Thank you to Doug Bates for alerting us to this new feature.
“Find a Grave” has added a tag for revolutionary war participants.
It can be added via edit/suggest edits, and used in search.
Apparently they have sources in Ancestry, as some of the patriots I manage were already tagged.
It’s not clear if the tag will be permanent or not. Take advantage of it while you can!
Hope this is helpful
WHEREAS, July 4, 2026, marks the 250th Anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the founding of the United States of America; and
WHEREAS, the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution honors the service and sacrifice of our Revolutionary War Patriot ancestors by promoting patriotism, serving our communities, and educating and inspiring future generations about the founding principles of our Nation; and
WHEREAS, members of the Sons of the American Revolution from across the Nation will gather in Philadelphia, the birthplace of American independence, to commemorate this historic anniversary, and chapters and state societies will celebrate America 250 in communities throughout the United States; and
WHEREAS, the enduring principles of liberty, self-government, individual responsibility, and equal rights proclaimed in 1776 remain as relevant today as they were 250 years ago;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Michael J. Elston, President General of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, do hereby proclaim July 4, 2026, to be Independence Day 250 and a special day of celebration within the Sons of the American Revolution, and I call upon all members, chapters, and state societies to commemorate this historic anniversary through patriotic observances, educational programs, public ceremonies, and community celebrations.
As we celebrate America’s Semiquincentennial, let us honor the courage and sacrifice of the Revolutionary generation and renew our commitment to preserving the freedoms they secured. May the ideals of 1776 continue to inspire and guide our Nation for generations to come as we continue to strive toward an ever “more perfect Union.”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution to be affixed on this 29th day of June 2026, in the 250th year of the Independence of the United States.
The SAR Color Guard will participate in the Friday July 3rd Blue Ash Montgomery Symphony Orchestra (BAMSO) Patriotic Concert by providing the cannon and musket fire during the epic finale to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.
This will be a first for our Color Guard to fire our muskets and cannon as it is getting dark.
All SAR members are encouraged to join in the celebration whether in Revolutionary War uniforms or not.
The concert begins at 7:15 pm at Montgomery Park behind City Hall, 10101 Montgomery Rd, Montgomery, Ohio 45242. There is an intermission, and it will last a couple of hours.
Muster time for Color Guard participants is 6:00 pm on the basketball court. We will be firing from there towards the NE corner of the park, opposite direction of the orchestra and the audience.
The concert is a well-established local Fourth of July tradition and a free family event. Attendance has been well over 1,000 people in the past and may be at an all-time high this year. More information can be obtained via the link below:
https://www.montgomeryohio.gov/event/bamso-independence-day-concert/
The only official role for SAR will be to provide the gun fire during the song, but we may do some living history and another volley or two during the evening as the opportunity presents itself.
There are 16 cannon shots written into the piece, but this can be adapted and scaled down to as little as one big shot at the end – TBD
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=925105046102429
the more musket men we have will depend on what we can do at the event. The important thing is to make some noise. It will be fun. It will be appreciated, but the bigger we make it, the better it will be.
Please let me know at DSFreeman@fuse.net if you can participate, so we have an idea in advance.
Afterwards, all those SAR members who participate will be treated to a pint of Monty Liberty (CCSAR’s authentic Colonial Style Ale) on tap at MPH Brewery for the second consecutive summer. Brewery is one mile away at 7880 Remington Rd, Montgomery, OH 45242.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ENV4M6ynJ/
So, come on down to Montgomery Park on Friday July 3rd for the 7:15PM start of the event. Color Guard members are requested for 6:00PM for instructions and safety check.
Looking forward to a great event!!
On Saturday June 6th, the Cincinnati SAR participated in a Patriot Grave Marking and chapter Color guard event.
Greenwood Cemetery Monument Dedication Patriot Grave Marking Flyer
This event took at 10 am on Sat. June 6 at the Greenwood Cemetery, at 1602 Greenwood Ave, Hamilton OH 45011.
The event included the dedication of a monument in memory of the ten, yest ten Revolutionary war patriots buried there.
This event doubles as a Patriot Grave Marking event for these patriots.
