Vol. 2 Issue 1 January 2015 The Haversack The Newsletter of the Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution PRESIDENT S MESSAGE We are entering the most active and important one hundred day period of our Chapter business year, a time of year that presents many opportunities for each of us to take stock of our involvement in, commitment to, and support of our SAR. Now is the time for each of us to become more involved in the planning, facilitation, management, and support of the many activities of our Chapter; from new member recruitment and guidance to colorful patriotic events, from birthing the Frederick Town Fife and Drum to facilitation of the 250th year celebration of the Repudiation Act. Yes fellow Compatriots, now is the time for each of us to become more involved in sharing our ideas and offering of our hands on expertise to facilitate the everyday activities of our hallmark Chapter and our exemplary State Society. Our MDSSAR Board of Managers meetings, the Annual MDSSAR meeting in April, our Chapter Executive Committee meetings (open to every Chapter member), the nomination and election of our 2015-16 Chapter officers at our Annual meeting in April, and the meetings, management, and activities of our Chapter committees, each and all provide many opportunities for greater involvement in both our Chapter and the MDSSAR. I encourage each Compatriot to take stock of his involvement in the SAR, to visit and peruse our Chapter, State, and National websites; determine where and how you are willing/would like to become more involved in SAR, and then reach out to the relevant committee chairman, and/or any of our current Chapter leadership team and share with them both your ideas and your interest in, and willingness to become more involved in, your SAR. Don't miss the opportunities and the benefits of becoming more involved in the most important one hundred days of our Chapter business year. George Lewis Compatriot and President SAR HONORS THREE WITH LIBERTY MEDAL Frederick residents Charles Lawrence Bishop and Richard Lee Stup, and Braddock Heights resident James Edward Smith were honored by the Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter of the Maryland Society, Sons of the American Revolution with the Liberty Medal, recognizing each for his sponsorship of ten new members in the SAR chapter. The commendation was offered at the SAR Chapter s Annual Meeting, conducted at Dutch s Daughter. The Liberty Medal, depicting a bust of the Statue of Liberty struck in bronze and suspended from a gold ribbon, commemorates the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. (Cont. on page 2) Revolution; Richard Lee Stup, Immediate Past President of the Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter of SAR; Douglas Favorite, President, Maryland Society - Sons of the American Revolution In this issue CALENDAR OF EVENTS.. 2 MDSSAR ANNUAL MEETING..2 MEDAL OF THE MONTH..2 FNP HISTORY BEE 3 NEW MEMBERS 3 RICHARD POTTS...3 REPUDIATION ACT..4 COCKED HAT 5 HESSIAN BARRACKS..5 1
SAR HONORS THREE WITH LIBERTY MEDAL (Cont. from front page) MDSSAR ANNUAL MEETING Please save the date for the MDSSAR Annual Meeting, which will be held on Saturday, 18 April 2015. We'll be in the Freight Room of Baldwin's Station Restaurant located in the historic Victorian railway station of Sykesville, Maryland. A Continental Breakfast will be served at 8:30. Luncheon at noon will be a sit-down meal consisting of salad, your choice of chicken or tilapia, and a cheesecake dessert. Details of the Guest Program and final costs are being worked, and we expect a flyer out by the end of January. Revolution; Charles Lawrence Bishop, Past President of the Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter of SAR; Douglas Favorite, President, Maryland Society - Sons of the American Revolution Revolution; SAR Compatriot James Edward Smith; Douglas Favorite, President, Maryland Society - Sons of the American Revolution CALENDAR OF EVENTS Our Annual meeting will be held on 15-Apr- 2015 at Dutch s Daughter Restaurant beginning at 6:00PM. Additional details will be published in future newsletters. Executive Committee Meetings: Feb 19, 2015 Mar 19, 2015 Please note, all Chapter members are welcome to attend and participate in our Executive (EC) committee meetings. The meetings are held at 19 East Church Street in the 1st Floor Conference Room. Our meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month, commencing promptly at 6pm and ending at 7:30pm. Help us grow and improve the organization by being part of the process and deliberations. MEDAL OF THE MONTH Submitted by Pat Barron Awards Committee Chairman The Law Enforcement Commendation Medal may be presented by the National Society, a state society or a chapter to those who have served with distinction and devotion in the field of law enforcement. The medal is intended to recognize exceptional service or accomplishment in the field of law enforcement. Eligibility is not limited to peace officers but extends to the entire range of persons who make and enforce the law to include but not limited to peace officers, attorneys, judges, prosecutors and legislators who have performed an exceptional act or service beyond that normally expected. Law Enforcement Medal The obverse of the medal depicts a police badge design surmounted by a gold eagle with the SAR Badge below. The medal is accompanied by an enameled bar, suitable for wear on uniform, and a certificate for engrossing. A miniature medal is available. The medal may only be presented to an individual and only once. The medal may also be presented posthumously. The names of all recipients are published annually. Past recipients of the Law Enforcement Medal include Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter compatriots Carl Harbaugh, Hank Laughlin and Jerry Offutt. 2
