The Picket Line Newsletter of the Lyman Hall Chapter Georgia Society Sons of the American Revolution Gainesville, Georgia June 2014 Board of Managers Meeting: 13 May 2014 In attendance: President Ed Rigel, Sr.; Vice-President Mike Bunting; Secretary Ed Rigel, Jr.; Historian Jim Parker; Chaplain Carter J Wood; Past Presidents Roscoe McMillan and John Beale; Sergeant at Arms Charles Lindsey, Public Safety Chair Montana Thrasher. Highlights of the BOM: Officers Reports: Treasurer: Balance in Treasury $1470.84. Registrar: Two applications approved Ralph Collier will be inducted at the May meeting; Jim Forrester will be inducted at a later date. Bill Fisher s application is ready for signatures. Others in progress. Chaplain: John Beale s granddaughter in Germany is showing slight improvement. Vice-President: Upcoming Programs: May Terry Manning Washington s Spies; August Ruth Redding Behind the Scenes at the Constitutional Convention; October Col. Ben Malcolm North Korea. President: Membership stands at 63 plus one out of state Dual Member and three in state Dual Members. With the sale of NSSAR Headquarters Building in Louisville, KY there will be a slow-down in administrative activities until staff is settled into the new building in late summer. Committee Reports: JROTC Committee: Chair McMillan reported all seven JROTC Medals and one Silver ROTC medals have been presented. Rumbaugh Oration: Chapter winner Fiona Hare will be recognized at the May meeting and will present her oration. Public Safety Committee: Compatriot Thrasher recommended Cpl. Drew Reed and Ofc. Steven Folkers for the Heroism Medal for their actions in saving a young boy from a burning house. BOM concurred. They will be recognized at our October meeting. Old Business: Grave Marking Ceremony for Kit and Peggy Braselton: Originally scheduled for Saturday April 12 th, the ceremony has been postponed to Saturday, October 4 th 2014. New Business: Col. William Candler Chapter DAR Centennial Anniversary Luncheon Lyman Hall Chapter Color Guard will present and retire the Colors at this historic event to be held at the Chattahoochee Country Club. Past President McMillan will present a Certificate of Recognition on behalf of the Chapter.
2014 Chapter Meeting Dates Chapter Meetings Chapter Board of Manager Meetings August 28 th Re-Cess Gastro Pub August 12 th October 23 rd Re-Cess Gastro Pub October 14 th December 4 th Joint Meeting with the Col. William Candler Chapter DAR First Presbyterian Church - Gainesville Chapter Activities Recent and Upcoming Pictures Wanted! There is a paucity of pictures documenting the activities of our Chapter. Compatriots are encouraged to have your Camp Follower accompany you and take pictures of all your activities on behalf of the SAR. Colonel William Candler Chapter NSDAR 100 Years Old! The Colonel William Candler Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution recently celebrated its 100 th Anniversary and the Lyman Hall Chapter was present to witness the ceremonies. Five members of our Chapter presented the Colors for the event and then enjoyed the luncheon and celebration of the event that was held at the Chattahoochee Country Club in Gainesville. The event was quite festive with the history of the Chapter being presented along with the presentation of a representative of each of the Chapter s Regents by a member wearing an outfit typical of the era of that Regent. Lyman Hall Chapter Color Guard Presents the Colors at the 100 th Anniversary Celebration of the Colonel William Candler Chapter NDSAR (l-r) Compatriots Carter Wood, Hall Martin, Roscoe McMillan, Ed Rigel and Bruce Maney Lyman Hall Chapter Compatriot Roscoe McMillan receives a Certificate of Appreciation from Chapter Regent Helen Powell and presents a Certificate of Commendation to her Chapter for 100 Years of dedication to the ideals of the DAR
Lyman Hall March Chapter Meeting Lyman Hall Chapter continued with its program of recognition of its Youth Contest participants, Chapter Members and the Chapter at its March meeting. Chapter President Rigel presents a Certificate of Recognition and a check for $37.50 to the Rumbaugh Oration contestants who tied for 2 nd Place in the Chapter competition. Abigail Cliche (L) and Andrew Hathcock (R) then presented their excellent orations for the Chapter s enjoyment. President Rigel presents Supplemental Certificates on Patriots Laurence Kiser, II and Philip Rudesill, Sr. to Compatriot Hall Martin, Sr. President Rigel presents Supplemental Certificates on Patriots Edward Davies and Philip Evans to Compatriot Jim Butterworth The NSSAR Patriot Grave Marking Medal is a new National Society medal. To qualify for the medal, a Compatriot must have participated in a prominent role during the planning and execution of at least fifteen Patriot Grave Marking ceremonies. Pictured is Compatriot George Thurmond, member of the NSSAR Patriot Index / Revolutionary War Graves Register Committee, presenting the Patriot Grave Marking Medal to the first member of the Georgia Society SAR to earn it, Lyman Hall Chapter President, Ed Rigel, Sr.
