As part of this year’s ongoing celebration to the signing of Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, the Jacksonville Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) will recognize two highly significant and impactful local American Revolution events.
Beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 28, the SAR Jacksonville Chapter will present its annual recognition of the Battle at Thomas Creek located at the Seaton Creek Historic Preserve in northeastern Jacksonville. This national historic event will recognize the Battle of Thomas Creek as an ambush on local Patriot Militia forces by a mixed force of British Army, Loyalist militia, and Native Americans near the mouth of Thomas Creek in Northeast Florida on May 17, 1777.
The next Saturday, April 4, also at 10 a.m., the Jacksonville Chapter of SAR will conduct ceremonies to officially designate the more-than 250-year-old Treaty Oak Tree, located in the Jesse Ball DuPont Park,1207 Prudential Drive, as an official nationally recognized Liberty Tree.
The public is invited to attend the ceremonies as the local compatriots will unveil a recognition plaque at the entrance of the park. The latest Liberty Tree designation is part of SAR’s national pledge to identify and recognize Liberty Trees in both Florida and in every state in the union.
According to Paul Tucker, president of the Jacksonville Chapter, the public is welcome to join with local, state and national SAR representatives in both recognition ceremonies.
“The Thomas Creek and Liberty tree recognition events are excellent ways to localize the important actions taken by our ancestors in our nation’s quest for independence,” he said. “We especially encourage families to attend and join us in honoring our North Florida heritage.”
The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history and teaching American history to future generations. To gain membership, a verifiable blood line proof to a Revolutionary War patriot is required.
If interested in learning more, the Jacksonville Chapter, with its almost 200 members, have processes and strategies to help trace those connections.
For more local information regarding SAR and the required genealogic research, contact Gray Chandler, chapter registrar, at: chan840@bellsouth.net or 904-303-9170.