Col James Wood II Chapter, Clarke County Heritage Day

On November 4, 2023, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter and the General Daniel Morgan Chapter of the Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) along with the Fort Loudoun Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, participated in the 12th Annual Clarke County Heritage Days.

SAR and DAR participants, from left to right: Will Reynolds, Paul Christensen, Melissa Clevenger, Eric Robinson, Marc Robinson and Bryan Buck (photo courtesy of Melissa Clevenger).

The event was held at the Burwell-Morgan Mill, Millwood, Virginia. The event had organizations representing the various eras in Clarke County’s history displaying what life was like over the years in the northern Shenandoah Valley and beyond. There was cider pressing, mill grinding, reenactors, blacksmiths and craftsmen displaying their skills and products.

Musket squad firing (photo courtesy of Melissa Clevenger).

Historical organizations included the Fort Loudoun Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), reenactors representing Jamestown, 2nd Virginia Regiment encampment, Newtown History Center, Loudoun Heritage Museum, Frontier Culture Museum and the French and Indian War Foundation. Members of the Col James Wood II and General Daniel Morgan Chapters, SAR; 2nd Virginia Regiment and Jamestown Reenactors took turns providing musket firings. John Tole from Rappahannock County Historical Society performed acoustic music of songs from Colonial days through the Civil War. Vendors dressed in historical outfits provided demonstrations on the use of spinning wheels to make linen from flax and yarn from wool. Looms demonstrated the making of cloth objects.

The SAR display, from left to right: Will Reynolds, Anne Simmons and Chip Daniel (photo courtesy of Chip Daniel).

The SAR displayed colonial era flags, providing the history of the flags of that era. They, along with the DAR, provided an education on living in the 18th century. Participating for the SAR were Brian Bayliss, Bryan Buck, Paul Christensen, Dale Corey, Chip Daniel, Paul Parish, Will Reynolds, Eric Robinson, Marc Robinson and Richard Tyler. The Fort Loudoun Chapter of the DAR was represented by Melissa Clevenger and Katherine Collins. Alexandra Collins of the Lawrence Augustine Washington Society, Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.) was there to provide information about the C.A.R.