California Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Gen. George S. Patton, Jr., Chapter Minutes of the 9 April 2010 Meeting

The regular monthly luncheon meeting of the General George S. Patton, Jr., Chapter SAR was held Friday, 9 April 2010, in the Garden Room of Marie Callender’s Restaurant, 1295 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura, CA. The meeting was called to order by Vice President Bill Hurley. The Invocation was given by Chaplain Gary Smith, followed by the Pledge to the Flag and the Pledge to the SAR.

In attendance were sixteen Compatriots: Vice President Bill Hurley, Secretary Gil Anema, Treasurer Bill Bays, Registrar George Horne, Genealogist Eric Stassforth, Chaplain Gary Smith, Past Presidents Ward White, Hale Hamilton, and Dr. Bill Henry, Dr. Garland Middleton, Richard McMullen, Dr. Bob Colbern, Dan Sword, Dr. Robert Jordan, Keith Knightingale and new member Gene Cooper. The eight guests included Ken Koch, Garrett Coburn (Compatriot Colburn’s grandson), Iris Milton (Compatriot White’s granddaughter), prospective member Dale DeHart and Compatriots’ wives Mrs. Shirley Hamilton, Mrs. Bernie Smith, Dr. Sunny McMullen, Mrs. Rosalee Middleton, and Mrs. Elaine Coburn.

Reports:
Secretary Gil Anema presented the minutes of the 12 March 2010 meeting, approved with corrections.

Treasurer Bill Bays presented the treasurer’s report, which was approved as read.

Registrar George Horne passed around the current member roster for correction/update and presented the registrar’s report. Applications approved for Gene Cooper, for Patriot Josiah Swet, and for David Wyers. Joel Schmaeman’s (ancestors Magdalena Schliechty and Jonathon Wood) and Gil Anema’s (ancestor Daniel Kirkland) supplemental applications are at NSSAR. Prospective Supplementals for Richard McMullen (ancestor Henry Emigh), Gil Anema (ancestors David Whitney, Enos Waterbury and Simeon Raymond) and Ward White (ancestor Simeon Church) are in work. Three prospective members are being assisted by Compatriot Stassforth: Denis Murphy, Trevor Ashton and Dale Dehart. Three prospective members in work: Jim Wyly, Dave Armstrong and Robert Steenberge.

Presentations/Recognition:
Compatriots Robert Taylor and Dan Sword were recognized for celebrating a birthday in March.

Vice-President Bill Hurley presented life member certificates for Garland, Eric and Alan Middleton.

Old Business:
135th Meeting of the California SAR membership was being held 9-10 April, 2010 at the Embassy Suite in Sacramento. President Robert Taylor and Compatriots Ron Risley, Steve Hurst and Dick Hawley were in attendance representing the chapter.

Still looking for a suitable organization to foster the ideals of the SAR by loaning of the Flag being purchased as approved by the members at the February meeting in response to the challenge by Compatriot Bennett.

Vice-President Bill Hurley read the letter from President Robert Taylor to the local DAR chapter thanking them for the invitation and apologies for missing the DAR meeting in February with guest speaker the Honorable Steven Hintz, Ventura Supreme Court Judge, on “Constitutional Change – Good and the Bad”.

New Business:
Vice-President Bill Hurley presented the Patriot’s Day message from the SAR President General Edward F. Butler. Patriot’s Day was officially declared by Congress to be September 11th in remembrance of the terrible attacks that day in 2001. Likewise, several states celebrate a “Patriot’s Day” to commemorate some significant historic event. SAR members recognize “Patriot’s Day” as April 19th, celebrating with our compatriots in Massachusetts and Maine the heroic actions of our patriot ancestors at the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

President Robert Taylor passed on his thanks to Compatriot Alan Buckley for updating the Chapter website and invited everyone to visit it. With the energized website, an e-mail was received asking about obtaining a copy of a lost directive regarding Engineer Troops by General Patton during the Battle of the Bulge.

Vice-President Bill Hurley noted a few resources for obtaining information:
1) The Patton Museum (http://www.generalpatton.org/) which has a searchable database at the bottom right of their webpage or he could possibly make inquiry there.
2) Also many historical Army documents can be found at Carlisle Barracks library http://www.carlisle.army.mil/Library/ under "Ask a librarian at the top" or the U.S. Army Heritage and Research Center at Carlisle Barracks http://www.carlisle.army.mil/ahec/index.cfm (look at research tab on top line.)

Compatriot Keith Knightingale further offered military records can be obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration (http://www.archives.gov) and from the Military National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Memorial Day, May 31st Color Guard requested to participate. Compatriot Garland Middleton asked if the Chaplain will be presenting a wreath for our fallen Compatriots this year (Compatriots Leslie Howell and Burt Jacobs).

Compatriot Dan Sword suggested that the approved applications include the typed name of the signatories.

As was approved at the January meeting to educate the members on fellow Patriots, a volunteer was requested to present a Biography next month of their Patriot ancestor. Compatriot Bill Hurley offered to be the first. It is asked that others consider giving a presentation in the future.

Program: “War for Southern Independence – What Your Teacher Didn’t Tell You” by Ken Koch, Commander of SCV Camp 2062, CSS Virginia. Presented were several parallels between the American Revolution and the Patriots and that of the “Rebels” in the American Civil War or War for Southern Independence. Of note, coincidently April is Confederate Patriots month and that on April 9th, 1865 (145 years earlier to the day) Confederate General Lee surrendered to Union General Grant.

Next Meeting: Friday, 14 May 2010 – Compatriot Gil Anema presenting “Rev. Samuel Kirkland: Missionary-Patriot-Diplomat-Idealist”.

Closing: The meeting was adjourned following the SAR recessional and the benediction by Chaplain Gary Smith.

Respectfully submitted by,
Gil Anema, Chapter Secretary.