​Richard Batten, Bruce Laubach and John McCraw received Certificates of Membership in the National Society, SAR.  From left are Batten, Laubach, McCraw and Chapter President Willliam Greaf.  Batten’s patriot ancester was Francis McCorkle, a captain in a NC militia unit, who fought at the Battles of King’s Mtn., Cowpens, Ramsour’s Mill, Cowen’s Ford and Torrence Tavern.  Laubach’s ancester was Thomas Nelson, Jr., a delegate to the Continental Congress, signer of the Declaration of Independence, Governor of Virginia and Brig. Gen. of Virginia Militia at Yorktown.  McCraw’s ancester, David Allee, served in five different enlistments - two years in the Continental Army - and fought in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse.
 
Submitted by:  Harley Stewart

Bob Vogler, President of the George Waller Chapter, represented the Virginia Society at the patriot marker dedication ceremony for  Captain Francis Henry (Virginia militia)  at the 238th commemoration ceremony of the Battle of Shallow Fords.   Captain Henry  was buried by his sons  where he fell after the battle on  Oct. 14, 1780.  He was the lone patriot killed during a 45 minute  battle between 350 patriot militia who confronted approximately 500 Loyalist militia at  the Mulberry Fields on the banks of the Yadkin River in North Carolina   The Loyalist were on their way to reinforce Lord Cornwallis when they were defeated and turned back. 

Submitted by Bob Vogler

Photos below:
Photo #1  Bob Vogler at grave site
Photo #2 Grave marker
Photo#3 NC SAR color guard... including L to R 2nd from left-  Dr. Sam Powell (NC SAR state treasurer and SAR Foundation member at large);  3rd from left- NC SAR president George Strunk 

With an assist from two of the Patriot’s 5th Great Granddaughters, Richmond Chapter President Dennis C. Peterson unveiled a new SAR plaque and stone in memory of Brig. General Robert Lawson In the cemetery at Historic St. John’s Church in Richmond.

​​Mrs. Sharon Rose of Salem, VA (right) and Mrs. Sue Porter (left) from West Texas helped celebrate the memory of a Virginia hero and one of Washington’s Generals.  History shows then Major Lawson led his 4th Virginia Regiment of the Continental Army at the Battles of Trenton, Brandywine and Germantown in the early years of the Revolution. Later under now Brig. General Lawson, Virginia Militia troops, known as “Lawson’s Brigade” battled the British at Guildford Courthouse, NC and ultimately all the way to the Siege of Yorktown, VA where he witnessed Cornwallis’s surrender Oct 19, 1781.

​St. John’s Church is the site of Patrick Henry’s immortal “Give Me Liberty or Give
 Me Death” speech. Before presenting the Colors for the National Anthem, the
Color Guard paraded through the historic cemetery where dozens of
Revolutionary War veterans are buried.  Joining the Color Guard for this
ceremony was young Jack Akers of the Alexander Spotswood Society of the C.A.R.
VASSAR Color Guard members marching were William Schwetke, Larry McKinley,
John Hamilton, David Cook and Irv Owings. Participating in the ceremony was
honored guest Andrew Lyngar, NSSAR Vice President General, Rocky Mountain
District.  

​

​About 40 Compatriots, guests and visitors attended the Saturday afternoon program which would not have been possible without the cooperation of the Vestry of St. John’s Church and the Historic St. John’s Church Foundation. We appreciated the warm greeting from Sarah Whiting, Executive Director of the Foundation.   
While Gen. Lawson’s burial in the St. John’s Church Cemetery is well documented, his original grave stone is long lost to history. Ms. Whiting said her Foundation and the Church are grateful to the SAR which has given cemetery visitors a place to reflect on the life of Gen. Robert Lawson.

Submitted by Dennis Peterson, Photos by Chris Yohn

On 9 Oct, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter presented the town of Middletown with a Certificate of Appreciation for their assistance in our Patriots Pride Day event held at the Middletown Veterans Park.  We further presented Mayor Charles Harbaugh and Ray Steele with Bronze Good Citizens Medals for their outstanding community service.

Below photo:  Bronze Good Citizenship Certificates awarded to Mayor Charles Harbaugh and Ray Steele

​Submitted by Daley Corey

     On October 10, 1774, Virginia Militia under the command of Colonel Andrew Lewis fought a combined force of Shawnee and Mingo Indians at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers, present day Point Pleasant.  That event was celebrated this weekend with a series of events culminating in a memorial service with wreath presentations.  The Virginia SAR delegation was led by President Pat Kelly and included past PG Joe Dooley and 2nd VP Bill Schwetke.  Jennifer Kelly and Cat Schwetke accompanied their husbands and also represented their DAR chapters by presenting wreaths.
     On Saturday there was a parade down Main Street in Point Pleasant.  Past PG Joe Dooley led the SAR contingent, carrying the National Colors.

​Four compatriots from the Virginia Society participated in the 238th commemoration of the Battle of Kings Mountain today. 1st Vice President Pete Davenport presented the VASSAR wreath. In the photo (L-R) 3rd Vice President Jeff Thomas of the Fairfax Resolves chapter, President Justin Thomas of the Col. William Grayson CAR Society, 1st Vice President Pete Davenport and Vice President Ken Morris of the George Mason chapter.

The National Society SAR was represented by President General Warren Alter, Secretary General Jack Manning, Chancellor General Davis Wright, Historian General John Thornhill, Librarian General Douglas Collins, Chaplain General John Wakefield and Surgeon General Darryl Addington.

Six state societies and over 25 SAR chapters participated in the event. The combined SAR Color Guard was led by National Color Guard Commander Mark Anthony.
Submitted by Jeff Thomas

The Virginia Society SAR and the Society of the War of 1812 in the Commonwealth of Virginia conducted a joint dedication of plaques memorializing the veterans of both wars interred at the Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg, Virginia on 6 October. The Old City Cemetery dates back to 1806 and is one of the oldest public cemeteries in continuous use since its founding with nearly 20,000 burials.  It is on the National Register of Historic Places. 
 The event was planned by Compatriot Mark Day of the Thomas Jefferson Chapter.  Chuck Poland, 1st Vice President of the  Fincastle Resolutions VASSAR Chapter and Past President of the Virginia Society of the War of 1812 served as master of ceremonies.  The Revolutionary War plaque, listing 16 veterans, was unveiled by Patrick Kelly, VASSAR President; and the War of 1812 plaque, listing 47 veterans, was unveiled by Past President of the Virginia War of 1812 Dennis Fritts.  The joint color guard of both societies advanced the colors and gave a musket salute and was led by Compatriot Brett Osborn of the Col. James Wood VASSAR Chapter.  Paul Walden, Past President of the George Washington VASSAR Chapter and current Secretary of the Virginia Society of the War of 1812 served as Chaplain.  Greetings were given by Denise McDonald, Executive Director of the Old City Cemetery, VASSAR President Patrick Kelly, and Past President of the Virginia Society of the War of 1812 and VASSAR Compatriot Mike Lyman.  Compatriot Lyman deserves tremendous recognition for identifying many of these graves in his exhaustive research of patriot burials in Virginia. 
 Submitted by Paul Walden

Wreath Presentations (photo by Dick Fickling)

Recently, the Colonel George Waller Chapter's living history group participated at the 38th annual Callands Fall Festival.  Compatriot members and reenactor friends established a living history camp among the 1767 rural complex of historic landmark buildings.  The encampment included several colonial craftsmen.   The Chapter has been participating with an encampment at the festival each year since 2010.  

Article by Bob Vogler, President, CGW Chapter

Chapter Compatriot Jeff  Briggs in middle with musket