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From: "Sheila A. Stratton-Peel" <>
Subject: [WHITNEY-L] Fw: Fourth of July *******************
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2000 11:30:55 -0400


This is the reason that we celebrate the Fourth of July. Just think of the
sacrifice our forefathers gave for our independence. If you can ring any
bell at 2:00 PM on the fourth of July to celebrate!
Sheila

----- Original Message -----
From: "Keith" <>
To: <>
Sent: Sunday, June 25, 2000 11:00 AM
Subject: Re: [CHASE-L] Fourth of July


Oh,Dear!
Keith Hume
Date sent: Fri, 23 Jun 2000 07:29:48 -0700
From: Robert Shannon <>
Subject: [CHASE-L] Fourth of July
To:

After reading this....and knowning my ancestors were some of these, I am
going to remember to fly my flag high this year!
Bob


REMEMBERING INDEPENDENCE DAY/July 4th

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed
the Declaration of Independence? Five signers were captured by the British
as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their
homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the
Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought
and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and
their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine
were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But
they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the
penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw
his
ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and
properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to
move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay,
and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and
poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall,
Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr, noted that the
British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his
headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The
home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy
jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven
from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their
lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year
he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his
children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken
heart.

Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution.
These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men
of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more.
Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged:

"For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection
of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our
fortunes, and our sacred honor."

They gave you and me a free and independent America. The
history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary
War. We didn't fight just the British. We were British subjects at that time
and we fought our own government!

Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we
shouldn't. So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday
and silently thank these patriots. It's not much to ask for
the price they paid. Remember: freedom is never free!

I hope you will show your support by please sending this to as
many people as you can. It's time we get the word out that patriotism is NOT
a sin, and the Fourth of July has more to it than beer, picnics, and
baseball games.


Malo, Washington, US
County: Ferry County
Location: 48:48:06N 118:36:21W




Keith Hume,
email
CHASE-L Website at:- http://www.surnameweb.org/centers/c/chase/index.html
HUME/Hulme Family Website at at:-
http://www.geocities.com/keithhume/

Kent,England
Researching:- HULME,DAWSON,(In Lancs.)
HUME,McKAY, (In New Brunswick & Nova Scotia
SHERMAN,SIMMONS,HATHAWAY AND CHASE,(In USA & Canada)
SHERRING & BLUNDEN (Hampshire,England)
FALL,(Ireland & Australia)
BUTCHER,PAYNE/PAINE,BURCKITT(Bedfordshire,England)

Sheila A. Stratton-Peel
Researching Family surnames:
STRATTON, WHITNEY,
RUGG, INGRAHAM, CORWIN, BROCKWAY, and, of course, PEEL and many more.
Take a look at my family history file!
http://www.my-ged.com/peel/
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