SAR commemorates 246th Anniversary of the Virginia Declaration of Rights

On June 11, 2022, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Virginia Society, Sons of the American Revolution participated in the Commemoration of the 246th Anniversary of the Virginia Declaration of Rights held at Gunston Hall, sponsored by the George Mason Chapter of the Virginia SAR. George Mason drafted ten articles, three additional articles were incorporated by committee and an additional article was added by the Fifth Virginia Convention.

Virginia Color Guard preparing to march. From left to right: Dale Corey, Pete Davenport, Jeff Thomas, Paul Christensen, Charles Jameson, Ken Bonner, Ken Morris, Barry Schwoerer and Jim Cordes. (Photos courtesy of Anita Bonner)

In 1776, colonies in America were frustrated by the tyrannical rule of the British government. As a result, they replaced the legislatures put in place by Great Britain with extralegal governing bodies. Among these was the Virginia Convention which met in Williamsburg, Virginia. This Convention took many revolutionary actions, however, one of its most important was the establishment of a committee to write a constitution and a bill of rights for the now state of Virginia.

The Washington Tattoo lead the procession to the cemetery.

In May, George Mason submitted an initial draft on the rights of citizens described in earlier works such as the English Bill of Rights. The Declaration can be considered the first modern Constitutional protection of individual rights for citizens of the American colonies. It rejected the notion of privileged political classes or hereditary offices such as the members of Parliament and House of Lords described in the English Bill of Rights. The document was drafted in 1776 to proclaim the inherent rights of men, consisting of sixteen articles with rights to life, liberty, property and pursing and obtaining happiness and safety. It describes the Government as the servant of the people and enumerates its separation of powers into the administration, legislature and judiciary, becoming the principles upon which a government should be run. This Declaration of Rights was made by the representatives of the people of Virginia, assembled in full and free convention to proclaim which rights do pertain to them and their posterity, as the basis and foundation of government. This Declaration was adopted unanimously by the Virginia Convention on June 12, 1776, and became the basis and foundation of Virginia’s Government. It influenced a number of later documents, including the Declaration of Independence later in 1776 and the Bill of Rights in 1789.

Virginia Color Guard, from left to right: Dale Corey, Pete Davenport, Marc Robinson, Jeff Thomas, Tom Hamill, Ken Bonner, Jim Cordes, Charles Jameson, Andrew Mills, Jack Mills and Barry Schwoerer.  

The ceremony was emcee’d by George Mason President Fritz Barth and Past President Ken Morris. Participating  SAR Chapters include George Mason (GM), Colonel James Wood II (CJWII), Sgt Maj John Champe (SJC), Colonel William Grayson (CWG), Culpeper Minutemen (CMM), Fairfax Resolves (FR), George Washington (GW) and Williamsburg (WMB). Michael Elston, Chancellor General represented the National Society, Bill Greaf, 2nd Vice President represented the Virginia Society. Dr Sharla Rausch, Director of District V, represented the Daughters of the American Revolution and President Will Elston, the Virginia Children of the American Revolution.

Nine DAR Chapters came to pay honors along with a Society from the C.A.R. Representatives of the Society of the War of 1812, Virginia Order of Founders and Patriots of America, Sons and Daughters of the Virginia Founding Fathers and U.S. Daughters of the War of 1812 were present for wreath presentations. The Virginia State Color Guard was led by Commander Dale Corey with members from seven chapters. They were led in a procession by a  quartet from the Washington Tattoo, consisting of three fifes and a drum. A grave site wreath presentation was conducted to honor the memory of George Mason.

After the ceremony, a three round musket salute was fired by the Virginia Society Color Guard. The musket squad led by Dale Corey (CJWII) included Ken Bonner (SJC), Paul Christensen (CJWII), Jim Cordes (FR), Marc Robinson (CJWII) and Barry Schwoerer (SJC). Additional guardsmen participating were Pete Davenport (GM), Tom Hamill (CMM), Charles Jameson (CMM), Andrew Mills (CWG), Jack Mills (CWG), Ken Morris (GM) and Jeff Thomas (FR).