Old Line State Herald

MDSSAR, Founded on April 20, 1889 at Annapolis, Maryland www.marylandsar.org State President James F. Engler, Sr. August 2015 Issue

Presidents Message Compatriots, I hope you all had a great Independence Day and are having Calendar of Events: an enjoyable summer. At the end of June, about a dozen of August 7-9 Atlantic Middle States our Compatriots joined me at the National Congress and we Conference, Bridgewater, should all be proud of the accomplish-ments of Maryland that NJ were announced there. Maryland this year participated in August 29 Battle of Brooklyn SAR ALL of the SAR’s Youth outreach programs: Poster, Brochure (a first), Essay, Orations, Bus Trip to NY Eagle Scout and ROTC/JROTC. In the Patriot Biographies (TENTATIVE) Initiative, 12 of our 15 chapters earned streamers, and Maryland was singled out by name, in terms of the number of chapters that participated. All of these September 11 & 12 The 2015 programs and the initiative are due to the efforts of you in our local chapters, National Treaty of Paris doing all that is needed to make them a success. In pages to follow, you will see Festival, Annapolis, MD examples of chapters fulfilling our mission, and upcoming events (e.g., the September 12 Society of the War of Patriot Biographies Project continues). That success illustrates the reason behind 1812, 2015 Defenders my PARTY Line approach (Participation, Assessment, Response, Transition, and Day Baltimore City You): by the state society helping our chapters be the best that they can be, the Cavalcade September chapters help the state society attain the SAR’s mission and goals. I’ve asked all 25-27 NSSAR Fall chapter leaders to address the following questions in pursuit of the PARTY Line: Leadership Meeting,  Where do you want to see your chapter be in five years?  What are your chapter’s strengths? weaknesses? opportunities? threats (i.e., Louisville, KY

external situations that challenge your chapter’s growth and accomplishing October 3 MDSSAR Semi-Annual the SAR mission)?  What are your chapter’s transition plans (i.e., is some chapter officer or Meeting, Dutch’s chairman were to suddenly disappear, how will your chapter carry on Daughter, Frederick, MD without missing a beat)? October 10 African-American Forum  Who are your chapter points of contact for various state society committees? on Family Research I would like to hear from all our Compatriots on these questions. Just send your Balto. responses to me care of [email protected] with a subject line of: PARTY Line – The Chapter Questions. We are only successful when we all pull together. Your active November 21 250th Anniversary involvement, especially locally, to plan and execute local programs and getting Commemoration of the the word out, helps make SAR and the Maryland Society better known in the Repudiation Act, community. Success will breed success. Without you, we won’t be successful. Frederick, MD If the ancestors we honor as members of SAR had not given active support to the American cause, our history would have been radically different and likely not become the nation we are today. Without your active support December 5 Genealogy Workshop, today, SAR will not be the society it could be, a preeminent force in the MD Historical Society preservation of our history and liberty and in helping our citizens know and live December 19 Patriots Ball, Turf Valley up to the ideals of our nation’s founding. Country Club, Ellicott Pro patria, City, MD Jim Engler

Compatriots Invited to AMS Conference The 2015 Atlantic Middle States (AMS) Conference is being hosted by the New Jersey Society SAR the weekend of 7-9 August at the Marriott Bridgewater, 700 Commons Way, Bridgewater, NJ 08807. We encourage all Compatriots and their spouses to attend. Information on the AMS can be found on its web page (http://ams.dessar.org). The AMS is a joint district meeting of seven SAR state societies (VA, DC, MD, DE, PA, NJ, and NY). A block of rooms has been reserved for the event, at a rate of $114 per night with plenty of free parking. Please call 888-236-2427 for reservations Registration is Friday afternoon, 7 August, with a welcome buffet social, opening meeting and a ladies program. There will be a Saturday morning business meeting. The Saturday afternoon tour will be to the headquarters of five senior officers of Washington’s army. During the Middlebrook Encampment (1778-1779):Baron von Steuben; General William Alexander/Lord Stirling; General Nathaniel Greene; General Henry Knox; and General George Washington. The houses are all owned by the local historical society, are rarely all open at the same time and will be for the first 100 AMS attendees to sign up. The conference will end with the Saturday evening black tie banquet.