The beautiful monument was co-funded by the Cincinnati Chapter SAR and the John Reilly Chapter DAR.
Our chapter has also received permission from the city to fire the cannon at this event, for the second time in public!
Attached is the flyer for the event and a map of the cemetery grounds.
Greenwood Cemetery Patriot Grave Marking 6_6_2026 whole program
Our Color Guard performed a musket salute to honor these ten patriots.
In addition, we fired our ceremonial cannon at the event, led by our trained cannon crew.
CCSAR Member Doug Carver played Taps.
It was a terrific event showcasing the new monument.
Congratulations to Mike Gunn, our CCSAR Grave Marking Chairman for a great event and working with the DAR to coordinate activities. It was truly a world class event!
A Naturalization Ceremony was held outside today (June 25) at the William Howard Taft National Historic Site.
The Honorable Karen Litkovitz, US Magistrate Judge, presiding.
Twenty-nine new citizens from 18 countries received their American citizenship.
Compatriots Scott Freeman, Larry Phillips and Stephen McClanahan helped welcome them on behalf of SAR.
Former Ohio Governor Bob Taft was also in attendance. Mr. Taft is also a member of the Cincinnati Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Please note the next ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, August 4th at Memorial Hall on Elm Street; all previously scheduled ceremonies for the month of July have been cancelled.
We invite you to participate in a national CG event and 250th anniversary event: the Flag Day Luncheon co-sponsored by the Butler County DAR.
Part of the Howard Miller Flag collection presented by the Cincinnati Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution
It will be held on Saturday, June 13 at 12 noon, at the Eaton Road Church of God, 2000 Eaton Rd. Hamilton OH 45013.
The event will also feature the Captain Howard Miller Memorial Flag Collection among other displays, as seen on the attached information flyer.
Color Guard members are encouraged to participate. Please let Jason Bourgeois know you are planning to participate. You can reach him at jpbourgeois@roadrunner.com
This event requires registration for the luncheon, with a cost of $30 per person.
If interested, please register by May 29 using the attached registration form.
Flag Day Luncheon Registration Form 2026 (1)
The program is attached (also captured below):
You are Cordially Invited to Butler County Flag Day
Celebration Luncheon
Doors Open – 11:30 a.m.
Luncheon – 12 noon
Program: Flags, Cummins Photo Collection by Brad Spurlock, Manager, Smith Library of Regional History & Cummins Local History Room
On Display: The Captain Howard Miller Memorial Flag Collection, presented by the
Society Sons of the American Revolution, Cincinnati Chapter
Cost: $30 per person at time of reservation, RSVP by May 29, 2026
Please send reservation form and payment to:
Pam Adams, 3090 Inwood Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45241
Checks should be made payable to “Colonel Jonathan Bayard Smith”
and note on the memo line “Flag Day Luncheon”
Please direct questions to
Pam Adams, padams@coljbsmithdar.com
On Saturday June 6th, 2026 at 10:00am there will be a monument dedication for Revolutionary War Patriots at the Greenwood Cemetery in Hamilton, OH
This event is co-sponsored by the John Reily Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and Cincinnati Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR).
There will be a monument dedicated with the names of ten Revolutionary War Patriots who were buried in the Greenwood Cemetery.
Attached is an event flyer for June 6th at Greenwood Cemetery.
America 250 Greenwood Cemetery – 06_06_2026 – bethart flyer
Color Guard members – we will communicate future plans for our participation. Watch your chapter emails from Bob Bowers or Scott Freeman
May 17th is the 250th Anniversary of one of the most important sermons of the Revolutionary War.
In the Revolutionary era, the pulpit was an important place for the colony’s greater thinkers to advance important values about human liberty.
Forgotten Founding Father, John Witherspoon, stands among the most influential yet often overlooked figures of the American founding era. He was a minister, educator, political leader, and signer of the Declaration of Independence.
John Witherspoon was born on February 5, 1723, in Gifford, Scotland, near Edinburgh. He was raised in a deeply religious Presbyterian family with roots tracing back to the Scottish Reformation. At age 13, he started attending the University of Edinburgh. In 1745, after completing his education, including a master’s in theology, he was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. He quickly gained recognition as a gifted preacher and writer, with sermons that displayed both intellectual rigor and passionate conviction.
