Iowa Society, Sons of the American Revolution

Compatriots of Iowa SAR and General Society of the War of 1812 in the State of Iowa,   It is with great sadness that I must inform you of the death of fellow member Ron Sharp.  I got to know Ron a bit through our organizations.  His application and the documentation of his line was complicated and took over 3 years from start to finish.  It was helped by several people throughout the entire country.   About 9 months after we hit what appeared to be a final end, a document appeared in the mail and made final approval possible.  Ron had a colorful life and shared a bit of it with me be for he sought membership. Ron also jumped in and became the Chaplain for the GSW 1812 in Iowa. He will be missed. His obituary from the Des Moines Register is here.   Respectfully, Mike Rowley President GSW 1812 Iowa & Central Iowa Chapter SAR [...]

Some of the many Patriot ancestors of the members of the IASSAR include: Asa Adams Ebenezer Avery Richard Churchill Cpt Ezekiel Colby Ezekiel Colby Jr Jonathan Curtiss Andrew Demoss John Demoss Peter Demoss Christian Dettera Matrom Elmore Richard Harris Huntley Francis Lang John McCain Jarrett Menefee Joseph Morse Daniel Mowen John Owsley Robert Parker William Pennock Edmund Pettingil Daniel Robertson George Robinson Sr David Rowley Valentine Rummel Capt Job Shattuck Benjamin Smith Philip Stech Thomas Stephenson Nicholas Stuff 1LT John Townsend Joshua Townsend Peter Trough [...]

The city of Des Moines requested volunteers to participate in stone raising in the veterans’ section of Laurel Hill Cemetery November 5, 2016. This was the initial work session of a project that will resume next spring. Laurel Hill cemetery borders the Iowa State fairgrounds on the southeast corner. The weather was good and about thirty of us got the project started. Those SAR members that have volunteered for other Des Moines cemetery projects will probably get an invite by email to help next spring. An announcement will be in the Register also. Submitted by George [...]

Compatriots of the Iowa Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, I would like to thank all of our members who are veterans. A few I know for sure include John Butler, Don Corrigan, Harold Goodrich, Danny Krock, David Lamb, Bill Lees, Jim Trask, Ron Rittel, Dave Shannon, Paul Stout, Daniel Thorsen, Richard Webb, Volney Smith, Scott Rowley, John Scarpino. I am sure there are many others whose names I don’t have. Attached are several photos from ceremonies held today at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month at Woodland Cemetery in Des Moines, Iowa.  Stops were made and 2 minutes of silence was observed at the grave of the one known War of 1812 veteran buried in this cemetery as well as the G.A.R. section of Civil War veterans and the Gold Star section of WWI veterans. The ceremonies were lead by members of the GSW 1812 in the State of Iowa Color Guard. Happy Veterans Day to all veterans and their families! Mike [...]

The Iowa Society of the Sons of the American Revolution presented Eagle Scout Jack Fink the awards for 1st place in the annual Eagle Scout program.  The presentation was made during the Fall meeting, 15 October 2016. Pictured from L-R, Dave Shannon, the Iowa Society Chairman of the Eagle Scout Program and the SAR Knight Essay Program, Jack Fink, Iowa Past President Harold [...]

The Iowa Society of the Sons of the American Revolution awarded Ganesh Ganpat, Parks and Recreation Supervisor and John Woolson, Cemetery Operations Supervisor for the City of Des Moines and the staff workers at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines a Certificate of Appreciation on October 5, 2016. The certificate was given for their efforts in planning and leading a project of over 100 volunteers to clean and raise sunken veteran’s flat gravestones in Laurel Hill and Glendale Cemeteries in Des Moines. As families from all over the metro may have relatives in Des Moines cemeteries, please consider for publication in any of the metro area community sections In all the pilot program cleaned over 1000 stones at Laurel Hill and re-set over 2425 stones at Glendale. Future plans call for re-setting even more stones at both cemeteries. Photo from left to right- Ganesh Ganpat, Parks and Recreation Supervisor, Mike Rowley President Central Iowa Chapter, SAR and John Woolson, Cemetery Operations Supervisor for the City of Des [...]

Not all of the work of the Central Iowa Chapter of Iowa SAR is done in the spit and polish uniforms of the Color Guard.   The week of Sept 14th 2016, member of the Iowa SAR and DAR joined with local volunteers and raised over 2000 sunken veteran’s gravestones and Des Moines’ largest cemetery.   photo from left to right- Iowa SAR member Rick Hickman, Iowa DAR members Jackie Baker and Judy McNamra Central Iowa Chapter President  Mike Rowley not pictured but also participating for multiple days, SAR member George DeMoss [...]

Flag Day 2016 presented the Iowa Sons of  the American Revolution and the West Des Moines  Elks Lodge 2752 an opportunity to come together and celebrate with a dinner honoring veterans and a program educating about the history of the American Flag.  The Iowa SAR awarded the Elks Lodge a certificate of commendation in recognition of exemplary Patriotism in the display of the Flag of the United States of America.   photo attached-Left to right: Larry Cramer, Jack Peter, Greg Weinschenk, Mike Rowley, Richard Cordle, Michelle Roovaart and Michael [...]

On January 7, 2016 about 25 veterans at the VA Central Iowa Health Care System in Des Moines hosted members of the General Society of the War of 1812, the Iowa Sons of the American Revolution and the DAR for an evening of bingo and friendly conversation. Photo– left to right back row GSW 1812 & SAR members Rick Hickman, Ron Rittel, Tim Rowley, Dana Lamb and David Lamb.  Front row left to right-  2 of the Veteran hosts Ted Siler, (middle DAR member Judy McNamara) & Jacob Knapp. [...]