President’s Update # 11
March 24, 2008

Things are following into place for the Iowa Society of the Sons of the
American Revolution. We have plans for many events coming up and finally
we will have an active chapter with a new set of officers. I’ve heard they
have an aggressive agenda to entertain, educate and foster involvement with
members. There will be more on this topic later.

If you have not heard I am now the acting secretary for the IASSAR. It is
a very important job that, when done correctly can make the Society
stronger and everything else within the IASSAR run smoother and allows all
of us to be more responsive to our membership.

I have a member that is willing to take over the dues collection and record
keeping of new, transferred, re-instated and deceased members part of the
Secretary job, if I can find another member to perform the duties of
taking minutes at the quarterly Board of managers meetings and voting when
needed. Are there any volunteers? If so just call me (Mike Rowley
515-975-0498).

Here are some of the activities I am aware of since the last update in Feb.

February

21st I sent a genealogy request to SAR-Talk for new member Paul Gordon. I
got back 5 responses.

22nd I received the following link from one of our members.
http://www.managedmusic.com/Music/PlayBeforeYouGo.php

24th Offered rides to local members wanting to go to BOM in Waterloo or
Iowa City.

25th I received an Eagle Scout Award update from Chairman Dave Shannon.

25th I received word that the Secretary materials were transferred to the
Audit Committee Chairman Mark Davis. Mark also gave me information on items
that needed to be taken care of immediately.
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25th Sent update to the BOM and suggested changing the BOM from Waterloo to
Iowa City to shorten drive time for most BOM members.

25th Received word of a donation from a board member to the IASSAR, general
fund. Thanks!!!! This allows for us to have more newsletters and ways to
interact with members.

25th I sent Mark Davis the most up to date roster that I have. It is very
important that all members let me know of address changes and e-mail
changes ASAP. This will insure you getting the SAR magazine and the
newsletters and e-mail updates.

25th Received an update on the ROTC awards from Chairman Fran Keith. Both
the Eagle Scout Chair, Dave Shannon and the ROTC Chair Dr. Keith (with a
nice legacy to follow from Robert Millett) have really taken it on
themselves to build their awards programs to a point that those who follow
them will have a great template to follow.

25th I requested that Historian Harold Meeker find us a place to have the
meeting in Iowa City.

26th I contacted potential member DPS to see if I could do anything to
assist with his applying to IASSAR.

26th I received word from Historian that he had reserved a meeting location
in Iowa City.

26th I sent out meeting notice to all members with e-mail and to all BOM
members by regular post and e-mail.

26th Discussions with webmaster.

26th I received ROTC report and Editor’s report ahead of time for the BOM
meeting. This is very helpful for planning.

27th Sent follow up request for information on applying for a GWEF George
Washington Endowment Foundation grant for a project to mark the grave of
Cato (Meed) Mead in Montrose, Iowa.
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27th I sent a request to Iowa DAR contact to verify that they had allowed
time for SAR Eagle Scout Award to be present ed at their Spring meeting and
that it could be put in the program.

27th Notified National to send all items for IASSAR secretary to me.

27th Received RSVP from Darrell Wilkins and Robert Millett.

27th Received word from a member about nomination as officer of chapter.

27th Received information on DAR meeting. Sent thank you and also copy to
Eagle Scout Chairman.

27th Received information from Treasurer that he plans to file IRS 990
report soon.

28th I received information from Joe Dooley on who to contact and how to
request GWEF grant.

28th Received information that we were being charged $270. by National for
our website. I asked why and alternatives.

28th I requested genealogy grave finding help from 2 IASSAR members in Lime
Springs, Iowa.

28th I contacted Michael Scroggins about website charges.

28th Lime Springs’ member found and sent me a link for all those buried in
the local cemetery. It was a great source of genealogical information.
THANKS!!!!! We have members all over the country. Do any of you ever try
to reach out to them?

28th Updated members address change to National.

29th I received a note from an AZ SAR member, about a Cedar Falls guy that
might want to join. I contacted both sender and prospect.

29th I picked up most of the Secretary materials from Mark Davis.

