The SAR MAGAZINE is the official quarterly publication of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution published quarterly.
Issue link: http://sar.epubxp.com/i/462055
38 SAR MAGAZINE Dunmore followed up this quick victory with a reading of his proclamation, declaring martial law and promising freedom to slaves belonging to Patriot owners, if they served in the British military. This proclamation soon increased popular opposition to his activities, and such opposition eventually led to him being forced to leave Virginia, by way of a good dose of Patriot gunpowder at Great Bridge. This year's commemoration occurred at the Virginia Historical Marker for Kempsville at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Col. Scott Aiken, master of ceremonies, described the battle and its significance, and spoke to the perils of ambush in combat. Representatives of Norfolk Chapter and District I, VADAR, laid wreaths. James Carver, vestry member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Norfolk compatriots, and members of Lynnhaven Parish, Ft. Nelson and Great Bridge NSDAR chapters participated in the brief ceremony. Williamsburg Chapter Rachel Moore was recognized by the Williamsburg Chapter as its Teacher of the Year during its October meeting at the Fort Magruder Inn. Moore is a sixth- grade history teacher at Hornsby Middle School. Her students have been in the Virginia History Day competition in each of the last five years. Eight students competed in 2014. Robert Spencer, chapter president, is shown presenting her with a Bronze Good Citizenship Medal and Certificate. PPP Dennis Bigelow, portraying James Madison, was the speaker at a meeting of the Williamsburg Chapter at The Fort Magruder Inn on Oct. 11, 2014. In the role and garb of Madison, Bigelow reviewed his life as a Founding Father, covering his wounding at the Battle of Trenton, the six positions he held in the government, and finally as the fifth President of the United States. Bigelow is shown receiving thanks and recognition from Robert Spencer, chapter president. Williamsburg Chapter Commemorates Veterans Day A ceremony was held on Veterans Day by the Williamsburg Chapter to honor some of our earliest veterans—the 158 Patriots buried in the Colonial Williamsburg Palace Garden. These 156 men and two women died at the former Governor's Palace when it was used as a hospital for wounded or ill American soldiers during and after the Battle of Yorktown. WASHINGTON SOCIETY Alexander Hamilton Chapter Bob O'Neal of the Alexander Hamilton Chapter shares a first-person account of an easy outreach education project: Some time ago, I received a call from one of our senior members, Bill Baxter, a World War II veteran and a strong supporter of SAR and our chapter. He acquainted me with the Washington's Portrait Program of the Ladies Association of Mount Vernon, which provides free of charge to any school in the United States a 30 by 36-inch portrait of George Washington in his uniform framed and ready for mounting. A school official has only to fill out a request form and promise to hang the portrait in a prominent place in the school. Washington Elementary School, a venerable old school here in Tacoma that was built in 1901, has just finished a complete renovation and is one of the finest I have seen. When I toured the school, I learned it uses the Washington family coat of arms as the school logo, and I have ordered T-shirts for all the students and faculty! Back to Bill Baxter—he urged me to contact the school officials and get them to let the chapter order this portrait, and then have a presentation by our chapter at the mounting of the portrait. So I looked for an opportunity to contact the school. As it happens, I had delivered a flyer to the school, and the music teacher, Viren Lemmer (veteran officer, USAF), had kept it. He had recently contacted our genealogist, Bob Parrish, and became a new member and plans to join the chapter color guard. He invited me to make a presentation of the history of Old Glory at the school for Veterans Day. I approached Viren and told him that our chapter color guard would be available for a presentation at the unveiling/ mounting of the portrait. He was enthused and took the form to his principal. He emailed the following to me: "Hi Bob, I submitted our request for the portrait yesterday. I talked with my principal. He thinks a formal unveiling ceremony is a great idea. I'll let you know when the portrait arrives. —Viren [Lemmer]" Soon the children of Washington Elementary will be able to see their Founding Father every day when they go to school. Great stuff! At the wreath-laying ceremony for Revolutionary War veterans buried in the Revolutionary Cemetery at the Governor's Palace Garden, from left, Col. Joe Spruil, SAR; Ed Truslow, VASSAR; Virginia Lee, DAR regent; Bob Spencer, president, Williamsburg Chapter; Ken Wood, president, Thomas Nelson Chapter; and Richard Schuman, Patrick Henry interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg.