Sons of the American Revolution

Not to be confused with Sons of the Revolution.

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR, National SAR or NSSAR) is an American congressionally chartered organization, founded in 1889 and headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. A non-profit corporation, it has described its purpose as maintaining and extending "the institutions of American freedom, an appreciation for true patriotism, a respect for our national symbols, the value of American citizenship, [and] the unifying force of 'e pluribus unum' that has created, from the people of many nations, one nation and one people."^[1]

National Society
of the
Sons of the American Revolution

Emblem of the Sons of the American Revolution
Logo used by the SAR
Abbreviation	SAR, NSSAR
Established	April 30, 1889; 134 years ago (1889-04-30)
Type	Patriotic-Hereditary society
Legal status	Federally chartered corporation
Purpose	Fraternal, patriotic, historical, charitable, educational
Headquarters	809 West Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Region served	Nationwide
Membership	38,323 (2022)
Official language	English
Affiliations	Daughters of the American Revolution Children of the American Revolution
Website	sar.org

Sons of the American Revolution's Philadelphia chapter at a ceremony commemorating the birth of victorious Continental Army general George Washington, the first United States president at the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier in the Washington Square neighborhood of Philadelphia

The members of the society are male descendants of people who served in the American Revolutionary War or who contributed to establishing the independence of the United States. It is dedicated to perpetuating American ideals and traditions, and to protecting the Constitution of the United States; the official recognition of Constitution Day, Flag Day, and Bill of Rights Day were established through its efforts. It has members in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.^[2]

The organization is distinct from the Sons of the Revolution, a separate descendants heritage organization founded on February 22, 1876, by businessman John Austin Stevens and members of The Society of the Cincinnati. SAR Founder William Osborn McDowell disagreed with the Sons of the Revolution requirement at that time that all state societies were to be subordinate to the New York society.

History

19th century

 

Theodore Roosevelt, a member of the organization, signed its Congressional Charter in 1906

 

Sons of the American Revolution grave marker at the Old Ship Burying Ground in Hingham, Massachusetts

The first organization of descendants of Revolutionary War patriots was established in San Francisco, in 1876. A group of men who were descendants of Revolutionary War-era veterans gathered to celebrate the centennial of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the United States. They also wanted to honor the men and women who pledged their lives, fortunes, and livelihood to the striving for independence from Great Britain. This group formed an organization called the Sons of Revolutionary War Sires (SRWS). There is, however, no direct link between the SRWS and the SAR except that members of the SRWS were permitted to join the SAR after its founding in 1889.

The organization's founding can be traced to the Sons of the Revolution, a New York City society that was organized in 1876. Sons of the American Revolution was founded by John Austin Stevens, who envisioned an aristocratic social and hereditary organization along the lines of the Society of the Cincinnati.

In 1889, William Osborn McDowell, a New Jersey financier and businessman, organized the New Jersey Society of the Sons of the Revolution but was unwilling to accept the SR's requirement that other state societies be subordinate to the New York society. McDowell also wanted the society to become more of a mass movement of descendants of Revolutionary patriots rather than an exclusive social club.

McDowell organized the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) at Fraunces Tavern in New York City, on April 30, 1889, the same year as the centennial anniversary of the first inauguration of George Washington as the nation's first president in 1789. McDowell was the organization's first member. In addition to organizing the SAR, McDowell worked with six women to organize Daughters of the American Revolution, a national organization for women who descend from American Revolution-era figures.

20th century

On June 9, 1906, Sons of the American Revolution was formally granted a congressional charter by an Act of Congress under Title 36 of the United States Code. The act was signed by President Theodore Roosevelt, who was a member.

Membership

Membership in the society is open to any male of "good repute"^[3] who can prove lineal bloodline descent from an ancestor who actively supported the American Revolution.^[4] Acceptable ancestors include:

• military veterans of the American Revolutionary War, including those who served in the Continental Army, Continental Navy, and state militias and navies
• signers of the Declaration of Independence
• members of the Continental Congress
• civilians who provided arms or supplies to the American cause
• people who served on political bodies supporting the American Revolution, signed oaths of allegiance, or those who gave similar support to the Patriot cause
• Soldiers and sailors from allied nations such as France and Spain who fought in support of American independence.

No state society or chapter may discriminate against an applicant on the basis of race or creed. The SAR claims a membership of over 37,000 members in over 550 chapters representing all 50 states in the United States, as well as societies in Canada, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Overall, about 200,000 descendants have been admitted since the founding of the S.A.R. in 1890.

Governance

 

Horace Porter, U.S. Ambassador to France, served as the organization's president-general from 1892 to 1897

The governance of the Sons of the American Revolution is made up of ten national officers, 15 vice presidents that preside over separate geographical regions, and one trustee, who is elected from each state and international society. The officers meet several times over the year to discuss business pertaining to the society. National Officers meet at least four times during their term of office, unless special meetings are called. Trustees meet twice annually at the society's headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. These meetings, known as the Fall and Spring Leadership Meetings, are normally held in late September and early March. During leadership meetings, committee recommendations and the society's budget are approved. While only national officers, vice presidents, and trustees have the right to vote on the floor, all members are invited to attend and may request appointment to committees.

National officers and trustees also meet during the National Congress, which is held in late June or early July of each year. Unlike the leadership meetings, which always take place at the Society's national headquarters, the National Congress is held in different locations throughout the United States. Locations are often selected in order to honor a historical event in United States history or in the organization's history, and there is an effort to alternate the meetings between the East and West coasts of the United States. The National Congress is responsible for electing national officers and approving changes to the society's constitution, along with any other motions brought before it.

The organization also maintains over 60 standing and special committees that Sons of the American Revolution members are appointed to in order to oversee the society's welfare, including committees on facilities, insurance, genealogy, library, merchandise, medals, and awards. All members are welcome to participate on committees and are appointed by the society's president general for a one-year term. There are no term-limits and all committee members have the right to vote on the committee's decisions.

The current President General is John L. Dodd, Esq. (California SAR), who was sworn in as President General at the 133rd National Congress in Orlando, Florida. The organization's executive director is Todd Bale.

Genealogical library

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution has held a collection of genealogical reference dating back to 1889. Materials were originally kept by the Secretary General or Registrar General up until 1926, when the materials were moved to the Registrar General's office in Washington, D.C., in 1927, this collection was moved to the recently purchased Sixteenth Street Headquarters Building, and the collection had grown to 914 books by 1933. From this point until the move of Headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Louisville, Kentucky, the book collection grew at a rapid pace, growing to approximately 25,000 items by 1988. At this point, the Library was on the Second floor of the Headquarters building on South Fourth Street, and possessed a 544-square-foot vault for books not out in the library due to space.

Because of continuing growth, the SAR Library was moved in 2010 to a renovated building on West Main Street in the heart of the Historic Museum District of downtown Louisville. By this point, the Library collection had grown to over 58,000 items, mostly covering the Revolutionary War period, but also containing other genealogical materials. The library collection includes family histories, state genealogy materials, federal censuses, Revolutionary War pension applications, and CD collections, and the library separates materials based on State. The library also provides access to online research databases, including Ancestry.com, Footnote.com, and Heritage Quest Online.

Merchandise

The society operates a merchandise department that sells items intended for both SAR members and the general public. Among the products available to the general public are: clothing apparel for men and women, Revolutionary War replicas such as Liberty Bells and field cannons, jewelry for men and women such as lapel pins and cuff links, along with cups, mugs, key-chains, books, CDs, videos and knickknacks. Items intended for SAR members only include: clothing, decals, license plate holders and frames, certificates and medals corresponding to SAR activities, medals designed to reward active and retired military personnel, firefighters, EMS, JROTC and ROTC, individuals involved in education, Eagle Scouts and many others.

The merchandise department is located on the lower level of the SAR Genealogical Library, located at 809 West Main Street, just across the street from the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory.

Magazines

The official journal of the SAR at the turn of the 20th century was the Spirit of '76 magazine, a little magazine published in New York.^{[5]: 114–115} It was founded in September 1894, published by the eponymous Spirit of '76 Publishing Company and edited by Henry Hall, one of McDowell's associates.^[5]: 114 In 1897 Louis H. Cornish, previously the editor of another magazine titled Suburbs that was about real estate in New York City, took over as both editor and publisher.^[5]: 114 Cornish's opinion of McDowell, who in Cornish's words "came to us with various schemes of making the world better, and we entered into them and have since paid for it" was that McDowell's ideas for the magazine were enthusiastic but wildly impractical.^{[5]: 115 [6]: 358}

It was supported by several other patriotic societies, including the Society of American Wars and the United States Daughters of 1812.^[5]: 115 The Daughters of the American Revolution stocked it in its library and even considered merging it with another of its own magazines.^[5]: 115 It ceased publication in 1906.^[5]: 115

Activities

 

The color guard of Sons of the American Revolution's Indiana chapter appears with the recreated 19th U.S. Infantry at an outdoor Independence Day concert with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in Indianapolis

The society is involved in historical research, raising funds for local scholarships and educational awards, and preservation of sites and documents related to the American Revolution. The SAR petitioned Congress to store Revolutionary era documents in a fire-proof area and make them available to the public, leading to the creation of the National Archives.^[7] It is also active in cataloging and marking Revolutionary War patriot graves and conducts an annual Eagle Scout scholarship program. The society is active in promoting "patriotism", and was instrumental in the establishment of Constitution Day.^[8] Several SAR societies and chapters have active color guard groups that appear in various public and private venues as a means of community outreach.

The Sons of the American Revolution hosts two Leadership Meetings and one National Congress every year. The two leadership meetings are held in the Spring and Fall in Louisville, KY at the Brown Hotel. The National Congress is held at a different location every year during the Summer. The 2021 National Congress took place in Renton, Washington, while the 2022 Congress took place in Savannah, Georgia. The 2023 National Congress will take place in Orlando, Florida.

SAR national headquarters

SAR's national headquarters, located along Museum Row in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, contains the organization's administrative staff offices, SAR Genealogical Research Library, and the future site of an American Revolutionary War Education Center. The SAR is currently raising funds to finish the center's development. The building houses original and copied art that commemorates important people and events of the Revolutionary War, as well as historical uniforms, flags, documents, and other colonial era pieces.

Symbolism of the SAR insignia

The SAR insignia consists of a Maltese cross surrounded by a garland, with a relief of George Washington in a center circle.

The Maltese cross used in the SAR Badge draws its inspiration from the cross used by the Order of St. Louis of France. The wreath symbolizes the laurel wreaths presented to worthy individuals by the Roman Republic. Major West selected the Cross of St. Louis as his basis for the decoration because King Louis XVI of France, the Grand Master of the Order of St. Louis, provided badly needed aid to the fledgling Continentals. In choosing this cross, the National Society intended to recognize the French contribution to American independence.

History shows that the Maltese Cross was used by the Knights of St. John, a brotherhood of warrior Crusaders who represented all walks of life who banded together to fight for freedom and against oppression. The Knights of St. John, and other Crusaders, adopted the Maltese cross as their insignia because its eight points represented the eight Beatitudes prescribed in the Sermon on the Mount: blessed are (1) the poor in spirit, (2) the meek, (3) the pure, (4) the merciful, and (5) the peacemakers, (6) blessed are they that mourn, and (7) seek righteousness, and (8) blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake.

Surrounding the relief of Washington in the center are the words "LIBERTAS ET PATRIA", a reminder of the United States Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.^[9]

The insignia is normally worn suspended by a ribbon of blue, white and gold (buff) on the wearer's left breast. National officers and former state and chapter presidents wear the insignia suspended from a neck ribbon of the Society's colors.

On other occasions a rosette in the Society's colors is worn on the wearers left lapel.

Notable SAR members

Main article: List of Members of the Sons of the American Revolution

See also: Category:Members of the Sons of the American Revolution

List of presidents-general

 

Edwin S. Greeley, pictured in military uniform with lineage society medals, director general of Sons of the American Revolution from 1904 to 1905

The following is an incomplete list of the presidents general of the Sons of the American Revolution since the organization's founding.^[10] The first president general was Lucius Deming. There have been three honorary president generals named, and four president generals have died while in office.

President General	Term in office	State Society
Lucius Parmenias Deming	1889–1890	Connecticut
William Seward Webb	1890–1892	New York
Horace Porter	1892–1897	New York
Edward Shepard Barrett (died in office)	1897–1898	Massachusetts
Franklin Murphy	1898–1900	New Jersey
Joseph Cabell Breckinridge	1900–1901	Kentucky
Walter S. Logan	1901–1902	New York
Edwin Warfield	1902–1903	Maryland
Edwin S. Greeley	1903–1905	Connecticut
James Denton Hancock	1904–1905	Pennsylvania
Francis Henry Appleton	1905–1906	Massachusetts
Cornelius Amory Pugsley	1906–1907	New York
Nelson Alvin McClary	1907–1908	Illinois
Henry W. Stockbridge Jr.	1908–1909	Maryland
Morris Beach Beardsley	1909–1910	Connecticut
William Allen Marble	1910–1911	New York
Moses Greeley Parker	1911–1912	Massachusetts
James McElroy Richardson	1912–1913	Ohio
Rogers Clark Ballard Thruston	1913–1915	Kentucky
Newell Bertram Woodworth	1915–1916	New York
Elmer Marston Wentworth	1916–1918	Iowa
Louis Annin Ames	1918–1919	New York
Chancellor Livingston Jenks Jr.	1919–1920	Illinois
James H. Preston	1920–1921	Maryland
Wallace McCamant	1921–1922	Oregon
W. I. Lincoln Adams	1922–1923	New Jersey
Arthur Preston Sumner	1923–1924	Rhode Island
Marvin Harrison Lewis	1924–1925	Kentucky
Harvey Foote Remington	1925–1926	New York
Wilbert Hamilton Barrett	1926–1927	Michigan
Ernest E. Rogers	1927–1928	Connecticut
Ganson Depew	1928–1929	New York
Howard Rowley	1929–1930	California
Josiah Alexander Van Orsdel	1930–1931	Washington, D.C.
Benjamin Newhall Johnson (died in office)	1931–1932	Massachusetts
Frederick William Millspaugh	1932–1933	Tennessee
Arthur Milton McGrillis	1933–1935	Rhode Island
Henry Fennimore Baker	1935–1936	Maryland
Messmore Kendall	1936–1940	New York
Smith Lewis Multer	1943–1946	New Jersey
Allen Laws Oliver	1946–1947	Missouri
A. Herbert Foreman	1947–1948	Virginia
Charles Bunn Shaler (died in office)	1948	Pennsylvania
Benjamin Harrison Powell III	1948–1949	Texas
John Whelchel Finger	1949–1950	New York
Wallace Clare Hall	1950–1952	Michigan
Ray Omer Edwards	1952–1953	Florida
A. Alexander le Pelletier de la Houssaye	1953–1954	Louisiana
Milton Miles Lory	1954–1955	Iowa
Edgar Williamson Jr.	1955–1956	New Jersey
Eugene Pendleton Carver Jr.	1956–1957	Massachusetts
George Edward Tarbox Jr.	1957–1958	Colorado
Walter Allerton Wentworth	1958–1959	New York
Charles Aubrey Jones	1959–1960	Ohio
Herschel Stratton Murphy	1960–1961	New Jersey
Horace Yeargin Kitchell	1961–1962	Mississippi
Charles Arner Anderson	1962–1963	Ohio
Robert Leon Sonfield	1963–1964	Texas
Harry Thomas Burn	1964–1965	Tennessee
Howard Emerson Coe	1965–1966	Connecticut
Kenneth Godfrey Smith	1966–1967	Pennsylvania
Len Young Smith	1967–1968	Illinois
Walter Gage Sterling	1968–1969	Texas
James Bronson Gardiner II	1969–1970	New York
Walter Reville Martin	1970–1971	Rhode Island
Eugene Clifford McGuire	1971–1972	Ohio
Ryall Stapleton Morgan	1972–1973	Alabama
Marion Howard Crawmer	1973–1974	Michigan
M. Graham Clark	1974–1975	Missouri
Robert Duval Savage	1975–1976	Pennsylvania
Matthew Bacon Sellers III	1976–1977	Florida
Wilson King Barnes Sr.	1977–1978	Maryland
Calvin Ellsworth Chunn	1978–1980	California
Arthur Mansfield King	1980–1981	Kansas
Richard Henry Thompson Jr.	1981–1982	Florida
Howard Laverne Hamilton	1982–1983	Virginia
Warren Griffin Hayes Jr.	1983–1984	Pennsylvania
Carl Francis Bessent	1984–1985	Maryland
Benjamin Hume Morris	1985–1986	Kentucky
Clovis Hunter Brakebill	1986–1987	Texas
Nolan Wendell Carson	1987–1988	Ohio
Charles Francis Printz	1988–1989	West Virginia
James Roger Westlake	1989–1990	Georgia
James Robert Calhoun	1990–1991	New Mexico
George Henry Brandau	1991–1992	Texas
Paul Howard Walker	1992–1993	Massachusetts
Robert Bell Vance Sr.	1993–1994	Georgia
Stewart Boone McCarty Jr.	1994–1995	Washington, D.C.
William C. Gist Jr.	1995–1996	Kentucky
Reon Glessner Hillegass Jr.	1996–1997	Virginia
Carl K. Hoffman II	1997–1998	Florida
Russell Duff Page	1998–1999	Illinois
Howard F. Horne Jr.	1999–2000	Delaware
Bruce Baird Butler (died in office)	2000–2001	Louisiana
Larry D. McClanahan	2001–2002	Tennessee
B. Rice Aston	2002–2003	Texas
Raymond G. Musgrave	2003–2004	West Virginia
Henry N. McCarl	2004–2005	Massachusetts
Roland G. Downing	2005–2006	Delaware
Nathan E. White Jr.	2006–2007	Texas
Bruce A. Wilcox	2007–2008	Virginia
David N. Appleby	2008–2009	Missouri
Edward F. Butler	2009–2010	Texas
J. David Sympson	2010–2011	Kentucky
Larry J. Magerkurth	2011–2012	California
Stephen Arthur Leishman	2012–2013	Delaware
Joseph W. Dooley	2013–2014	Virginia
Lindsay C. Brock	2014–2015	Florida
Thomas E. Lawrence	2015–2016	Texas
J. Michael Tomme Sr.	2016–2017	Georgia
Larry T. Guzy	2017–2018	Georgia
Warren M. Alter	2018–2019	Arizona
John T. Manning	2019–2021	New Hampshire
Davis L. Wright	2021–2022	Delaware
C. Bruce Pickette	2022–2023	Alabama
John L. Dodd, Esq.	2023–2024	California
Adolphus Skinner Hubbard	Honorary	California
Albert Maver Winn	Honorary	California
Harold Lee Putnam	Honorary	California

See also

•  Society portal

• List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area
• List of hereditary and lineage organizations
• Society of the Cincinnati
• Daughters of the American Revolution
• Children of the American Revolution
• Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
• Military Order of Foreign Wars
• General Society of Colonial Wars
• Sons of Confederate Veterans
• Sons of Union Veterans
• The United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada

References

1. "OKSSAR – Purpose". okssar.com. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
2. Sons of the American Revolution. World Book. 2013. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
3. Media, Blackstone. "Sons Of The American Revolution". NSSAR – National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
4. . September 2012. p. 1. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
5. Davies, Wallace Evan (1955). "The Patriotic Press". Patriotism on Parade: The Story of Veterans' and Hereditary Organizations in America, 1783–1900. Harvard historical Studies. Vol. 66. Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674658004. ISSN 0073-053X.
6. Cornish, Louis H., ed. (August 1898). "editorial". The Spirit of '76. Vol. 4, no. 48. New York: Spirit of '76 Publishing Company.
7. Charles B. Schweizer. "SAR New Member Information" (PDF).^{[dead link]}
8. Williams, Winston C., ed. (1991). Centennial History of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, 1889–1989. Paducah, KY: Turner Publishing Company. p. 9. ISBN 9781563110283. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
9. . The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Official Handbook Volume II: History, Organization and Protocol. The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014.
10. "Sons of the American Revolution | Presidents General of the SAR and Annual Congress Sites".

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sons of the American Revolution.

• Official website  
• Sons of the American Revolution at Curlie

38°15′28″N 85°45′49″W / 38.25778°N 85.76361°W / 38.25778; -85.76361