On a warm New England weekend,September 25-26, 2010, the FallMeeting of the DSDI was held in

Quincy, Massachusetts. There were 53members and guests in attendance, includingfive children, representing 13 states and 13different Signers.

After the Board ofGovernors meetingon Friday, the groupdeparted for Boston,about 7 miles away,where we caught theHarbor Express ferryand experienced adelightful, wind-blown trip through

the Boston Harbor islands with a stop atHull before reaching the Fore RiverShipyard adjacent to the USS Salem, a ColdWar-era heavy cruiser that serves as home tothe United States Naval ShipbuildingMuseum. That evening, we enjoyed a lightreception and lecture by our own Mr.Thornton Lockwood who presented a veryinteresting talk, entitled “Legacy of theDeclaration of Independence.” At theconclusion, he gave a brief biography ofeach of the Signers who was represented byattendees of the meeting.

The General Meeting of the Society washeld on Saturday morning at the QuincyMarriott after which we boarded the bus fora tour of Quincy. Our first stop was theQuincy Historical Society Museum which ishoused in the former Adams Academy, aNational Historic Landmark and site of thebirthplace of John Hancock. The museumpresented an informative history of Quincythrough the centuries.

Our next stop was the Dorothy QuincyHomestead, another National HistoricLandmark and part of the original farmlandthat Edmund Quincy acquired in the 1630s.It was home for five generations of Quincys.Leading up to the American Revolution, theresidence was a meeting place for manyAmerican patriots including John Adams,

Fall Meeting 2010...................................................... 1President-General’s Message.................................. 2Matthew Thornton Home and Plaque ............... 4Spring Meeting Reminder ....................................... 5John Morton Project and Conference................. 6Revolutionary Frontier............................................ 7William Williams Plaque Dedication ................... 7Picton Press Register Volumes ............................. 8

DSDI Meetings .......................................................... 8DSDI Scholarship Program..................................... 8Gifts and Contributions .......................................... 9History of the Society of the Signers................ 10DSDI Insignia Order Form................................... 10Registrar-General’s Report .................................. 11Future Meetings ...................................................... 12

SpiriT of ’76The

SpiriT of ’76Published by the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence

Volume 45 • No. 1 • February 2011

QUINCY: “The City of Presidents”

WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE

Brinker sisters, trip hosts

The Lockwoods waiting for the ferry tour of Boston harbor.

continued on page 3

Dear DSDI Members,

I hope everyone had a wonderful and enjoyable Christmas and 2011 is starting well foryou. Kathryn and I spent three weeks with our son, John, and family in Bothell,Washington and arrived home in time for some snow in Nashville.

For those that did not attend, we had a great time in Quincy, MA at the Fall 2010 meeting.The Brinker sisters did a marvelous job in hosting the meeting and everything ran likeclockwork. It was a real honor for me to lay a wreath at the tomb of John Adams and tovisit where he, Abigail and John Quincy had lived. I am looking forward to New Bern. Ithas been several years since I have been in New Bern, NC and I remember how I enjoyed visiting Tryon Palaceand the other sites. I know Miles and Celeste have worked hard to make this a memorable Spring meeting.

The 2010 Scholarship program ended in December and I want to thank our Scholarship Committee and Chairman,Leslie, for all that was done in completing this for us under very difficult personal circumstances, so thank youLeslie and your committee. We are putting the finishing touches on the 2011 Scholarship program. Applicationswill be completed on-line. This will allow us to keep an electronic copy for record purposes. The applicationinstructions will be posted on the website as soon as all the details are completed so please check the website. Andremember being a member of DSDI does not automatically guarantee anyone a scholarship award.

In 2011 we will be moving more of our communications onto electronic media. We are forming aCommunications Committee to look at ways we can improve in this area. One thing for sure, we need allmembers to send the Registrar-General their email address. All organizations are finding it expensive to continueto mail things and so we will be looking at how we can communicate with our members at less cost. We arelooking at PayPal as another method to pay dues, purchase a Life Membership, donations, etc. You will note inthis edition that you can order DSDI emblems via Ruth Hagan and we will be adding the new lapel pin to theform. She is also looking at other merchandise for our members so that effort will grow this year.

If you have any ideas or suggestions, please email them to me: president.dsdi@yahoo.com. And I hope to seemany of you in New Bern.

