Washingtonburg Update: December 29, 2024

Greetings Washingtonburg Chapter,

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe holiday season thus far. This is the last update for 2024,
and we have lots of information to share. As we turn the calendar to 2025, I am predicting this
coming year will be the best year in Washingtonburg history. We are poised to build on programs
that we started in 2024. Many 250th Anniversary events will take place this year, and some are not
too far away.

Membership Update: Washingtonburg is approaching 60 members and will likely eclipse that
number this year. Several candidates’ applications are processing at the national office, and we
have several more prospective members who have expressed interest in joining. It is exciting to see
our membership grow; however, I, like many other compatriots, do not know everyone in the
chapter. With that in mind, I have a project to put faces with names. I am requesting that each
compatriot send me a photo (of yourself only, from the shoulders up) so that I can compile a
pictorial directory. Feel free to wear your 18th-century attire in your photo. I will crop photos to get
the correct size, so don’t worry about that. Junior members will need parental permission to be
included. Below is a sample of Compatriot Sam Russell. Let me know if you have any questions.
Email or text photos to me, Secretary Ray Mowery: raymondmowery@hotmail.com or 717-830-
1888.

Washingtonburg is hoping to join our sister DAR chapter in Cumberland County for a combined
event to honor George Washington’s birthday. A potential date is Saturday February 22, 2025. More
details will follow when they become available.
For the first time ever, Washingtonburg will host a PASSAR Board of Management (BOM) meeting—it will be from Friday January 31 to February 1, 2025, at the Penn Harris Hotel in Camp Hill, PA.
Friday evening is a reception only. The business meeting will be Saturday, and two of our
compatriots will be guest speakers: Doug Cubbison and Sam Russell. The registration form is
attached. Please send your completed form and registration check (write checks to
“Washingtonburg SAR” and write “BOM” in the memo) to Treasurer Steve Burd at 101 TeeBird Lane, Newville, PA 17241 by Friday January 17. We would like to have great attendance to support Doug and Sam and to show our chapter’s strength. Currently, we only have a handful of members who have registered. If you are not able to attend in person, there is a Zoom option. It is also a great
chance to see how our state society operates.

SAR encourages each chapter to present Flag Certificates to deserving individuals, families,
businesses and organizations in their area that fly the US flag properly. It would be nice if we could
present at least one Flag Certificate each month in 2025. We need your help to identify deserving
recipients. Please send names and addresses of deserving recipients to me, Secretary Ray Mowery,
so that I can work to arrange the details.
Our Wreaths Across America sponsorship page is active for 2025. For every wreath sponsored
from today until January 17, we will get a second wreath to place at our location for free. We
are already up to 8 wreaths sponsored. Here is the link:
https://wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/181029/Overview/?relatedId=0. In addition, here is
the link to a digital photo album that I created for our WAA:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qUva2CPUnD_7exCFPOI883G9ooVI1C6po31A_hW
QbgE/edit#slide=id.g31a970e15f4_0_0.
As a thank you for our chapter’s generosity in sponsoring Washingtonburg Founder and Past
President John Fralish’s lifetime SAR membership, he would like to complete an 18th-century
census project to publish and sell through our chapter. It is an identification project for the
Cumberland County schedule of the 1790 U.S. Census (present-day Perry and Cumberland
Counties), a project that connects the census to Revolutionary War service records. The first
edition of the results is a book (a publication of our chapter) setting forth the original census but
adding township divisions lacking in the original and also numbering the households
sequentially for reference (there are 3,019). John hopes to finish this project this winter and is
willing to take on serious volunteers with related experience in this type of work and research. If
you have a serious interest in assisting John, please contact Secretary Ray Mowery for more
information.
For our chapter web site, we would like to add short biographies for each of our patriot
ancestors. Mine is below, and you may use that as a guide. Include as much information as you
can. I will edit your ancestor’s biography to fit our web site. Attach photos if able.

