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NEW YORK 2013
Honor our Veterans Cemetery July 23, 2013
Adams Street (Honeyville) Cemetery
Jacob Brown Chapter
Daughter of 1812 receives award for film
 Cesari Lancaster resident Doreen Cesari, 55, never made a movie before she captured award-winning footage of a historical re-enactment in Lewiston.
A two-year member of the Niagara Frontier Chapter of The State of New York Society of the United States Daughters of 1812, a women’s service organization dedicated to education and preservation of American history, Cesari said her heritage traces back to Plymouth Colony and includes family members who served in the American Revolution, War of 1812 and Civil War. She also maintains membership with several other historical organizations, such as the Daughters of the American Revolution and the National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century.
“I’ve been honored that I’ve had quite a history of my ancestors helping form the country,” she said.
Cesari was attending the 2012 “Flames Through Lewiston” re-enactment when she decided on a whim to record the depiction of the Dec. 19, 1813, attack on Lewiston by overpowering British forces and their allies. She said the event really helped put into perspective what the people of the time went through, as the town was brutally infiltrated and burned to the ground.
“It’s quite a production that they do,” she said.
Her seven-minute film, titled “Flames Through Lewiston,” received a first-place honor at the 118th annual New York State Council for the National Society U.S.D. of 1812 that was held in Lockport May 3 and 4. Virginia Apyar, National Society president, and Jan Johnpier, State of New York Society president, recognized her efforts with a certificate.
Cesari said she wasn’t even aware that her chapter president had submitted the video to the state council for review.
“I was very shocked and honored. It was nice, but it was just promoting what the Lewiston Historical Society was doing.”
The Niagara Frontier Chapter U.S.D. of 1812 has been actively raising donations for the Lewiston Historical Society as they prepare for the dedication of the “Tuscarora Heroes” monument on Dec. 19. The bronze, Lewiston-based memorial will honor, for the first time, the Tuscarora Indians who aided townspeople in escaping the bloody British raid of 1813.
(Story ideas for this feature can be sent to Jolene Zanghi, Lancaster and Depew Bee Editor, Bee Publications, 5564 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14221 or call 204-4924.)
Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Centennial Monument Re-Dedication, May 29, 2013, Sackets Harbor, NY.
by jmaloni
Press release Simonson awarded national 1812 honor
Sat, May 4th 2013 11:45 am
Lewiston's volunteer director for the War of 1812 bicentennial, Lee Simonson, has been awarded the "Spirit of 1812" medal by the United States Daughters of 1812. The distinguished award is the highest national honor bestowed by the volunteer women's service organization, which is dedicated to promoting patriotism and preserving and increasing knowledge of the history of the American people.
Pictured with Simonson is Jan Johnpier, the president of the New York state society, who submitted the nomination to the national society and presented the award on behalf of the 4,000-member organization. In attendance was President National Virginia Louise Apyar of Maryland, New York City Chapter President Anne Farley, and Jeanette Brooks, Niagara chapter president. Bruce Sutherland, volunteer president of the Historical Association of Lewiston, also participated.
Simonson has led Lewiston's volunteer efforts to educate the general public about the area's role in the War of 1812 (Lewiston was on the front lines of the battle between the U.S. and Great Britain). Hundreds of local volunteers have been involved in several events, including the Battle of Queenston Heights re-enactment, Flames Though Lewiston, and the forthcoming dedication of the Tuscarora Heroes Monument, which will be unveiled on Dec. 19.
The monument, the largest 1812 bicentennial monument project in the nation, will be a tribute to the Tuscarora natives, which saved the lives of dozens of Lewiston residents during the British attack on Lewiston during the war.
