OUR INSPIRATION IS IN THE PAST OUR DUTY IS IN THE PRESENT OUR HOPE IS IN THE FUTURE

The Piedmont Piper

Edition LXXXIX (89th Issue) September 2009

From the

President’s Desk

TIME FLIES is a saying we have heard many times. As I look back on the

activities of the Piedmont Chapter, it is hard to realize that the year is half

completed. It seems that our Installation of Officers and Banquet was held

last week. So many activities have occurred since then, the designation of

our chapter as the “award winning Piedmont Chapter ” is well earned and

deserved due to the dedication, enthusiasm and commitment of our mem-

bers. Some examples of the activities are:

-Wreaths were presented at the Memorial Day Ceremony at the National Ceme-

tery in Marietta; at grave markings in Adairsville, Georgia and Enterprise, West

Virginia, and at the Ramsour’s Mill celebration in Lincolnton, North Carolina.

-The National Congress of the Sons of the American Revolution was held at the

Galleria Centre, and compatriots of the Piedmont Chapter were very active in

supporting the Congress, showing true Southern Hospitality to our visiting

(Continued on page 7)

A Newsletter of the Piedmont Chapter, Georgia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution

Gerald B. Breed, Editor

Bob Shaw

In This Issue

Chapter Meetings and Upcom-

ing Events

Welcome New Members

Alpharetta's Old Soldiers’ Day

Parade

Chaplain’s Column

Law Enforcement Commenda-

tion Medal Presented

Patriot Hite’s Grave Marking

Georgia Society Color Guard

Schedule

www.piedmontsar.com

Readers of the Declaration of Independence at the 2009 Annual Congress

At the August Chapter meeting, Larry Guzy, Past President of the Captain

John Collins Chapter and National Society Congress Planning Committee

Chairman, presented Certificates of Appreciation to Piedmont Chapter mem-

bers and to Mrs. Linda Bhame, wife of Carl Bhame. These individuals as-

sisted with the 2009 National Congress. L-R Mrs. Bhame, Carl Bhame, Allen

Greenly, Jack Ferguson, Bill Lusk, Bob Sapp and Tom Chrisman.

Page 2 The Piedmont Piper

At the August Chapter meeting, Ed Forte

provided outstanding information and a

demonstration of military commands for a

typical Light Infantry Continental Soldier.

Above Vice President Carl Bhame presents the Speaker’s

Certificate of Appreciation to Ed Forte of Milton High

School. Ed is a 23 year Marine Corps veteran, having

served around the world in various command and staff as-

signments. His last tour of duty was as the Professor of

Naval Science at both UPENN and Villanova Universities.

He has undergrad and graduate degrees in American his-

tory, the latter from Villanova University. Since his retire-

ment from active duty in 1997, he has been teaching and

coaching in the Fulton County School System. He is cur-

rently teaching Advanced Placement (AP) US History at

Milton High School. Ed gave a very interesting presenta-

tion describing a soldier in a typical unit of Light Infantry

in the Continental Army. Ed also described his approach to

teaching. At the beginning of each course on the American

Revolution, Ed shows the scene from the movie, The Pa-

triot, in which a young patriot girl inspires the community

by standing in the Colonial Church and stating her intention

to oppose tyranny. Ed then poses the question to his class:

Are you willing to be a Patriot? He said he has never had a

student who is unwilling to be a Patriot in his AP History

Class.

Piedmont Chapter Meetings and Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

Saturday October 17, 2009

Chapter Meeting

Holiday Inn 909 Holcomb Bridge Road Roswell, Georgia

8:00 am Breakfast

8:30 am Meeting

Speaker

To be announced

September 19, 2009

Chapter Meeting

Holiday Inn 909 Holcomb Bridge Road Roswell, Georgia

8:00 am Breakfast

8:30 am Meeting

Speaker

Ms. Sally Bethea, Director of the Upper Chattahoochee

Riverkeeper

Shown in the photo below are some of the types of equipment and

personal articles which might have been carried by a Light Infantry

Continental Soldier.

The Piedmont Piper Page 3

Meet The Piedmont Chapter New Members

Below President Bob Shaw presents a Membership Certificate

to Robert “Bob” Dickson while Registrar Bob Sapp looks on.

Bob was born in Louisiana and raised in Venezuela. He went

to college at the Colorado School of Mines and Central State

College in Edmond, Oklahoma. Bob has worked in the field

of systems development with a number of different employ-

ers, in a number of different locations in the US, Europe and

Australia. For the last 25 years he has worked with Macy's

Systems and Technology in John's Creek, Georgia.

Bob joined the SAR as a descendent of Josiah Dick-

son. Although there have been others using Josiah as an an-

cestor to join the DAR, Bob is the first in his direct lineage to

use Josiah Dickson to join the SAR. Bob served three years

in the US Army including one year in Korea. He has two sons

and two grandchildren, all of whom live in Texas. Bob and his

wife have resided in Cumming Georgia for the past 19

years.

