Mecklenburg Chapter Member's Page
Welcome Mecklenburg Chapter Members!
This is your page on your website where we will keep you updated as to what is happening in our Chapter.
2012 Chapter Meeting Dates
(All meetings held at the Hilton Executive Park Hotel, 5624 Westpark Drive in Charlotte, NC 704-529-5963. Click here for directions to the hotel.)
16 FEBRUARY, 6:00pm - Mecklenburg Chapter winter membership dinner and meeting! Our own Tony Zeiss will be appearing as "Captain Jack" and deliver his humorous and anecdotal presentation on the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and the famous ride of Captain Jack! Also, the installation of our new Chapter officers. Dinner menu is Plum-stuffed Pork Loin with Marcella Jus! RSVP here.
10 MAY, 6:00PM - Join special guest actress Patty Proctor as she portrays a "Daughter of the Regiment," a woman who dressed in a man's Revolutionary War and Civil War uniform to fight alongside the men! RSVP available soon.
20 SEPTEMBER, 6:00PM - Mecklenburg Chapter membership dinner and meeting.
15 NOVEMBER, 6:00PM - Mecklenburg Chapter membership dinner and meeting.
2012 Event Calendar
11-12 February Anniversary of the Battle of Kettle Creek, Washington, GA.
18 February Anniversary of The Crossing of the Dan, South Boston, VA.
25 February Anniversary of the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge, Currie, NC.
2-3 March NSSAR Leadership/Trustees Meeting, Louisville, KY.
17 March Anniversary of the Battle of Guilford's Courthouse, Greensboro, NC.
30-31 March NCSSAR Annual State Convention, Courtyard by Marriott, beachside in Carolina Beach, NC. The room rate is $119 per night. To reserve your hotel room, please call the hotel at 910-458-2617 and be sure to tell them you are a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. Download the RSVP Form here. Directions to the Hotel are here. For questions, please call John Thornhill at 910-284-0232 thornhill@embarqmail.com or William Holt at costlbks@coastalnet.com.
23 June The Catawba Valley Chapter invites you to participate in the 232nd Anniversary of the Battle of Ramsour's Mill in Lincolnton, NC. Wreath Laying Ceremony begins at 10:00am. Download the full Event Flyer & Wreath Laying RSVP here. Please contact David Kilby for more information at 828-459-2314 or email docnj@charter.net.
18 August The General James Williams Chapter, SCSSAR, will hold the annual Musgrove Mill Battle Commemorative on Saturday, August 18th at 10:30am. Contact Norm Pigeon at nbpigeon@yahoo.com.
2012-2014 New Chapter Officer Nomination Slate Announced
September 8, 2011 - Paul Callanan, Chapter Chair for Officer Nominations, announced at the September 8, 2011 membership meeting the proposed slate of Mecklenburg Chapter Officers who will serve the Chapter from 2012-2014. The proposed officers include Jim Wood, President, Jay Joyce, Vice President, Jim Prosser, Secretary, Tom Phlegar, Treasurer, Ray Maxson, Genealogist, and Bob Lair, Chaplain. The election of Chapter officers will take place during the next membership meeting on November 17, 2011.
Chapter Members Ray & Helen Maxson Travel to Africa on Safari
August 2011...My own words...by Ray Maxson My wife Helen and I did go and visit my
son, Marc & his wife Heather, in Kenya in August. It was a great trip.. we flew to London to get a
good flight to Nairobi then on to Mombasa. It was a great beach resort.. on the Indian Ocean.. where
we could go skin and scuba diving on the second largest barrier reef.. along East Africa. It was great..
but we had to stay in sight of the beach and be able to run for the beach if the Somali Pirates swooped
in to our area.
Marc & Heather stayed with us on vacation from his Global Giving - East Africa Evaluation Job - distributing the $50,000 in food and supplies to the refugee Somali's living in the slums. He worked on this humanitarian campaign for most of the year.. Heather was working for "Feed the Children" but is now working for the Helen Keller - Prevent Blindness in Africa Program.
Helen went on safari to a Water Hole Tree House in the Mountain Side for a week and saw all the big
game she could see - elephants, gazelle, monkeys, baboons, eagles, Cape Buffalo, etc.. and a sky
full of tropical Birds every day. There were butterfly's - lots of them and they were swarming all over the
tree houses and near the water falls. She really loved the safari's - I know she had fun on her first
safari.. but this was my third trip to Africa.. so I went to do something else - climb Kilimanjaro.
It takes 5 days to climb - after you spend a year climbing in the Alps.. I did MT Mitchell and climbed Crowder Mt. several times a day for about 5 months.. but this was not enough high altitude climbing to keep my breath at the high altitude.. When we got to the snow and carrying oxygen bottles. returned to the Beach and rest. Then we went on two skin diving trips and trips up and down the coast. It was great!
The Hornet's Nest Buzz Chapter Newsletter
Order Your Mecklenburg Chapter Custom Magnetic Nametag!
These custom nametags have a magnetic bar on the back that attaches through your jacket and clothes...no pins to leave any holes! They cost $25 each and are very durable. Click here to order your custom name tag from the SAR store. (you will need to create your log-in username and password from the SAR store).
Our 2010 - 2012 Committees - Members, Get Involved Today!
Color Guard - Tim Berly Email Tim
The Color Guard makes regular appearances at State and local historical events throughout the year. We are always recruiting new members to our Color Guard. Please contact Tim Berly if you are interested. It's a fun, rewarding and exciting way to express your Patriotism while honoring American history!