Save the Date -- Patriots’ Ball – December 19th, 2015 The MDSSAR will be hosting its annual Patriot’s Ball on Saturday, 19 December 2015 at the Turf Valley Country Club, in Ellicott City, Maryland. Just off U. S. Route 40 where it splits from I-70, the site is convenient to most Maryland Compatriots. A block of rooms has been set aside at $99 a night for those who want to stay overnight. MDSSAR is expecting a big turnout in Debutantes this year. We encourage all Compatriots to attend. Look for an invitation to show up in your mail in September. Anyone interested to providing a sponsoring donation, or knows of an organization that would be interested in helping to sponsor the event financially, please contact MDSSAR Patriots Ball Chairman, Doug Favorite at: Compatriot Douglas Favorite, via e-mail ([email protected]) or by phone (301-271-0558).

L ’Hermione Visit to Maryland By Robert Reyes

The Maryland Society SAR participated in the visit of the L ‘Hermione to Annapolis and Baltimore and unveiled the SAR W3R Wayside Panels with Robert Reyes being instrumental in the organization of this grand event. Members of the Society toured the boat and participated in the dedication of wayside markers that will become part of a permanent display in the harbor area. This project has been ongoing with Maryland for over ten years and picked up speed with the visit of the French ship symbolizing Lafayette's involvement in the American Revolution. Soldiers in period dress were on display around the harbor. Great News about the National Life Member Program: After a detailed review of the great work done by Stephen Renouf (CA) and James Jones (TX) on the Life Program, *there will be no change in the Program *as a result of the Congress vote to increase 2016 dues by $5. Their attention to detail, and their foresight regarding future increases show that we can handle the increase without changing the scale. The Program will be monitored, but we do not foresee a change for a period of several years.

For members who wish to become a National Life Member *BEFORE 12/31/2015 they will save $35* over the cost after that date. This is due to the fact that one must be current in dues to apply for the Program. Thus if one becomes a Life Member next year, they will have to have paid 2016 dues. It may be a great time to encourage anyone who may have thought about the Program but just never acted upon it. If you know members in this situation, let them know NOW is a great time to become a National Life Member. By Larry T. Guzy, Treasurer General 2015-2016

Maryland Members Making Headlines  One of our MD Members has made National commander. Compatriot David Hoover was recently installed as the NATIONAL Color Guard Commander. We are honored that a compatriot from our own state has achieved such acclamation. Congratulations to Dave and good luck from your home state. Additionally, Dave was presented with a Baron Von Steuben certificate and medal from past NSSAR Color Guard Commander, Radcliffe.  Another Maryland member, Christopher Smithson, received the Kendall Award. This is the only known time that a Marylander has received it. It is given to the person who has helped the most new members into the Society in a single year. He made second place nationally.  And recognition of our Military personnel was restarted by past MDSSAR President, Ivan Dooley several years ago. This effort continues even now, as you can see by checking out the latest edition of the Maryland Line newsletter from the Maryland National Guard. The most recent edition had a large article about the Military awards presented at our last George Washington Birthday Luncheon. Congratulations to all of these men for the great work they do.

NSSAR Color Guard Commander Radcliffe presenting Baron Von Steuben certificates/ medal to Compatriot Hoover

Old Line State Herald

Newsletter Editor:

Doug Favorite

Please submit your articles for the next Old Line State Herald Newsletter

th by Friday, October 30 , 2015 to nd MDSSAR 2 Vice President, Don Deering. 4

African-American Forum on Family Research on Oct. 10th Col. John Eager Howard Chapter President Jean S. Fugett Jr. is working with the Star Spangled Banner Flag House and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum to hold a workshop in October that will be of interest to all members. The topic will include genealogical help as well as personal stories of family research from a white and black perspective using DAR and SAR members’ examples. Please mark your calendars now and we will provide further details as they are finalized. Please spread the word. The program schedule has been tentatively scheduled as follows:

LOCATION: Star Spangled Banner Flag House and Museum, 844 E. Pratt St, Baltimore MD

