Please plan on attending our upcoming SAR chapter dinner meeting on Tuesday July 30th at Spring Creek Barbeque. The address is 4895 Hwy 6, in Missouri City.
SAR Alexander Hodge Chapter #49 BUSINESS MEETING – June 25th, 2024, 1:00 p.m.
Attended: Carl Hill, Mike Green, Don Burns, Don Rollins and Jim Penny
Officers Absent: Steve Barber (on vacation), Lovell Adrich, Phil Whitney, Robert Graves
Treasury Report: The two JROTC scholarship checks finally cleared, leaving the Treasury balance at $9.733.00.
Registrar Report: Working on three applications but having issues with one application needing information on Elijah Isaacks, 1775 S.C. The new State Registrar is on vacation and not available to help.
News Letter and Blog and Facebook page: Jim Penny will be taking over the monthly newsletter from Mike Green. Mike Green will assist and be the backup for the Chapter Blog site. Jim will work on documenting how to operate the Blog site. Jim is still developing photo albums on the Chapter Facebook page. It was emphasized that more photos were needed.
Other News:
A) The new SAR State VP for our Zone 7 is Art Byram from the SAR Freedom Chapter. He has taken over for Richard Zdunkewicz, who has accepted a new State position. Compatriot Byram was elected as our District VP at the Annual Meeting of the Texas SAR. Art, the immediate Past-President of the Freedom Chapter (Woodlands Area) is an enthusiastic leader who will do a terrific job supporting the District and the Alexander Hodge Chapter #49.
One of Compatriot Byram’s focuses will be establishing or reinforcing a strong Color Guard for each Chapter in the District. The Freedom Chapter enjoys a very strong Color Guard, thanks to his leadership.
B) The 2025 Fall SAR State BOM meeting is going to be jointly hosted by the Alexander Hodge #49 Chapter with the Paul Carrington SAR Chapter here in Houston, TX.
C) Carl mentioned that more events need to be planned and coordinated with the DAR Alexander Hodges Chapter. Coordination of events should be completed with Sandra Barber, the DAR liaison. Mobile Number (832) 451-9117). A liaison for the Alexander Hodge Chapter #49 needs to be to coordinate with the DAR Chapter.
D) Carl mentioned there is a new Challenge Coin issues. It features the Continental Congress.
E) There is an old Flag Presentation is on You Tube, presented by Tom Green. It is a rather lengthy program for schools on different flags from the American Revolution. Several other Alexander Hodge Chapter #49 members assisted on this flag presentation.
It was bought up that the Chapter needs to complete a Flag Certification on some of the new flags and a Flag Retirement event for some of the older worn flags. Don Burns suggested a Flag Certification Certificate to Sugar Land Fire Department.
F) It was announced that the July, 2024 Speaker for the Alexander Hodge #49 Chapter is going to be our new Chapter member John Thompson. John will be speaking on Benjamin Franklin.
End of Business Report
Art was elected as the new VP at the annual Texas SAR Convention this past March in San Antonio. Art replaces Richard Zdunkewicz who has become the State Secretary.
Art is the immediate past president of the Freedom Chapter #38 in the Woodlands. He is an enthusiastic leader and will do a great job representing our District and our Chapter.
One focus that Art will have is to establish or reinforce a strong Color Guard for each Chapter in the District. While in the Freedom Chapter a very strong Color Guard tradition was created due to his leadership and vision.
Art's reinforcing of the strong Color Guard tradition at Freedom Chapter helped result in member David Hamaker being named the State Color Guardsman for 2024. In addition, he was awarded the Bernardo de Galvez Gold Medal for prolonged Guard service.
Texas S.A.R. State Events 2023-2024
Texas S.A.R. State Conference Texas S.A.R. State Fall BOM meeting
Texas D.A.R. State Conference Texas C.A.R. State Conference
Flag Day June 14 Audie Murphy Medal of Honor Parade, Farmersville TX
George Washington Parade and Bridge Ceremony, Laredo TX
Battle of Medina, August 2023 Dickens on the Strand Parade
Funeral of past Texas S.A.R. Presidents
Important Events not designated State Events
U.S. Naturalization Ceremonies- These ceremonies are chapter events but members are encouraged to support these events.