Eagle Scouts - Jim Wood Email Jim
Each year the Mecklenburg Chapter honors outstanding Eagle Scouts. If you would like to work on this rewarding committee, please contact Jim Wood, our Mecklenburg Chapter Vice President and North Carolina State Chair, Eagle Scout Program.
Chapter Meetings - Tom Phlegar Email Tom
The chapter meeting committee is responsible for securing all of our meeting speakers and planning the programs. If you would like to work on this fun and entertaining committee, please contact Tom Phlegar, Mecklenburg Chapter Treasurer.
JROTC - Paul Callanan Email Paul
The JROTC committee honors outstanding local JROTC members each year. This committee actively solicits JROTC students to participate. If you would like to work on this engaging committee, please contact the committee chairman, and immediate Chapter Past President, Paul Callanan.
Revolutionary War Uniforms - Authentic & Custom-fit!
Having your own, custom-made American Revolutionary War uniform is a wonderful way to express your SAR membership! Our Mecklenburg Chapter Color Guard proudly wears the red, white and blue Revolutionary uniforms. A complete, new, custom-tailored uniform will cost around $500. If you are interested, click here to download the latest pricing and measurement instructions. The SAR does not endorse any particular tailor, but Darlene Neuhaus in Ft. Worth, TX is a solid, dependable, and reputable tailor. And several members have used her services with fantastic success!
Chapter Member Tony Zeiss Publishes Revolutionary Novel!
Our own Mecklenburg Chapter member Dr. Tony Zeiss, who is president of Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, has authored a new novel about a 16-year-old Revolutionary Patriot, Thomas Young, titled Backcountry Fury: A Sixteen-Year-Old Patriot in the Revolutionary War . Five months into his military service, Thomas participates in the pivotal battle of Kings Mountain, where he fights barefoot because his shoes are worn out. This is a great book for SAR members and especially young people! You can read more and purchase Backcountry Fury: A Sixteen-Year-Old Patriot in the Revolutionary War by clicking here.
(In photo above, Dr. Tony Zeiss and his wife Beth pose for a photo following Tony's induction into our Mecklenburg Chapter! Beth Zeiss is very active in the DAR! On the left, the bookcover of Tony's latest Revolutionary War novel!)
Revolutionary War Patriot Profile from member Jim Wood
Rev. Henry Wood
Born December 16, 1756 in Butte (now Warren) County North Carolina
Died June 12, 1843 in Spartanburg County South Carolina
Married Susan Elizabeth Mayfield July 1777
Married Nancy Burns
He served in the North Carolina Militia under General Thomas Eaton and Captain Henry Sullivan Guinn and Colonel Herbert Haynes. He was called to serve on March 1, 1781 and with his unit marched to High Rock Ford on the Haw River. Here Henry requested permission to joint the Light Infantry commanded by Captain White, with whom he had served under in a previous tour. With this infantry unit, he marched to Guilford Courthouse and was in this engagement. Henry Wood was in the first line of defense at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Following the Revolutionary War, he moved to South Carolina where he started a Methodist Meeting House which today is known as Woods Chapel United Methodist Church in Greer, SC. At his death in 1843, the Greenville Mountain Times noted in his obituary "Rev. Henry Wood espoused the cause of liberty, was a local preacher of the Methodist Church for the last 50 years and left a large circle of relatives and friends." He is buried in the front lawn of the church that carried his name.
Revolutionary War Patriot Profile from member Jay Joyce
Major General Nathanael Greene
Born July 27, 1742 (old style) in Potowomut, RI
Died June 19, 1786 in Savannah, GA
Married Catherine Littlefield
in July 1774
A supporter of the Patriot cause, Greene assisted in the formation of a local militia near his home at Coventry, RI in August 1774. Dubbed the "Kentish Guards," Greene's participation in the unit's activities was limited due a slight limp. Unable to march with the men, he became an avid student of military tactics and strategy.
Recognized for his abilities, he was commissioned as a brigadier general in the Continental Army on June 22, 1775. A few weeks later, on July 4, he first met General George Washington and the two became close friends. With the British evacuation of Boston in March 1776, Washington placed Greene in command of the city before dispatching him south to Long Island. Promoted to major general on August 9, he was given command of Continental forces on the island. Given command of American forces in New Jersey, he launched an abortive attack on Staten Island on October 12. Moved to command Fort Washington (on Manhattan) later that month, he erred by encouraging Washington to hold the fortification.
Moving to Valley Forge for the winter, Washington appointed Greene quartermaster general on March 2, 1778. Greene accepted on the condition that he be allowed to retain his combat command. Diving into his new responsibilities, he was frequently frustrated by Congress' unwillingness to allocate supplies. Washington appointed Greene to lead Continental forces in the South. Departing, Greene took command of his new army at Charlotte, NC on December 2, 1780. By the end of the campaign season, the British were forced back to Charleston where they were contained by Greene's men. He remained outside the city until the war's end.
With the conclusion of hostilities, Greene returned home to Rhode Island. For his service in the South, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia all voted him large grants of land. After being forced to sell much of his new land to pay off debts, Greene moved to Mulberry Grove, outside of Savannah, in 1785. Still revered for his military prowess, he twice declined the post of Secretary of War. Greene died on June 19, 1786, after suffering from heat stroke.
Attention members: please email Jay Joyce if you would like to have your Patriot Ancestor featured here on the Member's page!