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29th Webmaster informs me we can move website. It will save a significant
amount compared to what National is charging us and we will have the
ability to do greater things with it.

29th Advised an Iowa resident that his application to the CT SAR did not
yet appear on the website as having been received.

March

1st Updated DF on his application status.

1st Rode with Bill Lees, Fran Keith and John Scarpino to Iowa City for BOM

1st Brief ceremony at the gravesite of Johnson County’s only Revolutionary
War veteran’s grave. It was the 250th anniversary of his birth. Took
photos, wrote (with the Historian Harold Meeker) and submitted a short
article to 5 newspapers in the surrounding area and also the National SAR
Magazine.

A 250th anniversary was celebrated Saturday in Iowa City. The Iowa Society
of the Sons of the American Revolution met at the gravesite of Nathaniel
Fellows a Revolutionary War Veteran. Patriot Fellows was born in New
Hampshire in 1758.
Nathaniel like his father, served in the New Hampshire Line during the
American Revolutionary War.
According to, “Revolutionary War Soldiers and Patriots Buried in Iowa”,
published by the Abigail Adams Chapter of the Iowa Society of the Daughters
of the American Revolution in 1978, Nathaniel Fellows “joined a 40 ox teams
heading west. The group crossed the Mississippi River into Iowa Territory
at Bloomington (now Muscatine). From there they the Fellows family
traveled on through wild country until they reached the swollen Iowa River
near the present town of Iowa City in Johnson County. Fox Indians under
Chief Poweshiek helped the family ford the river: the Chief then granted
them permission to settle land not yet open to white settlers.”
Original burial was on the family farm. The grave was marked in 1940 by
the local DAR chapter. By 1970 the marker was moved to its present site at
the entrance to Oak Hill Cemetery, north of Coralville.
Plans are now being made to mark the 170th anniversary (of the death of
this patriot) on July 12, 2008.
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1st Attended luncheon and meeting with members in Iowa City.

1st Typed up minutes of the meeting and submitted to Board members and
others that attended the meeting for their corrections, additions and items
they wanted deleted.

2nd Sent Birthday cards to all those members with birthdays in the first
half of March.

2nd Contacted and then sent membership certificates to Graham and Colin
Sawyer. Ideally we would like to present these in person at a chapter
meeting. In this case they have been in the possession of the IASSAR for
months, but they were never contacted, so it was best to not make them wait
any longer.

3rd Contacted all other for whom we have certificates of membership but
never notified. In some cases they agreed to have them presented at the
May 3rd meeting and in other cases they were many states away and asked for
me to send by regular post. I complied.

3rd IASSAR member sent me this link.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=iCz3BA-oNlY

3rd Asked Bill Strouse for permission to put his bio on Modern Veterans
section of IASSAR website.

4th Discussions with Webmaster on new website.

5th Sent out corrected minutes to all IASSAR members with e-mail. I
included renewal reminder.

5th Sent in more formal request for GWEF grant for Montrose, Iowa project.

5th Received some feedback from members that read the minutes.

5th Sent Iowa Patriot Editor the most current IASSAR rosters I have.

5th Wrote and submitted a story on James Horton to Iowa Patriot editor.
I encourage all members to send him stories and story ideas.

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6th Confirmed a room reservation at the Ames Library for the May 3rd IASSAR
meeting.
Ames Public Library
515 Douglas Avenue
Ames, IA 50010
(515) 239-5631
6th Another member allowed his name to be placed in nomination for a
chapter secretary position.

6th Confirmed more information on the Montrose Iowa GWEF project with both
local residents and National SAR.

6th Received and reviewed draft of the Iowa Patriot from the editor, Fran
Keith.

6th Received list of known paid members for 2008 from the Audit Committee
Chair.

6th Received updates from Registrar Bill Lees.

7th Continued the process of entering in to the registry books, all the
names and genealogies of new members and those adding supplemental
ancestors. These books contain every member since #1 in 1893 to present.
They are now updated.

7th I asked Dean Timm and Lee Ayers if they would like to serve as Color
Guards at the DAR luncheon.

