Qualities that Define a Leader
a guest article by Ros Poplar

Mr. Craig Fehrman notes in his book “The Story of John Adams Perilous Transatlantic Voyage” our future President of the United States and Founding Father, John Adams, demonstrated early on the qualities that define a  true leader. In 1778 the Continental Congress asked Adams to go to France to serve as a diplomat for our fledgling Republic.  John Quincy, his ten-year-old son also accompanied him on the voyage – thus two future American presidents made the trip together.

On 13 February Adams and his son boarded the Boston, a 24-gun frigate for a treacherous and frigid winter Atlantic crossing known for its storms and ice flows. Then it was not uncommon for ships to sink at sea with the loss of all hands.  Mother nature can be both beautiful and cruel to those who go down to the sea in ships and a crossing in the Winter is especially treacherous. 

After weathering severe storms  and outrunning a British Man of War, the Boston’s crew spotted another British ship.  After the ship’s Captain asked Adams to go below, the Boston sped towards an armed British merchantman named the Martha. The Martha fired several shots with the cannonballs flying directly over Adam’s head.  In the midst of this John Adams was seen brandishing a musket while  preparing to engage the British. “My dear sir,” the Captain asked, “how came you here?” “I ought to do my share of fighting,” Adams promptly replied. 

The Republic Endures

—— article by Ros Poplar

Next year we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America or our semiquincentennial. On this date 250 years ago our Founding Fathers at great peril to their lives declared their independence from then the most powerful nation of the face of the earth – Great Britain. Many of our Founders would lose their lives, livelihood, and property in the ensuing conflict, but they were willing to risk it all for the cause of liberty.

Our Republic has stood the test of time through numerous armed conflicts, a disastrous civil war that threatened to end our very existence, the Great Depression and yet we continue to this day to persevere serving as Ronald Reagan stated "that shinning city on the hill' that provides the beacon of freedom for those oppressed around the world. Though we may have our flaws there is no other nation of the face of the earth like the great experiment of American democracy that endures to this very day.

Near the end of his second term as president, George Washington published The Address of Gen. Washington to the People of America on His Declining the Presidency of the United States better known subsequently as his “Farewell Address" The address’s most frequently cited passage is a paragraph on the essential place of morality, and particularly of religion, in civic life:

Growing up in rural Maryland in the 1960s, while hunting, I frequently encountered abandoned farms and homesteads due to the encroachment of housing developments brought on by the post-World War II baby boom. Often, their structures were virtual time capsules and contained artifacts left in place by the previous owners.

To the chagrin of my friends, I would frequently spend more time exploring these buildings rather than beating the bushes for a rabbit or covey of quail.

On a cool and crisp autumn day, November 23, 2024, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution (Virginia SAR) gathered at the historic Trinity Lutheran Church in Stephens City, Virginia. The occasion was to dedicate a Virginia SAR–Pomeroy Foundation Patriot Burials®️ marker, a significant addition to the cemetery that honors the final resting places of American Revolutionary War patriots.

The William G. Pomeroy Foundation, committed to the celebration and preservation of community history, provided the grant for this important marker. Their mission to commemorate historical events and figures is realized through grants for signage, including roadside markers and plaques. One of their notable programs recognizes the burial sites of Revolutionary War patriots, an initiative embraced by the Virginia Society SAR. By installing these markers and conducting dedication ceremonies, the Virginia SAR ensures that the contributions of these early American heroes are remembered and honored.

Williamsburg Chapter SAR Color Guard Commemorates Bicentennial of Lafayette's Return at Colonial Williamsburg

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – October 20, 2024 – The Williamsburg Chapter SAR Color Guard took part in a grand celebration marking the 200th anniversary of Marquis de Lafayette's return to the United States, celebrated at Colonial Williamsburg. The event, which commemorated Lafayette’s visit as "America's Guest," saw a splendid display of historical reenactment and pageantry.

George Washington Chapter Virginia SAR in Partnership with City of Alexandria Commemorates Bicentennial of Marquis de La Fayette's Return with New Heritage Trail Marker

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – October 16, 2024 – In a ceremony held exactly 200 years since the historic event, the City of Alexandria honored the return of Marquis de La Fayette to the United States with the unveiling of a new Alexandria Heritage Trail marker. The marker stands proudly at the corner of the Lafayette House at 301 Saint Asaph Street, where La Fayette resided during his visit in 1824.

Grave Marking Ceremony in White Post Honors Revolutionary War Veteran Major Lawrence Butler

On 6 October 2024, the Col James Wood II Chapter, Virginia Society, Sons of the American Revolution conducted a grave marking ceremony to honor Major Lawrence Butler at the Dearmont Farm Cemetery, White Post, Virginia.

Major Butler, (SAR Patriot P-126563), was a prominent figure in Virginia during the American Revolution. He was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He enlisted in December 1776 as a 1st Lieutenant in the 15th Virginia Regiment and was promoted to Captain lieutenant 18 March 1777. The unit was redesignated 11th Virginia on 14 September 1778 and he was promoted to Captain on 14 May 1779. On 12 May 1780 at the Battle of Charleston, he was taken prisoner and held until exchanged in July 1781. Butler was transferred to the 4th Virginia Regiment 12 February 1781 where he served until the end of the war. He reentered the Army as a Major in the 8th Infantry on 24 April 1799 and honorably discharged 15 June 1800.

