St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-27
SONS OF Their SIRES.
The Spirit of 'Seventy-Six
Still Reigns in American
Breasts.
Sons Of the American Revolu-
ton Recall the Martial
Times.
Convention HuStleps Ready
TO SWoop Down on Wash
ington.
One Grand Effort and st.
Paul Will Carry Or the
Prize.

The Minnesota Association of the
Sons of the American Revolution has
enjoyed a prosperous year. So pro-
nouneed Judge Albert Edgerton, the
patriarchial president. at the regular
meeting held in the chamber OF COM
merce yesterday afternoon. 1t was not
a largely attended gathering, but the
true spirit OF patriotic Zest that per-
vaded more than compensated for the
lack of members present.
President Edgerton RECALLED the men,
bers with happy recital of the history
of the society, and then of the order,
upon calling the meeting to order. He
recalled the fact that it was the second
anniversary of the gathering in re-
spouse to Maj. McDOwell's call, when
the organization of the society was eff
fected. The Minnesota society, SAID he,
has prOSpered and progressed much more
rapidly than that of any comparative
state. 1t sprung into existence with
twenty-five charter members, ana the
roster now shows list of eighty FIVE
names, although three of the comrades
have been called away by death. Mill
neSota has the largest organization west
OF the Ohio river with the single eXcep
ton of Illinois. whose membership is
sWelled by the large city of Chicago,
and the national organization gives it
credit for being the most prompt and
active of any society.
Massachusetts, Connecticut and New
Jersey are the StrOngholdS Of the order.
They have societies Of something like
eco each, but Mr.. EdgeTton wished to
point to the fact that there was the bat
tie ground of the revolution, and it is
only natural that the spirit of patriotism
should be more active there. He spoke
feelingly of the death of Mr..
Palms, George Moore and DR.. Tiff
fany during the year. and closed by
reiterating the plea made at the last
meeting of the society that each mem
Der should charge himself with the
duty of introducing at least one candi-
date for membership at the next meet
ing. He spoke of the difficulties often
encountered in tracing geneology so as
to connect the present generation with
the heroes of the revolution. and insist
ed that when it is reasonably clear that
man is descendant of soldier, he
becomes eligible TO membership.
The business Of the meeting was of
the briefest sort, and consisted of the
election of two members only They
were Isaac c. Stearns, of ZumbrOta.
who is the lineal grandson of Isaac
StearneS, sergeant in the MasSachu-
sets state militia, and who fought at
Bunker Hill, under the famous Col.
Prescott. And his credentials indi-
Gated that his grandfather took more
than an ordinary part in that histor-
zeal event, in that it was owing to
Bagacity that the little command en-
trenched behind the rail fence on Bunk
er Hill reserved their fire until the
British forces were but five yards away.
The other member elected was Thomas
e. Clark, of saltwater. and he is the
grandson of Private Samuel Hidden, a
member of Capt. JOhnSon's company,
OF AndOver, Mass.
{. b. Palmer, the register of the So
ciety, emphasized the Importance of APP
pllcantS stating the town from which an
ancestor enlisted in the war of the reyO-
luton. Several credentials had been
returned, he explained, by the national
officers because of such technical Omis-
SiOns, and he cited instances where the
rank Of the ancestor has been given
wrong. For illustration, one member
of the Minnesota society had given his
grandfather'S rank as that OF lieuten-
ant, whereas the records show that he
was amajOr.
The balance of the meeting was given
up to "reminiscences and a marathon of
the thrilling events of the revolution
airy war. William Fl. Grant spoke at
length upon the battle of Trenton, IN
which Gen. Washington crushed out
the Hessian forces. The recital was il
Illustrated by a number of interesting
anecdotes, one of which was the capt
ure of sixty Hessians by Sergeant
Stevens and sixteen half-starved and
nearly shOelesS continental soldiers. He
spoke of the exploits of Nathan Hale,
the grandfather of the late Judge Hale.
He was the lieutenant colonel of the
Third New Hampshire volunteers. and
participated in the battles of Bunker
Hill and Trenton, but was made pris-
Oner at Hubbardston, VT, and died a
prisoner. He was allowed to visit his
family, however, under parole, and less
than year thereafter Harry Hale was
born, and he was the father of the late
Judge Hale, of st. Paul.