That thing is awesome!

The DUP deserves praise for caring enough to gather and preserve records. Much of what they gathered in the early days would have been lost to us, no doubt, without their efforts. Their stated goals of honoring and preserving the memory of the pioneers would be enhanced by allowing access to historians studying “the pioneers” and not just “my very own pioneer ancestor X.”

If only someone here had the ear of the DUP leadership. It is past time they learned how to play nicely with others.

I tried to join the DUP, but even when I shaved, powdered my face and put on my best wig and frock, they still discovered that I wasn’t anybody’s daughter, Utah Pioneer or no, and black-balled me.

I don’t have any ancestors who do not meet the DUP qualification–arrival in Utah before 1869–but I don’t know of any women in my family who have ever joined that bunch. But, my New York born-and-bred daughters seem unlikely candidates for membership, as in, “it’ll be a cold day in hell when they sign up”.

I just hope they don’t read this blog–I just sent them a request for a history of a 3rd great grandmother.

(As a private library, I guess they have the right to control who sees their collection, but since when does a library own the copyright to the materials in their collection? [But who's going to take them to court over those lines on their submission form?])

(Perhaps there is a copyright lawyer among the many lawyers who read your blog who could comment.)

They do perform some valuable functions, but like I said before, it’s too bad they don’t do more with what they have.

I’m glad you were willing to retrieve the records and share your information with the Church, because that’s the only way to pry anything out of the Daughters.

The LDS church equivalent to the DUP database is The Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel index which is organized by pioneer company. I found that an ancestor that was not listed in the pioneer company in which I knew she was a member. The church history department was happy to receive the documentation from me and to update their records. But they would not deal with the DUP. I felt ridiculous getting info sent from Salt Lake to Nashville so I could turn around and send it back to Salt Lake.

I’m not casting aspersions on the DUP

Well, if you won’t, I will. It’s always given me the heebie-jeebies to go into their museum. What wasted potential! They have amazing collections and have done so little with them. What a shame.

(I have additional problems with the organization, but won’t air them here.)

In interests of full disclosure, most of my grandmas all the way back have belonged to the DUP, including one who served as president, and if I lived in Utah, I might consider joining for a variety of reasons.

That said, while I understand some of the purposes of exclusionary organizations (including the DAR, private country clubs, etc.), how can anyone seriously claim that one of the purposes of such organizations is not the unspoken (or sometimes spoken) thought that “we’re better than you because… [fill in the blank].”

I never did understand why my ancestors who walked across the plains were any better than those who rode the train several years later. Or my husband’s great grandpa who moved to Utah in 1913. Or someone who moves there today. The process of moving your feet enough times to get you across the Great Plains elevates you into a special category that should be held in particular veneration? I don’t think so.

I respect my ancestors for reasons other than that.

Thanks, though, BruceC for your comment in 29 which made me smile and think of the DUP. That led to a chain of events which included me looking up some of my ancestors in their catalog (click on “history department” on their left side-bar). I’m posting family histories on my personal blog and didn’t have histories for some upcoming ancestors, but see that the DUP does.

(Sorry for the length of this comment!!!)