HISTORY OF VIRGINIA SOCIETY

SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Chartered July 7, 1890, Richmond, Virginia

The initiative to establish the Virginia Society began in Washington, D.C., in 1890. On February 10th, a conference was held in the nation’s capital where several Congressmen from Virginia formed a committee to organize a Society in Virginia promptly.

On February 28th, the committee reconvened at the Capitol, adopted a constitution and bylaws, and elected the following distinguished Virginians as officers:

• President: Honorable William Wirt Henry of Richmond (Grandson of Patrick Henry)
• Vice President: General William H. F. Lee, a member of Congress from Burke’s Station, Fairfax County, (son of Robert E. Lee)
• Vice President: Colonel George Washington Ball of Alexandria (nearest living male relative of George Washington)
• Secretary: Thomas Nelson Page of Hanover County, a man of letters
• Treasurer: Joseph Poryall of Richmond
• Registrar: J. William Jones of Richmond, a well-known historian

Lieutenant J. C. Cresap, USN, of Annapolis, Secretary-General of the National Society, and Professor G. Brown Goode, Ph.D., Registrar of the District of Columbia Society, formally chartered the Virginia Society in Richmond on July 7, 1890, with 62 charter members.

The first Minute Books of the Virginia Society, which hold significant historical value, are housed in the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond. Notable Secretaries of the Virginia Society included William MacFarlane Jones and Kenneth C. Patty. Jones, who joined in 1893, managed the Headquarters office from its opening until his death in December 1951. Kenneth C. Patty served as Secretary–Registrar from 1954 until his passing in March 1967.

Real Sons of the American Revolution in the Virginia Society

Among the earliest members of the Virginia Society were two of the rarest compatriots in SAR history: Real Sons of Revolutionary War soldiers. A “Real Son” was a man whose father rendered qualifying service in the American Revolution and who lived long enough to join the SAR after its founding in 1889. Only a small number of such men were ever enrolled nationwide, and the Virginia Society is privileged to have counted two among its earliest compatriots.

Miles Turpin Phillips—National SAR No. 1559 • Virginia SAR No. 9  

Miles Turpin Phillips was the son of Mourning Phillips (1758–1831), who served as a Private in the Virginia Continental Line. Born late in his father’s life, Miles Phillips joined the Virginia Society in 1895 and holds Virginia Society membership number 9, placing him among the first compatriots enrolled. His membership provided a direct, living link to a soldier of the Continental Army and to the founding generation of the Republic. 

Richard Fox—National SAR No. 1771 • Virginia SAR No. 71

Richard Fox was the son of Ensign Nathaniel Fox, an officer in the King William County Militia during the Revolution. His Virginia Society number, 71, reflects his place within the first generation of members. Through his membership, the service of a Tidewater militia officer—part of one of Virginia’s oldest military traditions—was carried forward into the modern era.

These Real Sons formed a tangible connection between the Revolutionary War and the early years of the Virginia Society. Their presence underscored the immediacy of the Revolution’s legacy at the time of the Society’s founding and remains a meaningful part of the Virginia Society’s history.

• Promoting patriotism, historical research and education
• Increasing membership and the number of Chapters for greater effectiveness
• Expanding the growth of the Knight–Patty Fund, Inc.
• Participating in the Joseph S. Rumbaugh Historical Oration Contest in both State and National levels
• Engaging in the Stella and George Knight Essay Contest, on both State and National levels;
• Publicizing the Virginia Society through as many of the various media as possible;
• Preserving the papers of over 6,000 members of the Virginia Society;
• Promoting and celebrating patriotic anniversaries, especially those pertaining to the Revolutionary War as it occurred in Virginia or involved Virginia Patriot Units;
• Locating and marking the graves of Revolutionary War Patriots.

Six of Virginia Society’s most distinguished members have served as President General of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

1. Herbert Foreman—President General in 1947–1948
2. Dr. Howard L. Hamilton PhD, from Charlottesville—President General in 1982–1983
3. Reon G. Hillegass, Jr., from Norfolk—President General in 1996–1997
4. Bruce A. Wilcox from Alexandria—President General in 2007–2008 and was elected during the 2007 National Congress hosted by the Virginia Society in Williamsburg
5. Joseph W. Dooley from Falls Church—was President General in 2013–2014.
6. Michael J. Elston from Woodbridge—currently serving as President General in 2025–2026. 

Major Commemorations and Historical Initiatives

The Virginia Society commemorates numerous battles, sites, and events of the American Revolution across the Commonwealth each year. In addition to these regular observances, the Society has also undertaken a number of distinctive commemorative efforts and historical initiatives. The examples below reflect moments when the Virginia Society played a leading role in marking Revolutionary history, supporting national remembrance, or advancing projects of particular significance to Virginia’s patriotic heritage.

The successful effort to honor George Mason of Gunston Hall, the brilliant statesman and author of the Fairfax Resolves in 1774, on a United States postage stamp was led by Conrad Mook of the George Mason Chapter. The stamp was issued in May 1981.

The annual commemoration of the Battle of Yorktown on October 19 receives major support from the Virginia Society. As part of this observation the Virginia Society annually sponsors a wreath laying ceremony at the grave of General Thomas Page Nelson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. The Virginia Society is a member of the Yorktown Day Association.

The annual commemoration of the Battle of Point Pleasant (now in West Virginia) in early October was initiated by and receives major support from the Virginia Society. As a part of the Memorial Ceremony, the President of the Virginia Society and other State Society Presidents and SAR Chapter Presidents place memorial wreaths on the graves of the Virginia militiamen buried there.

In the spring of 1983, the Virginia Society commemorated the presence of Virginia patriots at Valley Forge by dedicating a monument at the Valley Forge National Park. The monument was made possible by gifts from many compatriots throughout the Virginia Society and by a bequest from the estate of a former member.

The Wilderness Road State Park and U.S. National Park cooperative venture received official status in the National Societies list of Historic Celebrations during the fall Trustees Meeting in 2004. The Virginia Society participates in the wreath laying event on the 2nd weekend of May each year which is hosted by the Martin’s Station Chapter. The wreath laying commemorates the pioneers who traversed the Wilderness Road and those who manned and defended the outpost at Martin’s Station. The outpost served as a beacon of light on the Wilderness Road as the pioneers journeyed through the Cumberland Gap.

Continuing the Legacy

From its founding in 1890 through the present day, the Virginia Society has remained committed to preserving the memory of the Patriots who secured American independence. Early members — including descendants of Continental Line soldiers, county militia officers, and even two Real Sons whose fathers served in the Revolution — established a tradition of historical stewardship that continues to define the Society.

Throughout the twentieth century, the Virginia Society expanded its chapters, strengthened its educational and commemorative programs, and supported national SAR initiatives. Its members have participated in historical preservation, youth outreach, patriotic observances, and community service across the Commonwealth. The Society has also played a leading role in marking Revolutionary War sites, supporting research, and honoring the service of Virginia’s Patriots.

Today, the Virginia Society is one of the largest and most active state societies in the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Its work reflects the same principles that guided its founders: to honor the memory of the men and women of the Revolution, to promote the study of American history, and to inspire future generations with the ideals of liberty and civic responsibility.

The story of the Virginia Society is still being written. More than a century after its founding, the Society continues to uphold the legacy of the Patriots of 1776 and the compatriots who first gathered in Richmond in 1890 to ensure that their sacrifices would never be forgotten.