Tag: George Washington

Washingtonburg Chapter Ceremonies at Mount Vernon

Washingtonburg Chapter PASSAR conducted a flag raising ceremony at the home of George Washington at Mount Vernon, followed by wreath laying ceremonies at the Tomb of George Washington and the Slave Cemetery to honor General Washington’s valet Will Lee and his fellow slaves. President Jeffry La Marca also represented Jockey Hollow Chapter NJSSAR, raising a flag for that chapter as well. Members of Washingtonburg also participated in tours of the grounds and concluded the visit with a group dinner at the restaurant at Mount Vernon.

Site Map of Mount Vernon
(L-R) Compatriot Raymond Mowery IV, President Jeffry Peter La Marca, Past President Dale Leppard
Washingtonburg Chapter Delegation at Mount Vernon
(L-R) Dawn Guinan, Jack Guinan, Ray Mowery IV, Alex Mowery, Kristin Mowery, Theron Winn, Jeremy Winn, Jeff La Marca, Bill Etsweiler, Lisa Etsweiler, Dale Leppard, Greg O’Brien, Susan Leppard, Meryl O’Brien, Chuck Brackbill
Raising the Washingtonburg Chapter Flag at Mount Vernon
(L-R) President La Marca, Past President Leppard, Compatriot Mowery
Washingtonburg Flag flying over Mount Vernon
The Tomb of His Excellency General George Washington
President La Marca and Past President Leppard placing the wreath inside the tomb of George Washington
(L-R) Theron Winn, Jeremy Winn, Raymond Mowery IV, Jeffry La Marca, Gregory O’Brien, Dale Leppard, William Etsweiler in front of the tomb of George Washington
Monument at the Slave Cemetery at Mount Vernon
(L-R) Raymond Mowery IV, Jeremy Winn placing wreath in honor of Washington’s valet, Will Lee, and the slaves of Mount Vernon
President La Marca giving a reading about Will Lee, followed by brief biographies about the lives of Frank Lee, Nancy Carter Quarles, and other slaves of Mount Vernon as read by Past President Leppard, Gregory O’Brien, Charles Brackbill, and Jeremy Winn
Mikey the Haflinger cross pulling a carriage at Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon Mansion
Mount Vernon Mansion
North Carolina Paper Money at Mount Vernon Gift Shop
Note individuals signed the back like a check

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.