Sincerely,

John Curtiss Glynn, Jr.President-General

Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence

Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of IndependenceOfficers, 2010-2011______

President-General JOHN CURTISS GLYNN, JR. 105 Elmsford Court, Brentwood, TN 37027

First Vice-President LAWRENCE McMAHON CROFT 2604 N. Parham Road, Richmond, VA 23294

Second Vice-President MILES JOSEPH McCORMICK 16-A Fountain Manor Drive, Greensboro, NC 27402

Chaplain-General REV. FREDERICK WALLACE PYNE 3137 Periwinkle Court, Adamstown, MD 21710

Registrar-General JAMES HERBERT ALEXANDER, JR. 7157 SE Reed College Place, Portland, OR 97202

Assistant-Registrar JOHNNY DOW ALEXANDER P.O. Box 425, Salem, OR 97308

Historian-General EDWARD RIDLEY FINCH, JR., ESQ. 860 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10021

Assistant-Historian JOHNNY DOW ALEXANDER P.O. Box 425, Salem, OR 97308

Treasurer-General DANIEL HEYWARD McNAMARA 8507 Henrico Avenue, Richmond, VA 23229

Assistant Treasurer ROBIN LEIGH RAWL 2528 Heyward Street, Columbia, SC 29205

Secretary-General DONALD CROSSET WARD, JR. 103 East Wells Street, Apt. C-131, Baltimore, MD 21230

Assistant Secretary L. D. SHANK, III P.O. Box 634, Odessa, DE 19730

Chancellor-General T. MICHAEL KENNEDY, ESQ. 100 Flintshire Way, Coppell, TX 75019

Board of Governors2010-2011______

NEW HAMPSHIRE - Mrs. Kenneth S. PetersonMASSACHUSETTS - Ms. Marianne M. BrinkerRHODE ISLAND - Mrs. Emily Sedgwick BagwillCONNECTICUT - Truxtun E. BrodheadNEW YORK - Melvin P. LivingstonNEW JERSEY - Philip R. LivingstonPENNSYLVANIA - Donald C. Ward, Sr.DELAWARE - L. D. Shank, IIIMARYLAND - Mrs. Linda Coley TeareVIRGINIA - Robert Bruck Warden LaubachNORTH CAROLINA - Miles J. McCormickSOUTH CAROLINA - Mrs. Laura Heyward SturkieGEORGIA - Mrs. Julie Burnet McLaurineDISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - Mrs. Laura Haines Belman

2

DSDI WEB SITE: http://www.dsdi1776.com/

Josiah Quincy, Benjamin Franklin, and JohnHancock. The house was also the childhood home ofDorothy Quincy, who married John Hancock and laterbecame the first First Lady of Massachusetts. Herpicture graces the dining room. It was fascinating togo from the early kitchen with a huge hearth throughthe various hallways and into the lovely rooms, upone set of back stairs which led to other rooms, andfinally down the main stairs.

After enjoying our box lunches on the lawn, weheaded across town and paused to see the stone cairnwhich marks the spot from where Abigail Adams andyoung John Quincy Adams viewed the burning ofCharlestown during the Battle of Bunker Hill in1775. At the base of Penn’s Hill are the birthplaces ofour 2nd USPresident, JohnAdams, and 6th USpresident, JohnQuincy Adams.These are the oldestpresidentialbirthplaces in theUnited States. Wetoured the first floorof both humblesaltbox-stylefarmhouses and got aglimpse of life in the1700s. In one room,John Adams’ law office, the Park Ranger told us thatJohn Adams met with Sam Adams and John Bowdointo draft the Massachusetts Constitution whichis still in use today and greatly influenced thedevelopment of the Constitution of the UnitedStates. About one mile away, at the secondsite of the Adams National Historical Park, wehad a guided tour of The Old House atPeacefield, where John and Abigail Adamsmoved in 1788. It became home to fourgenerations of the Adams family and is filledwith a vast collection of original artifacts.The adjacent Stone Library was built to holdthe over 14,000 historic volumes and papersof John Quincy Adams.

Another short bus ride took usto the United First ParishChurch, a National HistoricalLandmark also known as“Church of the Presidents.”Built of Quincy granite in 1828in Greek Revival style by thearchitect who also designedQuincy Market in Boston, thechurch is the final resting placeof two Presidents, John Adamsand John Quincy Adams, andtheir First Ladies, Abigail andLouisa Catherine. In the crypt,President-General John Glynnled us in the wreath-layingceremony with a prayer and the singing of “God Bless

America.”

Back at the hotel,after cocktails andhors d’oeuvres, weenjoyed dinner anda talk given by ourguest speaker, Dr.Edward Fitzgerald,executive directorof the QuincyHistorical Society.We left Quincyhaving learned moreabout this city and

with more appreciation for the hard work anddedication that many Massachusetts revolutionaries

invested in thefounding of ourgreat country.

Submitted byMarianneBrinker

continued from page 1

Group picture at the birthplaces of John Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams

pres. Gen. John Glynn

laying wreath by the

Adams crypt.

