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Chapter President William Greaf presented a NSSAR Law Enforcement Commendation and Medal to Lt. Rick Wanamaker of the Williamsburg Police Department.  This award is given by the SAR to those who have served with distinction and devotion in the field of law enforcement and public safety.  Presenting the award, R to L,  William Greaf, Lt. Rick Wanamaker, and Chapter Secretary Roger Cross.
 
Submitted by:  Harley Stewart

​Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Culpeper Minutemen Monument Dedication Ceremony originally scheduled for October 26, 2019 has been postponed indefinitely.
 
Please distribute this information to all chapter and committee members.
 


R. Wayne Rouse

Secretary, Assistant Treasurer
& Awards Committee Chairman
Virginia SAR
 

George Washington Compatriot Jack Pitzer presents a flag certificate to Rotary President Sharon Meisel at the Oct 15 meeting of the Rotary Club of Alexandria at Belle Haven Country Club. The commendation was for the Rotary's Flags for Heroes program at which more than 200 flags were displayed to honor American service persons and veterans. 

 For his outstanding support of NSSAR in his work on the Patriot Registration System, George Washington Chapter Compatriot Callender was awarded the Gold Roger Sherman medal by past President General Warren Alter.  L to R in photo:  George Washington Chapter President Dave Thomas, Past P.G. Warren Alter, Jamie Callender, and Past George Washington Chapter President Mike Elston.  Submitted by Paul Walden

See the following video of the ceremony:   https://youtube/Bmb-9S3TtwE

​Karin Wulf spoke to the Williamsburg Chapter on the increased breadth of research into Early American history over recent decades with special focus on the key role of the American Revolution revealing new insights from George III’s perspective.  Karin Wulf is Executive Director of the Omohundro Institute of Early American History & Culture and a professor of History at William & Mary, where she directs graduate research.
Presenting a Certificate of Appreciation and a Jefferson Cup is William Greaf, Chapter President on the right, with Karin Wulf in the center, and Chapter Vice President Jay Smith on the left.
 
Submitted by:  Harley Stewart

VASSAR Color Guardsman, Bob Vogler (Colonel George Waller Chapter) participated Saturday, Oct. 12 with the NCSSAR Color Guard at the 239th Commemoration Ceremony of the Battle of the Shallow Ford in Huntsville, NC.
 
The ceremony commemorates the action on October 14, 1780 when members of the Virginia and North Carolina militia intercepted a force of Loyalist militia marching to reinforce Lord Cornwallis.   The Tories were defeated and turned back.   One grave is on the battlefield - that of Capt. Henry Francis of the Montgomery County, VA militia who was killed in action on the field. 
 
Photo 1:  Bob Vogler with Rear Admiral (Retd.) Jay DeLoach, NCSSAR State Secretary and a direct descendent of Patrick Henry. 
 
Photo #2:  Grave of Captain Henry Francis on the battlefield
 
Submitted by: Bob Vogler

​On Saturday morning, October 12, 2019, the Colonel William Grayson Chapter was host to George Mason, author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which later served as inspiration for the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights.

The chapter meeting saw the induction of four new compatriots, Randy R. Baker, Michael James Blythe, Herbert Dandridge Campbell Jr. and David DeForest Haught.

Four of our compatriots were also honored for their service in the United States Military.  The War Service Medal was awarded to Geoffrey Lyster, David Haught and Michael Wilson, and the Military Service Medal was awarded to Michael Blythe. 

After lunch George Mason shared with us his personal experiences during the drafting of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and the conflicts that developed in the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787. He was adamant that the new Federal Constitution should include a Bill of Rights similar to the one found not only in the Virginia Constitution, but in the constitutions of several other states.

There was a rift between him and those who felt a Bill of Rights was not needed, that the Constitution could stand on its own as a document that put limits on the federal government without the need for an affirmative statement of specific rights. Mason said that he did not trust human nature, and that without the enumeration of specific rights, the federal government would eventually infringe on the rights of all Americans.

As a result, Mason was one of three who refused to sign the new Constitution, Edmund Randolph of Virginia and Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts being the other two.  He said this drove a wedge between him and his friend and neighbor, George Washington, a rift that never healed.  Even though the Bill of Rights did eventually make it into the Constitution, George Mason was on the wrong side of the original vote on the U.S. Constitution. 

George Mason was portrayed by Don McAndrews, a member of the Colonel William Grayson Chapter, who is much in demand as an in-character portrayer of Colonial and Revolutionary War notables, the most notable being his frequent appearances as Benjamin Franklin.  Don has also appeared in character in 6 films.

Photo 1:  Inductees, Ladies and Chapter President, after pinning on of lapel pins.  L-R, Randy Baker and his lady Junie Parmer, Michael Blythe, H.D. Campbell and his lady Rosemarie Sheerin, David Haught, and President Michael Weyler

Photo 2: George Mason of Gunston Hall, Primary Author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, as portrayed by Don McAndrews
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Photo 3: Certificate of Appreciation given to George Mason, aka Don McAndrews