DATE: Saturday, October 10, 2015  10:30 a.m. – Workshop and How To with Karen Sutton, African American DAR, Virginia  12:00 p.m. - Panel discussion/ lecture “Ready for a Revolution: Stories from Descendants of o Revolutionary Soldiers” with panelists Jean Fugett (SAR), Karen Sutton (DAR), Reisha Raney (DAR) and o Chris Christou (SAR) The program will feature local Marylanders sharing the stories of discovering o their ancestry to American Revolutionary War Soldiers.  Approx. 1:00 p.m. - Open discussion/questions  We invite you afterwards to visit the Lewis Museum and enjoy the wonderful food in their fine cafeteria.

We thank Lisa Crawley, Resource Center Manager of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum and Amanda Shores Davis, Executive Director of the Star Spangled Banner Flag House and Museum for the idea and spearheading this program.

Please join us for a genealogy presentation focusing on ancestry and the American Revolution at 10:30 and for our main lecture at Noon.

Chapter News: General William Smallwood Chapter: Three compatriots from the Maryland Society Sons of the American Revolution, General William Smallwood Chapter were present for a City of Annapolis Welcoming Ceremony that was held in honor of the arrival of the French ship L’ Hermione on June 16, 2015. The L’ Hermione was the ship that brought the Marquis De Lafayette a Major General in the Army of the United States back to America in 1780 with news of French reinforcements. Compatriots Marcus Larkin and Austin Larkin marched in the parade through the city of Annapolis to the unknown French Soldiers graves at St John’s Compatriot Austin Larkin, the Marquis De College. Compatriot William Smithson participated in the Wreath Lafayette, Major General; and Laying Ceremony and had the honor of placing the MDSSAR Compatriot Marcus Larkin with Sea Chest Wreath on the graves of the unknown French Soldiers. After the ceremony a reception in honor of Lafayette and the L’ Hermione Gift. was held at the pier. After the reception Compatriot Marcus Larkin and Austin Larkin presented to the Captain and Crew of the L’ Hermione via the Ships Navigator and Second Lieutenant a hand crafted Sea Chest and Bicentennial 1st Edition of Lafayette in America. This event was sponsored by the Society of Cincinnati in the State of Maryland and the Society of Sons of the Revolution in the State of Maryland who graciously invited the compatriots from the MDSSAR and other societies to participate.

Westminster Chapter: On 21 April 2015, at a ceremony in the Baker Chapel of McDaniel College, Westminster, Maryland, the Westminster Chapter’s immediate past president, Dr. Cecil Massie, presented the chapter’s SAR ROTC award to Cadet Kyle Shaffer. Shaffer is a freshman studying English from New Freedom, Pennsylvania. The presentation was made during the Green Terror Battalion ARMY ROTC President’s Review.

Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter The chapter recently held its’ 95th annual meeting. The chapter honored Brunswick resident Richard Foot with the SAR’s War Service Medal in recognition of his honorable service in the U.S. armed forces. The chapter also recognized their Eagle Scout Award recipient. Picture to the right includes; 2014-15 Chapter President George Lewis, SAR Chapter Eagle Scout Award Committee Chair George Delaplaine, Eagle Scout Joseph Dimdorfer, and parents of the Eagle Scout-Susan and John Dimdorfer.

The chapter also inducted 8 new members. Photo Identification (L-R) - Seated: New members: Dustin Carl-Lee Smith Hedrick, Gerald Earl Harris, Robert Paul Higdon, Charles Philip Nichols, David William Hamstead, & George Clyde Bailey. (L-R) - Standing: Edwin Smith, SAR Chapter Registrar, George Lewis, 2014-2015 SAR Chapter President, Donald Deering. 2015-2016 SAR Chapter President, Ron Harbaugh, SAR Chapter Assistant Registrar, Larry Bishop, SAR Chapter Historian and Kevin Linus Campbell, new member. Not present at the time of the photograph was new member Albert Ellwood Werking.

The chapter then honored Donald Deering with the SAR’s Chapter Medal of Distinguished Service. Also at this meeting Deering was elected and installed as President of the Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution for 2015-2016.