In the photo on the left Vice President Carl Bhame presents a

Membership Certificate to Gerald “Jerry” Breed. He is a gradu-

ate of Southern Polytechnic State University, Oglethorpe Uni-

versity and he holds an MBA from Georgia State University. He

served in the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant and worked thirty-five

years for BellSouth. After retiring from BellSouth International

as VP Network Services, Jerry has become a Telecommunica-

tions Consultant. Jerry and his wife Claudia live in Marietta,

Georgia. He and Claudia have two married sons and six grand-

children. Jerry joined the SAR as a descendent of Joseph Breed

who served in the South Carolina Militia. Jerry began attending

Piedmont Chapter meetings in 2008 and is the Editor of the

Piedmont Piper.

Below President Bob Shaw presents a Membership Certificate

to Bill Padgett who was born in North Carolina and spent his

early years in North Carolina and Tennessee. He graduated from

High School at Lenoir City, Tennessee. After one year at Middle

Tennessee State University, he joined the US Marine Corps.

Upon discharge, he returned to Tennessee where he accepted a

basketball scholarship at the University of Tennessee at Chatta-

nooga. He graduated with a BS degree in Business and Econom-

ics and went to work for the Quaker Oats Company in Chatta-

nooga. He worked nine years with Quaker Oats and they trans-

ferred Bill to Memphis and then sold the division in which he

was working. He took a job in Michigan working for an equip-

ment company as a financial services manager. The company

relocated to Atlanta in 1978. Five years later the company was

sold to a group of investors who moved it to Pennsylvania. Bill

stayed in Atlanta and went to work for himself in equipment

leasing for approximately 8 years and for the Small Business

Administration Disaster Assistance Division. He retired in 2004

and now lives in Cumming. Bill’s Patriot Ancestor is Nicholas

Chapman who was from North Carolina and was in service at

the battle of Briar Creek in South Carolina and at the battle of

Cowpens. He escorted the prisoners taken at Cowpens to a loca-

tion in Virginia while being pursued by the British.

Bill and his wife, Wilma, have one daughter who is a school-

teacher in Cobb County. They also have two grandchildren.

Page 4 The Piedmont Piper

From

Allen Finley Piedmont Chapter Chaplain

Our Journey continues.

We are making our way through the

characteristics and traits our forefathers

must have embraced, their thought proc-

ess, and the factors that drove them for-

ward. Our goal is to recognize their leg-

acy that continues to influence our fami-

lies today. The first article discussed the

way our ancestors used their God given

abilities. Another looked at the motiva-

tion that enabled them to leave some-

thing known for something unknown. In

our last article we looked at how they

used the word “negotiate”. The next

letter we will consider is the letter “O”.

This letter brings to mind several words

that influenced our ancestral families on

their journey from their old homeland to

the new world.

The first word that came to mind is over-

look. The dictionary definition of the

word includes the following: a) to fail to

notice b) to ignore or c) to excuse. The

unimaginable hardships those early set-

tlers faced would have been impossible

to overlook in the literal sense. Their

drive and determination in facing those

challenges, however, enabled them to

overcome.

The second word, overcome, speaks to

their ability to persevere in the face of

hardship in order to conquer the wilder-

ness as they moved inland. It reminds us

that they developed forests into farms,

and towns into cities. They had to over-

come or prevail as they built trails into

roads and crossings into bridges as they

continued to move westward.

(Continued on page 6)

Below are pictures of The Old Soldiers’ Day Parade held on

August 1, 2009 at Alpharetta, Georgia. The Parade was a great

success with good participation by the Piedmont Chapter, Vet-

eran organizations, other organizations and the community.

The Piedmont Piper Page 5

Alpharetta Police Captain Sandy L. West Receives National Award

Captain Sandy L. West of the Alpharetta Police Department was recently awarded the National Society Sons of the

American Revolution Law Enforcement Commendation Medal in recognition of his achievements and exemplary lead-

ership that he demonstrates daily as a Captain with the Alpharetta Police Department. The purpose of the award is to

recognize those who have served with distinction and devotion in the field of law enforcement.

Captain West has been policing since 1984 and retired from the US Army in 1993. He was with Cherokee Sheriffs Of-

fice before coming to Alpharetta in 1993; Captain West has worked as a patrol officer, a patrol Lieutenant, and as a

detective and narcotics supervisor. He was also assigned as a commander in the Office of Professional Standards where

he managed recruitment, internal affairs, and training.

He then was assigned as a commander in Uniform Patrol where he served for three years. He currently serves as Cap-

tain of Criminal Investigations (CID). As a CID Captain he has reorganized the investigative function into a very pro-

ductive unit that has maintained a clearance rate that is well above the national average.

