Lineage, patriotism give group purpose
Most young adults are on a quest for individuality. Some express nonconformity by getting tattoos or multiple body piercings, while others explore alternative religions. Twenty-one-year-old Travis Miller chose to express his distinctiveness in another way. He joined the Sons of the American Revolution.
“No one else my age is joining,” he said. “I like to be unique.”
Indeed, his black ponytail stood out among the gray- and silver-haired group that assembled in the meeting room at Old Country Buffet on a recent afternoon for the monthly gathering of the SAR.
Miller is just one many Spokane residents who value the idea of family heritage. That, in part, is their reason for participating in the Sons of the American Revolution, a lineage society. According to John Ellingson, the secretary of the Spokane chapter, each member has traced his family tree back to having an ancestor who supported the cause of American independence between 1774-1781. His ancestor David Thurston was a scout for a New Jersey regiment during the War for Independence.
Ellingson said, “The Spokane Chapter of the SAR was founded February 1, 1894, and we’re still going strong.” Prominent past members include Kirtland Cutter, Joel E. Ferris, William H. Cowles and Bing Crosby.
Fellow member and retired history teacher Gale Palmer said his family has been around since Plymouth. “I’ve learned more significant American history in the last three years researching my own family, than in the years I taught,” he said.
And history matters to this group. “I’ve been studying our family genealogy,” Travis Miller said. His ancestor William Kinney was a soldier in the Continental Army. Miller sheepishly added, “Most of my family fought for the British.”
Among the purposes for the organization is to inspire the community with reverence for the original principles of government and to foster patriotism. One way they accomplish this goal is by honoring a member of local law enforcement each year.
In October the SAR presented Kurt Vigesaa of the Spokane Police Department with a Law Enforcement Commendation Medal and Certificate. In addition, the group honors outstanding members of college ROTC units.
Members of the SAR also attend citizenship ceremonies. They welcome new citizens and present each one with an American flag lapel pin. “It’s a big day for new citizens,” said Neil Hyde, recalling a recent ceremony. “You’d not believe how some folks react.” He estimates they hand out 40 to 50 pins a year.
Some members said genealogy is an old man’s game. There’s no doubt that the membership of the SAR is aging. Several attendees use walkers or wheelchairs. Yet they remain fiercely dedicated to preserving their tenuous ties with the past. “If we don’t know where we’ve come from, we don’t have much grounding,” said chapter president Bill Ailes. “It’s a matter of values, of who you are.”
Prospective member Paul Gilliland agreed. When asked the relevance of this society in 2007, the six-term mayor of Harrington, Wash., replied with a question of his own, “Why is freedom important?”
The welcoming of new member Travis Miller marked an occasion to celebrate. At 21, he’s believed to be the youngest SAR member in the state. “It’s wise to know where you’ve come from,” he said. “I want to keep this alive.”