AUGUST 11TH. GRAVE MARKING BY JACOB BROWN CHAPTER
Gen. Jacob Brown Daughter, Bette Lathan, has been working hard coordinating the August 11th, Brig. Gen. Walter Martin, Grave Dedication Ceremony (to be held during the Annual "Martinsburg Days") in Martinsburg, NY. The hamlet of Martinsburg was named for Walter Martin, and Bette's been doing an awesome job lining up speakers (and program details) for that event. Bette writes, "We will open the day with a dedication ceremony for Brig. General Walter Martin at the Martinsburg Cemetery at 9 a.m. We would like to honor him, along with another 30 plus soldiers from that war, all buried there. During the day there are activities going on in the hamlet. In the evening, enjoy the 10th Mountain Division Band Concert, followed by fireworks to close our celebration. Brig General’s mansion will be open all day, along with many historical buildings in Martinsburg. Stephen Wallace will speak about the war and Sackets Harbor’s importance in it at 1:30 p.m. in the Martin Mansion. We will also have a display centered on the war and informational brochures about the battlefield at Sackets Harbor in the mansion. Please plan to join us."
BOOTS ON THE GROUND EVENT
Beverly Sterling-Affinati and Anne Davis attended this Saturday's "Boots & Slippers on the Ground: Sackets Harbor in the War of 1812", held at the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site. Local members of the 1812 Marine Guard in 1812 era uniforms explained which weapons were used by soldiers at that time (muskets, pistols, cutlasses and axes), and how each was used during the War of 1812. Next Saturday's "informal discussions" will take place at 11:00 am with a visit from President James Monroe. Call the Battlefield for details: 315-646-3634.
Historian National, Honorary NY State President, State Registrar, and President of Onondaga Chapter Mary Raye Casper, gave her "Heroines of the War of 1812" presentation to the Marcellus Rotary Club, yesterday. She indicates that it went well and that it as an interesting group. She also mentioned, that sadly, many were not aware that it is the Bicentennial of the War of 1812. I am afraid that this might be more common place than we realize. Ladies, I would like to urge each of you to spread the word about the War of 1812, the Bicentennail, and our Society in any way you can. Even the smallest effort can have a profound impact! On July 4, several of us traveled to the Bath National Cemetery in Stuben County, to commemorate the 28 graves of the unknown War of 1812 Soldiers who fought in the Niagara Campaign of 1814. Prior to going, a friend of my husband's, asked me why I was all dressed up. I told him about our small ceremony and about these 28 unknown War of 1812 veterans. He had never heard about this and he started asking questions. I told him about the State Society's mission to "Commemorate, Educate, and Celebrate" the War of 1812 Bicentennial. By telling this one person about these 28 unknown soldiers and about the War of 1812 Bicentennail, I would be willing to bet that he too, will tell someone else about it, and so on. So, by educating even just one person, it can have a profound impact! Check out the State of NY Society's public website for some simple resources that are easy to use. Or, come up with your own idea. as mentioned, these ideas need not be epic.
NEW YORK SYMPOSIUM
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Oswego War of 1812 Symposium Explores Military Training and Tactics - Oswego County Today
oswegocountytoday.com 16 February 2013
Submitted by Beverly Sterling Affinati
OSWEGO – Come to the Lake Ontario Conference and Event Center on East First Street in Oswego for a compelling series of lectures about the War of 1812 along the New York-Canadian Frontier.
The symposium runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 6 and from 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday, April 7. There will be a meet-and-greet social with cash bar, a presentation of the painting of the U.S. Brig Oneida by Oswego artist Tim Ames, and early registration from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 5.
Ten speakers will talk about a variety of War of 1812 topics, including military training and battle analysis; maritime and military archeology; naval history; wartime society and commerce; espionage; and the art of war.
Noted historian Dr. Gary Gibson returns to the Oswego County War of 1812 Symposium with a new presentation. On Saturday, April 6, Gibson will discuss the two battles of Sackets Harbor: one in July of 1812 and the second in May of 1813.
“The British failed to achieve their objectives when they attacked this American naval base on Lake Ontario,” said Dr. Gibson. “However, subsequent events partially compensated them for their defeats and added to the cost of American victories. We will examine each of these battles and discuss the successes and failures on both sides to determine their effects on the war as a whole.”
Gibson has studied the War of 1812 on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River for more than 20 years.
He has authored several publications, including the second edition of his, “Service Records of U.S. Naval and Marine Corps Officers Stationed on Lake Ontario during the War of 1812.” Gibson has digitized much of the primary source material collected through his research and has made it available at the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site in Sackets Harbor, New York.
