Category: Public

The Lake Minnetonka Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is proud to announce the deserving winners of its 2023 student essay competition. The DAR honors top students with awards that recognize their potential as future leaders through their writing skills and passion for American history.

Students were invited this year to imagine themselves as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War and write about their experience shaping the direction of the new United States of America.

Wayzata West Middle School eighth grader, Shriya Singh, is the winner of the DAR Student Excellence in History Award. Shriya’s essay explores how the unity of the thirteen colonies around the ideas of equality and liberty was key to earning their independence from Great Britain. She also enjoyed learning about the role of women in the American Revolution. “Women,” she says, “spearheaded volunteer organizations to sew uniforms, make bullets, and raise funds for the war efforts.” In addition to being a talented writer, Shriya is a student athlete and musician who loves to play tennis and the flute.

Wayzata West Middle School student, Anish Kommalapati, is the Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR’s first-place essay winner at the 7^th grade level. Anish believes, “there were many brilliant people working behind the scenes during the history of the American Revolution and it is important to give these people the credit they deserve.” He also believes that America “has thrived because it learned from the past and must continue to do so in order to grow.” This well-rounded student competes in both Science Bowl and Math Counts. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball and Xbox.

North Woods Elementary student, Madelyn Checketts, is the Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR and Minnesota State DAR’s first-place essay winner at the 5^th grade level. Madelyn believes studying America’s history is important “because every one of us should know what and who came before us. We know not to repeat all the wrong things we did, but we know that we can repeat the good deeds we learn about.” In addition to being an avid reader, Madelyn enjoys playing piano and soccer. She also loves snuggling with her two dogs, Bruno and Duke. “Duke,” she adds, “was supposed to be a mini Bernedoodle, but ended up being an 80-pound Bernese!”

The Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR is also proud to honor St. Michael Albertville Middle School Teacher, Blair Huggins, with an Outstanding American History Teacher award. Mr. Huggins teaches 7th grade Social Studies and is a self-described “history geek.” He is well-known and treasured by students and parents alike for the creative ways he brings history to life. His engaging classroom is decorated with fascinating American history objects and his lessons are animated by creative technology. Perhaps the highlight of the school year is when Mr. Huggins dresses up as Abraham Lincoln to teach his students about leadership during the American Civil War. “The DAR admires the talents of history teachers like Mr. Huggins who are able to excite students about American history,” says Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR American History Chair, Terry Anderson. In addition to his award, the chapter has purchased books for Mr. Huggins’s classroom.

The Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR congratulates these students and teacher on their well-earned awards.

One-hundred-year-old Marjorie Brinkley and her daughter, Leilani Peck, turned their pandemic isolation months into a genealogical adventure.
While serving as President of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Auxiliary, Peck set out to find new ways to involve members when they were not able to get together in person. One idea the Auxiliary pursued was to create a genealogy interest group, organized with assistance from Lake Minnetonka Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Regent and Arboretum Auxiliary Volunteer, Gigi Hickey.
Peck and another DAR member, Margie Nash, joined the group. Peck recalls, “As stories of our family’s genealogical journeys came out, Gigi and Margie were convinced we would find a Revolutionary War Patriot somewhere in our family background.”

“We had one other invaluable resource, something that few families are lucky enough to find among their attic treasures: more than 70 letters written by my three-times great-grandmother, Hannah Hayden,” says Peck. The letters had been written between 1806 and 1823, and were discovered 150 years later in a ledger book of the family’s mill business in Tecumseh, Michigan.

Since Hannah and her husband, Hezekiah, were born during the American Revolution, Peck and Brinkley reasoned that their parents may have been involved in the war. A Hayden family genealogy book written in 1888 stated that Hezekiah’s father, Levi, had indeed served as a soldier during the Revolution. Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR Registrar, Sarah Martin, helped Peck and Brinkley verify Levi’s war service in official records from colonial Connecticut. Once Levi’s service and the family’s genealogy were established, mother and daughter successfully submitted their applications to the DAR.
Peck and Brinkley learned that three patriotic Hayden brothers served during the American Revolution. Their ancestor, Levi, was drafted twice for short terms during the Revolutionary War. Levi’s brothers, Nathaniel and Hezekiah, fought with General George Washington in the Battle of Long Island during the summer of 1776. After heavy fighting, Nathaniel was safely evacuated as the badly outnumbered Continental Army retreated under the cover of fog. Hezekiah, was not so fortunate. Hezekiah’s company was cut off during the retreat and was captured by the British. He, along with all the men in his company except the captain, tragically starved to death while imprisoned.

Mother and daughter’s applications to the DAR were approved just in time for a family reunion celebrating Brinkley’s 100^th birthday. Marjorie Jeanne Hayden Brinkley was born in her grandfather’s farmhouse on March 21, 1922, in Kent County, Michigan. She graduated from Michigan State University and went on to receive a master’s degree from Rollins College. She had a career as an educator, serving as a classroom teacher, a county and state administrator, and a teacher trainer for Florida State University. She even authored several textbooks which earned her a spot in Who’s Who of American Women.

Throughout her life, this remarkable woman has traveled to five continents, more than 30 countries, and all 50 states. She reads the newspaper every morning to stay current with national and world affairs, and keeps her mind sharp with weekly bridge games, crossword puzzles, cryptograms, and the daily Isaac Asimov quiz.

Inspired by her ancestor’s letters, the ambitious Brinkley decided to use the pandemic lockdown to record memories of her own life and times to pass along to future generations. “A fellow resident at Lake Minnetonka Shores began typing my mother’s handwritten notes and passing them along to me,” says Peck. “We decided to turn these writings into a 100-page book to celebrate her 100^th birthday.”

“Marjorie’s story proves that it’s never too late to join the DAR,” says Hickey. “Not only will you honor your Patriot and discover fascinating stories about your family history, your research may help others seeking membership.”

Peck and Brinkley are looking forward to meeting other members of the Lake Minnetonka Chapter DAR and hearing the stories of their family histories. Peck appreciates the DAR leaders who helped trace her genealogy back to a Patriot of the American Revolution, saying, “I am very grateful to them for their help in establishing my family’s link to this seminal event in the nation’s history.”

Marjorie Brinkley and Lani Peck