Daughters of the American Revolution honor ‘Real Daughter’ with historic marker in Chittenango’s Oakwood Cemetery
The Fayetteville-Owahgena Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution dedicated a “Real Daughter” historic marker at the gravesite of Sophronia Shaver Case at the Oakwood Cemetery in Chittenango June 8, 2024. A Real Daughter is a woman who was a member of DAR and whose father served in the American Revolution, Sophronia being one of few with this special status.
Shaver Case was born in Mycenae, town of Manlius, in 1839, the daughter of Jacob and Sally Handy Shaver; she married George Case and settled in Chittenango where she and George, a soldier in the Union Army, raised their nine children. Shaver Case was widowed in 1893 and, according to census records, remained in the Cases’ North Street home and worked as a washer woman.
In 1907, Shaver Case was admitted into the Onondaga Chapter of DAR and soon after was gifted with a gold spoon in recognition of her status as a Real Daughter. Her father, Jacob Shaver served during the American Revolution as a private in the Tryon County Militia under Colonels Van Rensselaer, Hay and Willett. He was present at the battles of Bowman’s Creek, Sharon and Johnstown. Jacob Shaver was placed on the U.S. Pension Roll in 1835 at the age of 70 and received a soldier’s pension of $70 per year. He is buried in Mycenae Cemetery.
The dedication at the gravesite of Shaver Case was attended by members of the Fayetteville-Owahgena and Comfort Tyler Chapters, NSDAR, Chittenango Village Historian Charles Albee and descendants of Shaver Case – Carole Case Greene and Ron Becker and family.
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women’s service organization dedicated to historic preservation, education and patriotism. Any woman 18 years of age or older, regardless of race, religion or ethnic background who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership. For more information, visit DAR.ORG.