​On Flag Day, June 14, 2021, Virginia Society President Jeff Thomas, and Virginia Society Flag Recognition Committee Chairman Ken Morris presented a NSSAR Flag Certificate to the Sully Government Center, Chantilly, Virginia.  The certificate was accepted by Fairfax County Board of Supervisors member for the Sully District, Supervisor Kathy Smith.

​Compatriot Jeff Thomas, President, Virginia Society, Sons of the American Revolution, and Compatriot Dave Cook, President, Fairfax Resolves Chapter, present wreaths at the Lexington Minutemen Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery during the Patriots’ Day commemoration April 18.

On April 18, the Fairfax Resolves Chapter held a commemoration of Patriots’ Day at Arlington National Cemetery.  ​The event reflected on the developments surrounding the Battles of Lexington and Concord that happened 246 years ago.  Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the on-site presence was limited.  Most participated virtually.
The ceremony took place at the Lexington Minutemen Memorial which honors the sacrifice of eight members of the Lexington Militia who gave their lives in the cause of Liberty at Lexington, the first engagement of the Revolutionary War in 1775.  We also honored the 49 patriots who lost their lives at Concord on the same day.
The commemoration this year included the readings of eleven first-hand accounts of the two battles, read by SAR and DAR members.  These accounts told the story of that day, from the orders of General Gage, to the skirmish at Lexington Common, to the battle at Concord Bridge and the British retreat.  These accounts included that of Alice Stearns Abbot, a citizen of Bedford, Massachusetts.  Her account emphasizes how important the homestead was to success in that war.  Alice stated:
I was eleven years of age, and my sisters Rachel and Susannah were older. We all heard the alarm, and were up and ready to help fit out father and brother, who made an early start for Concord.  We were set to work making cartridges and assisting mother in cooking for the army.  We sent of a large quantity of food for the soldiers, who had left home so early that they had but little breakfast.  We were frightened by hearing the noise of the guns at Concord; our home was near the river, and the sound was conducted by the water.  I suppose it was a dreadful day in our home, and sad; indeed, for our brother, so dearly loved, never came home.[1]
Event greetings were provided Jack Manning, President General, National Society, Sons of the American Revolution; Jeff Thomas, President, Virginia Society, Sons of the American Revolution; Sara Cox, President, Virginia Society, Children of the American Revolution.  Other attendees included Brooks Lyles, Past Vice President General and Vice Commander of the National Color Guard; Ken Bonner, Color Guard Commander Virginia State Society; Jay A. Deloach, Rear Admiral, USN (Ret.), President of the North Carolina Society; representatives of three Virginia DAR Districts and of The Order of the Founders and Patriots of America from Virginia and North Carolina.  Also attending were representatives of 13 Virginia and North Carolina SAR Chapters, 14 Virginia and North Carolina DAR Chapters and the Col. Alexander Spotswood Society of the Virginia Society, Children of the American Revolution.  Twenty Color Guardsmen from Virginia and North Carolina also took part in the commemoration.


[1] https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/active_learning/explorations/revolution/lexington_concord_lesson.pdf

​Pictured L to R:  Norm Fuss in Continental uniform as commander of the color guard, Tom Morr in militia uniform with the National colors, Dave Westenberger as a Continental Marine with the Chapter’s colors, and John Lynch II as a militiaman.

​Men and women of local patriotic organizations, the Williamsburg Chapter SAR, the Williamsburg Chapter DAR, and the Gov. Thomas Nelson Jr. SAR participated in an official commemoration of our national Memorial Day in a ceremony of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation on May 31, 2021.  The organizations presented wreaths at the Governor’s Palace.  The first wreath was by Roger Cross, Williamsburg Chapter SAR president, to the memory of veterans interred in the Palace Garden whose lives were lost in our War for Independence.  The second was by Kim Defibaugh, Williamsburg Chapter DAR regent, to veterans whose lives were lost in the defense of their country.  The third was by Gary Hodges, Gov. Thomas Nelson Jr. Chapter SAR president, to the memory of all who have stood with and died alongside American troops in defense of liberty.  Pictured, L to R, are Cross, Defibaugh, and Hodges.
 
A color guard was provided by by the Williamsburg Chapter SAR.   Members of the Williamsburg Chapter SAR attended the ceremony and many gathered for a photo in front of the Governor’s Palace in Colonial Williamsburg.
 
Submitted by:  Harley Stewart

​The Williamsburg Chapter presented Thomas G. Campbell with a Twenty Year Membership Award during its meeting at the Ford’s Colony Country Club on May 8.  The certificate was presented by Roger Cross, chapter president, pictured on the left, to Campbell, on the right.  Campbell is a past-president of the chapter and was in charge of chapter events held at Colonial Williamsburg for many of the twenty years.
 
Submitted by:  Harley Stewart

​Pictured is CJWII Chapter l. to r. Bill Schwetke, Mike Weyler, Dale Corey, Ken Bonner, Marc Robinson, Charles Jameson, Thomas "Chip" Daniel.  Photos courtesy of Thomas "Chip" Daniel. 

​On 28 May 2021, the Colonel James Wood II (CJWII) participated in the 285th Anniversary Celebration of Patrick Henry’s Birthday at his plantation, Red Hill, in Brookneal, Virginia.  Patrick Henry was born in Hanover County on 29 May 1736 to John Henry and Sarah Winston Syme. .  In 1765 he won a seat in the House of Burgesses from Louisa County where he authored Henry’s Stamp Act Resolves, attacking Parliament’s claim to tax the colonies.  After the Boston Massacre of 1770, he joined other Virginians in 1773 to establish an intercolonial committee of correspondence, Henry attended the first session of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.  During this session, he asserted, “The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers and New Englanders, are no more.  I am not a Virginian, but an American.”  After the first session, Henry returned to Virginia and organized a volunteer militia company from Hanover County. It was then he made the speech that ended with “Give me liberty or give me death!”.   Virginia’s royal governor responded by sending British marines to seize powder and guns stored in the Public Magazine in Williamsburg.  As a result, Patrick Henry led his Hanover militia company to Williamsburg to demand payment to the colony for the cost of the powder and arms..  In 1776, he was elected as Virginia’s first governor, serving until 1779 and then again from 1784 – 1786.  He again served in the Virginia Legislature.  In 1790, he retired to practice law.  In 1799, he was again elected to the State legislature, however on 6 Jun, he died before the legislature convened.  Although a modest individual who lived in a small house, at his death, he was one of Virginia’s largest landowners.   In 1794, he purchased Red Hill Plantation, which became Patrick Henry’s final residence and place of burial.  The birthday commemoration was attended by Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution, President Jeff Thomas. and members of the Colonel Fielding Lewis, Colonel George Waller, Colonel James Wood II, Culpeper Minutemen, Dan River, Fairfax Resolves, George Mason, George Washington, Norfolk, Patrick Henry, Richmond and Williamsburg Chapters of the SAR.  Also, present were members of three DAR Chapters and the Virginia Children of the American Revolution.  Ken Bonner led the Virginia State Color Guard in presentation of colors and a musket salute.  Present for the Colonel James Wood II Chapter were President Marc Robinson, Thomas “Chip” Daniel and Dale Corey with dual members Bill Schwetke, Ken Bonner, Charles Jameson and Mike Weyler.