Quincy Historical Society and Museum

Fall Meeting 2010 - Quincy, MassachusettsFall Meeting 2010 - Quincy, MassachusettsThe Spirit of ’76

3

The Matthew Thornton Home in Brunswick, Maine

Matthew Thornton was born in Lisburn, County Antrim in Ireland on March 3, 1714, the son of James Thornton andElizabeth Jenkins. When Matthew was three years old, he came with his family to America and they settled in a communitywhich would later become the town of Brunswick. In 1722, when Matthew was eight years old, Indians attacked thesettlement and set fire to the Thornton home. The family escaped by canoe and paddled down to Casco Bay. They settlednext in Worcester, Massachusetts, where Matthew grew up. Moving to New Hampshire, he became a prominent doctor. In1745, acting as a surgeon, Matthew accompanied Sir William Pepperell on the expedition to Nova Scotia that captured theFrench fortress of Louisburg. Thornton came to prominence politically in protesting the Stamp Act in 1765, and becamePresident of the Provincial Convention of New Hampshire when Royal Governor Wentworth was deposed in 1775. He waslater chosen as a delegate to the Continental Congress, and signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

In 1976 the Brunswick Knights of Columbus erected an impressive granite monument to mark the site of the Thorntonhome in Brunswick. The inscription on the monument reads as follows:

“Home Site of Matthew Thornton, 1714-1803, Signer of the Declaration of Independence”.

The monument is located about three miles south of downtown Brunswick. It stands on a knoll in an open field, in themidst of an attractive woodland and marsh area.

Evelyn Sterry Belanger, a resident of Brunswick, has become the principal advocate for bringing this historic monumentto the attention of the Brunswick community and to other members of the public interested in the early history of America.A resident of Brunswick for many years, Ms. Belanger assembled an impressive file of information and newspaper articleson the monument, its history, the location ofthe Thornton home, and the traumatic events ofthe Indian raid in 1722. Ms. Belanger firstbecame aware of the monument and site in1980. She was surprised when she learned thatthe monument was omitted from a recentextensive listing of historic sites in Brunswickand Cumberland County.

During Bath Heritage Days this past July,2010, Ms. Belanger contacted the SagadahocPreservation Society when she learned thatThornton Lockwood would be giving a lecturesponsored by the Sagadahoc Society on “TheLegacy of the Declaration of Independence.”At that time, Judy Barrington of the SagadahocSociety told Thorny about Ms. Belanger andthe Matthew Thornton monument. Readersmay not know that Thorny is a descendant ofJosiah Bartlett, another signer of theDeclaration and a close friend and ally ofMatthew Thornton during the revolutionarywar period. Thorny visited Ms. Belanger inOctober, 2010. She shared her extensiveinformation and clipping file with him andthey toured the site of the settlement andmonument, taking a number of photographs. Adescription of the Brunswick monument, andthe location of the Thornton home, will soonbe added to the Society’s biography ofMatthew Thornton, along with otherinformation about him provided by Ms.

Belanger.

Submitted by Thorny Lockwood

Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence

4

MATTHEW THORNTON PLAQUE DEDICATION

Matthew Thornton’s plaque was installed August 14, 2010 in Merrimack,

NH. Anita Creager, President of the Merrimack Historical Society and

Member of the Town Heritage Commission, went all out to help our

Society place our DSDI plaque at the grave of Matthew Thornton.

Matthew T. Betton III and William T. Betton, DSDI members, did the honor

of dedicating the plaque along with many relatives of the Bettons. There

were over 100 people attending the dedication. There was a re-enactment,

and a gathering at the “Signer’s House”, which is now “The Common Man

Restaurant”.

paulette and Ted Sylvester at Thornton

Top row left to right, Jeff Saurman, Matthew Thornton Betton. William Thomas

Betton, Megan Jameson. Bottom row left to right, Jeff Saurman children, Mia, and

Josh, Mary Betton, Louise Betton, and Cherly (Jameson) Van Wert. All are

descendants except Mary and Louise.

5

The Spirit of ’76

SPRING MEETING AT TRYON PALACE

NEW BERN, NORTH CAROLINA

MARCH 25-27, 2011

“Where governors ruled, legislators debated, patriots

gathered and George Washington danced.”

Begin makingyour plans tojoin us for theDSDI SpringMeeting andfestivities inhistoric NewBern, NorthCarolina. Wehave planned a fun-filled weekend that is centeredround the Tryon Palace, the reconstructed Governor’shome, and other historic landmarks in New Bern, aswell as the state-of-the-art newlycompleted North Carolina HistoryEducational Museum. Every efforthas been made to provide a family-friendly experience, so plan to bringthe entire family.