7th I realized that the secretary from 2005-2007 may have incorrectly
entered the genealogy data into the Registry book. I will make plans to
correct after approval from the board.

7th Requested that National list and recognized Fran Keith as the Eagle
Scout Chairman for Iowa and get the contact information corrected on the
National website.

8th Dean Timm and Lee Ayers agreed to Color Guard duties.

9th Sent all information and contacts to DAR for Eagle Scout award
presentation.
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9th Filled out all membership cards for those 154 members that have renewed
to date for 2008.

9th Filled out renewal forms for about 55 members that have not yet renewed
for 2008.

9th Spoke with an IL SAR member about genealogy question.

9th Another member agreed to have his name placed in nomination for a
chapter officer position.

10th Delivered membership cards and renewal forms to editor for inclusion
in the mailing of the Iowa Patriot newsletter.

10th Ordered a replacement membership certificate for Richard Martin. He
never got one.

10th Further discussions with Montrose, Iowa representatives.

13th Editor sent out mailing.

13th Updated members, addresses, transfers, re-instatements by paying 2008
dues.

14th Responded to National about reasons for delay of annual report.

14th A list of newly approved members was sent to the webmaster for a
welcome to be placed on the IASSAR website home page. It was also
suggested that there may be a story for the Iowa Patriot editor about what
our 10 newest members have in common.

14th Sent information to the DAR regent from Shenandoah Chapter, about her
request for information for a potential SAR member from her area.

15th Mailed membership certificate to Richard Martin.

15th Attended informal breakfast meeting (held the 3rd Saturday of each
month) and met new member Paul Gordon Sr. and others.

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17th I received the final copy of the Audit Committee report from the
Chairman Mark Davis. This was not an easy task and we are very grateful
for Mark taking the lead on this. It not only allows us to get a better
idea of where we are it also allows us to respond to legitimate questions
that many of our members have had. The committee also made some very well
thought out suggestions on how to avoid similar problems in the future as
well as suggestions to strengthen our Society.

17th An update was sent to Michael Scroggins (National) on what and when to
expect from the Iowa annual report.

17th More address updates to roster, editor and SAR data base.

17th Received GWEF grant approval.

Compatriot Rowley,

I am very pleased to inform you that that the GWEF Distribution committee
has voted to provide the Iowa Society $600.00 toward the placement of a
plaque in honor of Cato Meed in the town of Montrose, IA.

18th Sent both the IASSAR Treasurer and NSSAR a partial annual report.

18th Treasurer reports that IRS form 990 was filed and accepted.

18th Sent more status and address updates to National and data base.

19th Received a check for renewal for 2008 from a member.

19th Historian noticed error on website. I forwarded to webmaster.

19th Sent the below brief note to board members and others that have showed
some interest.

To the Board of Managers and a few others,

I just wanted to give you a heads up on something I have been working of
for the last 6 months or so.

I have been working with some representatives of the town of Montrose, Iowa
to try and get some recognition and perhaps eventually a historical spot
designation for the only known African-American Revolutionary War veteran
buried in Iowa. Cato Mead (MEED).
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Continued…

I just received notice a couple of days ago that a GWEF grant that I
applied for, has been granted to assist with the marking of the grave site
with a bronze plaque.

Montrose, Iowa is having a whole town reunion on Memorial Day weekend and
plan to have the dedication on Memorial Day.

I plan to invite chapters SAR and DAR from, IL, Mo and IA to help us mark
this occasion. Senator Grassley’s office has been notified. I will also
work to invite other patriotic and historical groups.

I understand that for many of you this will be too far to travel. I just
wanted to send out early notice. Details, exact times and brochures are
being worked on now and I will update as soon as possible for expanded
publication.

More later,

19th Attend the Des Moines Civil War Roundtable

20th More address corrections and updates.

22nd Received 2 more renewals for 2008.

22nd Received notice from member that he sent check 12-14-2007. Following
up.

22nd More address corrections and updates

That’s all for now. Hope to see as many of you as possible on May 3rd 1:30
PM at the Ames Public Library.

Mike Rowley
President and acting Secretary, IASSAR