Volume 66 Number 9 January 2020 - February 2020 Officers In this issue President: Robert Anderson 1st Vice President: Robert ◊ President’s Message Brotherton ◊ Summary of January’s Meeting 2nd Vice President: James Koontz ◊ Photographs from January’s Meeting Treasurer: Kevin MacFarland ◊ Announcements/ links/ Secretary: Larry Patterson ◊ New Member st Sergeant-at Arms: Russell ◊ From the 1 Vice President nd Pebworth ◊ From the 2 Vice President Registrar/Genealogist: Parks ◊ Future Speakers Honeywell ◊ New Books about the Revolution Chaplain: George D. Youstra ◊ Revolution in February Governors –at- Large: Pat Niemann, ◊ Birthdays James Grayshaw ◊ Our Next Meeting Newsletter Editor- James ◊ About the Sons of the American Grayshaw – Revolution contact at [email protected] celebration is a time to reflect and remember From the President his superb contributions to our great nation. Our guest speaker this month, Compatriot Woody Weidemeyer will help us better understand the role of the Hessians in the War of the Revolution. Clearwater Chapter is looking forward to participating with our DAR partner, Caladesi Chapter DAR, at their Genealogical Seminar on February 12th from 1 PM to 3PM at the Dunedin Public Library, and the presentation of “1776” at the Dunedin Library on February 8th. (see flyer in the newsletter) I also want to encourage you to bring items for the homeless veterans at the April 4th stand down. (See notice in the newsletter) This is an Compatriots, opportunity to make a real contribution to help veterans 2020 has started out very well for the Clearwater Chapter of the Sons of the Lastly, I want to thank our Ladies Auxiliary, American Revolution. We had a great turnout especially Margaret Harris, for the gift baskets for our January luncheon meeting. Those who that they prepared for the monthly meetings could not attend missed an interesting raffle. Their continued support of our SAR presentation about Laurens Morgan Hamilton, chapter is greatly appreciated. second great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton by Mary Anne Hamilton his wife. Yours in patriotism, On behalf of the Clearwater Chapter I want to thank the ladies of the Caladesi Chapter DAR Bob Anderson for hosting our chapter at their January salad luncheon. They served a large variety of salads and desserts and nobody left hungry. My thanks to the seven Clearwater Chapter members that attended the luncheon and supported the Caladesi Chapter DAR. This month we celebrate the birthday of George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and our first President. He holds a special place in our hearts as SAR members. Because of his superb leadership during the Revolutionary War and the sacrifices of our patriot ancestors, we are a nation of free men and women. Washington’s Birthday January’s Meeting I have been aware that some members who cannot come to our The Clearwater Chapter of the Florida Society regular meetings on the third SAR held its Regularly Scheduled Meeting on Wednesday of each month would like Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at the Dunedin the opportunity to meet at another Golf Club beginning at 12:00 p.m., President time. To accommodate this, and to Robert Anderson presided. There were 53 members and guests in attendance. expand our activities in general, I have planned some new activities, The President called the meeting to order, The including: Invocation was given by Chaplain George Youstra. President Anderson led members in reciting the Pledge to the Flag of the United On the second Saturday of States of America, and President Anderson led February, March and April 2020, the the Pledge to the Sons of the American Clearwater Chapter of the SAR and Revolution. Past President Bob Cundiff then led the Caladesi Chapter of the DAR will the group in the singing of “God Bless sponsor free Patriotic movies at the America”. Dunedin Library from 2:00 pm to 4:00 President Robert Anderson then introduced the pm. Look for details in the coming Head Table, after which he introduced NSSAR newsletters. Trustee, Pat Niemann, Past Chapter Presidents, and current Officers, past Patriot Medal Winners, members of the Ladies I have also planned a Auxiliary, and members of the DAR. President Dinner/Dance celebration of the 131st Anderson asked if there were any prospective anniversary of the founding of the SAR members, none stepped forward. There SAR, at the Dunedin Golf Club at 6:00 was one visiting SAR member, Mike Amis from Illinois. We had guests, Sharon Vincent, p.m. on April 30, 2021. Again, look for President Anderson then recessed for lunch. details in the coming newsletter. After lunch President Anderson gave the The Caladesi Chapter of the DAR following report stating, his has invited all the members of the Clearwater Chapter SAR to their “goal this year is to expand each January 20th Salad Luncheon meeting committee to at least two members, as their guests. I urge all of you to chairman and co-chairman. It is essential that we train our members come and show our chapter’s support of this wonderful DAR chapter. This so that we can cover a chairman due to absence or illness. I will encourage year the Salad Luncheon will be held newer members to choose and serve at the North Dunedin Baptist Church, on one of our many committees. 