Silver Tea spotlights activities of DAR

From Herald Tribune: Silver Tea spotlights activities of DAR
The historic Leigh/McKennon residence off St. Armands Circle served was an appropriate venue for the Sara De Soto Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution's annual Silver Tea.

The event Feb. 26 raised money for the DAR's local historic preservation projects.

While local, state and national DAR members perused the preserved, fully renovated home owned by Nancy and David Morgan, local Children of the American Revolution, called the Chichi-Okobee Society, joined in for the multigenerational event dressed as flappers.

At the Silver Tea, Caroline Gans, 7, from Saint Stephen's Episcopal School, Christiana Petty, 16, who is home-schooled, and Grace Madden, 17, from Pine View School, gracefully walked through the corridor. Each carried a plate of culinary delicacies, greeting DAR members with affection and warmth. Christiana explained she has a patriotic ancestor, and she has been

involved in CAR since she was 6 years old, attending teas, studying history and dressing up according to the celebrated era.

Caroline also enjoys the organization and dressing up.

"This is actually my first tea with DAR and it's really exciting to meet some of the DAR members," said Grace, CAR president and youth history buff who credited her history teachers at Pine View.

Those attending the tea learned that the home was originally built in 1937 on land purchased in the 1920s. The the downstairs was the servants' quarters with the owners' living quarters upstairs. The house was one-third of its current size.

Gretta Archer, vice president general of the national society of DAR, said she had eight ancestors who fought in the American Revolution. She savored the experience of being served a beverage by Jean Catsakis, dressed as Martha Washington, for the annual event.

"Historic preservation is one of the main goals of the national society because it is preserving our history, and people need to know how people lived in certain times during the history of the United States," Archer said.

DAR launched nationally in 1890 and in Sarasota in 1924. McFate said the scholarship and preservation programs are still going strong. Catsakis, who is chairwoman of three DAR committees, has been a member for 41 years. DAR is the oldest nonprofit in Sarasota, she said, and offers 34 committees, including conservation, American history, issues relating to women, and projects and education relating to historic conservation.

"Because we have such a diverse mission, there's really something for everybody," said Mary Lou McFate, DAR's honorary regent. "We do this annual historic tea, and the proceeds from the donations go to historic preservation projects in Sarasota County.

"So, it's appropriate to do this event each year in a historic home as we celebrate our culture and heritage."

DAR member Nancy Morgan, the hostess and homeowner, said she grew up in Sarasota and can remember the house since the 1950s. It is the 11th home she and her husband have restored and lived in.

She admitted that some of the restoration was inspired by the Ringling Ca' d'Zan mansion, which is evident upon entrance to the property.

Jennifer Turner, CAR's senior society president, stepped out to the back of the home toward the end of the tea and admired the ornate architecture from the waterside.

She was moved by generations of women joining together for the day to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism, while raising money for local preservation projects. Jennifer said she was proud of the core seven members of CAR's Chichi-Okobee Society who are curious and passionate about history.

"The nice thing is that there is a lot of different levels of DAR," she said. "Really, no matter what you are interested in, someone else is also just as interested, and it's an organization where there's truly something for everyone."

Visitor from War of 1812 visits Daughters of the American Revolution for lunch

From NJ.com: Visitor from War of 1812 visits Daughters of the American Revolution for lunch

VINELAND - The Daughters of the American Revolution, Greenwich Tea Burning Chapter, welcomed a visitor from the War of 1812 to lunch, Monday afternoon at Marciano's restaurant.

Capt. James Lawrence, a Burlington County native and American maritime hero, played expertly by Jeff Macechak, Education Director for the Burlington county Historical Society, was on hand to discuss New Jersey history, naval tactics and his many experiences in battles great and small.

Macechak appeared in uniform, with an officers sabre strapped to his hip and golden epaulets gleaming. The Daughters of the American Revolution do a number of similar events, bringing in period experts to demonstrate the clothes, speech and attitudes of earlier Americans.

"We like to try and bring history alive," DAR member Valerie Baron said. "We enjoy having programs like this, that are educational about American history, and help to preserve local history."

Macechack spoke in detail about the great captain's more famous engagements, including a daring nighttime raid to burn the USS Philadelphia, an American vessel that had been captured by bloodthirsty buccaneers during the Barbary Pirate War; his great victory against the British vessel, the HMS Peacock; and his personal duel with English captain Philip Broke which culminated in a crushing defeat for Lawrence beneath the guns of Broke's HMS Shannon.

Though he may be an obscure figure today, Capt. Lawrence was very famous in the 1800s; his exploits on the high seas made him a legend in his own time. Shortly after his death he was immortalized at the hands of Washington Irving, who published a successful compedium of the great man's obituaries. "I always had a strong interest in Capt. Lawrence, even before I became involved with the Burlington Historical Society," Macechak explained. "But Burlington has a special connection to Lawrence, because that is where he was born."

For anyone interested in learning more about Capt. Lawrence, or in supporting the Burlington Historical Society, please visit the Children's History Center in Burlington City, or call (609) 386-4773.

NC: Daughters of the American Revolution boksigning at Grateful Steps, March 10

The signing announced below is over, but it has a website for the author, so check it out. From Mountain XPresss: Daughters of the American Revolution boksigning at Grateful Steps, March 10
Hendersonville-based author, speaker and storyteller Sheila Ingle (http://sheilaingle.com/) writes about the Revolutionary War. On her website she says, "I have fallen in love with this period of our history, because of all the stories I have read about the men, women, and children who fought for our freedom. Since I am a South Carolinian, I have focused more on the Southern Campaign in my studies. Over and over, I have read snippets about the lives of many heroines who stood down their enemies on their porches and in their front yards."

