DAR honors Revolutionary War veterans

On a warm and sunny fall day, 30 members of the community and the Col. Wm. Prescott chapter NSDAR met at the gravesites of Revolutionary War veterans Roger Olmstead and Lambert Woodruff in the old Wolcott Cemetery.

An honor guard from the Wolcott Veterans of Foreign Wars presented the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Andrea (Wadsworth) Felker, 1st Vice-Regent of the Col. Wm. Prescott Chapter NSDAR , welcomed everyone, saying that in marking these two Revolutionary War Veterans grave sites, all veterans were being honored today. Chapter Chaplain Jane (Corser) Culver led various prayers of honor, praise, and thanksgiving for our veterans.

Jane (Wadsworth) DeCracker, 2nd Vice-Regent, placed a bouquet of flowers on Roger Olmstead's tombstone next to the impressive DAR Revolutionary War veterans brass marker. DeCracker read a biography of his life.

Roger Olmstead was born Aug. 25, 1764, and he died Nov. 1840.

He was drafted in Sept. 1781 for one year and served in the Continental Regiment as a Pvt. He served in Cambridge, New Haven area under Capt. Hotchkiss. While serving in the New Haven area, General Cornwallis surrendered and all the Troops rejoiced and the window s in the town were lit with candles.

Roger moved to the Wolcott area in 1813 from his pension. He received 180 acres on May 18, 1833.

Joyce Ann (Brown) Johns, a descendant of Lambert Woodruff, placed flowers on his tombstone next to the DAR marker.

Lambert Woodruff was born in July 1763, and he died July 29, 1843. Lambert Woodruff was born in Watertown, Connecticut. He entered the service of the Continental Army in March 1778 in Connecticut for a period of one year. He was stationed at different places and served between New Haven and New York. He was wounded by a musket ball. Then in April 1779 he served three more months.

The Sept. 1, 1781 he was drafted for service for two more months and was stationed at Medford and served under Col. Baldwin's Regiment, guarding the public stores.

In 1807 he traded his property consisting of two farms and a Grist Mill for 1428 acres of land in the Williamson's patent Pultney Estate in the old town of Wolcott. He moved to this property in Wolcott in 1813. He built a house in the village of Wolcott, which is still standing. He was a trustee of the First Presbyterian Church of Wolcott.

The Wolcott American Legion fired a three-gun salute. The trumpeter from the North Rose-Wolcott High School band played Taps to finalize this ceremony to honor all Veterans.

Among the dignitaries attending the ceremony were Mayor John Munson and Wolcott Supervisor Kim Park.

Inquiries about the local chapter of the DAR and prospective members are always welcome. Contact Regent Patricia Petty: 589.3661, pethive@verizon.net or Registrar Anne Hotchkiss: 589.8011, 2ash@verizon.net

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