Volume 41 • No. 3 • September 2007 The PublishedSSPIRIT byPIRIT the Descendants of the Signers of OF OFthe Declaration of Independence’76’76 100th Annual Congress ur 100th Annual Congress was a special meeting. The day began with six Junior Members tapping the Liberty Bell at Oprecisely 2:00 PM. The tapping coincided with bell ringing throughout our great nation. At 6:00 PM we had 101 members and their families plus invited guests join us in the Long Room of Independence Hall. The Long Room is not open to the public, and the D.S.D.I. has been privileged to meet there for 100 years. The Bell Tappers were presented to the members and President-General Thomas Gaillard Heyward handed out copies of the Declaration of Independence and a picture of the signing of the Left to right, Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Mariana Declaration by John Trumbull to them. Dobnys, Elizabeth Sturgeon, Christina Sturgeon, Tyler President-General Thomas Nolan, George Williams III, William Gottwald IV, and Gaillard Heyward presented Rev. Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell Frederick Wallace Pyne with the Patriots Award for his many years Hercules, one of at least nine enslaved Africans of service to our Society. Fred’s who toiled in the Washington household, wife Ann was in attendance. The presided as George Washington’s chef. The Declaration of Independence was public has been able to view the area from a read by President-General Thomas Continued on page 4 Gaillard Heyward and by Donald Crosset Ward, Jr. Out-going President-General Thomas WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE Gaillard Heyward, turned over the President-General’s Message . 2 reins of our Society to our new President-General, Donald Crosset Fall Centennial Meeting . 3 Ward. The meeting was Past Bell Tappers . 3 Out going Registrar-General adjourned. Bell Ringing, New York State Society . 6 Fred Pyne receiving the DSDI Our 100th banquet was held at Patriot Award Annual Giving . 6 the Omni Hotel with 71 members Josiah Bartlett Plaque Dedication . 7 and guests attending. Dennis Reidenbach, the Superintendent of Independence National Park, The Signers from Pennsylvania . 8 was our dinner speaker. His wife, Christine, Registrar-General’s Report . 10 accompanied him. The Superintendent spoke Samuel Huntington’s Plaque Dedication . 12 about the changes taking place at the Park. There has been an extensive archaeological dig Sounds of Liberty . 12 of the “President’s House”, where presidents Your Signer’s Legacy . 13 George Washington and John Adams lived Future Meetings . Back Page successively from 1790 to 1800. The archaeologists have located the kitchen in which Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence Officers,______ 2007-2008 Board of Governors President-General DONALD CROSSET WARD, SR. 15 Wards Way, Boyertown, PA 19512 2007-2008______ First Vice-President JOHN CURTISS GLYNN, JR. 105 Elmsford Court, Brentwood, TN 37027 NEW HAMPSHIRE - Mrs. Kenneth S. Peterson Second Vice-President PHILIP ROBERT LIVINGSTON, JR. 77 Oak Knoll Road, Glen Rock, NJ 07452 MASSACHUSETTS - Ms. Marianne M. Brinker Chaplain-General REV. FREDERICK WALLACE PYNE 3137 Periwinkle Court, Adamstown, MD 21710 RHODE ISLAND - Blaine Huntting Worth Registrar-General JAMES HERBERT ALEXANDER, JR. 7157 SE Reed College Place, Portland, OR 97202 CONNECTICUT - Truxtun Ennails Brodhead NEW YORK - Melvin Phillip Livingston Assistant-Registrar JOHNNY DOW ALEXANDER P.O. Box 425, Salem, OR 97308 NEW JERSEY - Emery Livingston Flannery Historian-General EDWARD RIDLEY FINCH, JR., ESQ. 860 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10021 PENNSYLVANIA - Mark Crosby Ward Treasurer-General DANIEL HEYWARD McNAMARA 8507 Henrico Avenue, Richmond, VA 23229 DELAWARE - L. D. Shank, III MARYLAND - Mrs. Linda Coley Teare Assistant Treasurer ROBIN LEIGH RAWL 2528 Heyward Street, Columbia, SC 29205 VIRGINIA - Lawrence M. Croft Secretary-General THORNTON CALEF LOCKWOOD 17 Duck Pond Road, Demarest, NJ 07627 NORTH CAROLINA - Janet Anderson McKean SOUTH CAROLINA - Ms. Laura A. Heyward Assistant Secretary L. D. SHANK, III P.O. Box 634, Odessa, DE 19730 GEORGIA - Mrs. Julie Burnet McLaurine Chancellor-General T. MICHAEL KENNEDY, ESQ. 100 Flintshire Way, Coppell, TX 75019 WASHINGTON, DC - Mrs. Laura Haines Belman DSDI WEB SITE: http://www.dsdi1776.com/ Dear Friends; I was honored and humbled to be voted in as President-General at the Annual Meeting in Philadelphia. It is my pleasure to offer my services to our great Society. I thank you for your faith and confidence, as we begin our next 100 years with the Descendents of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Our turnout this July was the largest in recent history with 101 of our membership in attendance. It was once again a great day in Philadelphia! Thank you, to our out-going Pennsylvania Governess Grace Staller for another memorable Annual Meeting. Grace’s