​Picture. Compatriot Mayor David L Meyer receiving the Silver Good Citizenship Medal from Fairfax Resolves President, David E Cook (Picture taken by Forrest Crain.)

​It is rare that a chapter can recognize the deeds of one of its own members by presenting him with the Silver Good Citizenship Medal.  However,  while processing his application for membership, it became obvious that David Meyer’s contributions to our community at the local, state and national levels exceeded the stricter requirements placed upon compatriots for the medal as compared to those placed on nonmembers. 
The award was presented on 27 September in Compatriot Mayor Meyer’s City Hall Office. Those in attendance included Fairfax Resolves President David Cook, Past VASSAR President Lawrence McKinley, 3rd Vice President Forrest Crain and BOM member, John Thomas.
The Certificate reads, “ Mayor Meyer’s contributions to multistate governmental committees; elected mayor of a major City, Fairfax, in Virginia; participating in multi-state transportation planning groups to improve our economy; having deep appreciation and respect for Veterans and patriotic organizations, positively showing economic growth results in Fairfax; and, in collaboration with George Mason University, planning for traditional higher education as well as necessary new education and skill development to keep our economic engine tuned throughout the surrounding regions.  Mayor Meyer has had a positive, lasting impact on the Northern Region and the City of Fairfax in Virginia, and therefore has been awarded the Silver Good Citizenship Medal.”

​Marblehead Brigade
The Indispensables – The Diverse Soldier-Mariners Who Shaped the Country, Formed the Navy, and Rowed Washington Across the Delaware, by the author of, Washington’s Immortals, Patrick K. O’Donnell. While the heroics of the Maryland 400, “the Immortals”, are perhaps better known, this Best-Selling author of war stories has now shed critical light on a no less heroic elite, the Marblehead Brigade. Arguably, the fate of the Revolution, on more than one occasion, turned on their contributions early in the fight for independence. Located on what the has come to be known as the North Shore, above Boston, Marblehead was founded in 1629. The men of Marblehead (and Beverly) at the time of the Revolution were a tough, hearty, and salty lot who had plied their trade as fisherman, from Massachusetts to the Newfoundland Banks for generations. The families were close knit. They were Irishmen, Scots, English, and Black Freemen like Romeo and Manuel Soto, Hispanics and Native Americans. They would fish together, brave storms together, and fight together. They carried names like Glover (Cmdr. of the Marblehead Regiment, close to Washington), Eldridge Gerry, Prentiss, Orne, Bowen, Johannot, Hawkes, Gibbs, Wormstead, and Lee. They were Whigs. The town had its well-known Tories as such as “King” Hooper and Dr. Church. However, as Crown offenses and taxes increased over the 1760s and early 1770s, most of the townsmen leaned Whig, some joining the Sons of Liberty. The author takes us from battle to battle early in the war where members of the Marblehead Regiment fought, from Bunker Hill, to Brooklyn, to Kips Bay, the evacuation across the Hudson after abandoning Ft. Washington, following onto Trenton and Princeton, as well as Saratoga. Time and again, the Marbleheaders would play a pivotal role with their amphibious evacuations of Washington and his Army from Long Island, to ferrying his forces across the ice-filled Delaware River, horses, canons, and men, to surprise the Hessians at Trenton and the Red Coats at Princeton.                                                               
Gunpowder was the scarcest resource facing the Revolutionaries. Here again, it would be Marblehead merchants and their personal trading connections with Spanish, Portuguese and Basque merchant families which would make clandestine arrangements for substantial gunpowder to be delivered to Washington and his army. Reluctant at first, Washington was eventually persuaded by John Adams to take the fight to the British at sea as well. Although establishing an official American Navy would require an act of Congress, Washington couldn’t wait and authorized merchant sailors like John Glover of Marblehead to convert one of his trading ships to a ship of war, which would be rented to the Continental Army at a cost of $78.00 a month. Washington paid one dollar per ton, and Glover’s 78-ton merchantman, the Hannah, was outfitted for war, charged with securing gunpowder by whatever means, including seizing enemy ships, thereby establishing Washington’s “covert” Navy by the fall of 1776.  By February of 1777, the Continental Congress, at Washington’s behest, promoted Glover to Brigadier General. It would be another Marbleheader, Samuel Tucker, who would captain the frigate Boston, which transported John Adams and John Quincy Adams to France in 1778.
The Marblehead Regiment was racially diverse. Their lives were in each other’s hands, a band of brothers. The cost to the town would prove to be enormous, both in blood and treasure. O’Donnell notes, “…by the end of the war, the town had 378 widows, 35 percent of the female population… and 652 children would never see their fathers again.” The author concludes his book with a quotation from General Henry Knox to the Massachusetts Legislature, “I wish the members of this body knew the people of Marblehead as well as I do – I could wish that they had stood on the Banks of the Delaware River in 1776 in that bitter night… had seen the powerful current bearing onward the floating masses of ice…. I wish that when this occurrence threatened to defeat the enterprise, they could have heard the distinguished warrior demand, ‘” Who will lead us on?”‘ and seen the men of Marblehead, and Marblehead alone, stand forward to lead the army along the perilous path to unfading glories and honors in the  achievements of Trenton. There, Sir, went the fishermen of Marblehead, alike at home upon land and water, alike ardent, patriotic, and unflinching, whenever they unfurled the flag of the country.”
These men, like the other intrepid patriotic warriors at America’s Founding, were its first “Greatest Generation”. Once again, Patrick O’Donnell has given us a book that must be read. Huzzah!

