Dear Members and guests of the Ocala Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR),

This is a friendly reminder that our next chapter meeting is scheduled for October 18th, and we look forward to seeing you there. 

Please note that our President Claude Grubbs will be traveling and Brian Voge will be conducting the meeting in his place.

Date: October 18th Time: lunch ($20) will begin at 11:30am, followed by our program and a short business meeting.

Location: Ocala Golf Club - East Silver Springs Blvd (Approximately halfway between 25th Avenue and 36th Avenue)

Agenda: Our program for this month is an exciting opportunity for our members to share insights into the ancestors who played pivotal roles in the American Revolution. Tell our members who enabling you to qualify for SAR membership. We encourage each member to take the floor and enlighten us about their ancestors' contributions during this crucial period in history.

Presentation Details: Please be prepared to share the following details about your ancestor:

• Name: Provide the name of your ancestor.
• Role and Contribution: Share information about what they did during the American Revolution.
• Dates and Places of Service: Specify the dates and locations where they served.

This interactive session promises to be a great opportunity for us to learn more about the diverse and remarkable stories that connect us to our revolutionary past.

We value your participation and look forward to a memorable and informative gathering. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.

See you on October 18th!

New Genealogy Website for SAR Members

Dear Chapter Officers:

Please share this with members of your chapter.

When I was elected as President of the Florida Society, I stated that one of the main focus areas of my administration would be on increasing membership in the Florida Society.  As we all know, the key to getting new members into the SAR is finding and proving the applicant's lineage to a Revolutionary War Patriot ancestor. 

To assist in furthering our membership growth, my wife Debbie has created a website for SAR members only called "Debbie's Genealogy Corner" which is similar to her very popular site for DAR members only called "Debbie's Lineage Research Corner." Below is a brief description of the types of information found in some of the sections on the site, which is located at  http://www.learnwebskills.com/corner

NOTE:  The above website cannot be located using Google or any other search engine. Please bookmark is as a Favorite so you can find it again.

Hidden Gems

The "Hidden Gems" section is the most popular part of the site with links to over 4,000 free vital records and probate records, 3,000 county and town histories, 17,000 pre-1830 Bible records, dozens of acceptable sources of Revolutionary War service, and much more. 

News

The "News" section contains links to important resources for documenting lineages under "Genealogy Research Checklist." However, do not stop there.  Keep scrolling for the following articles:

* Debbie's Process for Finding Patriots for Prospective Members & Members Researching Supplemental Applications

* A Simple Strategy for Proving a New Child or New Grandchild of an Established Patriot

* Revolutionary War Pensions:  The Best Resource You Are Not Using

* Notes on Probate Records, Guardianships, and Church Records

* Locating Land Records to Document Early Generations

* Using Worldcat.org to Find Books and Records

* Stop Waiting for a Knock at the Door

Application Tips

This section provides helpful tips on completing SAR applications.

Workshops

This section describes the genealogy workshops that will be offered at the FLSSAR Board of Management (BOM) meetings in Orlando.  Specifically, Debbie will be teaching a 4-hour workshop at the Fall BOM on September 6th & 7th.

The Three P's

When it comes to chapter health, only 3 things matter: 1) Planning for the next administration, 2) Prospective members moving through the process, and 3) Participation at meetings and events.  For those of you who attended my Regional Vice Presidents' meetings in Kissimmee, this was a recurring topic that I discussed.

Chapter Registrars

Members who work with prospective members will want to review this section for a detailed description of how my wife Debbie handles prospective members.

Lineage Societies

This section contains information on other lineage societies.

Fraternally,

Ted Duay
President, FLSSAR

tedduay@yahoo.com

SAR Dues for 2013 now due!

Happy 237th Birthday USMC

The Continental Marines were the Marine force of the American Colonies during the American Revolutionary War. The corps was formed by the Continental Congress on November 10, 1775 and was disbanded in 1783. Their mission was multi-purpose, but their most important duty was to serve as on-board security forces, protecting the Captain of a ship and his officers. During naval engagements Marine sharpshooters were stationed in the fighting tops of the ships' masts, and were supposed to shoot the opponent's officers, naval gunners, and helmsmen.

In all, there were 131 Colonial Marine officers and probably no more than 2,000 enlisted Colonial Marines. Though individual marines were enlisted for the few American naval vessels, the organization would not be re-created until 1798. Despite the gap between the disbanding of the Continental Marines and the current organization, the United States Marine Corps celebrates November 10, 1775 as its birthday.