dedication and hard work has provided our members with many memorable visits to the city of “ Brotherly Love”. We are all very actively preparing for our upcoming Centennial Meeting in Colonial Williamsburg during October. If you have never attended a D.S.D.I. meeting this is the one not to be missed. As our Past President-General, Thomas Heyward has written previously “it will be a family affair”. Tommy will be our host and Master of Ceremonies and I can guarantee it will be a fun filled time for all. One hundred years ago our family members met in Virginia, during the month of October, to form our Society. It is our duty to commemorate the forming of the Descendents of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence and honor our ancestors who had the foresight to form this society. Our society was founded in 1907 “ to strengthen in American life the principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence and to perpetuate the memory of those men who, in signing that Declaration, mutually pledged their Lives, their Fortunes, and their Sacred Honors in the cause of Liberty”. Let us carry this forth as we begin our next 100 years. Looking forward to seeing everyone in Williamsburg. God bless all of you, Truly yours, Donald Crosset Ward Sr. 2 President- General The Fall Centennial Meeting In Williamsburg, Virginia All events are at the Colonial Williamsburg Lodge FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2007 6:30 P.M. Reception, Fountain Garden (Back Up Plan for inclement weather in place) 1-5 P.M. Registration - Williamsburg Lodge Colony Foyer 7:30-10:30 P.M. Formal Dinner (Suit or Black Tie or Costume) 2:30-4:30 P.M. Board of Governor’s Meeting, Our Speaker – Mr. Thomas Colony Room C Jefferson 4:45 P.M. Parade to Old Capitol Building # # # # # # # # Assemble – Arrival Hall Flag bearers please assemble at 4:30. Dress Better Casual and comfortable – SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2007 Handicapped arrangements are made. Breakfast on your own. 6:30-7:30 P.M. Reception, Colony Terrace Church – Bruton Parish Episcopal 7:30-10 P.M. Virginia Fare Supper – Children’s Services at 7:30, 9, 11:15 A.M. Plate Available. Mr. Benjamin Franklin will dine and # # # # # # # # enlighten us on events of interest. HOTEL RESERVATIONS # # # # # # # # Make all Hotel arrangements directly with the SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2007 Hotels at 1-800-261-9530. Mention DSDI. 7-9 A.M. Continental Breakfast, Colony Room E Unfortunately, most of the rooms at our agreed upon 9-10 A.M. General Meeting, Allegheny Room rate are gone, but some still exist. So please don’t delay. Also, there are other nearby hotels. 10 A.M.-12:30 P.M. Guided Tours, Assemble – Arrival Hall # # # # # # # # 12:30 P.M. Lunch, Tidewater Room Other important reservation information has been Our Speaker – General George Washington mailed to all members. ATTENTION PAST BELL TAPPERS In preparation for our 100th Centennial Celebration, we are asking all past Liberty Bell Tappers, who tapped the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia to supply us with information. We would like to have your name; women should include their maiden name, your DSDI membership number and your current address, telephone number, and most importantly, the year in which you tapped the Bell. Please send the information to: GRACE STALLER 1294 ROBYNWOOD LANE, WEST CHESTER, PA 19380 TELEPHONE 610-436-9191 FAX 610-436-1805 EMAIL [email protected] 3 PHILADELPHIA Continued from page 1 special platform. On July 31, 2007, the President’s House site will be covered temporarily for preservation. Chief of Visitor Services for the Park, Steven Sitarski, and his lovely wife Janice also joined us for dinner. Steven has been looking after us for over 25 years at our Long Room meetings. At the end of our meal, a three tier candle-lit cake was wheeled in. The cake was decorated in red, white and blue and had the phrase “100 years” on it. We sang “Happy Anniversary” to the Signers and our Society. Submitted by Grace K. Staller Minutes from the first organization meeting July 5, 1907 A-10 Fly by New Recruit Independence Hall 4 PENNSYLVANIA Statue representing all the Signers More recruits Elizabeth and Christina Sturgeon Left to right, Rieman McNamara, President-General Donald Troops forming up for parade. Crosset Ward, Sr., Grace Staller and Immediate Past President-General Thomas Gaillard Heyward, Sr. Troops on parade 5 Bell Ringing by the New York State Society Although we didn’t have any formal service in conjunc- until the early 1950’s. Mel’s most vivid recollection is tion with our ringing this year, we did ring bells in two the ringing of the bell on VJ Day in the summer of 1945 locations. We rang the large 1885 bell in Central when many people came and joined in that celebration. United Methodist Church, in In our hearts that day were the hopes that his 19 year Endicott, NY.