We have rooms reserved at thewaterfront New Bern Hilton Hotel.Reservations can be made at 252-638-3585 or 800-326-3745 orthrough the internet atwww.newbernriverfront.hilton.com. Please makeyour reservations early. Be sure to ask for the DSDIrate of $119 per night with free parking. This ratewill be honored on Thursday night as well as Sundaynight for those of you arriving early or wishing toextend your stay. For those of you arriving bywater, dockage is available immediately in front ofyour room.

Enjoy dinner on your own Friday evening. Saturdaymorning, join fellow DSDI members for a visit tothe NC History Center at Tryon Palace to view anorientation film and receive a guided tour. At theCenter, there are many exciting and hand on activitiessuch as being able to use History Navigators, whichare portable, hand-held interactive devices that

provide each person access to a rich archive filledwith new discoveries about our history, landscape andbuildings. You will be able to pose for a photographin period costume and e-mail it to your own personale-mail address where you can forward it to yourfriends. You can sign the Declaration ofIndependence and also e-mail it to your address. Wewill enter the Pepsi Family Center via a virtual timemachine that will take us back to the year of 1835.Here hands-on activities invite the visitor to step backin history: load and sail a ship, distill turpentine,produce naval stores, piece an electronic quilt, or helpthe shopkeeper find merchandise for customers in thedry goods store.

We will be having lunch afterwards at the famousChelsea, the birthplace of Pepsi Cola. Among theirofferings is the Southern favorite, Shrimp and Grits.Following lunch, there will be guided tours of theTryon Palace and Gardens as well as the John WrightStanly House, the George W. Dixon House, and the

Robert Hay House nearby. Late afternoongives you free time to explore downtownHistoric New Bern on your own. Ourevening banquet will be held at the elegantNew Bern Country Club, located on theTrent River, where we will enjoy cocktailsfollowed by a five course meal prepared bytheir Cordon Bleu Scottish Chef, JamesSides. The guest speaker will be KayWilliams, director of Tryon Palace.

New Bern is serviced by Delta and US Airways andis easily accessible by four lane highways from I-95.

As you can see, wehave an excitingweekend planned andlook forward to seeingyou in New Bern!Your hosts for thisweekend are MilesMcCormick andCeleste Watson.

P.S. Visit www.tryonpalace.org. It will give you agreat overview of what Tryon Palace and the HistoryCenter have to offer!

REMINDER!

New Bern, North Carolina

Stanly house

Tryon palace

The John Morton Project and Conference

Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence

The John Morton Project, organized byformer U.S. Ambassador to Finland,Marilyn Ware, is a collaborative effort torevive the history of John Morton whocast the tie-breaking vote forindependence as a member of thePennsylvania Delegation to theContinental Congress in 1776. Mortonthen signed the Declaration ofIndependence at great personal risk.

The John Morton Project consists of apartnership of donors, scholars anddiplomats from Finland and the UnitedStates and is a truly multi-cultural endeavor. Using currentresearch and innovative strategies, the Project seeks to reveal

Morton’s life as a colonial statesman andthe origins of his ancestors by discoveringnew documentary evidence in the UnitedStates, Finland and Sweden.

Born in Ridley, Pennsylvania in 1725 todescendants of original Finnishimmigrants to the Delaware Valley,Morton led a life dedicated to publicservice and was among the most respected

statesman in Colonial America. Little is known about Morton’schildhood and early life. As an adult, he was a qualified leaderwho quickly earned the respect and trust of his community.

Morton was a member and Speaker ofPennsylvania’s Provincial Assembly fornearly three decades. He also served asHigh Sheriff in what is now DelawareCounty, and as Justice of the PennsylvaniaSupreme Court. In 1765, Mortonattended the secretive Stamp Act Congressin New York as a delegate fromPennsylvania, placing him at the center ofcontroversy over unjust British taxation policies. In 1776,Morton joined the other members of the Continental Congress inPhiladelphia to approve and sign the most important documentin American history. The historic 56 signersmutually pledged their lives, their fortunes, andtheir sacred honor in the cause of liberty insigning the Declaration of Independence. JohnMorton’s signature cast the tie-breaking vote infavor of the document.

Unfortunately, Morton was not able to enjoythe fruits of his great sacrifice. On April 1,

1777, at the age of 51, he became the firstof the signers to die, most likely of

tuberculosis. Morton is an often overlookedsigner of the Declaration of Independence. TheMorton Project aims to bring his story to itsrightful place in American history as one of itsFounding Fathers.