To learn more about this interesting and thought provoking article, please click on the link below published by American Thinker (americanthinker.com) which is a news outlet.
Enjoy!
Compatriots,
SAR was invited to participate in an event in Clermont County on Saturday May 23rd that starts at 12:00 pm. Note this is not an official SAR event, however we were invited to attend.
It is called The Forgotten Soldier Remembered Plaque Dedication – Edenton OH
More information is available via the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/blanchesterohiohistoryandgenealogy/posts/3956070104693175/
It is near Stonelick State Park, near the address 6762 OH-727, Pleasant Plain, OH 45162
This event is sponsored by the Wayne Township Trustees and Clermont County Veterans Commission. It is the township’s major America 250 and Memorial Day weekend event.
This is not a SAR or DAR event or grave marking, but a local community event.
A 100-year-old plaque outside the cemetery that was stolen at some point has been remade and will be rededicated.
The plaque honors William Sloan, a Revolutionary War soldier, a bugler for General Anthony Wayne’s Army in 1794, and an early settler in the area. There is a question whether the William Sloan buried in the cemetery (born in 1773 according to the headstone) did all three things (or whether both William Sloan Sr. and Jr. were involved), but that is not at issue here. This is not a SAR or DAR marker, and we had no role in either the original plaque or its replacement.
Scott Freeman will attend to represent our Cincinnati SAR chapter. If you plan on attending, please reach out to Scott Freeman and let him know.
In the end, this will be similar to other recent events (Grassy Run, Ironton High School, Garfield Middle School). Those SAR attendees will represent Cincinnati SAR, engage the public, and have an informal educational presence at the event.
Our limited presence at other events recently has been a significant addition and greatly appreciated by the public. Another opportunity to share knowledge about SAR, the American Revolution and our educational efforts in the community.
Doug Carver and I are planning to attend in uniform or colonial attire, and I will probably set up the canopy and the cannon (which I still have at my house). If we have enough people, it is possible we could post colors or shoot muskets, but I have made no commitment to do so. Color Guard members, if you plan on attending, please let Scott know.
If anyone can join us and participate on Saturday, please let me know ASAP. No need to reply if you are unable.
Tonight will be the welcome home event for 88 veterans who are taking the once in a lifetime trip to Washington DC.
Join us at the WELCOME HOME RALLY!
Celebrate their journey, honor our heroes, and grab some Honor Flight Tri-State gear.
The welcome home event will be at the Greater Cincinnati International Airport on Tuesday May 19th. Plan to arrive at around 8:30PM on Tuesday evening to meet the returning heroes. Note that the time of arrival can vary depending on the return air flight.
Color Guard members are encouraged to wear their period attire, however anyone can come dressed as they like to welcome these patriots home.
Would you like to be a Guardians for a Veteran interested in making the trip?
Every veteran on an Honor Flight journey is accompanied by a trained guardian. While a qualified friend or relative can serve as a guardian for a veteran, many veterans who don’t have someone to go with them are matched with appointed guardians who are thoroughly vetted and specially trained to assist them throughout the trip.
We are grateful that our guardians choose to support the program by covering their own participation fee, making these special journeys possible.
More information about the event can be viewed by the below link:
Come participate and be able to support these men and women who gave a part of their life for our country.
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| Purple Heart | rober… on Cincinnati Chapter SAR Partici… | |
 | Bob Hill, OHSSAR Sta… on Cannon Reconstruction Update… |
 | Julia Key on Grave Marking Ceremony –… |
 | Tim Madden on Warning – Theft of Bronz… |
 | Mark Snider SAR on Warning – Theft of Bronz… |
| Purple Heart | rober… on Cincinnati Chapter SAR Partici… | |
| Bob Hill, OHSSAR Sta… on Cannon Reconstruction Update… |
| Julia Key on Grave Marking Ceremony –… |
| Tim Madden on Warning – Theft of Bronz… |
| Mark Snider SAR on Warning – Theft of Bronz… |
