History of Wyandot Chapter

The Wyandot Chapter organized October 29, 1953, with 45 charter members. Mrs. June Wear Steineger was the Organizing Regent. The chapter chose its name to honor the Wyandot Indians, originally called the Hurons, who settled in this area in the 1830s. They moved here from the Upper Sandusky Valley in Ohio in 1843. They built the first school and the first church in this area. William Walker, a Wyandot, was the first governor of the Kansas Territory. The Huron Cemetery in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, belongs to this tribe. See our Area page for more about the Wyandot tribe and the Huron Cemetery.

Throughout its 60 year history, Wyandot Chapter has worked to support the DAR Objectives of Historic Preservation, Promotion of Education, and Patriotic Endeavor. The chapter is proud of the many service hours members have given to the Dwight D. Eisenhower VA Medical Center and other community projects.

Our original charter members were adults during World War II, and the chapter has found several ways to honor the men and women who served during that war. On the 50th Anniversary of D-Day, the chapter joined with James Ross Chapter and the Wyandotte County Genealogical Society in a program held at Memorial Hall in Kansas City. The program honored both those who served and those who gave their all.

Our talented members have published a variety of books. One of them, called "Those Were the Days of Our Youth," contains personal stories and memories of World War II. Two other members have published family histories on the Maupin family and the Waugh family, which have been placed in several libraries.

Membership Information

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