While President General of our society, themembership made me aware of the importanceof correcting historical information about thesigners. The John Morton Project is among thefirst to come to the D.S.D.I. and the family ofthe signer to obtain accurate information priorto the writing of the John Morton biography.

As then President General and a descendant ofJohn Morton, I was invited to the Conference, held at TheUniversity of Helsinki in June 2010. The conference consisted ofthree days of lectures and featured speakers, Finnish professorsand historians. The country of Finland has as much interestregarding Morton’s history, as do theAmericans. The Finnish people honorMorton’s Finnish heritage and for being oneof the Founding Fathers of the greatestnation in the world. Morton most likelyincluded his Finnish ideals in his dedicatedservice to our nation. For this, the Finnishpeople find involvement in the John MortonProject an honor.

The D.S.D.I. presented replica Liberty Bells to Ambassador Ware,founder of the Project, and the Wahlroos Foundation, the tripsponsor, in honor of their contributions. Another Liberty Bellwas presented to U.S. Ambassador to Finland, H.E. Oreck, forhosting a reception in honor of the signer. The Liberty Bellswere presented during the reception at the American embassy inFinland. The John Morton Project has set forth the precedence ofwhat other historical writers should follow in attaining accurateinformation regarding our Founding Fathers.

Holding the position as President General of the D.S.D.I. and asa direct descendent of John Morton it was a gratifyingexperience to be included in the JohnMorton Project’s Helsinki Conference.

*Informationincluded in thisarticle wasobtained from theJohn MortonProject.

Submitted by Past President GeneralDonald C. Ward and Todd Jeremicz

6

Left to right: Ambassador Antti Lassila,

Ambassador Bruce oreck, Minister

Alexander Stubb, and retired Ambassador

Marilyn Ware

William Williams’ DSDI

Plaque Dedication

Truxton Brodhead,our DSDI Governorof the ConnecticutSociety and his son,Paul Brodhead,along with DavidLewis and hisdaughter who aredescendants ofWilliam Williams,all residents ofConnecticut were at the tomb of William Williamson Saturday, October 9, 2010 in Lebanon,Connecticut. Connecticut is celebrating its 300thAnniversary and it was fitting that at WilliamWilliam’s grave we dedicated our DSDI Plaque inhis honor.

There wereapproximately 25people that attendedthe celebration. TheVFW color guardwas there in fullregalia and offeredthe colors at thelaying of the DSDIwreath. Followingthe dedication therewas a walking tour

in honor the celebration. Our members found thetour of the historic cemetery filled with fascinatinginformation especially the talk on carvings on thegraves.

William Williams was a native of Lebanon,Connecticut. Williams married Mary Trumbull,daughter of Jonathan Trumbull, Connecticut’s firststate governor. Mary and William had threechildren. William Williams died on August 2, 1811,at the age of 80, exactly 35 years to the day that hesigned the Declaration of Independence.

Submitted by Grace K. Staller

Preparations are well under way for a spectacular fallmeeting on Columbus Day Weekend, Oct. 7-9, 2011 inthe height of the colorful fall foliage season in CentralNew York State. The focus of the gathering will be a

visit to theGeneral WilliamFloyd homesteadin Westernvilleand to the nearbycemetery andgravesite ofGeneral Floydwhere adedicatory servicewill be heldplacing a DSDImemorial plaque.

The home has beenscrupulously restored by theRussell Marriott family whichhas graciously invited us totour the structure thatcontains some of the originalbelongings of the General.

We will also have anopportunity to enjoy guidedtours of the OriskanyBattlefield Monument as wellas the reconstructed FortStanwix where Lt. Col. BarrySt. Leger was stopped by thegarrison ending Maj. Gen.John Burgoyne’s plan to control New York State anddivide the colonies. These are National Monumentsoperated by the U.S. Dept. of the Interior.

We look forward to seeing you in Upstate New York. Tofly, the Albany or Syracuse Airports are the mostconvenient. There is limited train service from NewYork City to Utica.

Floyd Olney

The Spirit of ’76

7

General William floyd House

Revolutionary Frontier BeckonsDSDI Members In The Fall

VfW color guard

oriskany Battlefield Monument

fort Stanwix

Truxton Brodhead

2011 DSDI Scholarship Program

The DSDI Scholarship Award is a merit-based scholarship for DSDI members who are enrolled as full-time

students for the entire academic year in an approved post-secondary educational institution. You must be a

DSDI member in good standing (dues fully paid) by the application deadline date of Saturday, April 2nd in

order for your scholarship application to be considered by the Committee. If you have any questions

regarding your membership status, please send an email to registrar@dsdi1776.com.

The Scholarship Application and instructions are available online at http://dsdi1776.com/Scholarship/index.php.