Her books are "Courageous Kate: A Daughter of the American Revolution" and "Fearless Martha: A Daughter of the American Revolution." The first is an account of a young mother in South Carolina who rode from her backcountry home to warn Patriot soldiers of impending danger. The second is a "fictionalized and illustrated biography of this plucky female patriot for young readers." Both books are illustrated by Sheila's husband, John.

The Ingles appear at Grateful Steps (159 S. Lexington Ave.) on Saturday, March 10, 1-2:30 for a reading and book signing. They will dress in colonial costume and desmonstrate historic toys and cornhusk dolls.

VA: Danville author earns top honor

From WLS (Roanoke, VA): Danville author earns top honor
Larry G. Aaron was presented the Madison Medal for Distinguished State Service to the Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution at the society’s annual meeting in Richmond.

Aaron, the state society’s historian, is in the process of scanning the state society’s early meeting minutes that eventually will be published. Aaron is a charter member of the Dan River SAR Chapter and a teacher in the Pittsylvania County Public School’s gifted program. Aaron is a Danville native who has authored popular books about local history including The Race to the Dan and the Wreck of the Old 97.

The Dan River Chapter won awards for the largest membership increase during the past year, chapter excellence and honoring individuals and businesses who fly the American flag.

The Sons of the American Revolution is the leading male lineage society that honors the ideals of the war for independence.

Revolution museum gathering its forces

From Philly.com: Revolution museum gathering its forces If only the canteen could talk.

Although the dark oak container looks inconsequential next to the original Declaration of Independence, it carries the inscription, "Carried at the Battle of the Brandywine." The date: Sept. 11 - of the year 1777.

In other words, it's a big deal.

So are thousands of other artifacts - including a fowling firearm carved from curly maple; Washington's tents at Valley Forge; a list of soldiers from Massachusetts, some barely old enough to shave - destined for display at the Museum of the American Revolution, slated to open in Old City in 2015.

The challenge now - besides raising $150 million for operations and construction and designing and erecting the 112,000-square-foot building - is presenting the brutal conflict without the benefit of photographs or film.

It falls to R. Scott Stephenson, director of collections and interpretation for the new national museum, to tell the story of what happened during the country's revolutionary period, which was only recorded on paper or stowed in survivors' memories.

"We don't have Mathew Brady," said Stephenson, referring to the man who photographed much of the Civil War, a conflict with images most anyone can conjure up. He calls this issue the "core conundrum."

"It's one of the challenges," to get people to "believe it actually happened," he said.

That's true, said Joseph J. Ellis, the Ford Foundation professor of history at Mount Holyoke College, a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner. Over two centuries after these events, an aura surrounds the Founding Fathers.

"I think there is a mystique, an electromagnetic field built around the founders," Ellis said. "No realistic pictures will suffice."

And, added Stephenson, those existing pictures are of individuals who had money. "To modernize the artwork is challenging; it's stiff and formal."

Perhaps Stephenson's biggest challenge is to attract a 21st-century public. Using input from the museum's board of historians - which now takes up "many feet of shelf space" - Stephenson and staff will develop story lines and characters, connecting the academic to the creative in a don't-remind-me-of-social-studies-class way. They are exploring using trained interpreters and costumed reenactors. And of course, multimedia is on the design table.

Assassin's Creed III Joins The Revolutionary War

From Holy Fragger: Assassin's Creed III Joins The Revolutionary War Ubisoft has revealed that Assasin's Creed III will be hitting retailers on October 30, 2012. The new title in the Assassin's Creed franchise is the biggest, and most ambitious game in the company's history. Assasin's Creed III introduces a new hero and uses the American Revolutionary War as the backdrop for the upcoming game.

With a development cycle of over three years and twice the production capacity of any previous Ubisoft game, Assassin's Creed III is set to release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows PC and is also in development for the Wii U. Assassin's Creed III is developed by Ubisoft Montreal in collaboration with six other Ubisoft studios.

Set against the backdrop of the American Revolution in the late 18th century, Assassin's Creed III introduces a new hero, Ratohnhaké:ton, of Native American and English heritage. Adopting the name Connor, he becomes the new voice for justice in the ancient war between the Assassins and Templars. Players become an Assassin in the war for liberty against ruthless tyranny in the most stylized and fluid combat experiences in the franchise to date. Assassin’s Creed III spans the Revolutionary War, taking gamers from the vibrant, untamed frontier to bustling colonial towns and the intense, chaotic battlefields where George Washington’s Continental Army clashed with the imposing British Army.

“Assassin’s Creed III features the franchise’s most expansive setting so far, along with an exciting new hero and exponentially more gameplay,” said Yves Guillemot, chief executive officer at Ubisoft. “Whether you’re a longtime fan of Assassin’s Creed or if you’re new to the franchise, you’re going to be blown away by the scale and marvel of Assassin’s Creed III.”

Gamers who pre-order Assassin's Creed III at GameStop, Amazon.com or Best Buy will receive a Limited Edition collectible case featuring artwork created by award-winning comic book artist Alex Ross.

Additional Assassin's Creed III details can be found in an exclusive cover feature in Game Informer Magazine’s April issue.

Wednesday!

I know I keep promising that I'm going to get back to a daily schedule of posts, and I know that weeks have gone by and there's been nothing regular about my schedule!

And I apologize! Stuff happens, abetted, I admit, by procrastination. There was a helluva lot of scanning of material I needed to do which I never did, and now I've got to get all that material back where it came from, so I've got 2 days of probably 12 hours a day spending my time scanning, and double checking to make sure I havne't missed any pages, etc.

So I'm going to spend the next 2 days doing that, will be all caught up on Wednesday, and will resume daily posts here.

And will finally have learned my lesson about procrastination - don't do it!