HISTORY OF THE S.A.R. WASHINGTON STATE 1895- 1995

    In Portland, Oregon on June 6, 1891, about twenty gentlemen who were descended from Revolutionary War soldiers met and organized the Oregon and Washington Society Sons of the American Revolution. Rapid growth occurred and on February 1, 1894 in Spokane there was established the first Washington Chapter of the Washington Society Sons of the American Revolution. The leader of the group was Col. J. Kennedy Stout of Spokane.  

    Following Spokane on September 25, 1894, under the leadership of Mr. A.S. Gibbs of Seattle, there was formed a second Washington Chapter to be known as the Seattle Chapter #2. (Please see Appendix I & II)

    Almost a year later on June 17, 1895, twenty-five gentlemen, members of the Washington Chapters, met in Seattle and organized the Washington State Society.   At a subsequent meeting on September 7, 1895, a seal for the Society was adopted, described as follows-"A representation of Washington crossing the Delaware above which are thirteen stars and the Motto of the Society, LIBERTAS et PATRIA. and below which is Organized June 17, 1895. Around the outer circle is the name, WASHINGTON SOCIETY SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION".

    Among the leaders in the early years of the Washington Society were two men devoted to the Society and able to provide real help and guidance. They were Col. J. Kennedy Stout and Col. S.W. Scott-both from Spokane.

    Our National Society was formed on June 30, 1889, and on June 9, 1906, by an Act of Congress, our National Society was incorporated with the name NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

    The Alexander Hamilton Chapter was organized February 20, 1896. (Please see Appendix V). The newest active chapter is the Centennial Chapter, organized January 1, 1989. (Please see Appendix V1).

    Quite a number of men from the various chapters have held the Office of Vice-President General of the National Society; National Trustee; Washington State President and other Washington State offices.

    Other chapters have come into existence and then after a while, due to the inactivity of the members, have ceased to exist. Four of the chapters are the George Washington Chapter of North Yakima, organized on April 21, 1914; the Hoquiam Chapter of Hoquiam, organized on February 22, 1915; the Captain Robert Gray Chapter of Olympia, organized April 19, 1916 and the Marcus Whitman Chapter. The only information available for the Marcus Whitman Chapter, Walla Walla is contained in the April 1947 issue of the SAR Magazine. At this time the chapter was active, and remained so until on or about 1991, when it ceased to exist as a viable chapter.

    As one goes through historical notes, little tidbits of particular interest come to light. among others, the Seattle Chapter has produced two persuasive compatriots-at the 90th Annual Congress in Dallas, Texas in 1980, there was an effort made to move the 1982 Congress site from Portland, Oregon. At that time Mt. St. Helens was experiencing a series of eruptions and it was thought by some that there might be danger. Besides that, Portland was way out West" and it would be very expensive to stay and travel there. To the rescue of Portland came compatriots Dr. William T. Gillespie and Earl A. Phillips, who argued with great eloquence that Mt. St. Helens would not be a danger to Portland. Also, that the causalities from the heat of the midwest, where some thought the Congress should be held, would cause more causalities than a Mr. St. Helen's eruption. Bill and Earl's forceful arguments were successful. The Congress was held in Portland

    On July 10, 1976, to commemorate the American Revolution, a "Time Capsule" containing some 43 items was buried in Compatriot Morris' back yard in Seattle. A great ceremony was held and a flag pole was erected. Sometime later the property was sold and the "Time Capsule" was dug up and reburied on June 1, 1990, near the cornerstone of the Rainier Chapter DAR House. All was well until a sewer line broke and the "Capsule" needed to be disinterred and reburied. Dr. Gillespie, the Presbyterian minister who had successfully kept the 1982 Congress in Portland, was called upon once again for the reburial. Up came the "Capsule", but alas, the contents had decomposed, were unrecognizable and the odor unbearable. The "Opening Ceremony" scheduled to be held on July 10, 2016 was not to be. Thanks, appropriate recognition and appreciative words were extended to Bill for his efforts.

    At this point, recognition must be given to others who have given unselfishly of their time and talents-Dr. Vance and Alice Senter, Geraldine Gillespie, Judge Ralph Edgerton, Justice William Goodloe, Glen Oliver. These are but a few who have devoted years in supporting the Washington State Sons of the American Revolution and the National Society, SAR.

    Over the last 100 years, many men have made contributions to the various chapters, the Washington and the National Society. We have had an excellent relationship with the National and Washington Societies Daughters of the American Revolution and the Washington and National Societies Children of the American Revolution.

We have tried through various efforts to promulgate and uphold the principles on which our organization stands.  For our second century, we hope that we will always be able to teach effectively and speak clearly of those ideas and principles for which our forefathers fought and died.

Our trust is in God to guide and direct us that our country may be ever free and an inspiration to all.

Respectfully submitted by:

Charles R. Hough Alston M. Daniels

APPENDIX I

THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS OF SPOKANE CHAPTER No.I, SAR Spokane, Washington 1893-1995

    In the fall of 1893, Egbert Tangiers Smith Steele, a charter member, and Arthur W. Doland, an early member of the Oregon and Washington SAR, were living in Spokane when John Kennedy Stout joined as No. 86. Mr. Stout persuaded his friends, William H. Maxwell, Henry M. Hoyt and Kirtland K. Cutter, to join. General T.M. Anderson, President of the Society, then a colonel in the Fourteenth U.S. Infantry at Vancouver Barracks, wrote to him suggesting that a SAR chapter be established in Spokane. J.C. McKinstry was the seventh member in the city. Spokane Chapter No. 1 came into being as a chapter of the Oregon-Washington Society of the Sons of the American Revolution at an organizational meeting in Room 33, Jamieson Building in Spokane at 2 PM on February 1, 1894. At that meeting, a constitution and by-laws was adopted subject to approval by T.M. Anderson, President of the Society.