Please read all instructions before beginning the Application as some requirements may have changed.

In addition to the Application form, you are required to submit:

1) a one page resume or activity sheet; 2) three letters of recommendation;

3) an academic transcript(s) from the last educational institution attended (high school seniors must include

the transcript from the fall semester of their senior year); and 4) a brief statement telling us about yourself

and your educational goals. If you would like confirmation of delivery of your application documents, send

everything by certified mail, return receipt requested.

THE APPLICATION AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN

SATURDAY, APRIL 2ND.

Picton Press Runs Low on TwoRegister Volumes

Picton Press, the publisher of The Genealogical Register ofthe Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration ofIndependence, reports that it has remaining in stock onlysixteen (16) copies each of Volume 2, New York, andVolume 6, Virginia.

These Volumes are the “Gold Standard” for genealogicaldocumentation of descendants. The New York Volume, 2,includes complete sketches by generation for all four of theSigners from the State of New York: William Floyd, PhilipLivingston, Francis Lewis and Lewis Morris. The VirginiaVolume, 6, includes complete sketches by generation for allseven of the Signers from the State of Virginia: GeorgeWythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, BenjaminHarrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee andCarter Braxton.

With only 16 copies still in stock of each of these twovolumes, this will be the last chance to order copies of thoseeditions! They would make wonderful gifts to familymembers, or to keep for yourself, and also to gift to aLibrary or Genealogical Society of your choosing to helpspread the word about our society and possibly ease thefinding of a connection to a signer! Orders should be placedas follows:

PICTON PRESSP.O. Box 1347, Rockland, ME 0481

Tel: (207) 596-7766 Fax: (209) 596-7767Website: www.pictonpress.com

Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence

8

DSDI Meetings: An Opportunity toTravel, Learn and Socialize with

Fellow MembersFresh from viewing the HBO series on John Adams,I was eager to see what this famous Founder calledhome when not serving his country’s interests inPhiladelphia, Paris or Washington, DC. Thanks tothe three sisters: Marianne and Ellen Brinker andMadelyn Sturgeon who hosted our meeting inQuincy, Massachusetts, DSDI members weretreated to a full plate of historical sites. If you arenot from the area, make note that Quincy ispronounced by the locals as though it has a Zrather than a C. We saw everything from whereJohn Adams and his son, John Quincy, were bornto where they were buried. Observing the laying ofa DSDI wreath within the Adams crypt underUnited First Parish Church was a very moving wayto end the day.

On March 25-27, 2011, we head south to hold ourDSDI Spring meeting at Tryon Palace in New Bern,North Carolina where Miles McCormick and CelesteWatson have planned a fun-filled educationalweekend for members and their families. You willnot want to miss it.

If you live in an area of historical period interestand are eager to showcase it to your fellow DSDImembers, drop me a note atlcroft@croftbenefits.com. Being a meeting host willrejuvenate your spirits.

Lawrence (Laurie) M. Croft1st Vice President-General

The Spirit of ’76

GIFTS AND CONTRIBUTIONSAs of January 5, 2011

The Descendants of the Signers of The Declaration of Independence wishes to thank all of those who haveso generously participated in the Annual Fund Drive. Your gifts are most important and will enable theSociety to continue all its programs including research and education while preserving the legacy of ourforefathers.

Descendant - $2,500 -$4,999 Delegate - $1,000 -$2,499Constance S. Wahlig

Sons and Daughters of Liberty - $500 - $999James Alexander Gregg Hawes, Jack Hawes, Meghan HawesJohnny D. Alexander Thornton C. Lockwood

Patriots - $150 -$499Catherine N. Bell Lynn S. Manger (Mrs. William M.)Laura Haines Belman Anthony MorrisRobert M. Britton Rieman McNamara, Jr.Lawrence M. Croft Rev. Frederick W. PyneCaroline Davidson Gill ReadJohn C. Glynn, Jr. William S. StrongDorothy Gray Krusen Diane A. TrinterFrederick E. Leadbetter, Jr. Page Laubach WardenJ. Wayne Lee Hope Middleton WoodA. Heath Light Joseph Woods, MDMelvin Phillip Livingston

Bell Ringers – up to $149David C. Barrow, III John M. KeanElizabeth M Bausher Philip Robert Livingston, Jr.Elise R. Bradford Philip Robert Livingston, IIIH. Peirce Brawner Gene and Carol MayhewSonya Brittingham Alex McAlisterCarol R. Burke James MooreCharlton Chatfield Karl E. NelsonTC & Sarah Dickerson Mary Herndon NordmannBillie Jean Dowgiwicz Molly Inge Crown NordmannHon, Edward R., Finch, Jr., Esq. Lucy Winston Anderson RoyEmery Livingston Flannery William Edward SennHunter Thompson George Shirley Hunter SmithElizabeth Nelson Gottwald Bill and Linda TeareMary Louise Guertler Alexander P. TurnerLisa M. Headley John WorksMary S. Hitchcock Alan P. Zdimal