In accordance with the Continental Marine Act of 1775, the 2nd Continental Congress decreed:
“ That two battalions of Marines be raised consisting of one Colonel, two lieutenant-colonels, two majors and other officers, as usual in other regiments; that they consist of an equal number of privates as with other battalions, that particular care be taken that no persons be appointed to offices, or enlisted into said battalions, but such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve for and during the present war with Great Britain and the Colonies; unless dismissed by Congress; that they be distinguished by the names of the First and Second Battalions of Marines. ”

These two battalions were initially intended be drawn from George Washington's army for the planned invasion of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the main British reinforcement and supply point. In reality only one battalion was formed by December, with five companies and a total of about 300 men. Plans to form the second battalion were suspended indefinitely after several British regiments-of-foot and cavalry, supported by 3,000 Hessian mercenaries, landed in Nova Scotia, making the planned amphibious assault impossible. Washington was reluctant to support the Marines, and suggested that they be recruited from New York or Philadelphia instead.

The Continental Congress Establishes a Corps of Marines November 10, 1775, was officially recognized as the birthday of the United States Marine Corps through Marine Corps Order No. 47 in 1921. The order proudly states:

"From the Battle of Trenton to the Argonne, Marines have won foremost honors in war, and in the long eras of tranquility at home, generation after generation of Marines have grown gray in war in both hemispheres and in every corner of the seven seas, that our country and its citizens might enjoy peace and security."

Earl C. Kincaid, Jr - RIP

Sadly, we must report that Earl C. Kincaid, Jr., SAR member, passed away on November 4th. Please offer your condolences and prayers for Earl and his family during this difficult time.
===========================================
Earl Calvin Kincaid Jr. , 86
Ocala - Earl Calvin Kincaid Jr., 86, died on Sunday, November 4, 2012.
He was born in Henderson, Kentucky on March 7, 1926, the son of Marge Kellums and Earl Kincaid of Illinois. He attended schools in Illinois. He lived in Illinois, California and Nevada before moving to Florida in 2005. He was married three times, first to Linda Smith. They had three children, Earlin, Ernest and Susan. Of his second marriage to Muriel Woodruff there were no children. He was married to Jean Hazel Kincaid in 2005 in Ocala, Florida. He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the United States Army in the Philippines and in Ft. Churchill, Canada.

Earl was a retired carpenter and a member of Carpenters Local 1765. He was also a talented artist, painter and loved making canes and clocks. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and Temple Beth Shalom. He loved playing the harmonica and enjoyed being around his step-children and their families. He was interested in genealogy, photography and loved reciting The Cremation of Sam McGee which he learned while stationed during World War II in Ft. Churchill, Canada. He loved to travel and loved speaking Filipino which he learned while stationed in the Philippines during World War II. He loved classical music and the ballet. He was also a taxidermist by trade.

He is survived by his wife Jean Hazel Kincaid; and his three children, Earlin Landers, Grand Junction, MI, Ernest Kincaid, Garden Grove, CA and Susan Kincaid, California; sister, Rosalie Demont of Orange, CA and brothers, Richard Kincaid, East Moline, IL and George Kincaid, Geneseo, IL; stepchildren, John Davis, Ocala, Graham Davis, Riverview, FL, Russell Davis, Jacksonville, FL, Cindi Neel, Bartlesville, OK and Gregory Davis, Carrollton, GA; granddaughter, Stephanie Kincaid, numerous nieces, nephews, several step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, November 8, 2012 at 11 a.m. at Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, 5946 SE Robinson Road, Belleview with visitation one hour prior. Burial will be at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL. In lieu of flowers donations to Alzheimer's' Association or to the Cancer Society would be appreciated.

Online condolences may be made at:

www.hiers-baxley.com.

SAR Ocala Meeting Minutes----->

The SAR Ocala Monthly Meeting Minutes will be posted on this BLOG from now on ... Click "SAR Meeting Minutes" under "Pages" and click on the date of the meeting you were interested in reviewing.  Comments can be entered directly below the document or make a note and bring it up at the next meeting.  

What is an American?

To Kill an American:  You probably missed this in the rush of news, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.  So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is, so they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!)  ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.  An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans. An American is Christian, or he could be Jewish, or Buddhist, or Muslim. In fact, there are more Muslims in America than in Afghanistan. The only difference is that in America they are free to worship as each of them chooses.  An American is also free to believe in no religion. For that he will answer only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God. An American lives in the most prosperous land in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes the God given right of each person to the pursuit of happiness. An American is generous. Americans have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return.  When Afghanistan was over-run by the Soviet army 20 years ago, Americans came with arms and supplies to enable the people to win back their country!  As of the morning of September 11, Americans had given more than any other nation to the poor in Afghanistan ... The national symbol of America, The Statue of Liberty, welcomes your tired and your poor, the wretched refuse of your teeming shores, the homeless, tempest tossed. These in fact are the people who built America. Some of them were working in the Twin Towers the morning of September 11, 2001 earning a better life for their families. It's been told that the World Trade Center victims were from at least 30 different countries, cultures, and first languages, including those that aided and abetted the terrorists. So you can try to kill an American if you must. Hitler did. So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world.. But, in doing so you would just be killing yourself. Because Americans are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, is an American."