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Origin
of the SAR
In 1876, there were many celebrations to commemorate
the centennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence
on July 4, 1776. As part of this patriotic fervor, a group of men
in the San Francisco, California, area who were descendants of patriots
involved in the American Revolution, formed an organization called
the Sons of Revolutionary Sires. Their objective was to have a fraternal
and civic society to salute those men and women who pledged their
lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to the battle for independence
from Great Britain. The Sons of Revolutionary Sires desired to keep
alive their ancestors’ story of patriotism and courage in
the belief that it is a universal one of man’s struggle against
tyranny - a story which would inspire and sustain succeeding generations
when they would have to defend and extend our freedoms.
Out of the Sons of Revolutionary Sires grew the National Society
of the Sons of the American Revolution, which was organized on April
30, 1889, the one hundredth anniversary of the inauguration of George
Washington as our nation’s first president. We have used the
acronym SAR to identify ourselves for over one hundred years. The
SAR was conceived as a fraternal and civic society composed of lineal
descendants of the patriots who wintered at Valley Forge, signed
the Declaration of Independence, fought in the battles of the American
Revolution, served in the Continental Congress, or otherwise supported
the cause of American Independence. The National Society was chartered
by an Act of the United States Congress on June 9, 1906. The charter
was signed by President Theodore Roosevelt, who was also a member
of the Empire State Society, SAR. The charter authorizes the granting
of charters to societies of the various states and territories and
authorizes the state-level societies to charter chapters within
their borders. Federal Legislation then established a federal charter
for the National Society, SAR.
US
Presidents who have been Sons of the American
Revolution
Members
The
SAR is proud of its compatriot presidents of the United
States. We honor these SAR members who used their position
as president to build a better America. Each remembered
the founding of this great nation and the role of his
Revolutionary War ancestor in making America the beacon
of liberty and justice of all.
Three U.S. presidents, George Washington,
James Monroe, and Andrew Jackson,
actually served during the Revolutionary War.
Six U.S. presidents were real sons of Revolutionary
War patriots. These men included John Quincy
Adams, Martin Van Buren, William
Henry Harrison, John Tyler,
Zachary Taylor, and Franklin Pierce.
Five U.S. presidents were the grandsons of Revolutionary
War patriots, including James Knox Polk,
Millard Fillmore, Abraham Lincoln,
Chester A. Arthur, and Grover
Cleveland.
President James A. Garfield was the
great-grandson of a Revolutionary War patriot, while
President Richard M. Nixon was the
great-great-grandson of a patriot.
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To
date, there have been sixteen presidents of the United
States who were also SAR
members. The Winter 2001 issue of the SAR Magazine featured
these U.S. presidents with details of their backgrounds,
including information about their Revolutionary War ancestors.
Compatriot
Presidents of the United States
Benjamin
Harrison
Dwight David Eisenhower
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
George Herbert Walker Bush
George Walker Bush
Gerald Rudolph Ford
Harry S. Truman
Herbert Clark Hoover
James Earl Carter, Jr
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr
Lyndon Baines Johnson
Rutherford Birchard Hayes
Theodore Roosevelt
Warren Gamaliel Harding
William Howard Taft
William McKinley, Jr. |
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President
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Stacey
McCarver |
Vice President |
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Rob
Ufford |
Secretary & Chancellor |
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Eric Thorstenberg |
Treasurer |
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Shields Blankenship |
Registrar |
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Glenn Kirk |
Sergeant-at-Arms |
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Tim Dunn |
Chaplain
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Stephen
(Steve) Morrison |
Historian/Librarian |
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Ron Redner |
Publication Editor |
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Rick Reese III |
Communications
Director |
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Rick
Reese Jr |
Quartermaster |
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Allen
Finley |
Genealogist |
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Jaime
Ruff |

250th
Anniversary & Liberty Tree
Ron
Redner
Americanism
Ron Redner and BOM members
Awards
Ron Redner, Al Finley, Mark Anthony
Brochure Contest
Stacey McCarver
Color Guard
John Wassell.
Communication
Rick Reese Jr.
Education
Stacey McCarver.
Flag Respect
Craig Benton
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JROTC
Rick Reese Jr.
Knight Essay Contest
Stacey McCarver
Poster Contest
Stacey McCarver
Revolutionary Graves
Steve Morrison
SAR/DAR/C.A.R.
Rick Reese Jr.
Eagle Scout
Jaime Ruff
Speakers Bureau
Rick Reese Jr.