Foundations -The Mark C. Pope, III Foundation

Submitted by the Annual Giving FundHope Middleton Wood, ChairmanRieman McNamara and Lawrence Croft

* The Annual Giving Fund begins November 1, 2010 thru October 31, 20119

ORDER DSDI INSIGNIA Insignia (available for members only) Miniature

9/16” x ¾”

Quantity Large

1 5/8” x 1 ¾”

Quantity Gold filled $60 $120 Bronze gold plated $55 $65 10k gold $175 $1,075

14K $255 $1,775 Merchandise total

Tax (FL 6.5%, NJ 7%, PA 8%) Shipping/Handling 8.00

Total Send order form to: Ruth M. Hagan

449 Fletcher Road, Wayne, PA 19087 (610)688-0699 email: rmhagan@hotmail.com Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.

Check Enclosed payable to Hamilton Jewelers AMEX VISA M/C DISCOVER Credit Card number _____________________________________________________________________________ Card CV2 # _________________ Expiration Date __________________________________ Billing Address _____________________________________________________________________________ City _________________________________ State________ Zip_______________________ Phone Number __________________________________ email _____________________________________ Name on Card _____________________________________________________________________________ Signature ___________________________________________ Date_____________________________ Member number ___________ Member Name____________________________________________________ Shipping Address _____________________________________________________________________________ (if different) City ________________________________ State_________ Zip______________________

[This form is available for download at http://www.dsdi1776.com/Membership/insignia.php ]

Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence

History of the Society ofthe Signers of the Declaration of Independence

The first meeting of the descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence was held on July 4th, 1907, at the JamestownExposition, in Virginia.  The meeting was held under the joint auspices of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association of the UnitedStates and the Exposition officials.  At the general assembly in the Convention Hall, the Declaration of Independence was read byHollins N. Randolph, of Atlanta, GA, a direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson.  Dr. Woodrow Wilson, then President of PrincetonUniversity, delivered an address on “The Author and other Signers of the Declaration of Independence and Their Descendants.”  

After the public exercises of the day more than one hundred and fifty descendants, representing a majority of the Signers, assembled inthe Pennsylvania State Building, and the organization of this Society was effected.  Another meeting of the Society was held thefollowing day and was adjourned to October 19th, 1907, in the Maryland State Building, on the Exposition Grounds, at which aconstitution was adopted and the following officers were elected to serve until July 4th, 1908.

President Albert McClellan MatthewsonSecretary Thomas Jefferson RandolphTreasurer William Shields McKean

Dr. Henry Morris was elected President in 1909, and served until 1912, when Mr. Peter Vivian D. Conway was elected.

The First Annual Congress of the Society was held in Philadelphia, on July 3rd and 4th, 1908, in the room in Independence Hall, inwhich the Declaration of Independence was adopted and signed by most of the Signers.  Each subsequent Annual Congress has beensimilarly held.

Charles Thornton Adams, Historian. Source:  Year Book of the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, 1912.

Submitted by Johnny D. Alexander, Assistant Historian

10

17 New Senior Members *Junior Upgrade3078 Alexander Watson Mitchell* Carter Braxton3079 Steven Robert Davic* John Hart3080 Lee Seaborn Gentemann John Witherspoon8081LM Audrey Anne Olney* William Floyd3082LM James Eugene Sovocool III John Morton3083 Marian Tebbetts Delahoussay John Hart3084 Hunter Thompson George John Hart3085LM Samuel Carter Franklin Benjamin Harrison3086 Lauren Alexis Crump Roger Sherman3087 Nicole Mortensen Patton John Hart3088 Mary Sommerville Hitchcock Benjamin Harrison3089LM Samantha Lee Minsk* John Hart3090LM Logan Patrick Rafferty* John Hart3091LM William Ryan Lee* William Floyd3092 Lydia Bradstreet Paine Robert Treat Payne3093 Mallory Jackson Paine Robert Treat Payne3094 William Legier Crawford Thomas Nelson, Jr.

2 New Junior Members1340 Kayla Nicole Moore Roger Sherman1341LM Jacqueline Ann McNeilly John Hart

0 New Senior Supplements0 New Junior Supplements

6 Upgrades to Life MembershipSenior2325 Alan P. Zdimal2978 John Brooks Homans2818 Blanche McAlister Harris2880 Elizabeth Ann Prather McKean2984 Jonathan Marshall Morris2413 Tyson K. NelsonJunior1081 Jeffrey Scott Wrobel, Jr.