He is a graduate of the Professional Management Program at Columbus State University and a graduate of the Southern

Police Institute (Command Officer Course). He is a police instructor specializing in weapons training and he is a de-

partment coordinator training officer.

Shown below on the left side presenting the award to Captain West on behalf of the National Society is Piedmont

Chapter President, Bob Shaw. Also in the picture from the Piedmont Chapter L-R are Color Guardsmen Paul Prescott,

Bob Sapp, Jack Ferguson and George Thurmond and Past President Jim McIntire.

Page 6 The Piedmont Piper

And yet something kept driving them.

The word that makes the most sense to

me is something that my parents passed

on to me and, I hope, I have passed it

on to my children. The word that we

need to consider is optimism: It means

a degree of confidence, of hopefulness

or even a buoyancy about what will

happen tomorrow.

This is the spirit that helped our ances-

tors make these 13 different and inde-

pendent colonies into what we now

know as the “United States of Amer-

ica”.

As members of the Sons of the Ameri-

can Revolution, we need to convey this

optimism about the future of our great

country. It is true that we can become

very pessimistic about change and how

things are different from when we were

kids, but remember that with every

success comes an admission ticket to a

new set of decisions. With our ticket

now in hand, is our attitude positive

and do we project this sense of opti-

mism as our country grows and devel-

ops and evolves?

(OUR JOURNEY Continued from page 4)

Patriot Grave Marked in Virginia with

James Wood, Jr . Chapter On Saturday, July 25, Piedmont Compatriot Tom Chrisman shown below with

Color Guardsman Robert Andrews participated in the grave marking of Major

Isaac Hite, Jr. at Long Meadow Plantation in Middleton, Virginia, where he de-

livered the keynote during the ceremony. The Color Guard and officers from the

James Wood, Jr Chapter, Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution par-

ticipated in the grave marking. Isaac was the grandson of Jost Hite, the first per-

manent settler in Frederick County in the Lower Shenandoah Valley. Isaac

served as General Muhlenberg's aide-de-camp from 1781-1783. Although he was

wounded at Yorktown, he wrote or co-wrote the Articles of Capitulation outlining

the terms of surrender for the British at Yorktown. Upon his return, he married

Nelly Conway Madison, James Madison's sister, and built Belle Grove Plantation

where he remained until his death in 1836.

Shown below President Bob Shaw presents the Piedmont

Membership Directory to Billy Darwin at the National Congress. Shortly after the Piedmont Chapter was formed, Co-founder Frank Darwin recruited

his cousin, Billy Darwin of Grand Terrace, California to become a dual mem-

ber. Billy has continued his membership in the Piedmont Chapter ever since. Billy

has served as past president of his local chapter, Riverside and teams up with Pied-

mont members each Congress. L-R Paul Prescott, Bonnie Darwin, Billy Darwin,

President Bob Shaw, George Thurmond and Bob Sapp

Ms. Sharon Steele Smith presented

an inspiring concert of Patriotic

Music at the July Meeting.

The Piedmont Piper Page 7

Georgia Society Color Guard

Schedule 28 Aug – 6th District Republican Dinner,

Atlanta, GA, 1800 hrs

5 Sep – Battle of Eutaw Springs, Eutawville,

SC, 1030 hrs:

10 Sep – Ft. Peachtree Chapter Mtg., Atlanta,

GA, 1000 hrs

12 Sep – Patriot Nathan Arendall and Patriot

LTC Laughlin Fannin Grave Markings,

Franklin Co., GA, 1100 hrs

17 Sep – DAR Constitution Day Wreath Lay-

ing Ceremony, Augusta, GA, 1030 hrs

19 Sep – Piedmont Chapter Meeting

19 Sep – DAR Constitution Week Luncheon,

Ansley Golf Club, Atlanta, GA 1100 hrs

19 Sep – Patriot William Ferguson Grave

Marking, Mossy Creek Baptist Church

Cemetery, White Co., GA, 1100 hrs

19 Sep – Sycamore Shoals, TN

25-26 Sep – Fall Leadership Meeting, Louis-

ville, KY

3 Oct – Point Pleasant Battle Days, Pt. Pleas-

ant, WV, 1100 hrs

3 Oct – BOM, Forsyth, GA, 1000 hrs

6 Oct – Patriot Frederick Hambright

Grave Marking, Kings Mountain , NC,

1400 hrs

7 Oct – Battle of Kings Mountain, Kings

Mountain, SC, 1100 hrs

7Oct – Patriot McClanahan Grave Mark-

ing, Travelers Rest, SC, 1600 hrs

8 Oct -- Patriot James Wilson Grave

Marking, Effingham County, GA, 1000

hrs

9 Oct – Battle of Savannah, Savannah,

GA, 0730 hrs

9 Oct – Samuel Elbert Wreath Laying,

Savannah, GA, 0900 hrs

9 Oct – Casmir Pulaski Monument

Wreath Laying, Savannah, GA, 1000 hrs:

10 Oct – Patriot William Lord Grave

Marking, Wilkinson County, 1400 hrs

17 Oct – Piedmont Chapter Meeting

19 Oct – Yorktown Days, Yorktown, VA

24 Oct –Patriot Gen. James Gunn plus

12 more Grave Markings, Louisville,

GA, 1000 hrs

compatriots from all over the country.