Texas State Fair- This is a great opportunity to share our society and encourage new members. This is a chapter event.
Chapter President Treasurer
Carl Hill Carl
Hill
Vice President Registrar
Don Burns Mike Green/ Carl Hill
Secretary ` Newsletter
Steven Barber Mike Green
Sgt. At Arms Web
Master
Don Rollins Jim
Penny
Alexander Hodge Chapter No. 49
Minutes
May 28th, 2024
The members of the Alexander Hodge #49, Sons of the
American Revolution, gathered at Spring Creek Barbeque
located at 4895 Highway 6, Missouri City, TX. In the private meeting room,
Carl Hill called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. with an Invocation given by
Phil Whitley followed by pledges to the United States flag, to the Texas flag
and to the SAR flag.
9-Attending Chapter Members: Carl
Hill (President & Treasure), Steven Barber (Secretary), Don Rollins (Sgt.
of Arms), Phil Whitley (Chaplain), Jim G. Penny (Web Master), Mike Green
(Newsletter), Matt Barber, Don Burns, and Scott Burton.
Honorary Guest: Kent McGaughy
Tonight’s Guest Speaker
2 Other Guests: Mrs. Bernice Mistriot, and Mrs. Sherry Burns
Treasury Report: Carl
Hill presented the Treasures Report. The Chapter’s Treasury has a balance of $10,273.04.
All outstanding scholarship checks have cleared. Recommendation was made that
next year; the scholarship checks should include a notation that the checks
must be cashed within 6 months after the award.
Registrar’s Report: The Alexander
Hodge Chapter #49 has three new membership applications in the process for new
members. We also had four additional people expressing interest in the
Alexander Hodge Chapter #49.
Web Site and Newsletter
Report:
Web page for more information.
(http://www.hodgesar.org) Jim Penny continues his research into Virgina
Continental Uniforms worn during the Revolutionary War. This Chapter has thirty-one
members that trace their heritage back to Virginia.
Recognition was given to Jim
Penny’s great article on Continental Army uniforms worn that was published in
the National SAR magazine.
Jim is continuing to complete
research on activity of the military units that this Chapters members Patriots
participated in during the American Revolutionary War. Jim encourages any
member that has such stories to share those stories so he can publish those stores
on the Chapter Web site.
Jim Penny is also working on
the Memorial Section of the Web site, which is missing many past Chapter
members. He is including old photographs he has found of past Alexander Hodge
Chapter #49 activities found on the National and State Website and old Facebook
pages.
Mike Green has agreed to
continue as Newsletter Editor.
Current Activities:
On Wednesday April 17th. at
10:00 a.m., the Chapter hosted and completed a well-attended tour of
Independence Hall located on the campus of Houston Christian College. Dr.
Christopher Hammons, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Morris
Family Center for Law and Order, conducted a 90-minute tour of the facility and
discussed and explained the ongoing educational programs being conducted at
this location. Dr. Hammons explained that the facilities presentation to
visiting school children does not emphasize the people that formed and who wrote
the new country’s Constitution and Bill of Rights but emphasizes the basic principles
of these particularly important documents to the creation of the United States
of America. The Morris Family for Law and Liberty facility is an exact replica
of the Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA. After the tour, participants
attended a luncheon at the Pappa’s Barbeque Restaurant just north of the campus.
Dr, Hammon is a member of the SAR Alexander Hodge Chapter #49.
On Saturday April 20th,
2024, at 7:00 p.m., there was another “Honor Flight” for twenty-one veterans,
returning from a Washington DC visit to the D.C. War Memorials. In the Hobby
Airport, Delta Terminal, these Veterans were welcomed back by approximately two
hundred people representing various patriotic organizations, an SAR Color Guard
and with a live orchestra playing patriotic music in the terminal. These “Honor
Flights” are organized to occur about every other month and all Patriotic
organizations are welcome to come and wave flags in support of the return of
these American War Veterans.
