This past Saturday afternoon at 2:00 pm the Cincinnati Chapter honored six Patriot Heroes of the American Revolution.  The patriots listed herein have rested in the Old Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery (renamed the Sycamore Township Memorial Cemetery) since the early 1800’s. 

The Story Behind the Event

Some years ago, the Veteran’s Administration provided headstones for the graves of four of the patriots but due to an error in historical records the patriots were thought to rest in a cemetery located in Mt. Carmel, OH.  The installers of the headstones confused the Mount Carmel, OH Cemetery with the Old Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery. As a result, the headstones stood erroneously in the wrong cemetery for about 20 years.  That error has been corrected and the headstones were properly located and in place for the Independence Day Grave Marking Ceremony at the gravesites of the patriots!

Ferris Sr., John   P-157724
Felter, Matthias   P-157300
Hubble, Gershom   P-187091
Neves, William   P-255508
Ferris, Isaac   P-157678
Lee, Adam   P-334287

Special Guests

We were honored to have Mr. David Kent Holwadel, a descendant of Patriot John Ferris, Sr. with us for the ceremony.

Special guests for the event included Sycamore Township Trustee Tom Jones who presented the Cincinnati Chapter with a Township Resolution proclaiming the Fourth of July as Sons of the American Revolution Day in Sycamore Township.

Ms. Gloria D’Andrea and Mr. Standish Fortin of the Sycamore Township Historical Society were in attendance and recognized.  Both had been instrumental in coordinating the activity between the Township and Cincinnati Chapter.

United States Senator Rob Portman and his Southwest Ohio District Director, Nan Cahall were also in attendance, paying their respect to the Heroes of the American Revolution.

The Hopewell, Clough Valley and The Nathaniel Sackett Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution as well as the Fort Hamilton Chapter of the Children of the American Revolution attended and placed wreaths at the graves.

Hopewell Chapter DAR attendees were:  Ms. Donna Vanover – Recording Secretary and Ms. Beth Dietrich – Chapter Member

Clough Valley Chapter DAR attendee was Ms. Tiffany Niehaus – Treasurer

Nathaniel Sackett Chapter DAR Attendees were Ms. Nancy Hutton – Vice Regent, Ms. Phyllis Hutton  Nancy’s mother and Ms. Jan Gould believed to be a descendant of John and Isaac Ferris, two of the patriots being honored in the ceremony.

Fort Hamilton Chapter C.A.R. Attendee was Ms. Emmie Blum

The Formal Ceremony

The day’s program kicked off with a short lesson in Revolutionary War History by Color Guard Commander Brad Jarard.  This element of the ceremony had been taken from the chapter’s Living History Curriculum.

The day’s program was led by the Cincinnati Chapter Vice President, Greg Ballman.

The Reverend Dr. R. Edgar Bonniwell, Ohio Society Chaplain convened the gathering with an opening prayer.

The Nolan Carson Memorial Color Guard presented Military Honors for our Patriot Ancestors commencing with the Presentation of Colors and the singing of the National Anthem led by Ohio Society SAR vice President Jack Bredenfoerder.

The day’s keynote speaker was the Ohio Society President, Lee Wilkerson.  President Wilkerson graciously kept his remarks short in consideration of the heat index.

The markers were then unveiled and members of the attending guests were called forward to place their wreaths before the Grave Stones and Markers.

Many Wreaths were presented, and the Ceremony was concluded with a 21 Gun Musket Salute, the playing of Amazing Grace by Scottish Bag Piper Mr. Gerry Kelly Fritsch and the benediction by Chaplain Bonniwell.

The Cincinnati Chapter Attending

The Nolan Carson Memorial Color Guard
Brad Jarard, Color Guard Commander
Michael Gunn, Color Guard Deputy Commander
Mike Blum, Ohio Society Treasurer
Clay Crandall, Cincinnati Chapter Secretary
Ed Bonniwell, Ohio Society Chaplain
George Stewart, Cincinnati Chapter Vice President
Jack Bredenfoerder, Ohio Society Vice President
Emmie Blum, Camp Follower Doug Blake
Chuck Rogers
Gary Duffield
Jeff Hartman
Josh Hartman
Jacob Hartman
Dan Schmitz

Non-Uniformed Chapter Members Attending
Gregg Ballman, Chapter Vice President
Lee Wilkerson, Ohio Society President
Jim Houston
Kenny Burck
Gordon Stokely
Jeff Sevier
Larry Collins
Robert Sturm
Gerry Hounchell