Raymond Mowery IV and Raymond Mowery V’s (and soon-to-be member Alexander
Mowery’s) patriot ancestor: Barnabas Doyle, an Irish-Catholic whose family
immigrated to Path Valley in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in the early 1700s. As
the Doyle family expanded, they founded the town of Doylesburg, which is in present-
day Franklin County. Barnabas was born in 1750 to Felix and Sarah Doyle. Barnabas
married Mary Catherine McElhenny in 1771, and they had 3 sons who were deeded
land that is now present-day Doylestown (Franklin County). During the American
Revolution, Barnabas served as a private in the 6th battalion of the Cumberland
County militia under Captain Thomas Askey’s company under the leadership of
Colonel James Dunlop from 1779-1781. On July 16, 1779, the 6th Pennsylvania was
part of the force commanded by “Mad” Anthony Wayne that stormed the British
fortifications at Stony Point, NY, in a surprise nighttime attack. This victory helped the
Continental Army control the Hudson River. They spent the rest of the year in garrison
at West Point and probably wintered at Morristown. The next year, the regiment took
part in several small engagements in New Jersey and again wintered at Morristown.
After the war, Barnabas returned home to farm his land. He died on November 23,
1797, in Fannett Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. He was buried at St.
Mary’s Catholic Church (now called Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Mission) in
Doylesburg, Pennsylvania, on land his family once owned. Barnabas’ original
gravestone pictured left; his new gravestone pictured right.

On a personal note, I am planning to attend the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or
Death” speech in Richmond, VA, on Sunday March 23, 2025, at the historic St. John’s Church.
Tickets are $25 each, and the event is likely to sell out. This is the link to purchase tickets:
https://www.historicstjohnschurch.org/events/250th-anniversary-m2pt9. I will likely spend
one night in Richmond. There are several historic Revolutionary War-related sites in the area,
including the church where George Washington got married. Let me know if you would like to
attend with me. I am happy to drive. This event is for personal interest cannot be included
toward SAR 250th Anniversary Medals until approved by President Jen La Marca, who will give
us an approved list of 2025 events in the near future.

So, your homework includes these items:

Send Secretary Ray Mowery a photo of yourself for a pictorial directory at your earliest
convenience.
Send Treasurer Steve Burd your registration form and check for BOM by January 17.
Send Secretary Ray Mowery a short bio of your patriot ancestor (include a photo of your
patriot, the grave, a historical marker, or a homestead if able) at your earliest convenience.
Send Secretary Ray Mowery names and contact info for deserving recipients of Flag
Certificates at your earliest convenience.
Sponsor wreaths for our 2025 Wreaths Across America ceremony if you desire (by January
17 to give our chapter double the wreaths).
Contact Secretary Ray Mowery if you are interested in joining him for Patrick Henry’s
“Liberty or Death” speech reenactment the weekend of March 23, 2025.
Contact Secretary Ray Mowery if you have a serious interest in assisting John Fralish in his
census project.

That’s all for now. Please contact me with questions or ideas.
Ray Mowery

Highlights from Washingtonburg Chapter Meeting on 8/17/24

As previously reported, the Washingtonburg Chapter held elections at our recent meeting; our new board consists of:

President	Jeffry Peter La Marca, Ph.D.
1st Vice President	Most Rev. William Martin Sloane, Ph.D., J.D., Ed.D.
2nd Vice President	TSgt. Eric Nolan “Dutch” DeVries, USAF (Ret.)
3rd Vice President	Steven Pearson Messner, Ed.D.
Secretary/Treasurer	Steven Scott Burd
Registrar/Genealogist	Dale John Joseph Leppard
Chancellor	Maj. James Bryan Oerding, USA (Ret.), Ph.D.
Chaplain	Most Rev. William Martin Sloane, Ph.D., J.D., Ed.D.
Sergeant at Arms	Douglas Reginald Cubbison
Historian	Douglas Reginald Cubbison
Past President	Dale John Joseph Leppard

Washingtonburg Chapter, PASSAR Board of Directors elected on August 17, 2024.

During the meeting, several members received awards, accolades, or kudos for their contributions to our organization; including the following:

President Dale Leppard presents the Bronze Henry Knox Achievement Medal to the Most Rev. William Martin Sloane.

President Dale Leppard presents the Bronze Henry Knox Achievement Medal to Historian and Sergeant at Arms Douglas Reginald Cubbison.