Little Meadows Chapter

From the Little Meadows June Chapter Meeting: A Memorial table was set for compatriot Kenneth Hardesty who passed away in January 2015, President Ansel Shircliffe presented a certificate and medal to Navy Sea Cadet/Petty Officer 2, Quade Raley (Lt. Commander Randy Merritt is shown pinning the medal on Cadet Raley), and then President Ansel Shircliffe presented Distinguished Service Awards to Donna and Terry Grove for their service to the chapter for the last three years.

John Eager Howard Chapter The Col. John Eager Howard Chapter held its annual memorial on June 7th with a great turnout. President Jean S. Fugett Jr. opened the ceremony with march in of colors by our MDSSAR Color Guard Troops including David Embrey, Bruce French, David Hoover, Robert Lyons, and Bill Robertson. Their uniforms and the flags were impressive. VIPs of several organizations attended. Our State President James F. Engler Sr. presented the MDSSAR Wreath during the memorial and spoke of the accomplishments of the chapter. Past President Christos Christou Jr. served as master of ceremonies for President Fugett who thanked him and other Past Presidents including Ivan V. Dooley Jr. and Edward A. Foreman Jr. for their years of work in getting the monument erected.

Maryland C.A.R. Officer Leah Paire represented the CAR and invited the SAR to help with the upcoming state project - the restoration of the George Washington Monument in Baltimore City that coincidentally is on the land donated by Col. Howard.

Maryland C.A.R. Sr. President Holly Atherton and Mrs. Lucille Rogers who helped work with the Grey Rock Community Association to get the monument placed in its current courtyard location were in attendance as well. The event finished with several musket firings by the outstanding Maryland Color Guard.

JEH Chapter President James M. Sanders (1931-2013) The JEH Chapter reported the passing of Past President James M. Sanders, Jr., (March 20, 1931-November 9, 2013) which we only learned of this year. He was the 11th President of the Col. John Eager Howard Chapter (1985-1988). He was the son of the late J. Morris Sanders, Sr. and Maude C. (Lamm) Sanders. He was a member of CAR (#039843) when he was young through Patriot George Morris.

Sanders lived most of his life in the Baltimore area having graduated from Baltimore City High School in 1950 and then Towson State University in 1954 with a Bachelor's Degree in Education. He later received a Masters of Education Degree from Johns Hopkins University in 1959 and a Masters of Language Arts in 1972. He served with the United States Army from 1954-1956 and was stationed in Germany.

Sanders taught public school in the Baltimore City Schools from 1956 until his retirement in 1987. From 1987- 1989 he taught at the Dundalk Community College Nursing Home, where he taught history and geography to the residents. From 1989-1994 he taught at the Baltimore Catholic High School. He served as the department head of the Social Studies Department for the Baltimore City Schools, Northern High School, and the Baltimore Catholic High School. In 1965 he was the class advisor at the Eastern High School in Baltimore. He was a life member of the Johns Hopkins Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa. He was buried at Druid Ridge Cemetery, Baltimore, MD near his parents. Jim was the sponsor of many other members into the society.

