John Paul Jones Chapter

Maryland Society,

Sons of the American Revolution

History of the

John Paul Jones Chapter

The John Paul Jones Chapter owes its existence to the Honorable Wilson King Barnes, former National President General, who invited a few potential members and their wives to his summer home on the Magothy River in Anne Arundel County on September 25, 1971.  Subsequently, the organizational committee met at the homes of C. Braddock Jones, Stephen W. Duckett and Howard MacCarthy, Jr was Organizing President.


The Chapter’s namesake is regarded as the ‘Father of the American Navy’.  His heroism in fighting against larger and better equipped ships in the Revolutionary War establish a tradition that has never been forgotten.  John Paul Jones’ reply to a British demand to surrender, ‘I have not yet begun to fight’ has become the Navy slogan.


The Chapter hosted the Semi-Annual Meeting of the Maryland Society in October 2019 in time to celebrate the Anniversary of the Burning of the Brig Peggy Stewart in Annapolis and the Surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown.  Annually, in December, a wreath is placed at Jones’ crypt in the United States Naval Academy.  In 1985, the Chapter placed the SAR’ Patriot marker on Jones’ tomb.


The Chapter also awards an SAR Award to a selected midshipman of the Naval Academy’s History Club in memory of Horace Porter, who was President General of the SAR and responsible for finding and returning the remains of John Paul Jones to the Naval Academy in 1905.


The Chapter sponsors a high school Good Citizenship Medal program within the counties of Anne Arundel, Calvert, St Mary’s and Charles.  The SAR Law Enforcement Medal is also awarded annually.  Meetings are held at various locations in and around Annapolis, including the Navy Alumni House, Annapolis Yacht Club, and Naval Academy Officers Club.  Space is most generously donated by Dr. and Mrs. A Weems McFadden for use as a Chapter House and communication center in Annapolis.


Elected

President

1972

Howard MacCarthy, Jr

1973

Gerald C. Moore

1974

Byron E. Dunn (Resigned)

1975-1977

James W. Wilson

1978

A. Weems McFadden

1979

Charles H. Williams

1980-1981

Elmer M. Jackson, Jr

1982

J. Robert Whitman

1983

Wendell C. Phillips

1984-1985

Barrett L. McKown

1986-1987

Robert H. McIntire

1988

John H. Vandegriff

1989-1990

John D. Newell

1991

Rev. Canon A. Pierce Middleton

1992-1993

Raymond N. Zimmerman

1994-1995

Ronald E. Holland

1996-1997

Thomas L. Reichelderfer

1998-1999

Gordon L. Gustin

2000

BG M Hall Worthington

2001-2002

Frederick E Leadbetter

2003-2004

George A Hutton

2005-2008

Christopher C Beck

2009-2018

John R. Harvey, Jr.

2018-2019

Mark D. Deeds

2019-2020

Michael J. Kelley, Jr

2021-2022

Ronald Shuey

2022

David Stern (Resigned)

2022-2023

Geoffrey Wood

Past Presidents

Powered by Interserver.net     Comments and Feedback