy of her approved lineage papers, is sent to the new member welcoming her to the Society.