    In addition to the above charter members, the following were also charter members of Spokane Chapter No.1 John Kennedy Smith, lawyer; Warren W. Tolman (later a Supreme Court Judge and dropped as a member in 1899); Joseph Tilton Doolittle, a medical doctor; William Henry Eades, retired merchant; Waldo G. Paine who came to Spokane as a realtor and then become president of the old Spokane and Inland Railroad of which the terminal was located at the present site of the Spokane Public Library; Clement C. Rucker, mining broker; Stephen G. Whitman; George H. Whittle, an agent of the Northern Pacific Railway. John Kennedy Stout was elected as President, A.W. Doland as Vice-President, and Henry M. Hoyt as Secretary.

    On June 17, 1895, the Washington State Society was formed in Seattle. The charter members of the Spokane chapter plus a few other new members who joined during the year became charter members of the Washington State Society and the Spokane Chapter become Spokane Chapter No. 1 on the WASSAR rolls.

    For many years, the practice was to hold the annual meeting in January. At this meeting, the new officers were elected, the Treasurer's report was given, and a committee was appointed to arrange the February 22nd banquet. The minutes of the February 22, 1896 banquet show a toast to the State and National Societies by John Kennedy Stout; Mission of the Blue and White by George S. Brooke, first president of the First National Bank; a toast to Howard George 'to be drunk while standing'; discussion of a possible consolidation of Sons of the Revolution and the Sons of the American Revolution led by T.D. Rockwell; toast to 'our wives and daughters' with a reply by C. S. Rutter; then Frank T. Post, lawyer and later president of the Washington Water Power Company, toasted the flag. "The remarks of Messers Brooke, Post and Rockwell were particularly eloquent and were frequently interrupted by applause. After the regular program had been given, Mr. Rockwell and others entertained the company with numerous stories. At 11:45 p.m., the company adjourned."

    The banquets were usually held at the Davenport Restaurant. This was before the Davenport Hotel was built and where the Matador Room, previously the Italian Gardens, was located. Later, the meetings moved to the Spokane Hotel and then to the Davenport hotel. In 1898 is an item: 'Paid Louis M. Davenport for annual dinner-S25.00'. In 1899, the dues were $2.50. Expenses that year were: dinner-$ 25.00; cigars--$1.50; waiter-$1.00 (apparently for tip); flowers-$1.00; Tiffany and Company for badge for retiring president$4.95; balance on hand-S7.50. That was one of the better years

    In addition to the annual meeting and annual banquet, meetings were often held on various patriotic days such as Lexington and Concord days. Flag Day on June 14th came about because of action of the National Organization of the Sons of the American Revolution, so Flag Day was another patriotic day to be celebrated. One year the chapter was going to have a banquet and Dubrau, a teacher of French at Lewis and Clark High School, was selected as speaker to celebrate the birthday of Lafayette. However, the affair never took place. A handwritten note on the printed program said "This Lafyette banquet was not held due to lack of sufficient reservations."

    The newspapers in the days before 1925 gave the SAR lots of publicity. They not only printed the program at length but they also provided the names of all those attending and the menu. In addition, a resume of the speeches and toasts were included.

    For many years, most of the officers of the Washington State Society were elected from chapters on the west side of the state and meetings were held there. In 1919, because of this, the Spokane Chapter petitioned the National Society to form a separate state society in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. This petition was finally rejected by the Executive Board of the National Society and John W. Bell of the Spokane Chapter was elected National Vice-President of the Rocky Mountain District for 1921 and 1922.

    Spokane Chapter No. 1 continued to hold meetings at least on an annual basis and to elect chapter officers until 18 April 1936. At that meeting, the chapter became dormant and all the records of the chapter were entrusted to Joel E. Ferris, president of the Spokane and Eastern Bank. Several members continued to maintain their membership in the SAR but it was not until 1952 that the Spokane Chapter No. 1 was re-organized and meetings began to be held on a annual basis.

    The records show that the following Spokane Chapter No. 1 members have served as president of the Washington State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution: John Kennedy Stout, Stephen E. Ayers, John C. Ellingson and William Aller. Spokane Chapter No. 1 began holding meetings on a monthly basis from September through May with a summer picnic starting in 1976. The chapter has continued this practice through the balance of the first 100 years. Washingtons Birthday, later known as President's Day, has been celebrated by the SAR in conjunction with various local DAR chapters in the Spokane area with a luncheon and program.  

    One of the best known members of Spokane Chapter No. 1 was Bing Crosby. His brother, Edward J. Crosby, was a long-time member and was active as Secretary-Treasurer of the Spokane Chapter and as an officer of the Washington State Society.

    One of the major activities of the Spokane Chapter is the presentation of medals and certificates to outstanding members of the five college ROTC units: Washington State University-Army; WSU & University of Idaho-Air Force; University of Idaho-Navy; Eastern Washington University-Army; Gonzaga University-Army; two high school Jr. ROTC units: Medical Lake, WA--Air Force and Kellogg, Idaho--Marine Corps.

    Another activity in earlier years was a high school oratorical contest, but this was discontinued in the period Just after World War I, although it is still one of the activities of the National SAR. Also, Law Enforcement Medals have been presented to deserving law enforcement personnel.

Send mail to the webmaster, Wayne Brown, for questions or comments about this web site. 

Copyright © 1998 Washington Society Sons of the American Revolution. 

Last modified: November 15, 1998