10/04/2026
What a beautiful day on Saturday, October 3rd, for the unveiling of a new "Patriot Burials" Pomeroy roadside marker at Riverside Cemetery in Rossie! The ceremony was quite impressive from start to finish. If you want to see what the program was like, just read on:
*Leon VanWie, President of the Thousand Islands Chapter of the SAR (Sons of the American Revolution), welcomed the crowd.
*Advancing of the Colors & Post the Colors were done by the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338
*Gresford Speid from Courverneur Elks Lodge sang the National Anthem.
*Boy Scouts led the Pledge of Allegiance
*Rossie Town Historian, Mathew Billings gave words of welcome.
*Work of the SAR -Compatriot James Koch
*William G Pomeroy Foundation-Leon VanWie shared the history and generosity of this foundation in providing this sign and so many others at no charge.
*Assemblyman Scott Gray's liaison, Brian Murray, shared a greeting.
*County Historian, Nancy LaFaver, spoke, stating that this was the 10th Patriot marker in St. Lawrence County, with 3 more to be dedicated on Sunday, so 50 patriots total out of a possible 300 have been honored in this way.
*Steve Demick read a little bio of his 5th great-grandfather, Lieut. Jonathan Church. Jonathan was from VT and fought at Fort Ticonderoga and possibly Saratoga. Later, he came up north to live with some of his children's families.
*Forsythe's Ri**es marched to Jonathan's grave and fired a salute.
*A dedicatory prayer was given by Leon VanWie, followed by the placing of a wreath by the sign. (He also gave the benediction.)
* Another "Firing the Salute" was given in honor of all veterans by the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338, and they also "retired the colors".
*"Taps" were played by Sgt. Willis Dotson, 10 Mt. Division Band.