Finding the Maryland 400 Grant Report and Preliminary Funding Proposal to the Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Project History Finding the Maryland 400 began in the spring of 2013 as a collaboration between the Maryland State Archives, the Maryland Military Department, and the Moss Family Foundation. Washington College has funded student interns whose work has been critical to the project's progress. Through the support of the Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, the project has been able to continue. Phase I (2013-2014) of the project focused on building a database of all the Marylanders who fought at the Battle of Brooklyn. The resulting Roster, http://msamaryland400.wordpress.com/first-maryland-regiment-roster/, is the first comprehensive compilation of all the Marylanders who served there; Linda Reno’s earlier work on the Maryland 400 focused on only five of the twelve total companies present at the battle. The names of approximately 850 soldiers from Maryland have been identified as likely or definitely serving at the battle; there were 900 to 1,000 troops total. We continue to add names; two new soldiers were found recently. We are also striving to determine the fate of each soldier at the battle, to learn who the “256 Killed & Missing” were, and have identified the names of 70 soldiers captured, and two killed. Another 450 men can be identified as alive after the battle, although some may have been prisoners. Phase II (2014-present) has consisted of researching the private life and military career of every soldier. The resulting biographies, found at http://msamaryland400.wordpress.com/biographies/, serve as records of and tributes to, the Marylanders’ service, and help to refine the information about the regiment listed in the Roster. Many biographies are accompanied by blog posts, which are sent to the blog’s 1,200 email and Twitter followers. These biographies, generally 500-1,500 words long, are intended to describe each soldier’s family information and military service, and to place them into the context of their times. Biographies are thoroughly sourced, with linked images of original documents as available. We make use of first-hand accounts, being as specific about individual soldiers’ experiences as possible. For example, the description of the Battle of Brooklyn by Fourth Company Sgt. William McMillan is included in many of the biographies of Fourth Company soldiers; see John Toomy’s biography for an example. Similarly, James Farnandis' time in captivity was described by a fellow prisoner, whose diary was later published. Maryland SAR Sponsorship (January to July 2015) During this period, 41 newly-written or substantially-revised biographies were published online. Sixteen of these were written by Sean Baker, the researcher who was directly funded by the SAR. Two of his biographies that are particularly good are those of Archibald Anderson and Edward De Coursey. While the other biographies were written by other members of the project staff, it is important to note that the SAR’s sponsorship of the project provides the impetus of the Archives’ deep involvement in the study of the Maryland 400. In total, 105 biographies have been completed; 26 are posted but need revision. At the request of Chris Christou, we largely concentrated on the regiment’s officers, completing biographies for 21 officers; nine remain, several of whom will be completed by the Archives’ research intern this summer. A listing of all biographies written during this period is attached. Proposed Future Work In order to continue the important work of studying the Maryland 400, the Archives would like to make the following proposal. We are desirous of restarting the project as soon as possible, in order to rehire Sean Baker, the project’s Staff Researcher, designated as the Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Research Fellow, while he is still available. He is an excellent writer and historian, brings a strong military history background to the project, and importantly, would be able to resume work immediately; a new employee would require time for training and developing a knowledge base. As noted above, with outside funding for the project, the Archives is willing and able to continue its substantial and sustained commitment to the project. As Project Director, Owen Lourie devotes approximately 75 percent of his time to the project, including training, supervision, and administration, as well as his own research; this amounts to in- kind matching of some $35,000. Future funding from the SAR will ensure that the project’s profile and the Archives’ commitment will be maintained. We see several end products to works towards, accompanying the primary goal of completing biographies of every soldier to the extent that is possible, and we are very much interested in working with the SAR to understand their goals for this project and potential end products. While these biographies will be posted online as completed, we think that compiling them into a print publication would be a worthwhile endeavor. Such a publication could also 8 draw on the topical information about Maryland and the American Revolution and the soldiers’ experiences featured in the project blog to further tell the story of the Maryland Line, as well as offer accounts of the Marylanders’ battlefield service throughout the war. In an effort to make this a truly collaborative undertaking, we would like to explore ways that the Archives and SAR can share information. If the SAR has information—particularly biographical material—on the soldiers we are working on, that could be a great aid. Likewise, we will work to provide access for the SAR to the research files compiled on each soldier and held at the Archives. Project Timeline Estimating the pace of work for a historical research project of this scope can be difficult, since it means trying to predict how much information will be found about the life of someone who lived over two hundred years ago. The lives of the regiment’s officers are generally well-documented, and thus those biographies take longer. Past experience suggests that for at least half the enlisted men studied, no information will be found beyond their military service record; for some men, we will be able only to say that they fought in the First Maryland Regiment in 1776. Taking this into consideration, a fair estimate would be that the project team could complete four biographies per week, or about 200 in a year (approximately three companies), making the whole regiment a 3-4 year undertaking. We are happy to discuss logical ways to divide the work, covering only the companies not included in Reno’s book, for example. It is likely that timeline could be refined during the first year of work. The salary for a researcher is roughly $23,000 per year. Conclusion The Maryland State Archives and Finding the Maryland 400, its Revolutionary War project focused on the men who made their famous stand in 1776, are very grateful to the Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution for their support. Through the SAR’s generosity, the Archives has been able to establish a project that consolidates and unifies new and existing research on the Maryland 400. Furthermore, the Archives has greatly improved its focus on the American Revolution, for which the SAR’s support for the project has been the main, driving impetus. We look forward to continuing this partnership, and furthering this fitting tribute to the Maryland 400.

