On February 4, 1896, in Decatur, Illinois, 15 women met to organize a local chapter of the DAR. This chapter was named Decatur Chapter. Several years later "Stephen" was added after the gallant naval hero, Commodore Stephen Decatur, who fought in the War of 1812 and namesake for our city.

 

     Stephen Decatur daughters have promoted historical, educational, and patriotic objectives in programs during the past one hundred and five years. These have been an asset to the Decatur community.

In 1904 a marker was placed at the site of Abraham Lincoln's first home in Illinois, near the Sangamon River southwest of Decatur. The DAR searched for an appropriate rock in the vicinity of Lincoln’s old home.  But nothing suitable or big enough could be found.  Finally, a young boy was hunting in the vicinity south of Decatur and found the present rock buried in the soil, only about six inches showing above the ground.  It proved to be of an exceptionally interesting species of granite with beautiful marking.  It was 2 ½ feet high, 3 ½ feet wide and six feet long. It weighed over two tons. It was decided to leave the rock in its rough state as being more appropriate to honor Abraham Lincoln, a man of the Prairies.

 

     The boulder was put in place at the T.J.  Scroggins farm in the winter of 1904 with only one DAR member present, Mrs. George Haworth, as the weather was too inclement for a formal dedication.  This site was thought to have been where Lincoln’s first home was located.  A formal dedication was held June 14, 1905 on Flag Day.

Over the next 85 years, much discussion was held over the correct placement of the rock.  It was determined that the site of Lincoln’s first home in Illinois was further south west of its original placement, adjacent to the Whitley land and north bank of the Sangamon River.

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     In 1957 the State of Illinois established a new park named Lincoln Homestead State Park. The DAR chapter moved the boulder to the new park located on the Sangamon River. The old plaque was cleaned, remounted and a new plaque was added. The rededication ceremony was in November 1990.

                                                                                                                                                   Decatur Public Library

                                                                                                                                                   Local History

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