Marstons Mills honors Revolutionary militiamen

The Barnstable Connecticut
Oct 15, 2020 at 8:49 AM

The Yarmouth Minutemen and the Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the American Revolution fire a regulation musket volley at the Marstons Mills Cemetery last Saturday to honor 12 veterans of the Revolutionary War (1776-1783) who are buried in gravesites that have been newly cleaned and restored.

Last Saturday marked a ceremony of dedication at the Marstons Mills Cemetery to honor 12 veterans of the Revolutionary War (1776-1783) who are buried at gravesites that volunteers recently cleaned and restored.

A Yarmouth Minutemen color guard opened welcome remarks by representatives the Cape Cod Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and the Marstons Mills Historical Society.

On hand for the ceremony were State Reps. Will Crocker (R-Centerville) and Randy Hunt (R-Sandwich); Town Council President Paul Hebert; Councilors Paula Schnepp and Matthew Levesque; COMM Fire Chief Michael Winn; and David Martin, president of the Marstons Mills Historical Society.

Among the audience of about 50 people were Nancy Clark, chair of the Barnstable Historical Commission; Donna Lawson, president of the Marstons Mills Village Association; and retired judge David Reardon, sporting a tricorn hat.

The program featured remarks by SAR geneaologist David Schafer, who described how militia members would be called upon to drop their farming to defend the cause. Occasional high-wind gusts made the hand-held mic crackle.

Descendants of each long-ago patriot placed American flags at their ancestors’ gravesite. Joseph Mongelli performed Taps, followed by the Minutemen’s regulation musket volley.