NORFOLK CHAPTER • VIRGINIA SOCIETY • SAR
Culpeper Minutemen Chapter
and the Norfolk Chapter
of the Virginia Society of the
Sons of the American Revolution
cordially invite you to the
Dedication Ceremony
of the
Marshall Memorial Monument
10:45 am • Saturday • December 3rd 2011
Major Thomas Marshall and his son Lieutenant John Marshall
of the Virginia Society of the
Sons of the American Revolution
cordially invite you to the
Dedication Ceremony
of the
Marshall Memorial Monument
10:45 am • Saturday • December 3rd 2011
Major Thomas Marshall and his son Lieutenant John Marshall
---------------------------o---------------------------
THE MARSHALL MEMORIAL MONUMENT
A TRIBUTE TO PAST PRESIDENT GENERAL
REON GLESSNER HILLEGASS, JR.
A TRIBUTE TO PAST PRESIDENT GENERAL
REON GLESSNER HILLEGASS, JR.
As a Charter member of the Great Bridge Battlefield and Waterways History Foundation (GBB&WHF), formed in 1999, Norfolk Chapter member Reon Glessner Hillegass, Jr. shared a vision with those who would promote and effect the construction and development of its Foundation’s Visitor Center and Historic Park – an effort to bring national awareness of the significance of the Battle of Great Bridge as the first land battle victory against the British in the Colony of Virginia on December 9th 1775. Through the years, his endorsement sustained the support of his Chapter (and, eventually, his State Society), and several contemporary Virginia Society presidents took notice. When current Virginia Society President Mark Brennan made elevation of the Battle of Great Bridge (from local to national recognition) as one of the Presidential initiatives of his term in office last February, the Norfolk Chapter accepted responsibly to pursue the initiative.
On September 30, 2011, the Historic Sites, Reenactments and Celebrations Committee of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution formally approved the Battle of Great Bridge as a National Society Historic Site, and the NSSAR George Washington Endowment Fund Distrbution Committee approved allocation of funding for the Marshall Memorial Monument.
The Norfolk Chapter is grateful to Past President General Reon G. Hillegass, Jr. for his foresight and support of the Foundation, to President Mark Brennan for his commitment to fulfill the vision shared by so many, hard-working individuals (both in and out of the SAR), to the various National Society Committees’ members, who worked in concert to approve the effort, and to the Culpeper Minutemen Chapter of the Virginia Society, SAR, without any one of which, the memorializing of Compatriot Hillegass would not have been possible.
Compatriot Hillegass passed away in July. While he will undoubtedly be present in the minds of those in attendance, his family, including his wife Jean Rourke Hillegass, a member of the Great Bridge Chapter (NSDAR) will honor us by attending the dedication ceremony commemorating the patriotic services of Major Thomas Marshall and his son Lieutenant John Marshall, who would become the 4th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and very likely the most publicly recognized Patriot’s name associated with the Battle of Great Bridge.
On September 30, 2011, the Historic Sites, Reenactments and Celebrations Committee of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution formally approved the Battle of Great Bridge as a National Society Historic Site, and the NSSAR George Washington Endowment Fund Distrbution Committee approved allocation of funding for the Marshall Memorial Monument.
The Norfolk Chapter is grateful to Past President General Reon G. Hillegass, Jr. for his foresight and support of the Foundation, to President Mark Brennan for his commitment to fulfill the vision shared by so many, hard-working individuals (both in and out of the SAR), to the various National Society Committees’ members, who worked in concert to approve the effort, and to the Culpeper Minutemen Chapter of the Virginia Society, SAR, without any one of which, the memorializing of Compatriot Hillegass would not have been possible.
Compatriot Hillegass passed away in July. While he will undoubtedly be present in the minds of those in attendance, his family, including his wife Jean Rourke Hillegass, a member of the Great Bridge Chapter (NSDAR) will honor us by attending the dedication ceremony commemorating the patriotic services of Major Thomas Marshall and his son Lieutenant John Marshall, who would become the 4th Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and very likely the most publicly recognized Patriot’s name associated with the Battle of Great Bridge.
Norfolk Chapter President Matt Hogendobler. Culpeper Minutemen Chapter President Lance Lyngar, Virginia Society President Mark Brennan and Jean Rourke Hillegass, widow of former PG Reon Hillegass unveil the Marshall Memorial Monument dedicated in honor of PG Hillegass, a longtime member of the Norfolk Chapter.
DCSSAR Assistant Registrar and Past President, Virginia Society SAR reviews the qualifications supporting the text on the Marshall Memorial Monument. To read his remarks, please visit our Ceremony Remarks page.
President Matt Hogendobler reads from the Memorial
Certificate presented to widow Jean Rourke Hillegass.