1598 Michigan Blvd, located on the corner of Michigan Blvd and County Road 1. The date again is January Find your chapter on the accompanying 20th, and the time of the event is chart, subtract any youth or emeritus 11:30 AM. members and send a check or money order for $1.00 per member. This is the 2019 We are all aware that 2020 is an assessment and needs to be in my hands election year. I wish to remind you by March 31, 2020. There will be a 2020 that our induction ritual states the assessment notice later in the year. Make following: checks payable to “Treasurer – Florida SAR” and mail to: Remember that the SAR is a non- political organization. Chapters and Richard Young, Treasurer state societies must never endorse or Florida SAR recommend any candidate for public 14599 Bensbrook Drive office, nor may meetings include the Spring Hill, FL 34609 discussion of merits or demerits of such candidates.” I do sincerely apologize for my delay in getting this notice out to you. I have a The President reported he score of legitimate reasons, but all will received the following from Dick Young, sound much like excuses.” Treasurer of the FLSSAR: At the Board of Governors meeting our board agreed that the 2019 assessment would “TO ALL FLORIDA CHAPTER be paid out the chapters general operating PRESIDENTS funds As you have probably already heard, in President Anderson then asked First October, the Board of Management agreed Vice President Brotherton to introduce our guest speaker. to a $1.00 per member annual assessment for the calendar years 2019 – 2023 to Compatriot Brotherton the introduce partially fund the Florida SAR cost of Mary Anne Hamilton by stating she was a 31- hosting the 2023 National Congress. As year old Cocktail waitress at the Grammercy your treasurer, I am woefully late in Hotel in Washington, D.C. when she met 65- year old Laurens Morgan Hamilton (second sending this notice about the 2019 great grandson of Alexander Hamilton) who at Assessment. This is a limited time that time walked with the assistance of a cane. assessment and is not to be considered a The name Laurens is interesting in that John dues increase. As a Chapter, you are Laurens was the best friend of Alexander Hamilton. free to raise the funds in any way your wish. Laurens father was William Pierson Hamilton, and his mother was Juliet Pierpont Morgan (daughter of John Pierpont Morgan). They met were brought together to become the Coast at the bar where she was serving. It was love Guard in the early 1900’s, he then asked Mary at first sight and Mary Anne became the 5th and Anne to come forward and he took over final wife of Laurens Hamilton (b. 18 Jun 1900, manning the slide’s shown during her talk. d. 1978). They were married in 1966. She, her 4 children by a previous marriage and Laurens moved into a home on the Potomac River with a pool, tennis court, and servants. In 1972, they moved to the Pinellas Point area of St Petersburg. Laurens died in 1978. Mary Anne then developed a Real Estate career. Mary Anne was able to attend a Broadway musical called “Hamilton” in April 2016. Staff had been tipped off that Mary Anne was to attend this show and after the show, she was greeted by the star of the show Lin-Manuel Miranda. She loved this show. Mary lives in her condo in St. Petersburg and has great neighbors. She has divested her most valuable possessions which now reside in several museums. She keeps the many family photo albums of her family and she keeps the Mary Anne Hamilton 1965 article where she was named “Cocktail Waitress of the Month”. There is a picture of Mary Anne thanked us for inviting her Mary’s face in the center of the $10 bill, and then said that in 2016, her neighbor, Rand replacing Alexander Hamilton. He then asked Scholet, purchased tickets for her to see the Mary Anne to come up. play “Hamilton” in New York City, where she was invited backstage and met Lin Manuel Prior to Mary Anne commencing her talk Miranda, the plays star. She told him she tried Rand Scholet, the President of the Alexander to purchase his new book “Hamilton”, he told Hamilton Awareness Society a/k/a the AHA her it had not been released, but then went into Society, gave some brief remarks, saying that his dressing room and brought a copy of the May Anne’s husbands name, Lauren Morgan book which he signed to her.