Gibson is a retired computer scientist and has presented numerous papers on the results of his research at symposia and meetings in the U.S. and Canada. A trustee and past president of the Sackets Harbor Battlefield Alliance, Inc., he currently resides in Sackets Harbor with his wife Susan.
On Sunday, April 7, Lt. Col. Michael McGurty, superintendent of New Windsor Cantonment and Knox’s Headquarters New York State Historic Sites, offers an inside look at military training with his presentation, “Lambs Prepared for Slaughter: General Winfield Scott’s Training Camp at Buffalo in the spring of 1814.”
“Brigadier General Scott’s training camp had a profound effect on the American army that fought on the Niagara Frontier,” said Lt. Col. McGurty. “Many of the military leaders at the start of the War of 1812 were veterans of the American Revolution and time had made them overly cautious. Through the test of combat, they eventually stepped aside to allow younger and more aggressive soldiers lead the way out of the war and beyond.”
McGurty continued, “None were more ambitious than Brigadier General Winfield Scott. A natural leader and tenacious fighter, Scott was the catalyst behind this change in leadership. Through strict training and rigid discipline, he took soldiers with only basic skills and transformed them into a force worthy of the name regular.”
McGurty has been the superintendent of New Windsor Cantonment and Knox’s Headquarters New York State Historic Sites for almost three years. He wrote a history of the New Windsor Artillery Park, and is currently working on an account of the New Windsor Cantonment. An award-winning author, McGurty penned, “A Tolerably Decent Appearance: The Clothing of the Continental Army at the New Windsor Cantonment, 1782-83,” “The New Windsor Artillery Park, 1780-1781,” and “Notes on the Flank Companies of the Left Division, 1814.” He also designed “The Last Argument of Kings,” an exhibit on 18th century artillery at the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site
Related Photos
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Contributed photo AT WORK: Sculptor Sue Geissler works on the arm of a Tuscarora man, part of the Tuscarora Heroes monument she's been tasked with creating. When she's finished with the detailed, full-sized creations, the clay and styrofoam statues will be taken to a foundry in Colorado and used to create a bronze statue. From there, it'll sit in Academy Park in the village until it is unveiled during a ceremony scheduled for Dec. 19, the 200-year anniversary of the burning of Lewiston. --
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Contributed photo FOR SALE: The Tuscarora Heroes coin depicts the Tuscarora Heroes monument scene on one side, while the other pays tribute to the native tribe, which proved invaluable in saving the lives of many Lewistonians when the town was burned to the ground by British soldiers during the War of 1812. The coin, available for sale at $10 a piece, serves as a special memento for anyone interested, according to creator Lee Simonson. --
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Contributed photo SNEAK PREVIEW: Lewiston Town Councilman Michael Marra and Supervisor Steve Reiter tour the studio of artist Sue Geissler as she makes progress building clay versions of the Tuscarora Heroes monument. --
Discussion
March 10, 2013
Lewiston's Tuscarora Heroes Monument work continuing as collector's piece is revealed
by Timothy Chipp Niagara Gazette
Niagara Gazette — Sculptor Sue Geissler is hard at work in her Youngstown studio. She's affixing clay to massive molds which will eventually turn into a constant reminder of the past Lewiston will never be able to forget.
As the creator of the Tuscarora Heroes monument, which will be unveiled mid-December commemorating the 200th anniversary of the village's destruction at the hands of the British empire, she's responsible for taking the ideas of Lee Simonson and turning them into reality.
For her, it's an easy job.
"He and I know each other from school," she said. "To me, he's just Lee."
Their creation depicts two Tuscarora tribesmen rescuing a fleeing woman holding a baby, seemingly running from the carnage unfolding behind her.
Since the monument will be bigger than life, it will require an attention to detail Geissler said she's been able to achieve with a little help from her friends. Geissler, who previously designed the Freedom Crossing memorial statue which rests at Lewiston Landing, said she's gotten input from some of the area's reenactors, who've been around Lewiston quite a lot in the last 24 months. She said they've given her insights into detail levels she never would have gotten without them.