Biographies completed during the SAR’s sponsorship of Finding the Maryland 400 All biographies are available online at http://msamaryland400.wordpress.com/biographies/ Capt. Daniel Bowie Sgt. Thomas Cunningham Capt. Edward Veazey Sgt. John Toomy 1st Lt. Archibald Anderson Sgt. Levin Wilcoxon 1st Lt. John H. Beanes Cpl. Zachariah Gray 1st Lt. Joseph Butler Cpl. Samuel Hamilton 1st Lt. Nathaniel Ewing Cpl. Benedict Woodward 1st Lt. William Harrison Pvt. William Baggott 1st Lt. Thomas Harwood Pvt. John Booth 1st Lt. John Kidd Pvt. John O’Neal 1st Lt. Alexander Roxburgh Pvt. William Parr 2nd Lt. Thomas Goldsmith Pvt. Edward Price 2nd Lt. Hatch Dent, Jr. Pvt. John Price 2nd Lt. Joseph Ford Pvt. Charles Riely 2nd Lt. Alexander Murray Pvt. John Riley 2nd Lt. Edward Prall Pvt. Valentine Smith 3rd Lt. Edward De Coursey Pvt. Richard Watts 3rd Lt. Walker Muse Pvt. Samuel Wiltshire Ens. Peter Brown Pvt. Thomas Wiseman Ens. William Courts Quartermaster Joseph Marbury Ens. James Farnandis Ens. John Jordan Sgt. James Burnes

NOTE: This proposal has been submitted to the Maryland 400 Fund Board of Trustees for review. Their recommendations for further funding will be presented at the next MDSSAR Board of Managers Meeting.

Maryland Does Well in the Patriot Biographies Initiative

President General Brock established an initiative to create fuller biographies of our to Patriot ancestors, online as part of the SAR Patriot Index to be found on the NSSAR website. His intent is to award a streamer to each chapter and society that submits a number of biographies equal to at least 25% of the chapter and society membership size as of 31 December 2014/1 January 2015. State President Jim Engler served as a focal point for tracking and encouraging participation across the state. Thanks to the efforts of many compatriots in many chapters, and especially due to efforts by State Registrar Christos Christou and State Genealogist Christopher Smithson, many of our chapters and our state society as a whole met the goal. We submitted 300 biographies and 12 other of our state’s 15 chapters met their goals. Maryland was only one of seven out of 59 state societies to reach this goal. MDSSAR ranked second in percentage relative to total membership and third in percentage of total submitted to NSSAR. During the presentation of streamers at the National Congress, the number of chapters from Maryland participating was specifically called out. Only one state had more chapter participation – Pennsylvania – but Maryland held the record for highest percentage of chapters participating among state societies with more than a few total chapters. The competition will be extended for another year. President Engler believes that the remaining three chapters with some effort can obtain a streamer under the project’s new conditions, that those with streamers should strive to reach the 100% participating level, and those nearing the 100% level already strive for a 200% level of participation. He also requests to be informed of any submittals made for tracking purposes. Notes on how to submit YOUR Patriot Biographies The following article comes from the Sgt. Lawrence Everhart Chapter’s 1st Vice President/Secretary, Pat Barron; Thanks to a suggestion from Compatriot David Hoke, below, you will find a template to help with collecting the types of information to incorporate into a biography. With some or all of this data you can write an interesting biography of your Patriot ancestor which will easily exceed the minimum word count. [HINT: Some of the information is on your original SAR application.] Please do not send the template as your biography. It is a tool for collecting pertinent pieces of information. Use the information to write the story of your Patriot ancestor.