Veterans
Rob Ufford |

Mark
Anthony - 2022-2023
Allen R. Finley - 2020-2022
Ron Redner - 2018 - 2020
Rick Reese Jr. - 2016 - 2018
Bill Kabel - 2015 - 2016
Bill Lusk - 2014 - 2015
Walt Woliver - 2013 - 2014
Paul Prescott - 2012 - 2013
Allen Greenly - 2011 - 2012
Carl Bhame - 2010 - 2011
Bob Shaw - 2009 - 2010
James McIntire - 2008 - 2009
Carl
Tanner - 2007 - 2008
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Von Starkey - 2006 - 2007
Robert A. Sapp - 2004 - 2006
L. Glynn Acree, III - 2003 - 2004
Scott A. Ray - 2002 - 2003
George E. Thurmond - 2001 - 2002
Robert W. Bauchspies - 2000 - 2001
Douglas H. Stansberry - 1999 - 2000
Larry Guzy - 1998 - 1999
Roger G. Lamb, Jr. - 1997 - 1998
Edgar B. Sterrett, Jr - 1996 - 1997
Merril Law - 1995 - 1996
Frank Darwin - 1994 -1995 |
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Founders: Frank
H. Darwin Jr. & Edgar. B Sterrett, Jr.
First
Year Officers:
Frank H. Darwin Jr., President
Merril Law, Vice President
Claude H. Snow Jr., Secretary
Edgar B. Sterrett Jr , Treasurer
Douglas Stansberry, Chaplain
C. Kenneth Meeker, Registrar
Eric A. Szweda, Chancellor
Kenneth L. Howell, Sergeant-at-Arms
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Frank H. Darwin Jr. |
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Edgar. B Sterrett Jr. |
Charter
Members:
Robert V. Blackwell
John I. Bruno
Ian Campbell, Jr.
Colin R. Campbell
Frank H. Darwin, Jr.
Charles R. Darwin
James K. Darwin |
Jay
F. Darwin
Robert A. Griffith
Edward L. Hereford
James S. Holmes, Jr.
James S. Holmes, III
Kenneth L. Howell
Merril Law
C. Kenneth Meeker |
C.
Phillip Meyer
Aubrey R. Morris
Paul Grady Moss, Jr.
Claude Snow
Douglas Stansberry
Edgar B. Sterrett, Jr.
Eric Szweda
Eric Thorstenberg |
A
message from Edgar. B Sterrett, Jr.
"Frank
Darwin and I, both members of the Atlanta Chapter
and both living in North Fulton County, were the originators
of the idea for a new SAR chapter in the Roswell/Alpharetta
area. The first discussion about a new chapter , and
our first planning meeting, was at the Senior Enriched
Living Center in Alpharetta. Both Frank and I were
attending a class on genealogy at the center that
Frank's wife, Anne, was teaching. Over lunch, our
thoughts turned to the SAR and the possible need for
a new chapter in the northern Metro area. We decided
that a new chapter should be started in North Fulton,
so efforts were begun."
"We both came up with some names of prospects and
we both started doing some phoning to invite those
on our lists to a meeting to discuss the prospective
chapter.The first meeting was held at the Roswell
Methodist Church on February 12, 1994. If my memory
serves correctly, there were about 10 people in attendance
at that first meeting, including the then GASSAR state
president Colonel Robert Galer. Everybody at the meeting
was in favor of starting a new chapter, and Aubrey
Morris suggested we name the new chapter the Piedmont
Chapter. Aubrey's suggestion was accepted and so the
chapter was named. We also had a discussion on when
the chapter meetings should be held and it was decided
that we should meet early on a Saturday morning in
order to accommodate the greatest number of people,
especially those who worked during the week. At that
time the Atlanta Chapter was meeting at noon on Tuesday
at a restaurant at the Peachtree DeKalb Airport which
meant few members, who were working, could attend
the meetings and we wanted very much to avoid that
problem and thus out meeting time was established
for Saturday mornings. Everybody in attendance that
day was assigned the responsibility to talk to the
prospective members on our list. Frank and I put mailings
together to spread the word, and Anne acted as genealogist/registrar
to help prospective members who needed assistance
with their applications. An organizational meeting
was scheduled for March 7, 1994 and GASSAR President
Bob Galer presented the charter. Eighteen charter
members were in attendance."
"The first chapter anniversary meeting was celebrated
on February 20, 1995, at which time new officers were
installed, and Frank and I were awarded the Silver
Good Citizenship Medal." |
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