2 Reinstatements2318 Christian Staller John Hart2776 Joseph Bacon Frazer, IV Arthur Middleton

0 Resignations

25 Senior Members Dropped from theActive RollsWe have had no correspondence from them for more thantwo years. If you know of any of these members, let themknow we are seeking to reconnect with them. They canreactivate their membership by contacting the Registrar-General and paying a reactivation fee of $90.

2520 Jamie Newman Bryan 2242 Ellen Looker2703 Debra Ann Cail 2627 Samuel A. Miller2711 James Thomas Charlton 2517 John M. Page2555 Jessica L. Cruze 817 John R. Powell2616 Emily H. Cruze 2773 Priscilla Reed Giaquinta2687 Eric G. Davis 1486 Ann D. Renfrow1156 Katherine S. Edwards 2537 Henry Middleton Rutledge2317 Allison F. Green 2730 Joseph Eppes Turner1076 Doris B. Groff 2731 Sarah Ellen Turner1489 Jimmy O. Hastings 1579 Nina V. Watson1626 William L. Heyward 1448 Roy Warren West1626 Carol Rede Knott 2714 Joshua Robert West1703 Gaynor W. Legge

13 Junior Members Dropped forDelinquency (over 21, did not yet transfer):If you know any members on the list, please have themcontact the Registrar to get the Senior Upgrade on track.LM are automatically upgraded upon receipt of acompleted Senior package. The remainder are upgradedwhen we received the completed package, signed by themember, and current annual dues.

1165 Camille Mary Chicklis George Ross1282 Nicolas George Davic John Hart1264 Caroline de Viry Frelinghuygen George Read1272LM Whitney Louise Jennings Carter Braxton1012LM Kara Alise Larsen Benjamin Franklin978 Alexander Simmons Lundie William Floyd1072 Anna S. MacFarlane William Ellery1277 Katherine Manocchio Lewis Josiah Bartlett1185 Elizabeth Rose McAuliffe Roger Sherman1236LM Julia Baynes Olney William Floyd1118 Elena May Opie Richard Henry Lee974 Edward Wallace Pyne William Floyd1163 Jordan Virginia Wills Frances Hopkinson

3 Deaths2180 Lois Hofstetter John Hart

3 Feb 20102340 Elizabeth Tecklenburg Long Philip Livingston

3 Sep 20102846LM Todd R. Welch John Hart

5 Jun 2010

New Senior Member Applications by Signer:Carter Braxton 1 Thomas Nelson, Jr. 1William Floyd 2 Robert Treat Paine 2Benjamin Harrison 2 Roger Sherman 1John Hart 6 John Witherspoon 1John Morton 1

Seniors Juniors1042 Total Active Membership, Last Report 2069 New Members 40 New Supplements 0

(does not increase member #s)8 Junior Transfer to Senior -8-25 Resignation/Drop -13

(including non-transferring Juniors)2 Reinstatement 03 Deaths 0-10 Total Net Added this Report -171033 Total Membership, This Report 189

Total Life Members as of this report: Seniors = 631,Juniors = 79; Total = 699

Last Senior Number, this Report: 3094Last Junior Number, this Report: 1341Total Active Membership, this Report: Seniors = 1033,

Juniors = 191

Respectfully submitted,

Jim AlexanderRegistrar-General, DSDI

DSDI - REGISTRAR-GENERAL’S REPORT

September 24, 2010

11

Future Meetings

Spring Meeting 2011 March 25-27, 2011 New Bern, NC

Annual Meeting 2011 July 4, 2011 Philadelphia, Pa

Fall Meeting 2011 October 7-9, 2111 Westernville, NY

Spring Meeting 2012 TBA Norfolk, VA

Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence

PresortedFirst-Class MailU.S. Postage

PAIDUpper Darby, PAPermit No. 114

D.S.D.I.James H. Alexander7157 SE Reed College PlacePortland, OR 97202

Address Service Requested

Declaration of Independence VideoFox Sports and the National Football League produced a short film about the Declaration of

Independence that aired during the  Super Bowl XLV pregame show.  The film featured sports icons

and members of the U.S. military reciting the Declaration.   If you missed it, you can view the video at

http://multimedia.foxsports.com/m/video/36893445/sb-xlv-declaration-of-

independence.htm#q=declaration+of+independence. If you have trouble with that link you can also visit

www.msn.foxsports.com and type Declaration of Independence in the search box at the top right of the

page.  There will be a short commercial before the start of the 6 1/2 minute video. All members are

encouraged to watch.