Cleaning the grave of Revolutionary War Patriot, Francis Moser at St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery in Monroe County Tennessee

The Daughters of the American Revolution are committed to recognize the service and perpetuate the memory of the men and women who fought and sacrificed for American Independence.  One way we honor these men and women is to help maintain their grave sites and clean their old tombstones.

On Sunday, October 13, 2013 four members of the Rhea-Craig Chapter of the DAR met at St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery in Monroe County, TN to respectfully clean the grave of Patriot Francis Moser.  Francis Moser fought in the Revolutionary War and is a direct ancestor of Carrie Ann Bright and her daughter Holly Bright.

Caren Lorelle, Carrie Ann Bright, her daughter Holly Bright and Susan Pluff are cleaning the headstone front and back (one photo shows the stone covered in soap to better define the lettering on the stone).   

Holly Bright and Carrie Ann Bright at the grave of their patriot ancestor.

 

 
 Caren, Susan, Holly and Carrie Ann




The cleaned footstone at the grave of Francis Moser

 

The badge on the back of the grave head stone was presented by the Sons of the American Revolution in recognition of Francis Moser's service. 

If you think you might have an ancestor who served in the American Revolution, consider joining us.  We will help you with the research to find and verify your patriot. We work together on activities that promote our American heritage, provide service for veterans, encourage preservation of genealogical records, commemorate events, promote conservation, provide scholarships for students and other activities sponsored by our chapter, the Tennessee Society and the National Society DAR.

Trail of Tears Memorial Dedication Ceremony at Cherokee Removal Park in Blythes Ferry, Tennessee

Sunday, October 27, 2013 marked the official ribbon cutting ceremony to dedicate the Trail of Tears Memorial at Blythes Ferry, Tennessee.   After 30 years of planning,  funding and development the Memorial Plaza and Visitor Center are now open to the public.  Today this quiet peaceful spot provides a visual reminder of the tragedy that was forced on these first Americans.   The attached photographs are from the dedication ceremony.   Members of the Rhea-Craig DAR attended the ceremony.

 

 

Members of the Rhea Craig Chapter of the DAR
joined by Meigs County, TN Mayor Garland Lankford.
Barbara McKeel, Dana Myers, Caren Lorelle, Marcia Long, Carrie Bright, Susan Pluff.
 



 

 

The history of the Trail of Tears began in 1830 when President Andrew Jackson signed into law the Indian Removal Act.  This law provided for the forcible removal of thousands of Cherokee and other Native American tribes from their homes in Eastern Tennessee to a new Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.  The journey began in 1838 when the Cherokees were rounded up into stockades where they were kept for months before crossing the Tennessee River at Blythes Ferry.  It is estimated that between 4000 and 8000 Cherokees died before this journey ended in Oklahoma. 

 

 

One of the seven panels with names of 2,535 Cherokee households forced from their homes.  The names in all caps are their Cherokee names, the ones capitalized with lower case are English names, the numbers represent the members of the named family.

Close-up of part of a panel.