Chapter Meeting Speaker: Mr.
Kent McGaughy
Mr. McGaughy presentation
reviewed George Washington’s involvement in the expansion of the United States,
west of the Appalachian Mountains before and after the American Revolution.
Washington, as a younger man,
explored and surveyed the Ohio River Valley area. Working then for the British
Virigina Trading Company, he discovered in his surveying a very fertile land,
rich in timber, minerals, and wild animals and ideal for growing and producing
hemp, indigo, cotton and crops. Excellent water resources were readily
available with open lands available for expansion and development.
At this early age, 22 years of
age, Washington was six foot-4 inches tall, was physically in very good
physical condition to complete this task. The report of excellent expansion
opportunities led two hundred Virginia families immigrating to the Ohio
Vallery. Like today, this immigration was not approved by the British government,
and this infringed on Native American Indian hunting and sacred grounds. No
permits had been issues by wither the British Virginia or Ohio Trading Companies.
Although these trading
companies benefited from this expansion, the continued immigration led to
Indian uprising. Washington’s surveying for the trading companies continued to
develop six canals to facilitate trade and transportation from the Ohio Valley
back to Eastern Colonies. The French were also surveying this area from Canada
and had the same interest that the British had in settling this new area west
of the Appalachian Mountains.
This led to the French and
Indian War that started in 1754 and ending in 1763.George Washington fought in
this a 7-year war on the British side against the French and Indians. You can
say this was George Washington military training that led to him being an
exceptionally talented military leader in the American Revolutionary War.
This all led to interstate commerce
to start between the West and Eastern areas of the British Colonies, soon to be
the United States of America. With commerce flowing from New York to
Philadelphia and now down to Alexanderia, Virginia, Washington chose to build
his home in Virginia. Alexanderia, Virginia was the center of this new commerce
and trade route to the west.
Roads and passes through the
mountains were built. No canals were built in this western expansion, until the
later northern route to the West was developed through New York and the Erie
Canal system.
In conclusion, this western
expansion provided George Washington experience and wealth as a land surveyor,
trained him in warfare and military practices of the day, and provided
opportunities in developing commerce in new developing areas of the country.
Closing Remarks:
President Hill reported the next
Alexander Hodge No.49-chapter meeting will be held July 30th, 2024, at the
Spring Creek Barbeque restaurant on Highway 6 in Missouri City, TX. The next
Chapter Business Meeting will be at the same restaurant on June 25th, 2024 at
1:00 P.M. All Chapter members are welcome to attend the business meeting. All
Chapter Officers are required to attend the Business Meetings.
Recessional: The SAR recessional was recited by all
present.
Benediction: Closing
benediction was given by Phil Whitley, Chaplain.
Prepared by Steven J. Barber,
Secretary
SAR Alexander Hodge Chapter
#49 BUSINESS MEETING – June 25th, 2024, 1:00 p.m.
He completed high school in Mabank, TX in 1957 and graduated from North Texas State University.
He married Margo Irene Oberkampf on June 19, 1961.
He reported to the U.S. Navy Officer's Candidate School in Newport Rhode Island in July 1961. After completing OCS, Tom attended the U.S. Navy Deep Sea Diving School in Washington, DC. Tom served on the U.S.S. Cree, a sea going salvage vessel, which served in the Vietnam theater in 1962 as well as patrolling the entrance to the Panama Canal during the Cuban missile crisis in 1963. Tom later served as Diving Repair Officer, First Lieutenant, Gunnery Officer and Navigator on the U.S.S. Piedmont where he faced many dangerous assignments and knew no fear. Tom received hazardous duty pay his entire Naval career. Tom completed his six years of active-duty service in Key West, Florida as Training Officer of the U.S. Naval School for Underwater Swimmers where most of the U.S. military divers were trained for duty in Vietnam, including UDT, EOD and some of the first S.E.A.L. team members. It was here in Key West where his beloved daughter, Holly, was born.