Fairfax Resolves Chapter Joins Maryland SAR to Honor French Alliance at Historic Wreath-Laying Event

(ANNAPOLIS, Md. – September 19, 2024) — Members of the Fairfax Resolves Chapter, Virginia Sons of the American Revolution (Virginia SAR), including compatriots with dual membership to the S.A.R. La Société en France (France Society SAR), formed alongside compatriots from the John Paul Jones Chapter, Maryland SAR, gathered at Worden Field, United States Naval Academy, to commemorate a pivotal moment in American history. This wreath-laying ceremony honored the French Army’s encampment at this very site in 1781, a crucial prelude to the Siege of Yorktown.

From September 18–21, 1781, General Rochambeau’s French Army camped at Worden Field, preparing for their journey to Virginia. On the morning of September 21st, they boarded 15 ships, setting sail to join General George Washington’s forces. This alliance was instrumental in securing American independence, culminating in the decisive victory at Yorktown.

Richard Rankin Appointed as Virginia SAR Risk Manager

(WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - 13 September 2024) —The Virginia SAR Executive Committee has appointed Richard E. Rankin of the George Washington Chapter, Virginia SAR, to the newly created position of Virginia SAR Risk Manager, effective September 14, 2024.

The VASSAR Risk Manager will provide advice to the ExCom, Chapter Presidents and the Color Guard Commander on risk management and insurance issues which may impact the Society’s operational risk profile.

Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter Commemorates the 1st Virginia Convention

Join Us in Tribute: SAR Hosts Memorial Ceremony for Eight Patriots at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery

(Wytheville, VA.) —The New River Valley Chapter invite the general public and SAR compatriots to attend the dedication of a memorial marker to honor eight Revolutionary War Patriots interred at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery. The event will take place on Saturday, October 5 at 10:00 AM.

The ceremony will include a wreath presentation followed by a musket salute by the Virginia SAR Color Guard. This is a unique opportunity to pay tribute to the brave individuals who fought for our nation’s independence. All are welcome to attend this solemn occasion. If you are a descendant of one of the patriots, we encourage you to join us or contact us for more information. Visit the SAR Patriot Research System's (PRS) entry for the cemetery. 

Virginia SAR Compatriots Welcome Veterans with Honor and Respect at Dulles International Airport

(Dulles, Va. - August 28, 2024) — The Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution (Virginia SAR) compatriots from three chapters came together to extend a warm and patriotic welcome to 117 veterans arriving on a Chicago Honor Flight at Dulles International Airport. The event was a heartfelt tribute to the brave men and women who served in the Korean and Vietnam wars.

As the veterans disembarked from the People Movers and transitioned to waiting buses, the SAR team consisting of members of Sgt Maj John Champe, Col James Wood II, and Fairfax Resolves chapters proudly presented the colors, creating a striking and respectful display. The veterans, representing all branches of the military—ten from the USAF, 80 from the Army, seven Marines, and 20 from the Navy—were visibly moved by the honor and recognition bestowed upon them.

The Williamsburg Chapter, Virginia SAR has been active working with the Boy Scouts of our area.  On two occasions we have had the privilege of presenting Sons of the American Revolution Boy Scout Certificate of Recognition. Scholarship applications were also given to the scouts. 

Lewis "Lew" Miller Ewing (1934–2024)
(Colonel James Wood, II Chapter SAR)

Lewis M. “Lew” Ewing, 90, of Winchester, Virginia, died August 7, 2024, at Winchester Medical Center. Lew was born May 8, 1934, in Stephens City, Virginia, son of the late James Earl Ewing, Sr. and Anna Virginia Golladay Ewing.

Virginia SAR Honors Frank Shatz with Silver Good Citizenship Medal

Williamsburg, VA – August 19, 2024 – The Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution (Virginia SAR), with the support of the Williamsburg Chapter SAR, proudly presented the Silver Good Citizenship Medal Award to Mr. Frank Shatz at the College of William and Mary.

The Silver Good Citizenship Medal recognizes outstanding and unusual patriotic achievement and service at the state or regional level. The medal is presented to persons of prominence in areas of government, military service, religion, education, business, or other endeavors. Mr. Frank Shatz was born in Czechoslovakia in 1927. After the German takeover of Czechoslovakia, he was deported to a slave work camp in Romania. He managed to escape and returned to Czechoslovakia, where he became a member of the anti-German resistance. He began a career in journalism after the World War II and immigrated with his wife, Jaroslava, to the United States in 1958. He currently resides in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he writes a weekly column for the Virginia Gazette and is involved with the College of William and Mary.

Charles Leroy Mattocks, Sr. (1940–2024)
(Colonel Fielding Lewis Chapter SAR)

Charles Leroy Mattocks, Sr., 84, of Stafford, Va., died at Mary Washington Hospital, Fredericksburg, Virginia, on Sunday, August 18, of complications from a fall. He was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania, on March 26, 1940, to Daniel “LLoy” Raymond Mattocks, Sr. and Helen Dorothy Waid.

[more...]

To help tell the story of our Revolutionary War Patriots, the George Washington Chapter placed small markers with a QR (Quick Response) code that link to the patriot’s biography and service record on the SAR’s Patriot Research System (PRS).    Not only will this give the public a greater appreciation of the service of our Patriots but will also help publicize the society.  QR markers were placed in the Presbyterian Meeting House section of the Wilkes Street complex in Alexandria and in the Flint Hill cemetery in Vienna.  Unfortunately, some of the cemeteries where our chapter has marked patriot graves in the past declined to give us permission to place these QR code markers.  GWSAR Compatriot Luc Chevalier assisted Paul Walden, Grave Marking Chair, in placing these markers.  This first batch of markers is a test case to see how long these last in the elements and while we research more economical options for producing these markers.