​Mr. Kirk Lovenbury spoke to the Williamsburg Chapter during a meeting at the Colonial Heritage Club on September 18.  His topic was “What You Didn’t Know About Religion in Colonial America” and focused on the developing differences, over 180 years, between the American and British branches of the Anglican Church and the official policy, at the time, toward other denominations.  Lovenbury has been an instructor of the Osher Institute at W&M for eight years.  He has degrees in Anthropology, History, and Education and has spent many years living and teaching abroad, including China, Kenya, Italy, South Africa, Germany, and England. .

​Chapter Vice President Stephen McGuffin, right, is shown presenting Kirk Lovenbury, left, with a Certificate of Appreciation and a Jefferson Cup

​Color guard members from the SAR.  Front row l. to r.  Dennis Parmerter, Dave Cook, Forrest Crain and Erick Moore.  Back row l. to r. Brett Osborn, Dale Corey, Thomas "Chip" Daniel and Dan Hesse.  Photo courtesy of Thomas "Chip" Daniel. 

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On 2 September 2021, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter (CJWII) with support from the Fairfax Resolves Chapter (FR) participated in a Veterans Tribute held at the Shenandoah County Fair.  This event is held annually to honor our veterans and first responders.  Master of Ceremonies LTG Ben Freakley opened the ceremony by welcoming and recognizing veterans of all eras and first responders.  Next was a presentation of colors by a combined color guard from various organizations.  The National Anthem was played by Shenandoah County Joint High School Bands followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and an opening prayer by Chaplain Dan Hartsfield.  The American Flag was carried by Art LaFlam, (CJWII), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), the American Legion (AL) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).  The Joint Band saluted veterans with a rendition of the service songs.  Guest speakers were Eric Anderson and Leslie Caliva of the American Red Cross and Steve Jennings, Veterans Tribute Program Chairman.  After the closing prayer by Chaplain Hartsfield of the VVA, a procession of Antique Vehicles, VFW Riders and AL Riders passed in review.  Participating for CJWII Chapter were Dale Corey, Chip Daniel, Dan Hesse, Erick Moore, Brett Osborn and Dennis Parmerter.  Present for FR were Dave Cook and Forrest Crain.  The Korean War Veterans Association Chapter 313 was present and included CJWII compatriots Marshall DeHaven, Lew Ewing and Doug Hall.  Additional organizations present to support the program included AmVets Post 18; VA Medical Center; Virginia Department of Veterans Affairs; VFW Posts 2447 & 2123; AL Post 199; Disabled American Veterans Chapter 9; Valley Marines; Narrow Passage Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution; American Red Cross; heroes on the River; Breaking Free; Able Forces and Honor Flight.  