President Dale Leppard presents the Bronze Henry Knox Achievement Medal to Maj. James Bryan Oerding, USA (Ret.), Ph.D.

President Dale Leppard presents the 134th Congress Medal to SCPO Todd Allen Hockensmith, USN (Ret.).

President Dale Leppard presents the 134th Congress Medal to Dr. Steven Messner.

President Dale Leppard presents the 134th Congress Medal to Maj. James Bryan Oerding, USA (Ret.), Ph.D.

Outgoing President Dale Leppard presents the Bronze Meritorious Service Medal to incoming President, Dr. Jeff La Marca.

Outgoing President Dale Leppard instituted a new Washingtonburg Chapter tradition by passing on a ceremonial sword to the incoming President, Dr. Jeff La Marca.

Washingtonburg Chapter Meeting and Elections

Past Chapter President Dale J. J. Leppard with SAR Flag

Washingtonburg Chapter conducted its Quarterly Meeting and Annual Elections August 17th, 2024 at the USAHEC in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Officers elected were President Dr. Jeffry Peter La Marca, 1st Vice President and Chaplain The Most Rev. William Martin Sloane, 2nd Vice President TSgt Eric Nolan “Dutch” DeVries, USAF (Ret.), 3rd Vice President Dr. Steven Pearson Messner, Secretary/Treasurer Steven Scott Burd, Chancellor MAJ James Bryan Oerding, USA (Ret.), Registrar/Genealogist Dale John Joseph Leppard, Sergeant at Arms and Historian Douglas Reginald Cubbison.

Attending were Dale J. J. Leppard, William M. Sloane, William S. Sloane, Charles L. Brackbill, Steven P. Messner, Douglas R. Cubbison, Samuel L. Russell, James B. Oerding, Sandra Oerding, Gregory T. O’Brien, Raymond A. Mowery IV, Todd A. Hockensmith, Jeffry P. La Marca, Douglas H. Reagan, Alexander Rushton. “Dutch” DeVries provided technical support and Steven S. Burd provided reports by proxy.

In addition to the Washington handshake tradition, which is an unbroken line of transmission of a handshake beginning with George Washington through Chapter founder and first Chapter President, John Cecil Fralish, Jr., outgoing Chapter President Dale J. J. Leppard instituted a new tradition of a Chapter sword which will be passed from Chapter President to Chapter President for use as a symbol of office during their incumbency.

H.M. Queen Maria I of Portugal, Patriot Ancestor

H.S.H. Dom Filipe Alberto Folque de Mendoca, Count of Rio Grande, a member of the Constitutionalist branch of the Royal House of Portugal, Compatriot of Washingtonburg Chapter, was approved for membership in the Sons of the American Revolution in 2019 by virtue of his descent from HM King Carlos III of Spain and the Indies. In 2023, through a supplemental application, for the first time, his ancestress HM Queen Maria I of Portugal and the Algarves was approved as a Patriot ancestor. The event was marked by a Resolution of the Pennsylvania Legislature sponsored by Representative Thomas Kutz. Dom Filipe was presented the SAR International Medal in June of 2023 at the Penn Harris Convention Center in Camp Hill by Former President General Davis Wright. Among many other acts, Queen Maria gave support to a crew of American sailors captured by the British and dropped off on the Azores Islands. She provided them with food and shelter and transported them to Lisbon where they could board friendly ships and rejoin the fight. Regardless of compensation, that act alone would have qualified her as a Patriot, however, when Benjamin Franklin later offered Her Majesty recompense, she refused. At that time, she ruled over a vast Kingdom that included Brazil, parts of Africa, and Portuguese India. Dom Filipe is proud of the connections of his ancestors to the founding of the United States of America and his membership as a Compatriot of Washingtonburg Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution.

Washingtonburg Chapter Honors Revolutionary War Patriots

The Washingtonburg Chapter, PASSAR sponsored a grave marking ceremony, which recognized the contributions of five Revolutionary War Patriots buried in the Big Spring Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Newville, Pennsylvania. The Patriots who received the SAR Grave Markers are: Capt. Thomas Buchanan, Major William McFarlane, Sgt. William Denning, Artificer William Ferguson, and Pvt. Peter Tritt.

