PATRIOTISM
Lady Knox Chapter NSDAR participates in numerous patriotic events throughout the year. The Fourth of July parades, Veterans and Memorial Day ceremonies are just a few. Each year, chapter members participate in the Thomaston Fourth of July parade along with area C.A.R. members. In past years, we’ve distributed thousands of copies of the Declaration of Independence to parade goers and handed out informational cards about Knox County Revolutionary War patriots. We’ve served as presenters and volunteers for the Knox Museum’s annual Boots on the Ground ceremonies on Memorial Day weekend, and volunteered during the week long exhibition of the Vietnam Moving Wall. In 2016, Lady Knox held a fundraiser and, with the help of other Maine Daughters, raised enough money for a corporate sponsorship of Wreaths Across America for wreaths at Arlington Cemetery. Each year, the chapter participates in the Knox Day ceremonies and Wreath Laying in honor of General Knox’s birthday. In 2016, the chapter sponsored a successful Special Projects Grant application for restoration of the Knox Family Gravesite. The successful grant application was written by one of our members in her role as president of the Thomaston Historical Society. Lady Knox’s chapter regent served as co-emcee for the ceremonies. We actively engage our local C.A.R. members in our parades, events, and ceremonies, placing wreaths, leading the pledge of allegiance, handing out programs, and greeting guests. Patriotism begins at a young age with Lady Knox!
HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECTS
Tolman Cemetery Restoration and Dedication
In 2014, after a local citizen brought the chapter concerns about declining conditions at Tolman Cemetery, Lady Knox launched a comprehensive and increasingly expanding project to return the oldest cemetery in Rockland, Maine, to a fitting place for the burial of 21 Revolutionary War patriots whose names appeared on a bronze plaque placed at the entrance to the cemetery in 1947 by the Maine State Organization of NSDAR. Over the course of three years, the chapter did grounds clean up, purchased flag holders and flags for all Revolutionary War and War of 1812 graves, mapped and recorded GPS coordinates for all graves in the one acre cemetery, located unmarked graves, researched and proved three previously unrecorded patriots buried at Tolman, obtained NSDAR approval to place a bronze plaque honoring these additional patriots not listed on the 1947 plaque, obtained approval to place a plaque at the cemetery honoring Isaiah Tolman for his patriotic service during the American Revolution, and for deeding an acre of his land for a public cemetery in 1783. The chapter applied for and was awarded a Special Projects Grant from NSDAR for placement of a new granite monument and the two bronze plaques at Tolman Cemetery. The chapter cleaned and restored the 1947 plaque and mounted it on the monument with the new plaques. The old monument was removed and recycled into granite steps and pavers at the cemetery entrance. The remaining granite was used to make two benches placed in the middle and rear of the cemetery. Prior to the dedication ceremony on September 17, 2017, the chapter and community volunteers, ages six to seventy-five, cleaned and restored every headstone in the cemetery under the direction of a professional restorer. The chapter received grants from the City of Rockland, Maine, and the Viles Foundation for these phases of the project. Subsequent to the dedication, Lady Knox Chapter NSDAR received news that their application to have Tolman Cemetery placed on the National Register of Historic Places was approved, effective October 12, 2017.
Every year since 2012, Lady Knox Chapter NSDAR creates one or more holiday room displays for The General Henry Knox Museum’s Holiday Open house, a weekend long event in Thomaston, Maine. Planning begins a year in advance, choosing a theme, deciding on the number of rooms the chapter will undertake (4 rooms in 2016 and 2017) and creating room specific sub themes and designs. Months before the event, chapter members begin making ornaments, informational signs and museum labels to accompany their displays. Each year, the chapter’s beautiful holiday displays have an educational focus, related to Henry and Lucy Knox, and a special display honoring our veterans and active duty military. Past years’ exhibits have included loan exhibitions of 18th century furniture and decorative arts, a fallen soldier/missing man display, a “Christmas at Valley Forge” Veterans display and Christmas card project, and a well-received display about 4,000 years of gingerbread history. One year, members were joined by HODARS (a term of endearment for Husbands of DAR) to portray a chapter, discussing politics and other interests of the day, while the woman retired to Montpelier’s withdrawing room to play whist, sew, and sing 18th century songs and carols for visitors to the Holiday Open House. In 2017, the chapter added a special display and activity for young visitors and recruited C.A.R. (Children of the American Revolution) to greet and engage children at the Open House.
In 2015, Lady Knox Chapter NSDAR placed an informational sign beside the Revere Bell on the grounds of The General Henry Knox Museum. The bell was purchased from Paul Revere, by Henry Knox, for the first Thomaston Meeting House. The bell later cracked and was recast by Revere and Sons before being returned to the belfry of the Meeting House. The meeting house eventually was torn down, but the bell found a permanent home on the Museum grounds. Previously unmarked, the chapter undertook research, creation and placement of an informational panel and installed it next to the bell. The sign was dedicated to then outgoing chapter regent, now honorary chapter regent, Suzanne Shaub, a direct descendant of Paul Revere. The sign was unveiled in a public dedication ceremony.
EDUCATION
Lady Knox Chapter NSDAR promotes education for children and adults. We provide area schools with the opportunity for their students to participate in the DAR Good Citizens Award and Essay Contest, the DAR Christopher Columbus Essay Contest and the DAR American History Essay Contest. We provide NSDAR scholarship information to high school students, support the box tops for education program for the DAR schools, and donate books, supplies and clothing to needs based schools. Chapter members donate time as volunteers and tutors at area schools. We involve C.A.R. members and friends in parades, projects and ceremonies, to develop their interest and understanding of American history and to help prepare them for active citizenry later on.
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