​The Norfolk Chapter was entertained and enlightened by Col Josiah Parker (a.k.a. Albert Burckard of the Isle of Wight County Museum in Smithfield) at its September 18, 2021 meeting at the Princess Anne Country Club. Col Parker regaled members with an enthralling tale of the heroic Isle of Wight County Militia’s “Battle of Mackie’s Mill,” as he meticulously walked us through the movements in Virginia of traitor Benedict Arnold’s forces in January 1781.
Having Col Parker proved fortuitous when he recognized Robert Friar as the historian behind the original research of the presentation. His knowledge of the Isle of Wight Militia may be helpful to one of our members, Dr. Pat Hannum, who is attempting to identify patriots who fought at the Battle of Great Bridge. In addition to the Culpeper Battalion and 2nd Virginia Regiment, there were militia present as well.
We also learned that the gravesites of Col Parker and another Revolutionary War Veteran in Isle of Wight County are known, and our VASSAR 1st Vice President, Bruce Meyer, is working with local officials to have an SAR grave marking ceremony.

​Three new members were also inducted at this meeting. We welcome compatriots Scott Almond, Kevin Johnson, and Wayne Gustison to the Norfolk Chapter.

​During Constitution Week, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter conducted presentations on the United States Constitution at three senior living facilities.  At each of these facilities, flags were posted and the Pledge of Allegiance recited with the residents.  After a prayer, a presentation was made telling of the history of the Constitution.  In 1787, the government was a product of the Articles of Confederation, which proved to be weak and ineffective.  A Constitutional Convention was  convened in May 1787 with George Washington selected as President.  55 delegates were selected by 12 colonies to participate.  Rhode Island did not want a strong federal government and did not send delegates.  On 14 May, opening day, only delegates from Pennsylvania and Virginia were present.  It was not until 25 May that a quorum of nine states were in attendance and the process to revise the Articles of Confederation began.  On 30 May, a proposal was adopted to  create a federal government consisting of three branches, Legislative, Executive and Judiciary.  The process of writing the document then began by a committee chaired by Gouverneur Morris of New York.  The majority of the writing was done by Virginia delegate James Madison, who became known as the "Father of the Constitution".  After four months of discussion and compromise, the document was signed by 38 delegates on 17 September 1787.  Nine States needed to ratify the Constitution for it to be come law.  Delaware was the first with New Hampshire the ninth.  On 21 June 1788, it became the law of the land.  It wasn't until 29 May 1790 when Rhode Island vote for ratification that all 13 colonies had accepted it.  In 1791, the first 10 Amendments were added as the Bill of Rights to protect the rights of States and freedoms of individuals.  

​On 13 September, the Sons of the American Revolution were at Commonwealth Senior Living in Front Royal.  Dale Corey emceed with Larry Johnson, Thomas "Chip" Daniel, with Culpeper Minutemen Doug Schwetke and Bill Schwetke assisting in the presentation.  

​First photo is at Commonwealth Senior Living Facility l. to r. Dale Corey, Dough Schwetke, Bill Schwetke and Larry Johnson. 

​On 14 September, the presentation was given to Hidden Springs Senior Living Facility in Bentonville by compatriots Corey, Daniel, D. Schwetke and B. Schwetke.  

​.  Second photo is at Hidden Springs Senior Living Facility l. to r. Doug Schwetke, Dale Corey and Bill Schwetke. 

On 15 September it was presented to Greenfield Senior Living Facility in Woodstock by compatriots Corey, Daniel and Dennis Parmerter.  
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​Third photo is at Greenfield Senior Living Facility l. to r. Dennis Parmerter, Dale Corey and Thomas "Chip" Daniel.  

​Mr. Ross Schwalm spoke to the Williamsburg Chapter during a meeting at the Colonial Heritage Club on August 14.  His topic was “The Amphibious Assault on Long Island August 1776” and focused on the German Auxiliary units, the Hessians, one of which was his Third Great Grandfather, Johannes Schwalm.  Schwalm is the current president of the Colonel William Grayson Chapter and he is a retired US Marine Corps Artillery Officer.  

​Chapter President Roger Cross, left, is shown presenting Ross Schwalm, right, with a Certificate of Appreciation and a Jefferson Cup.