Washingtonburg Chapter President, Dale John Joseph Leppard officiated at today’s ceremony.

President Leppard provided the backdrop regarding the significance of those who were honored.

Washingtonburg Secretary/Treasurer, Steven Scott Burd, was our guest speaker.

Secretary/Treasurer Burd places a SAR Marker on the grave of a Revolutionary War Patriot.

SPCO Todd Allen Hockensmith, USN (Retired) places a marker on the grave of a Revolutionary War Patriot.

The SAR Grave Marker that was placed on five Patriot graves today.

Associate Member Raymond Andrew Mowery IV, Washingtonburg Chapter, PASSAR and Jeffry Peter La Marca, President Jockey Hollow Chapter, NJSSAR carry wreath honor all of the Revolutionary War Patriots buried at the Big Spring Presbyterian Church Cemetery (including Patriots whose graves have not yet been marked).

Associate Member Mowery and President La Marca, adjust wreath.

(Left to Right): Jockey Hollow President La Marca, Washingtonburg President Leppard, and Associate Member Mowery in authentic 18th Century garb.

Following today’s grave marking ceremony, Washingtonburg Chapter Members and guest attended a BBQ and Chapter Meeting at the William Denning State Park.

President Leppard led today’s meeting. In addition to Washingtonburg Chapter business, he also discussed the Intolerable Acts in recognition of events that eventually sparked the revolt against the British.

Secretary/Treasurer Burd receives the Bronze Henry Knox Medal from President Leppard in recognition of his outstanding service to the Washingtonburg Chapter.

Compatriot Steven Pearson Messner receives the Bronze Henry Knox Medal from President Leppard in recognition of his outstanding service to the Washingtonburg Chapter.

Compatriot Steven Lee Dedmon and Associate Member Glen Halliman are related to Danel Boone! However, both men are descended from two of his sisters.

Washingtonburg Chapter Joins With Cumberland County Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution to Celebrate Washington’s Birthday

Washingtonburg member and PASSAR District Deputy
COL Samuel Russell, USA (Ret.) (L) receives Galvez Medal

Reestablishing an old tradition dating from the foundation of Washingtonburg Chapter in 1992, the Compatriots joined together with the Ladies of the Cumberland County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to celebrate Washington’s Birthday. The original meeting was postponed due to a severe storm. The rescheduled meeting was held in March 2024 at the Carlisle County Club, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. PASSAR District Deputy and Washingtonburg Compatriot, COL Samuel Russell, USA (Ret.), an author and authority on the Coulon de Villiers family of French Colonial America, gave a presentation on this interesting family, which culminated in the surviving brother moving to Louisiana, where he served under General Galvez and King Carlos III of Spain and the Indies as an ally of George Washington. In recognition of his research into the Coulon family, Washingtonburg Chapter President Dale Leppard presented the Galvez Medal and Certificate to Colonel Russell. Chapter President Leppard was then surprised by Regent Coanne O’Hern of the Cumberland County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution with the new Hannah White Arnett Medal. The event was well attended, and included Washingtonburg Compatriot State Representative Perry Stambaugh, PASSAR President Eric Troutman and his wife Stephanie, PASSAR Treasurer and Former PASSAR President Michael Seibert and his wife Maribeth, National Vice Regent of the Daughters of the American Revolution Beth Watkins, and many more. The ladies also provided a life-size cutout of George Washington, which provided a perfect backdrop for photographs.

Washingtonburg Chapter 3rd Quarter 2023 Meeting at USAHEC, Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Presentation on the Forbes Road and the British in Pennsylvania during the French and Indian War

(L-R) Washingtonburg Compatriots 2nd Vice President William Sloane,
1st Vice President Jeff La Marca, and Jeremy Winn

Washingtonburg Chapter held its 3rd Quarter 2023 Meeting at the United States Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Author and Washingtonburg Compatriot Douglas Cubbison gave a presentation concerning the British in Pennsylvania during the French and Indian War with an emphasis on Forbes Road and other early pathways through the region.