Illinois Society News Archive

Fall Bulletin 2010

In another of America's great wars, there was talk of the "Noble Cause." It seems to me, our beloved OFPA is such a creature, albeit of our own crafting. We in Illinois do indeed "persevere" in that cause, as we hold steadfastly to our heritage, which may well be our hope for a more perfect and settled future.

I regret there is no great news to announce nor events to tell within the Illinois Society. But we continue to expand our networking, and present our Society to its kindred organizations. This we do proudly, knowing that we are indeed supporting our cause and our future.

The last General Court at Charleston was memorable for many reasons to this writer. Some of those reasons are best left unprinted. Let it suffice to say that in the end, it appears to have been an overwhelming success upon many levels, where honor and graciousness presided in an otherwise troubled world. We owe a great deal of this to our new Governor General, Tommy Leland, whom I am proud to call "a friend".

Fall Bulletin 2008

As many of you know, the coveted Hinckley Cup was won by the Illinois Society for representing the largest percentage of new member increases. (SC won for greatest
number of new members.)

Upon returning home, I did a little research since I recalled having seen the name Hinckley elsewhere than associated with our beloved OFPA. Well, I had seen it in my own genealogy!

Thankful Hinckley (1671,- 1706 ), dau. of Massachusetts Gov. Thomas and Mary (Smith) Hinckley of Barnstable m. 1695, as his first wife, the Rev. Experience Mayhew (1671/72- 1758), a missionary to the Indians on Martha’s Vineyard in the,Bay Colony. Thankful H. Mayhew is buried on the Vineyard next to her father-in-law, John Mayhew, at West Tisbury Village Cemetery.

Experience Mayhew’s second wife, from whom our family descends, was Remember Bourne (1682/83-1721/22.), who m. Experience in 1711.

Eunice Mayhew (1716-17-1791), daughter of Rev. Experience Mayhew and Remember Bourne,m. 1736 Moses Belcher (1715/16-1747) of Braintree, MA. They were the parents of Captain Sarson Belcher (1741-1794), my Patriot and a direct forebear of my late mother, Jane Belcher.

James F. Barr
Governor, IL SOC

Spring Bulletin 2008

The Illinois Society is pleased to report that we have reported 31 paid members with
the filing of our Annual Report in January. This is a modern times record, as we added 35% from our last year’s numbers. In addition, we are also pleased to say that our Treasury has increased by 40%, due to the judicious placement of our meager resources.

The Hon. Paul F. Davis, General President of the Sons of the Revolution and Il OPFA Gov. James F. Barr, also newly elected President of the IL Soc, SR. (Barr is also Pres. of the Huguenot Society of Illinois, and Commander of the Illinois Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans.)

In December, we held a Joint Meeting with the Illinois Society of the Sons of the
Revolution, at which time we acknowledged two of our five new members, the Messrs. Sumner Esten Special Kentuckiana Meeting on Tuesday, August 14, 2007. Front Row L-R: Dennis Babbitt, Registrar; Dr. Jack Early, Governor; Governor General Michael Phelps; James Hancock. Second Row L-R: Charles Hyde, new member; Gary Toms, prospective member; Robert Burton, now deceased; William Gann, new member; Michael Christian, Chairman of the Membership Committee; Graham Morey.

Anderson and Wallace Jay Foot. We have since received the Application of Charles Allen Berry, Ph D. The December Meeting was overshadowed by heavy winter storms which prevented many guests from traveling to the Northbrook Radisson. Our Guest Speaker was to have been Past Gov Gen, His Exec. Thomas Pelham Curtis II, who was unable to traverse the fierce roads.

Spring Bulletin 2006

Two days ago, on Saturday, September 17th, 2005 we held the Annual Business Meeting of the Illinois Society, as was noticed up to each of you in our invitation of a few weeks ago. I should like to report to you upon the directionand decisions made therein.

We owe a debt of gratitude to the Illinois Society, Sons of the Revolution for allowing us to meet continually with them, and enjoy their fine programs and luncheon. This time was no exception with Burt Showers presenting his WWII experiences while on the General Staff of Douglas MacArthur; it was my pleasure to preside at both the SR and OFPA Meetings, and the luncheon.

Glenn Marion Peterson and myself will continue in our various mutual and shared duties; we have admitted five new members in recent times, with one more just submitted for review/approval a few days ago. We were joined by a prospective member whose papers will be submitted shortly, and who graciously took part in our discussions of ways to promote our Illinois group. To that end, we have decided to reach out to potential and current members with an Illinois Society website, to be linked to the National and other state society sites. I will begin this undertaking this week. In addition, we will contact the prospective members as provided from National, and make an OFPA presentation at the General Society, Sons of the Revolution Board of Managers (national) Meeting in Chicago next month.

The other “outreach” will be an award to a selected high school graduating senior from each of the top five rated high schools throughout Illinois. This is in line with a new and similar program from OFPA Connecticut. I am alsopleased to report that our Illinois Society has donated one fourth of the treasury to the OFPA National Archives project.

Let us combine our efforts and work together for the betterment of our State and National Societies!

Fall Bulletin 2005

Tim Curtis and Jim Barr

Although the Illinois Society is still in its ‘reorganizing phase’, the society has been somewhat active throughout the past year in order to promote its local presence and that of the National Society. Throughout the past three years all Illinois members have been invited guests at all Illinois Society, Sons of the Revolution social functions. These four events yearly have provided contact between most of us and served as an outlet for the networking of these two fine and venerable societies.

In May of this year, as last year, Governor James F. Barr was able to address the Illinois Society, Sons of the American Revolution about our fine OFPA group, and successfully garnered some interest there, including generating one pending Application. In April Governor Barr presented a Membership Certificate to new member Stanley Dee Buckles while at the Sons of Confederate Veterans/Military Order of the Stars and Bars Joint

Convention at Decatur, Illinois. This presentation sparked two membership inquiries. We have also addressed other heritage, historical and lineage societies throughout these United States, and never failed to mention OFPA. Governor Barr spoke in Lexington, Kentucky at the Army of Tennessee, SCV All Army Meeting, and garnered a genuine inquiry, which should turn into an Applicant soon. The Governor declared he shall in fact be speaking this Memorial Day at Springfield, Illinois at the Camp Butler Veterans Day Service, and assures that he will find a way to work in our OFPA.