For instance, she said, the hair and clothing the two heroes will be depicted with were checked and adjusted during model creation. She said input about the native appearance was invaluable, as was what she was told about the muskets they will be holding in their hands.
"The detail of this is very accurate," she said. "We had some nice input from some of the reenactors. They told me what the hair would look like, what the tomahawks look like. We got the flint for the muskets. All the assistance saves me time doing the weapons."
Creating the monument people will actually experience in December is a lengthy process. She's more than half-way through her work at the studio, which will finish in late March or early April when her giant clay figures are shipped to a foundry she uses in Loveland, Colo.
There, plastic molding will be made of her creations and the originals destroyed. The plastic, which she said reminds her of hollowed out chocolate Easter bunnies, is layered with wax, about one-eighth-inch thick before being dipped repeatedly in a ceramic slurry. Once the shell is built up, the wax is melted and replaced with molten bronze.
Once the statue assembled, the final product will be installed at its permanent home at the corner of Portage Road and Center Street in Academy Park, likely in September. It'll be covered until it's unveiled at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 19, during a day-long program planned to recognize the events of 200 years before.
For those who can't wait, though, the Historical Association of Lewiston just minted a collector's coin which they're selling to help finance the monument creation.
Coins are two inches in diameter and feature a 3D printed version of the monument's action on one side. The reverse depicts a Tuscarora emblem with the turtle, eagle and northern white pine tree. Around the perimeter of this side is a quote from Tuscarora Chief Elias Johnson dated at 1881, which says: "The Tuscaroras were ever ready to sacrifice their blood upon the American altar."
"We worked closely with the Tuscaroras on every aspect of the coin, including the important symbolism and quote from Chief Johnson in 1881," Simonson, the coin and monument's designer, said. "Johnson wrote the native history on the Tuscarora Heroes action and spoke personally to men who actually were there and participated."
The burning of Lewiston remains as one of the only times native tribesmen assisted white civilians in crisis in American history.
To order the commemorative coin or for more information about it, call the Historical Association at 754-4214 or visit its headquarters at 469 Plain St. Interested individuals may also send a check payable to the "Historical Association of Lewiston" to the address, but should include an additional $4 for postage costs.
"We wanted to create a valued and lasting keepsake that would enable people to own and collect something that was related to the monument," Simonson said. "We had great success with the Battle of Queenston Heights coin and are confident demand will be just as high for the Tuscarora Heroes coin."
NORTH CAROLINA
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In the photograph are LR: Honorary President National of the U.S. Daughters of 1812 Nona Thompson Quinn; David Brook; Jeff Bockert; N.C. Society President of the U.S. Daughters of 1812, Carol Chapuis Canales; Honorary Vice President National Mary Edwards Little; and Honorary Vice-President National Gwen Clemmons Causey
(Photo: courtesy of N.C. Department of
Cultural Resources) |
On October 19, 2012, at a ceremony in Southport, North Carolina, the National Society of the United States Daughters of 1812 awarded its Spirit of 1812 Award to North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources (DCR) staff members David Brook and Jeff Bockert. The ceremony occurred at the conclusion of a Daughters of 1812 marker dedication at Deep Water Point commemorating a state militia encampment.
North Carolina Society President Carol Chapuis Canales and Honorary President National of the National Society of the U.S. Daughters of 1812 Nona Thompson Quinn made the presentation. They cited David Brook's founding chairmanship and leadership since 2009 of the North Carolina War of 1812 Bicentennial Planning Committee. They also recognized Jeff Bockert’s achievements in educational outreach and leadership as chair of the of the “Lower Cape Fear and the War of 1812” symposium.
David Brook is the director of Division of Historical Resources in the Office of Archives and History. Jeff Bockert is East Region Supervisor of the Division of State Historic Sites and Properties of the Office of Archives and History.
The DCR War of 1812 Bicentennial Planning Committee has undertaken public educational activities including two symposiums in 2012, a speaker's bureau, numerous re-enactments and demonstrations, and creation of a Web site and audio visual materials.
Click Here: to See other wonderful example of the Blogspot Newsletter maintained by the Commodore
Charles Gause Chapter, North Carolina Society
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