Chapter Recognition Since the January Chapter meeting Lyman Hall Chapter received several recognitions: At the State Society Annual Conference the Chapter was recognized for placing 2 nd in Group II in the State President s General contest; an Education Outreach Streamer and Certificate and a check for $100 for making presentations to over 1000 students and adults in 2013 was awarded; the Distinguished Chapter Streamer for meeting certain standards set forth by the State President; a certificate for participating in the Flag Certificate program; a certificate of appreciation from the Col. William Candler Chapter for providing the Color Guard at their Awards Tea; and a streamer for participating in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse Commemoration. All recognitions were turned over to Chapter Historian Jim Parker for inclusion in the Chapter Archives. The Streamers were attached to the Chapter SAR Flag. The Guest Speaker at the March Chapter meeting was Mr. Joe Pugh from Atlanta. Mr. Pugh spoke on Johann von Robais, Baron de Kalb. Baron Dekalb was a German who served in the French army. He married an heiress to a fortune from cloth manufacturing and seemed set for life. But on a visit to the American colonies in 1768, he gained a respect for the colonists and their "spirit of independence". In 1777, he returned to the colonies with his protégé, the Marquis de Lafayette, joined the Continental Army, and was appointed a Major General. He was killed at the disastrous Patriot defeat at the Battle of Camden in South Carolina. Mr. Pugh made the point that DeKalb was a man who was so impressed with the Patriot cause that he was willing to give up a plush lifestyle in support of that cause, ultimately costing him his life. A true Patriot of the revolution. Lyman Hall May Chapter Meeting In search of a meeting place that provides good food at a reasonable price, has adequate meeting facilities, and is centrally located, the Chapter Board of Managers decided to hold the May Chapter meeting at Re-Cess Southern Gastro Pub just off the Gainesville Square. Having the rustic look of an old stable, which the building once was, the private function area of the restaurant was a fitting background for a Chapter meeting. The August and October Chapter meetings will also be held at Re-Cess. The May Lyman Hall Chapter meeting was well attended at a new location, Re-Cess Gastro Pub
Ralph Michael Collier was inducted as the newest member of Lyman Hall chapter. Compatriot Collier s Patriot Ancestor was William True who responded to the Lexington Alarm and later served as a Lt. in the Essex County Massachusetts Militia. Chapter Rumbaugh Oration Chair John Beale presents the Chapter s Rumbaugh Contest First Place Certificate and scholarship to Fiona Hare. Fiona earned Second Place in the GA State SAR Rumbaugh Contest. Fiona s brother, Dayton, won the Chapter contest last year and she has a younger brother who will be entering the fray in the coming years. Compatriot Hall Martin, Sr. is presented yet another Supplemental Certificate, Patriot Ancestor Peter Harmon. Newest Lyman Hall Compatriot Ralph Collier was presented the NSSAR Military Service Medal for his service with distinction in the US Army. Compatriot Terry Manning, President of the Atlanta Chapter SAR spoke on Washington s Spies in the Revolution. General Washington then welcomed Compatriot Collier and his wife Laura to Lyman Hall Chapter.
Memorial Day Members of the Lyman Hall Chapter Color Guard participated in two patriotic events over the Memorial Day weekend. Compatriot Rigel, Sr., State Color Guard Commander led members of the Award Winning GA Society Color Guard, including Lyman Hall Compatriot Carter Wood, at the annual Scout Day at Marietta National Cemetery where Scouts placed US Flags before over 18,000 headstones. Lyman Hall Compatriots (l-r) Bruce Maney, Ed Rigel, Sr., Carter Wood, Hall Martin, and Clint Daniel participated in the annual City of Gainesville Memorial Day Parade that processed down Historic Green Street to the delight of thousands of viewers. Bushnell Monument Dedication David Bushnell is one of the least recognized names, but perhaps one of the most important Patriots of the Revolution, buried in Georgia. Bushnell is credited with inventing the first submarine to be used in warfare, The Turtle. He was also the inventor of floating mines called infernals that were used in the 1778 Battle of the Kegs against the British fleet in Philadelphia. He was Captain of the Sappers and Miners at the Battle of Yorktown and after the war he became the first Commander of the Corps of Engineers. In 1795 he moved to Georgia where he was known as Dr. David Bush. He taught at several schools while living with the Abraham Baldwin family before moving to Warren County where he taught and then practiced medicine for 14 years. He died in 1826. The Atlanta Chapter SAR raised funds to erect a monument in his honor that was recently dedicated in Warrenton, GA. Lyman Hall President led the GA Society Color Guard and presented a wreath in honor of Bushnell at the ceremony. Lyman Hall Dual Member Bruce Maney let the GA Society Elijah Clarke Militia in the Musket Salute.
Upcoming SAR Activities: 18-24 July National Society Sons of the American Revolution 124 th Annual Congress, Greenville, SC 26 Jul GASSAR Board of Managers Meeting, Barnesville, 1000 hrs 2 Aug Old Soldiers Day Parade, Alpharetta 13 Sep Blue Ridge Mountains Grave Markings for Patriot Samuel Reed and Compatriot Fred Smith 17 Sep William Few Ceremony, Augusta 20 Sep GSSDAR Constitution Week Luncheon, Piedmont Driving Club, Atlanta 20 Sep Vigil at Washington s Tomb, Mt. Vernon, VA 26-27 Sep NSSAR Fall Leadership, Louisville, KY 4 Oct Grave Marking for Kit and Peggy Braselton, Braselton, 1100 hrs Upcoming Lyman Hall Chapter Programs: August 28 th Ruth Reddick Behind the Scenes at the Constitutional Convention October 23 rd Col Ben Malcolm North Korea Both meetings will be held at Re-Cess Gastro Pub off the Gainesville Square The Picket Line Ed Rigel, Sr. Editor This publication is the newsletter of the Lyman Hall Chapter of the Georgia Society Sons of the American Revolution and is published at least quarterly. DEADLINE FOR MATERIAL TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT EDITION IS August 13th, 2014. 2014 Officers of the Lyman Hall Chapter President, Ed Rigel, Sr. Vice President, Mike Bunting Secretary, Ed Rigel, Jr. Treasurer, Tom Hyde Chaplain, Carter J Wood Registrar, Hall Martin, Sr. Historian, Jim Parker Sergeant-at-Arms, Charles Lindsey www.lymanhallsar.org Direct Inquiries to Chapter President Ed Rigel, Sr. - compatriotrigel@charter.net Dr. Lyman Hall