CALL FOR PROCTORS FOR FNP HISTORY BEE The Frederick News Post will host its 16th Annual History Bee on Friday, April 10, 2015 in the Fieldhouse on the campus of Frederick Community College. The Frederick News Post is enlisting volunteers to serve as Proctors at the history bee. Proctors arrive at the event at 11:30 AM to receive an orientation on their role. The Bee commences at Noon and concludes by 2:30 PM. Two proctors are assigned to each table of competitors. One proctor asks a series of questions provided by the History Bee organizers, and the other proctor tallies the answers. A succession of competitive rounds ensues, culminating in a final competition for the championship. Fourth graders from schools throughout Frederick County participate in the History Bee. Members of the Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter of the Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution are invited to volunteer as Proctors by contacting: Erin Hajjar Inside Account Executive The Frederick News Post 240-215-8564 ehajjar@newspost.com SAR WELCOMES COMPATRIOTS BLAIR AND FOOT Two lineal descendants of men who fought in the battles of the American Revolution in support of the cause of American Independence were inducted recently into the membership of the Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter of the Maryland Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Walkersville resident Arthur Clay Sam Blair, a descendant of William Blair of York County, Pennsylvania, and Brunswick resident Richard Foot, a descendant of Patriot ancestor William Foote of Boston, honor the sacrifice of their forebears with membership in this historical, educational and patriotic organization. As a resident of York County, Pennsylvania during the Revolutionary War, William Blair was a private in Captain Samuel Hay s Company No. 1 in Colonel William Irvine s Regiment of the 6th Battalion, enlisting on 28 February 1776. He was captured by the British troops under General Frazier on 8 June 1776 at Trois Rivers, Quebec about 45 miles down the St. Lawrence River from the mouth of the Sorel River. General Thompson and about 200 men were captured there and about 25 slain by the enemy. He was paroled 6 August 1776. (Pennsylvania Archives, 5th Series 11-206 and 6th Series 11-551 Haddonfield, NJ). William Foote enlisted on May 15, 1775; also Captain Henry s Company, Colonel Rufus Putnam s (late David Brewer s) 9th Regiment; order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated Roxbury, December 23, 1775; also Private, Captain John Kalogg s (Kellogg s) company, Colonel Leonard s Regiment; enlisted May 16, 1777; discharged July 15, 1777; also, Private, Captain Enoch Shepard s Company, Colonel John Mosley s (Hampshire Company) regiment; enlisted August 17, 1777; Discharged August 23, 1777; company marched on an alarm at Bennington, Vermont. (As recorded in Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolution.) RICHARD POTTS United States Senator from Maryland The verdant lawns of Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick, Maryland are the final resting place of American Revolution Patriot Richard Potts, who commenced the practice of law in Frederick County in 1775 and served on the committee of observation for the County in 1776. Potts was a military aide to the Governor of Maryland in 1777, and served as Clerk of the Frederick County court from 1777 to 1778. A member of the Continental Army, Potts served as a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1781. President George Washington appointed Potts United States Attorney for Maryland from 1789-1791. His political career included terms as a member of the state senate, delegate to the Maryland state constitutional convention, district judge, Presidential Elector, and United States Senator. Richard Potts died in Frederick in 1808, was interred in Frederick in All Saints Episcopal Parish cemetery and reinterred in Mount Olivet Cemetery. 3
REPUDIATION ACT FOCUS OF SAR ANNUAL MEETING On November 23, 1765 the justices of Frederick County took a unique approach to the British Stamp Act. They chose to ignore its restrictions and continue court business as usual. Their declaration, recorded in the County court minute book, is referred to as The Repudiation Act. It was the first colonial response to the Stamp Act. To commemorate this little-known, though significant response, Frederick s Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), and the Frederick and Carrollton Manner DAR Chapters are holding a year of commemorative events to prepare their members and the community for the 250th anniversary in 2015. At its recent annual meeting held at Dutch s Daughter Restaurant in Frederick, the local SAR Chapter presented a three-part program on the history of the Repudiation Act and its observation in the community. Throughout much of the 20th century November 23, Repudiation Day, was a half-day bank holiday in Frederick. Ryan Bass, SAR Chapter member and Library Associate at Frederick County Public Libraries, was the lead speaker. Ryan set the stage by discussing the social conditions and political climate of the era. He performed his research, using both primary and secondary sources, at the Maryland Historical Society, the