Memorial Day 2016

 Guard members Paul, John , Steve and Craig presented the Colors at a wreath laying ceremony at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in St. Paul, Minnesota. Also participating in the event were members of the Knights of Colombus and the Park High School AFJROTC Color Guard and their advisor.  The officiating officer was of the Military Order of the World Wars Fort Snelling Chapter.
  The Minnesota SAR Color Guard participation was the result of a request by the Fort Snelling Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars and the Colonel William Covill Camp of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.
 The Soldiers and Sailors Monument was built in 1903 and stands 53 feet high. Atop is a statue of a Civil War soldier, reportedly representing Josias King, the first Minnesota volunteer to serve in the Union Army.

Soldiers and Sailors Monument - St. Paul, Minnesota

Photo by Layna Heffron

Photo by Layna Heffron

Photo by Layna Heffron

Help save a Battlefield

Many of the battlefields have been built over and are now lost. Another is about to be lost though the  Civil War Trust is fighting to save it.  Read about this at : http://www.campaign1776.org/take-action/speak-out/princeton/letter-from-jim-lighthizer.html

December 13, 2016 update: 
 Friends:

It gives us great pleasure to share with you the following announcement, made available to the press at midnight, that the Institute for Advanced Study has agreed to terms for the sale of the critical Maxwell's Field property on the Princeton battlefield so it can be preserved and interpreted for the benefit of the American people.  The American Revolution Institute is proud of its role in reaching this important milestone.  Pessimists said it couldn't be done.  Like Washington's officers, we ignored the skeptics and fought on.  This is the kind of important work our organization was created to do.

Best regards,

Jack D. Warren, Jr.
Executive Director
The American Revolution Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati13

With D.A.R. on Vietnam Veterans Day

Alongside members of the Captain Robert Orr Chapter of the NSDAR and the Onamia MN Veterans Club,  Minnesota S.A.R. compatriots Paul and Craig honored Vietnam Veterans with a wreath laying ceremony, flags placed on graves, taps played and a rifle salute.

MNSSAR Color Guard at Ramsey Happy Days Parade

A Color Guard formed jointly with 7th Pennsylvania Regiment and the MNSSAR Color Guard led the annual City of Ramsey Happy Days parade. This was the second year the combined guard has been invited to lead the parade and the crowd cheered and welcomed them. Above photos compliments of Theresa Hyde.

The Anoka Herald

                         The Color Guard was awarded "Peoples Choice" award by the judges. 
                             video at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qv3Q_HBDiM

MNSSAR October Meeting

The Color Guard again posted the colors for the October meeting of the Minnesota Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

During the business part of the meeting Geoffrey Markham presented the MNSSAR with a functioning replica of a Brown Bess musket, a gift from compatriot Stuart Markham who was unable to attend the meeting. The musket is to be used by the Color Guard in their performance of duties. The dedication was as follows:
In April of 1775 35 yr old Barzillai Markham answered the call to arms and joined the Lexington Alarm as a Sgt.  In July of that year he was promoted to the rank of Ensign, 5th Co. 8th Connecticut Regiment. Because of ill health he  resigned his commission on 7 Oct. 1775 and was honorably discharged from the army.  

Barzillai was born 14 Nov. 1740 in Enfield Connecticut and died at age 84 on 1 June 1824  in Essex New York. 110 years before, his great great grandfather, Deacon Daniel Markham escaped to the shores of Cambridge Mass. to escape the tyranny of the king of England in 1665 to practice his religion and become a freeman.

It is with honor that I donate this working replica of a 1768 2nd Pattern "Bess" flintlock musket to the Minnesota Sons of the American Revolution, the Minnesota SAR Color Guard and to the memory of Barzillai Markham as a living memorial and teaching tool of the men of the Revolutionary War. The men who died or lived in that conflict, weather their actions great or small,  have impacted everyone who is here today and I salute them. May their memory always be kept alive and cherished.     Stuart Markham

Geoff Markham reading the dedication of the Markham Musket

Later, Color Guard Commander Theisen and Color Guard drummer Hyde showed the members the newly acquired drum which is property of the MNSSAR.

Posting the Colors for new citizens

July 29th 2015 a Naturalization Ceremony was held at the River’s Edge Convention Center at St. Cloud.  Presiding over the event was Chief Judge Gregory F. Kishel of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.  The Presentation of Colors was administered by Paul K. Theisen  MNSAR Color Guard and Altea Heim  Sara Steele Sibley Chapter MNDAR.  Judge Kishel administered the Oath of Allegiance to about 84 new citizens.