Colonel James Wood II Chapter’s grave marking ceremony of Johannes Kuller

On August 22, 2020, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution conducted a grave marking ceremony to honor Johannes (also known as John) Kuller at the Dry Run Cemetery in Fort Valley, Virginia. The SAR honors patriots by marking their graves with a granite stone emblematic of their service in the fight for freedom during the American Revolutionary War. This can be as a fighter, a tax payer, government service or providing goods and materials to the cause.

Kneeling from left to right: Fred Gill, Sean Carrigan, Charles Jameson, Marc Robinson, Clay Robinson, Ken Bonner, Dale Corey, Sam Gill, Jackie Gill and Leona Gill. Standing from left to right: Dave Cook, Brett Osborn, Chip Daniel, Mike Dennis, Steve Englebright, Marty Keesecker, Dennis Parmeter, Barry Schwoerer, Eric Robinson, Art LaFlam, Mike Weyler, Bill Schwetke, Ken Morris and Paul Christensen.

John’s father, Jacob had migrated from the Palatinate region of southern Germany in 1743, settling in Frederick County, Maryland. John was born in 1747, one of eight children. While visiting his sister who lived in Fort Valley, he fell in love with the mountains and Passage Creek. On August 22, 1777, he bought property known as Teabo’s Fort from Conrad Teabo along Passage Creek, becoming one of the earliest recorded official deed holders in that area.

During the Revolutionary War, John was an “associator”. Maryland organized a system to deal with grievances imposed by Great Britain before the war with the formation of a provisional government known as the Maryland Convention. The Convention circulated a document, “The Association of Free Men of Maryland”, which resolved that the colony be put in a state of defense. The executive branch of this convention was the Council of Safety. Reporting to this body and keeping watch at county level for those disloyal to the provisional government was the Committee of Observation. John Kuller was a member of that committee in 1775 and thereby was referred to as an “associator”.

The Color Guard, from left to right: Dave Cook, Ken Bonner, Barry Schwoerer, Brett Osborn, Chip Daniel, Steve Englebright, Dennis Parmeter, Clay Robinson, Mike Weyler and Ken Morris.

The Colonel James Wood II Chapter was joined by the Colonel William Grayson, Culpeper Minute Men, Fairfax Resolves, George Mason and General Adam Stephens Chapters of the SAR with representation from the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the Shenandoah Society of the Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.). Dale Corey presided over the ceremony with chaplain services provided by Jim Simmons. Bob Cullers, a descendant of John Kuller presented a history of John and the family. Additional descendants also attended. Ten wreaths were presented to honor the patriot. The ceremony included a flag folding ceremony by Chip Daniel and Clay Robinson. A 14 man color guard presented the colors and a 10 man squad fired a three round musket salute.

The Shenandoah Society C.A.R., from left to right: Leona, Jacqueline and Samuel Gill.

Compatriots participating in the ceremony included Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (VASSAR) William “Bill” Schwetke, VASSAR Color Guard Commander Ken Bonner, VASSAR Color Guard Safety Officer Paul Christensen, VASSAR Color Guardsman of the Year Brett Osborn, Colonel James Wood II President Marc Robinson, Colonel William Grayson President Mike Weyler, Culpeper Minute Men President Charles Jameson, George Mason President Ken Morris, General Adam Stephens President Marty Keesecker and Fairfax Resolves 1st Vice President Dave Cook. Additional compatriots included Sean Carrigan, Dale Corey, Chip Daniel, Mike Dennis, Steve Englebright, Fred Gill, Art LaFlam, Dennis Parmeter, Will Reynolds, Clay Robinson, Eric Robinson and Barry Schwoerer. Attending from the DAR were Deborah Corey and Anne Simmons. From the C.A.R. were Leona, Samuel and Jacqueline Gill.