​A meeting of the Williamsburg Chapter was turned into a re-enactment of a scene that took place on March 23, 1775 – the 2nd Virginia Convention of the House of Burgesses in St. John’s Church in Richmond, VA.   Many members reported present as delegates from various stated counties of Virginia.  Chapter President William Greaf represented Peyton Randolph, President of the House of Burgesses, Harley Stewart represented Edmund Pendleton, and Joseph Bromfield represented Patrick Henry, delegate from Hanover County.  Being duly recognized, Henry presented his resolution to raise a militia in Virginia.  Patrick Henry then proceeded to deliver his immortal speech in favor of the resolution, which  ended with “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death.”  The meeting will be long remembered by the chapter. 
 
The photo shows Peyton Randolph (aka William Greaf, Chapter President) presenting a Certificate of Appreciation and a Jefferson cup to Patrick Henry (aka Joseph Bromfield).
 
Joseph Bromfield began doing reenactments in January 2017 with the St. John’s Church Foundation alternating between the roles of Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry.  Since then, Bromfield has performed Patrick Henry’s  ‘Liberty or Death’ speech for thousands of school children, Virginians, and patriots the world over.  He has performed for Governor and First Lady Northam as well as new American citizens in a Naturalization Ceremony held at St. John’s Church.
 
Submitted by:  Harley Stewart

​Steve Perger and Stephen Holm were inducted into the Williamsburg Chapter at a meeting on August 11, 2019.  Pictured L to R are Perger, Holm, and Chapter President William Greaf, who presented their Certificates of Membership.  Not pictured is Ron Losee, Chapter Registrar, who presented brief biographies of them and their patriot ancestors. 
 
Steve Perger’s ancestor was John Blakeley Jr., soldier 1776 at Chesterfield District, SC; quartermaster 1779 under Major Ross; adjutant under Co. Bratton, wounded at Sumter’s Surprise.
 
Stephen Holm’s ancestor was Francis Lightfoot Slaughter, soldier in Captain Robert Yancey’s First Regiment of Dragoons, Continental Line.
 
Submitted by: Harley Stewart
 

​Tyler and Andrew Coenen were inducted into the Williamsburg Chapter at their home.  Pictured, L to R, are Christine Coenen, their mother; Tyler (age 15); Andrew (age 12); and William Greaf, Chapter President who presented their Certificates of Membership.  Not pictured are Ron Losee, Chapter Registrar, who presented their membership packages and Harley Stewart, Chapter Public Relations, who photographed the occasion.
 
The Coenen boys patriot ancestor is James McMath, soldier, Pennsylvania 3rd Battalion, Chester County under Captain Thomas Carpenter and Lieutenant Colonel John Hannum.
 
Christine Coenen is a member of the Williamsburg Chapter, NSDAR.
 
Submitted by:  Harley Stewart

​Norman Fuss spoke on Virginia’s Royal Governor Dunmore’s Raid on the Williamsburg Magazine on April 21, 1775.  Arms and gunpowder were removed to British ships anchored in the James River.  The act aroused the community  and ignited an escalating series of incidents that led to the expulsion of Royal Authority and British forces from Virginia for the next five years. Mr. Fuss presented many little-known details uncovered by him in his in-depth research of the event.  Fuss is a living history interpreter, a tour guide for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, and a consultant for the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.  He has published over two dozen articles related to the Revolutionary War period.  Pictured are Chapter President William Greaf (left) and Vice President Jay Smith (right) presenting Norman Fuss (center) with a Certificate of Appreciation and a Jefferson Cup.
 
Submitted by:  Harley Stewart