The Piedmont Chapter and several mem-

bers received certificates and medals.

Captain Sandy West of the Alpharetta

Police Department received the Law En-

forcement medal and certificate.

-Articles in local newspapers featured

our community involvement. Members

presented 181 certificates to poster con-

test entrants at a local elementary school,

and the State Poster Contest winner was

from this school.

-Framed copies of the Declaration of

Independence, the Constitution and the

Bill of Rights were given to the Sandy

Springs, Georgia Police Department in

conjunction with the Atlanta Chapter,

SAR.

-Our speaker’s bureau made presenta-

tions in area schools.

-On Flag Day, the Color Guard presented

the colors at businesses and at the cere-

mony to retire and properly dispose of

worn flags.

-Secretary Donald Gunn and I attended

the ceremony recognizing the 234th birth-

day of the U.S. Army held at Fort

McPherson, Ga.

-The Piedmont Chapter received a num-

ber of awards at the State Board of Man-

agers meeting.

-Chapter meetings have been well at-

tended with 20-40 members present, and

we have heard presentations by out-

standing speakers.

The new year will be here in a few

months. New officers will be elected and

committee chairmen will be appointed. I

hope every member will become an ac-

tive participant, volunteering his talents

and energy to the “award winning Pied-

mont Chapter”.

Time does fly when you are having fun.

Please join us on the 3rd Saturday of

each month.

(Continued from page 1)

Page 8 The Piedmont Piper

The Piedmont Piper

3344 Thomashire Court

Marietta, Georgia 30066

.

The Piedmont Piper Bob Shaw, Publisher

Gerald B. Breed, Editor Allen Greenly, Photographer

This publication is the newsletter for the Piedmont Chapter of the Georgia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. It is printed six times per year, January, March, May, July, September and November. It is distributed to current and prospective members of the chapter and to certain officers of the state and national organizations and to certain officials of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The Piedmont Chapter serves communities of the northern suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia including Cobb, Forsyth, Cherokee and Northern Fulton County. Meetings are held monthly throughout the year on the third Saturday at 8:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn 909 Holcomb Bridge Road Roswell, Georgia. Most members choose to arrive by 8:00 a.m. to enjoy breakfast together. Prospective members are always welcome at monthly membership meetings. Men, eighteen years of age and older, who are interested in docu-menting their relationship to their American Revolutionary ancestors and in joining an active group with similar interests are urged to contact the Chapter Registrar, Bob Sapp, at 770-971-0189 or any other chapter officer. DEADLINE FOR MATERIAL TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT EDITION: The deadline for material for the next issue is 30 October 2009. In addition to the material, please include a copy of any photos to be included. Please direct all inquires or suggestions regarding the Piedmont Piper to the editor at the following address: 3344 Thomashire Court Marietta, Georgia 30066 Phone: 770-579.1869 jcbreed77@hotmail.com

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2009 Officers of the Piedmont Chapter

President, Bob Shaw 2900 Barbara Lane Marietta, GA. 30062 Phone: 770.971.3416 bdseds@bellsouth.net Vice President, Carl D. Bhame 7240 Wynhill Drive Atlanta, GA. 30328 Phone 770.394.1282 cbhame@bellsouth.net Secretary, LTC. Donald H. Gunn, Jr. 1484 James Trace East Point, GA. 30344 Phone 678.595.0692 donald.gunn@us.army.mil Treasurer, Bob Shaw 2900 Barbara Lane Marietta, GA. 30062 Phone: 770.971.3416 bdseds@bellsouth.net Chaplain, Allen R. Finley 4303 Revere Circle Marietta, GA. 30062 Phone 770.992.9395 arfinley@aol.com Registrar, Robert A. “Bob” Sapp 2649 Club Valley Drive Marietta, GA 30068 Phone: 770-971-0189 2rasapp@bellsouth.net Chancellor, Eric E. Thorstenberg 220 Enclave Court Roswell, GA 30076 Phone: 770-740-9321 eet@bellsouth.net Historian/ Library, Robert H. Allgood 545 Laurel Oaks Lane Alpharetta, GA. 30004 Phone 678.393.8854 boballgood@bellsouth.net Sergeant-at-Arms, Thomas R. Davis 7215 Wyngate Way Cumming, GA. 30040 Phone 770.442.8147 davtomnln@comcast.net ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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