Maine Society News Archive

At the May 17, 2008 meeting of the Maine Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, we presented OFPA Diplomas to Paul E. Salisbury and Walter Dayton Salisbury.

From the left: Edmund Branch, Past SAR state President, presents Paul E. Salisbury, SAR 3rd. Vice President, with his framed OFPA Diploma. From the right: Ronald Newton, SAR state Registrar, presents W. Dayton Salisbury, SAR State President, with his framed OFPA Diploma. Maine Society.

Left: Maine Society OFPA Governor Harry W. Kinsley, Jr., presented a wreath at the annual ceremony honoring Revolutionary War hero, General Henry Knox, in Thomaston, ME, in July. It marked the 20th consecutive time that Kinsley had been present to represent one or more of the patriotic societies that participate. On the left is Renny A. Stackpole, master of ceremonies, and a former SAR Vice President General and State Society President. On the right is OFPA Associate Dean E. Jackson, Deputy Governor, and, concurrently, Maine Society SCW Deputy Governor. Kinsley, himself, has been MESSAR President, State SCW Governor and State OFPA Governor, concurrently, and he believes that one way that small Societies can survive is by participating in working social partnerships.

Former OFPA Governor General Robert P. Vivian presented the Hinckley Cup for 2006 to Maine Society Governor Kinsley at a “Navy Day” meeting at Bethel, ME. Kinsley attributes the recent surge in Maine Society membership to joint working meetings with other Societies. At the Bethel meeting, jointly sponsored with SCW, six OFPA members were present. At the meeting, however, which was attended by about 40 people, four potential members were identified. The Kinsley “formula” includes keeping luncheon costs low and providing an interesting program, with speaker limited to 30 minutes, and allowing time for people to mingle informally and talk to each other.

Fall Bulletin 2007

In May, we had a small delegation who were invited to attend the annual meeting of the Maine chapter of the Daughters of Founders and Patriots! At their annual meeting, which I thought was “joint”, I was introduced, and excused from further participation. We had four members present, however, and they were also introduced.

In July, we were represented by a delegation of two at the annual celebration of the birthday of Henry Knox at Thomaston, where an appropriate wreath was placed on the General’s grave. In August, we had a delegation of two at a celebration of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Popham Colony.

Spring Bulletin 2002

Each year, on the third Saturday in July, the Thomaston, Maine Historical Society and the Friends of Montpelier conduct a memorial service and a patriotic ceremony to honor Major General Henry Knox, hero of the Revolutionary War, and the first Secretary of War in President Washington's Cabinet. These activities are conducted at the gravesite, and at the nearby replica of his home, Montpelier, in Thomaston, ME.

A large number of historic, patriotic, fraternal and hereditary organizations participate by laying wreaths at the General's grave, including the Order of Founders and Patriots. This year, the Society was represented by Associate Harry W Kinsley Jr., Governor of the Maine Society, who is shown above placing the wreath.