Blog Archives - CULPEPER MINUTE MEN - MUSTER CALL

CMM March 2025 Chapter Meeting

3/25/2025

25 Mar 2025 Warrenton, VA

Our March Meeting began in the Fellowship Hall of the Warrenton Bible Fellowship in Warrenton. Because our caterer became ill at the last moment we shifted to catered Chick-fil-A for our dinner. Not exactly the Filet of Beef many were expecting, but good food anyway. The meeting here consisted of our rituals, announcements, and the dinner, then we moved to the John Barton Payne Building to allow the public to participate in our program for the evening, a talk on local patriot, Charles Lee, by Cat Schwetke of the Fauquier Court House Chapter, NSDAR.

We were joined by five members of the public for Cat's talk. We look forward to doing this again in September when Charles Orndorff will talk about the US Constitution. We hope that allowing the public to participate in our programs will not only be a service to the community but increase interest in membership in the SAR. Such interest was expressed by two of the attendees this evening.

Vice President Mark Crain presents a Certificate of Appreciation and an honorarium of $50 to Cat Schwetke for her program. She will donate the honorarium to the cost of a Patriot Grave marker for Charles Lee.

CMM Attendance at Virginia DAR 2025 Annual Meeting

3/21/2025

21-23 Mar 2025 Williamsburg, VA

This weekend the Virginia DAR held their Annual Meeting in Colonial Williamsburg. The CMM was represented by Bill Schwetke who accompanied his wife to the meeting.

250th Anniversary of Patrick Henry's "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" Speech

3/16/2025

16 Mar 2025 Richmond, VA

Today the Virginia SAR commemorated the 250th Anniversary of Patrick Henry's "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech which was given on 23 Mar 1775. The program included a reenactment of Henry's speech. Bill Schwetke presented the CMM wreath and marched in the Color Guard.

Participants and audience to the portrayal of Patrick Henry's most famous speech at St John's Church in Richmond. Bill Schwetke is in the picture if you can find him (hint, he is wearing a gorget).

A separate program was conducted to mark the grave of Edward Carrington. Carrington, as a young man, stood by a window of St. John's and listened to Henry's speech. He was so moved that he declared to his friends that he wished to be buried on that spot where he stood to hear Henry speak. Carrington had illustrious service in the Revolution and after his death Col Carrington was buried at the spot where he had stood to listen to Henry.

Patriot Grave Marking for Edward Carrington

3/16/2025

16 Mar 2025 Richmond, VA

While standing outside a window of Richmond's St. John's Episcopal Church during Patrick Henry's famous speech, young Edward Carrington turned to his friends and said:
"Boys, bury me here, in this very spot!"
And that is where he lays.

etching by Max Rosenthal

And today, exactly 250 years (less a week) of that event, the Virginia SAR marked his grave to honor his patriotism as an accomplished soldier and leader in the Continental Line.
The CMM wreath was presented by Bill Schwetke who also marched in the Color Guard.

James Madison's 274th Birthday

3/16/2025

16 Mar 2025 Montpelier, VA

CMM Vice-President Mark Crain, second from left, presents the CMM wreath.

President James Madison's 274th Birthday was celebrated at his home and place of burial on Sunday. CMM Vice-President Mark Crain represented the CMM and presented the chapter wreath.

New/Prospective Member Orientation

3/15/2025

15 Mar 2025 Warrenton, VA

The Culpeper Minutemen Chapter and Fauquier Court House Chapter DAR held a joint New/Prospective Member Orientation at Warrenton Bible Fellowship in Warrenton this morning. 14 DAR new/prospective members and 3 prospective SAR members attended. The SAR prospectives were from the Col Fielding Lewis and Culpeper Minutemen Chapters. Cat Schwetke organized the event and Bill Schwetke gave the opening talk on the Origins of the DAR/SAR/C.A.R. Bill also conducted the SAR breakout sessions.

Bill opens the Orientation with his talk on the Origins of the DAR/SAR/C.A.R. photo by Anita Bonner

Attendees and presenters, photo by Bill Schwetke

Presentations to Commonwealth Senior Living

3/14/2025

14 Mar 2025 Front Royal, VA

Bill Schwetke joined Chip Daniel and Dale Corey of the Col James Wood II Chapter at Commonwealth Senior Living in Front Royal for presentations on Patrick Henry and James Madison. These presentations were given to two groups, one in each wing of the facility.

RootsTech 2025

3/6/2025

6-8 Mar 2025 Salt Lake City, UT

Every one of over 7,000 chairs filled for a keynote speaker.

With an estimated attendance of over 10,000 in person and over a million online over three days RootsTech is the largest annual genealogy conference in the world and the SAR Genealogy Committee was there, augmented by local and visiting compatriots and three NSSAR Genealogy Staff members. The SAR Genealogy Committee was a Bronze Sp0nser for the the conference. Bill Schwetke, an SAR Genealogy Committee Member, represented the CMM all three days in period attire. Bill & Cat also arrived a day early to spend time in the Family Search Library to work on applications.

NSSAR Genealogy Committee Booth

Bill adding color to the DAR booth

Bill being interviewed by Family Heritage Stories talking about the SAR and his patriot ancestor.

Bill & Cat Schwetke at the DAR Booth

Staff Genealogist Deborah Maddox introduces a talk by herself, Genealogist Staff Member Bill Burchfield, and Arizona Compatriot Mark Davis

Patriot John Armstrong's Grave Marking

3/2/2025

02 Mar 2025 Charlestown, IN

At his grave, on his farm, overlooking the Ohio River, the SAR honored Major John Armstrong with a Patriot Marker this Sunday. Bill Schwetke presented the CMM wreath and marched in the Color Guard carrying the Virginia Flag.

The Color Guard presents the Colors.

Bill Schwetke with the CMM wreath.