Patriot’s Name Personal Data Date of birth (DOB)/date of death (DOD), Who were his parents?, Where did they live when the Patriot was born?, Patriot’s wife, Her DOB/DOD, Her parents, Where did the Patriot live?, Was he married more than once?, What was the Patriot’s occupation?, Children’s names and their DOB Patriot’s Military Service (if applicable) Dates of service, Unit(s) he served in, Patriot’s rank, Commanding officers, Battles he fought in, Was the Patriot wounded or killed?, Any other information known about his activities while in service Patriot’s Non-Military Service (if applicable) Type of support rendered to the Patriot cause (examples are: political leadership, monetary support and material support) Patriot’s activities after the American Revolution Did the Patriot or his widow file a pension application based on his service? Any other interesting information about the Patriot

Furthermore, the following information was submitted from Douglas T. Collins, 2015 NSSAR Patriot Ancestors Biographies Committee Chairman:

Compatriots, Thank you for your participation in the Patriot Biographies program for 2014-2015.  Our final tally resulted in over 3,200 biographies entered into the database. Any Chapter/State Society that obtained the 20% participation level of biography submissions to the membership totals as identified by National Headquarters earned a flag streamer which was presented at Congress this past week. For 2015-2016, PG Tom Lawrence has committed to continue the program. For those Chapters/State Societies presented a streamer during 2014-2015, a Star will be presented for each additional 20% achievement. This Star will be affixed to the Streamer.  For example, Chapter A obtained a 30% submission rate and they were presented a Streamer. Once they hit 40%, a Star will be presented. It they achieve 60%, an additional Star will be presented, 80% a third Star and so on. Chapter B obtained a 12% submission rate. If they hit a total of 20% during the current year, they will be presented a Streamer. Stars will be presented at each additional 20% lever - 40% - 1 Star; 60% - 2 Stars; 80% - 3 Stars, etc. For the member counts, we will use the December 31, 2015 membership that have paid their 2016 dues. National Headquarters will provide this information as they did last year. All Streamers and Stars will be presented at the 2016 National congress in Boston.  One adjustment to the program this year is that we are requesting a minimum of 200 words for each submitted biographical sketch. We are striving to build the best data source that we can. Also, we \will cut-off the submissions for the 2015-2016 program on May 21, 2016 (Armed Forces Day). Please get the word out. With your help we will continue to expand the database. Please let me know if you have any questions. Patriotically, Douglas T. Collins, Patriot Ancestors Biographies Committee Chairman, [email protected]

The following article comes from the “Repudiation of the Stamp Act Committee” consisting of the Sgt. Lawrence Everhart Chapter, SAR, the Carrollton Manor and Frederick DAR Chapters for planning this event.

SAR Compatriots: Widely-known for instigating the Boston Tea Party in 1773, the Sons of Liberty were actually quite active in the American colonies in the mid-1760’s. Frederick County boasted its own Sons of Liberty organization formed in response to the infamous British Stamp Act of 1765, a historical fact not lost upon Distillery Lane Ciderworks Owner Rob Miller, who, with Cidermaker Tim Rose, has created a “Sons of Liberty Cider” to mark the 250th Anniversary of The Repudiation Act in Frederick County. The Frederick News Post (Frederick, Maryland) recently published an article titled "Distillery Lane Ciderworks To Introduce Commemorative Cider", one of a series of articles heralding the 250th anniversary commemoration of the Repudiation of the British Stamp Act in Frederick County, Maryland.

In Memory of Robert J. Ayres MDSSAR Compatriots along with several organizations joined together to honor the memory of Robert James Ayres, a past Color Guard member in both MDSSAR and 1812. Bobby passed away in Dec 2013 and was a longtime drummer in the Maryland Color Guard unit. His tombstone was installed with the emblems of the SAR and 1812 organizations and the words Color Guard Drummer. He was buried with his family at Bel Air Memorial Gardens Cemetery. His longtime girlfriend and the immediate Past President National of the Daughters of 1812, Virginia Apyar did the unveiling of the new grave marker which proudly displays the both society’s emblems. Members of the Maryland Color Guard attended in uniform and fired three volleys of their muskets in his honor namely Dave Embrey, Bruce French, National Color Guard Commander David Hoover, Lou Raborg, Bill Smithson, and Chris Smithson. Rev. Christos Christou Jr. officiated the ceremony and presented the eulogy on behalf of both organizations.