Maryland State Archives, and the Maryland Room of the Frederick County Public Libraries. Sandra Dalton, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Frederick County since 1998, added to the discussion by speaking about the role of John Darnall. Darnall, Dalton s 18th century predecessor, was clerk of the court in 1765. Darnall stated he could not fulfill the duties of his office without stamped paper, thus going against the justices decision. The justices, known by Frederick historians as the Twelve Immortals, held him in contempt and he spent the night in jail. Every year Dalton reads the Repudiation Act to the celebratory luncheon of the Frederick County Chapter of the DAR. To close the program, George Delaplaine, SAR Chapter member and former owner of the Frederick News Post, reminisced about the celebration that surrounded the 200th anniversary of the Repudiation Act in 1965. George s uncle, Judge Edward S. Delaplaine, a noted Frederick County historian, coined the term Twelve Immortals. Ryan Bass research notes have been donated to the Information Web Links NSSAR Web Site: www.s ar.o rg MDSSAR Web Site: www.mar yla nd sar.o rg Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter Web Page: h ttp :// l awr en ce -ev er har t.mary la nd sar.o rg /ind ex.html Maryland Room of the C. Burr Artz Library, Frederick County Public Libraries, and served to compliment other material held in the Room about the era. A narrative of the presentation appeared in the Frederick News Post on November 23, along with short biographical sketches of the Twelve Immortals. The Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter of the SAR and the Maryland Room of the Frederick County Public Libraries, actively seek information about the Twelve Immortals. Individuals who have additional material or are descendants of any of these men, are invited to contact the Maryland Room at the C. Burr Arz Library at mdroom@fcpl.org or 301-600-1368. Ronald Pearcey, Superintendent of Mt. Olivet Cemetery (right), along with Past President and current Historian Larry Bishop, present the Frederick Chapter DAR Regent Teresa Oyler with a copy of Frederick s Other City War of 1812 Veterans. The new book was awarded for the chapter s hard work drafting 31 biographies of the cemetery veterans. Ronald Pearcey, Superintendent of Mt. Olivet cemetery (left), along with Past President and Chapter Historian Larry Bishop, present Carrollton Manor DAR Chapter Regent Liz Deering with a copy of Frederick s Other City, War of 1812 Veterans. The new book was awarded for the chapter's hard work drafting 33 biographies of the cemetery's1812 Veterans. 4
COCKED HAT AKA, Tricorne What great memories, as a Boy Scout at summer camp, singing folk songs around the campfire! One of my favorites to this day was sung in a round to the tune of Carnival of Venice. My hat it has three corners, three corners has my hat; and had it not three corners, it would not be my hat. Part of the fun was omitting a word and replacing it with a gesture (pointing to one s elbow, whenever the word corners was sung) and mouthing the word. As SAR Compatriots recognize, the folk song refers to the popular 18th century fashion accessory, which allowed gentlemen to display their fashionable wigs (and their social status), as well as accommodating social etiquette of the day, allowing men to easily place their hat under their arm, when entering a building. While we associate the tricorne with the American Revolution and Patriots, this style of headwear was known in that day as a cocked hat. As an historical fact, only our Nation s first five Presidents (Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe) wore this style. President James Monroe earned the nickname The Last Cocked Hat. Even though contemporary displays of the tricorne on professional sports teams (New England Patriots football team or the New England Revolution soccer team, as an example) depict the hat with the point facing forward, it was not uncommon for 18th century soldiers to orient the point over the left eyebrow, to allow a rifle to be rested on their left shoulder. HESSIAN BARRACKS During the Revolutionary War, the 180-mile long corridor, which stretches from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to Charlottesville, Virginia, served as a Colonial stronghold, and was an active transportation route for the movement of troops, artillery and supplies by both the Continental and British armies. Frederick County played an important role in supplying the Continental Army. The Catoctin Furnace produced cannon balls. The Monocacy River mills and factories of Frederick produced gunpowder and gunlocks. The Hessian Barracks in Frederick served as a prison for Cornwallis' troops and Great Britain's Hessian allies captured in battle. Frederick historians Lucy Leigh Bowie and J. Thomas Scharf maintain that the Hessian Barracks were built during the French and Indian War, during the reign of George II. General Braddock and his troops occupied the barracks on their way to Fort Dusquesne. The Hessian Barracks, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is located at 242 South Market Street in Frederick. The building is now occupied by the Maryland School for the Deaf. The National CAR has its annual theme focused on the National Mary Young Pickersgill Flag House in Baltimore this year. Members of SAR, DAR, 1812, and Daughters of 1812 should help support these young people in their efforts. They are selling beautiful lapel pins "Taking Flight with MD CAR"for just $20. 5