Who Are We?

A notice of intention to form the Chapter was published in the Sentinel newspaper in Carlisle, on July 4, 1991. The inaugural Chapter dinner was held in the Bradley Room at Carlisle Barracks on January 22, 1992, with the Charter bearing the same date. The founder and first President was John C. Fralish, Jr. Included among the other charter members was the late COL John B. B. Trussell, author of many definitive works on the Pennsylvania Military during the Revolutionary War.

In February of 1994, the Washingtonburg Chapter joined with the Cumberland County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to commemorate Washington's Birthday, initiating a tradition that fell into abeyance but is now being revived in February of 2024.

Our "Presidential Handshake Lineage" Traces Back to George Washington

We also have a unique Washingtonburg Chapter tradition in which there is a chain of handshakes that can be traced from His Excellency, George Washington, directly through to our Chapter Presidents. That chain is as follows:

• His Excellency President George Washington shook hands with George Metzger, Esq. (1782-1879) of Carlisle, PA in 1794
• George Metzger, Esq. shook hands with Guy Carleton Lee, Esq. (1862-1936) of Carlisle, PA
• Guy Carleton Lee, Esq. shook hands with David Wilson Thompson (1899-1986) of Carlisle, PA
• David Wilson Thompson shook hands with John Cecil Fralish, Jr. of Carlisle, PA in 1975/6
• John Cecil Fralish, Jr. shook hands with Dale John Joseph Leppard of Carlisle, PA in 1992/3