Beginning in 1966 through 1980, Tom worked in the retail business as Operating Manager with two different department stores after which he was co-owner with his father in the family grocery business which was established by his grandfather in the 1890's. Beginning in 1981 Tom established himself in the insurance business, later co-owning an insurance company. After selling his interest in the insurance company,
he worked for the Texas State Department of Insurance as an on-site manager for the Receiver and later the Conservator until his retirement in 1999.
Tom was active in both the Sons of the Republic of Texas (SRT) and the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) He was founding president of the Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels Chapter #50 SRT Chapter and also served as Hill Country District Representative. He was inducted as a Knight of the Order of San Jacinto in 2006. Tom was named Texan of the Year by the San Jacinto Descendants Society in 2005. In 2016, he was awarded the San Jacinto Star award by the San Jacinto SRT Chapter. Tom received the Sons of the Republic of Texas highest award, The Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.
Tom was approved for membership in the National SAR on July 26, 1996. He has been a member of the William Hightower, Paul Carrington, and Alexander Hodge Chapters. He has served in several positions in the Texas Society SAR before serving as the Texas state president of the Sons of the American Revolution in 2007. He was awarded the National Merit Award by the Freedom Foundation of Valley Forge in 2007. In 2012, Tom was awarded the George Washington Distinguished Service Award by the Paul Carrington SAR Chapter and named the National Color Guardsman of the Year by the National Society Sons of the American Revolution. He has been awarded the Patriot Medal and is the recipient of the 69th George Washington Distinguished Service Award Past State President Texas Society Sons of the American Revolution. In 2000, Tom initiated the annual Battle of Medina ceremony.
Tom was appointed a Colonel in the Texas Army in 2006 and was also appointed an Admiral in the Texas Navy by Governor Perry in 2006.
Tom was also a member of the General Society of the War of 1812, The American Legion and the North American Vexillological Association (the study of flags). He collected or made over 75 historic flags of both the American Revolutionary and the Texas Revolutionary periods and has given more than 750 Historic Flag Programs. His greatest joy was presenting flag programs to over 30,000 school children from Texas to Indiana. His flag collection will be donated to the Brazoria Historical Museum in Angleton TX and The Texas SAR.
In addition to Tom's career and hobbies, he was a devoted spouse, father and grandfather. He was most proud of "his Girls" as he fondly called the three of us. He attended many soccer and tennis events for his beloved granddaughter and enjoyed picking her up early from day care and school to spend time with her. One of his proudest days was when he held Alicia for the first time, and she became a U.S. citizen!
Tom was an avid story and joke teller and his many family and friends would request him to tell their favorite stories and jokes, which he always made more interesting with a Texas flair for exaggeration. He would always be the last one at an event or dinner talking and entertaining his family and friends. He was a Texan through and through! He made friends everywhere he went. People loved him and he will be dearly missed by his family and friends
The family deeply appreciates all the support and love from friends and family during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you share your memories of Tom on this memorial website, and please consider a donation to Pearland First United Methodist Church 2314 N. Grand Blvd, Pearland TX 77581, The American Cancer Society or American Heart Association.
Son-Brother-Husband-Father, Father-in-Law, Grandfather, Uncle, Friend-Christian,
Historian-Lecturer
Memberships: Pearland First United Methodist Church,
Lieutenant US Navy, Sons of the Republic of Texas, Sons of the American Revolution, and Society of 1812,
Colonel Texas Army, Admiral Texas Navy, Knight of San Jacinto
Survived by Wife, Margo, Daughter Holly Childs, Son-in-Law Brian Childs and Granddaughter Alicia Vanesa Childs
Carl had a call from Steve Hypes this morning. (Hodges Bend Cemetery caretaker). He said there is a lot of damage at the cemetery, and he can use some help with the cleanup. Of course, the mosquitos are horrible, like most places right now, so if anyone goes, they need to be prepared for that.