Friday and Saturday, September 11-12 2015 National Treaty of Paris Festival Theme: “Alexander Hamilton: George Washington's Indispensable Partner.” Where: The Maryland Inn, the Maryland State House, St. John's College, the United States Naval Academy's Museum, the Chase-Lloyd House, the John Callahan House, the James Brice House, Capital Teas, Capital Cakes & Cream, Seasons Olive Oils & Vinegars, Mills Fine Wine & Spirits, the Treaty of Paris Restaurant, Harry Browne's Restaurant, Clay Bakers, Annapolis Connection Gallery and McBride Gallery. Activities: Lectures, indoor and outdoor guided tours, films, exhibits, food and drink demonstrations (with free samples) and a live performance. For more information, please go to: www.treatyofpariscenter.org

A Very Special 30th Anniversary for the Westminster Chapter The Westminster Chapter recognized the 30th anniversary of its charter with a luncheon and awards ceremony at Cockey’s Tavern on Saturday, 21 March 2015. The meeting was held on the second floor (the original chartering event had been held on the first floor). Twenty-seven Compatriots and Guests attended the event. Following a gathering time social for wine, drinks, cheese and crackers, and a cold fruit and vegetable tray, President Massie called the meeting to order. He welcomed our guests and visiting Compatriots, including charter members of our chapter. Next were brief reports by the officers and committees. As part of the New Business part of the meeting, the Bylaws were approved (see “Bylaws Voted on at March Meeting”). President Massie made his remarks as outgoing president. We especially thank our caterer, Ken Lurie, owner of Bud’s at Silver Run. The recent Carroll County Times survey of all the restaurants in Carroll County Maryland honored Buds as the Best Carroll County Restaurant, The best dinner in Carroll County and honorable mention as the most romantic dinner in Carroll County. There were many complements expressed on the great meal provided. Luncheon consisted of salmon, chicken, and London broil, a vegetable/medley, salads, and an assortment of desserts. Our speakers for the event evening were the winners of the chapter’s Knight Essay and the Eagle Scout Scholarship contests.  Chairman Art Petruccelli thanked Lauren Swam for her participation in the contest and presented her with the SAR Chapter Essay Contest winner certificate. Additionally, MDSSAR President Douglas Favorite presented her with the State Essay Contest winner’s certificate and medal.  Following the completion of the Essay reading “The Shout Heard Around The World”, the winner of our Eagle Scout contest, Jeremy Price presented his essay, “A Father’s Sacrifice, A Son’s Service, A Grandson’s Remembrance”.  Bennett Auwaerter, winner of the Chapter Orations contest was not present to receive his award. It was presented at the MDSSAR annual meeting on 18 April 2015. His orations speech “A Revolutionary Man, Paul Revere” was presented at that time. Westminster also inducted and presented a membership certificate to our newest Compatriot, C. Don Warner. MDSSAR State President Doug Favorite performed the induction. Chapter President Massie, Chapter President-elect Jim Engler and Chapter Medals and Awards chairman Charles Hedges presented a number of awards. The War Service Medal recipient, Compatriot Lou Abel, was announced, as well as plans to present it to him at the Westminster Memorial Day Parade. The new chapter officers present were installed by MDSSAR State President Favorite. This marked the first transition of presidential authority in the chapter’s 30 year history. Newly installed President Engler stated that he had a speech all prepared, but that a 7.5 pound little girl — his first grandchild, born just the day before — had different plans for him, and as soon as the meeting was over he and his wife were headed to Morristown, New Jersey, to meet their newborn granddaughter for the first time. He then summarized the speech he planned to give, thanking Dr. Massie for his years of service and his continual encouragement in all that Jim had done while serving as chapter vice president. President Engler stated his five year vision for the chapter, which included doubling its size (which implies a net 15% increase of membership each year). He stressed that he could not do this alone: the increase in membership, activity, participation and publicity of our activities — in the community and SAR — will require commitment from everyone in the chapter, and that he intended to talk to all Compatriots over the next several months to get a better idea of how everyone can help in this vision. The anniversary meeting and awards were reported in The Carroll County Times, "Sons of American Revolution Chapter, Turns 30" on 6 April 2015.