Nevada SAR Signers Chapter

09/14/2026

09/10/2026

09/09/2026

Once again, a great assembly of impressive men and women met at the Egg Works Restaurant in Summerlin for a Signers Chapter breakfast meeting on Saturday, Sept. 5th. Chapter President David Bentley began the meeting on time at 9am with an invocation prayer from Chapter Chaplain Tom Reding followed by attendees reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and SAR Pledge.

36 attendees then were treated to a presentation about medical care during the American Revolution, by compatriot Eric D. Swanson, MD, FACS. Eric highlighted the types of medical care that patriot soldiers received when they received wounds in battle and how Continental Army General George Washington saved his troops from the dreaded smallpox disease by permitting them to be inoculated by variolation.

President David Bentley then thanked compatriot Don Walsh for volunteering the join the chapter leadership team as Speakers Committee Chairman. Don had already joined compatriot Anthony Connolly on the Awards Committee. Don’s extensive background in first responder firefighting and EMS response adds to the committee’s ability to recognize local heroic acts with Chairman Connolly’s Police Force career experience.

America250 Committee Chairman Bob Reed confirmed that the chapter’s America250 monument at the Southern Nevada Veterans Cemetery in Boulder City, was further etched on the back side enhancing its recognition of contributions by America’s first veterans.

President Bentley described the upcoming annual fundraiser project in November conducting bus tours for the Fallout New Vegas event, and the need for chapter volunteers at Goodsprings.

Events Committee Chairman Al Conant discussed the upcoming essay contest for students seeking a chapter scholarship award and also discussed the upcoming Wreaths Across American event at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in December.

Gary Watson thanked NSSDAR Francisco Garces chapter Vice Regent, Lauri Oaken-Binder, who will be the featured speak at the upcoming Constitution Dinner event on September 19th at 5pm at the Las Vegas National Golf Club.

NSSDAR Las Vegas Springs Chapter Regent, Wendy Kelly, discussed their chapter’s upcoming Zoom meeting when author Ted Hart will speak about his book, Vineyards to Victory, on Sunday October 4th.

09/02/2026

09/01/2026

in , 1790, the 1st Census began. Ever since, it has been conducted every 10 years in an attempt to count each individual living in the . Though easily overlooked, the decennial Census—mandated by the —provides our nation guidance on both representation in and taxation. Further, at a time when it can be difficult to ascertain the truth, the Census, one scholar observes, is “some of the most reliable information the nation has.”

The Census was created by the Framers as an instrument of democratic governance. They reflected on their frustrations under the Articles of Confederation to draft the Constitution and forge a new way to best represent US citizens. Like other aspects of the Constitution, they created a check & balance by making population the basis of tax capacity and political power. In fact, the US became the 1st nation to use a census to continuously reapportion political power (i.e., representation).

Counting each person, however, is no simple task. In 1790, Pres. Washington oversaw the Census, estimating, “The numbers of our people as far as they can be ascertained from the present stage of the Census, will...astonish Europe” and may “add consequence to the union of these States.”

The 1790 Census took 18 months to complete and provided—for the 1st time—a count of our population in 6 original categories: head of family, number of free white men older and younger than 16, free white women, other free persons, and the enslaved.

From this, the 1st apportionment of seats in the House of Representatives occurred, assigning 1 representative for every 33,000 people—though only counting the enslaved as 3/5 of a person—for a total of 105 representatives.

Thus, while the Census' questions and apportionment have changed dramatically since 1790, it remains a critical piece of our representative democracy, serving as “not only a headcount of our nation,” its director has argued, but “a history of the people of this country since our founding.”

08/31/2026

Join us Saturday morning, Sept. 5th at the Egg Works Restaurant in Summerlin for the latest breakfast meeting of the SAR Signers Chapter. The address is 2025 Village Center Circle. Be sure to arrive before 8:30am as between 30-40 attendees have been attending to enjoy breakfast and a shared appreciation for the founding of our country and its history.

Chapter President David Bentley will start the 90-minute meeting at 9am. After an invocation prayer by Chaplain Tom Reding, the Pledge of Allegiance and SAR Pledge are recited. Then David will induct those who have recently become members.

Our featured speaker for this meeting will be compatriot Eric D. Swanson, MD, FACS. During the American Revolutionary War, medical care for soldiers was rudimentary by modern standards but vital to the war effort. The Continental Army began with limited resources, and the first formal hospital department was established by Congress on 27 July 1775 in Boston to address the growing need for organized medical support. Of the approximately 1,400 medical practitioners who served, only around 10% had formal medical degrees.

Eric earned his DMD (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry) in 1991 at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, then earned his MD (Doctor of Medicine) in 1994 at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and then Eric obtained a peer-honored distinction as an FACS in 2007, which means he is a Fellow of The American College of Surgeons.

08/31/2026

The editorial staff here at DDAR confesses that this meme makes us chuckle.

The meme is of course intended to be silly and humorous. But the appearance of the French fleet in the Chesapeake Bay on this day in 1781 was in fact one of the most momentous events in American history. The arrival of the fleet made possible the French victory in the Battle of the Capes on September 5, which in turn made possible the siege of Yorktown, the surrender of Cornwallis’s army, and the securing of American independence.

The fleet, commanded by Admiral the Marquis de Grasse, was under orders to assist the Franco-American forces but de Grasse (who was in the Caribbean) was given the discretion to sail either to New York (where the armies of Washington and Rochambeau were facing the British under General Clinton) or to the Chesapeake, to support Lafayette’s army that was confronting Cornwallis in Virginia. Either way, Rochambeau and Washington pleaded with de Grasse to bring reinforcements and desperately needed hard money with him. So, de Grasse took aboard 3,000 French soldiers and over a million livres in gold and silver (about 6 million dollars in today’s money) and set sail for Virginia, with 37 warships, including 27 ships of the line.

When the British learned that de Grasse was sailing north, the fleet commanded by Admiral Samuel Hood set out in pursuit. Unsure whether de Grasse’s destination was Virgina or New York, Hood sailed first to the Chesapeake, arriving on August 25. When he saw that the French navy wasn’t there, he assumed they must be in New York, and he raced his ships north.

That was a stroke of luck for the Americans and French. Even though Hood’s fleet left the Caribbean several days later than de Grasse, the speedier British ships unknowingly passed the French along the way. When they found no French ships in the Chesapeake it wasn’t because they had sailed to New York instead. They just hadn’t gotten there yet.

Four days after Hood left in his frantic dash to New York, de Grasse’s French fleet sailed unopposed into the Bay and began unloading the reinforcements, supplies, and money.

When Hood reached New York, he discovered what had happened. His fleet was combined with that of British Admiral Thomas Graves, and they sailed for Virginia, to confront de Grasse.

This remarkable story will continue with the Battle of the Capes. But for today let us remember the fortuitous arrival of the French fleet in the Chesapeake Bay on August 29, 1781, two hundred forty-five years ago today.