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OK, I know folks rightfully complain about non-tractor related pictures posted here, but please bear with me on this one,I think it is important; This picture is from a ceremony which took place today, May 3, 2009 to finally honor a long lost colonial army veteran, Mr. Nathaniel Blackmer at my local cemetery. Mr. Blackmer fought in the Massachusetts colony army at the age of 17 yrs.ld in 1780 & 1781. Many years later he settled in Michigan , but had in the mean time lost his papers to prove he had served in The Revolution. He tried his whole life to prove that claim until he died in 1850. After his death, his family took up the cause and were finally successful within the last few years when historians found his mispelled name on rosters that recently came to light. 159 years after his death, 228 years after his service in the creation of this country, this patriot was finally given the honors he deserved. His descendents, their friends, and interested locals were regaled with several speeches, a Scottish bagpipe band, colonial costumed honor guards, a 21 gun salute & volley, and an escort of Patriot Riders also paid tribute. The red, white and blue ladies in the foreground were there to represent the D.A.R., of which there were several chapters also present. True, this is not tractor related in a narrow sense, but if that ragged army of colonial militias such as the one Mr. Blackmer enlisted in hadnt heeded the call to arms, our country and possibly even us, might not be here to enjoy the liberties that generation made possible. I guess Mr. Blackmer's record of service is no longer 'Stuck' in a sort of burecratic limbo due to lost paperwork, and I hope his soul is no longer 'Troubled' that his contributions went unknown for so long. It is too bad his 90+ year old great, great, great grandaughter (who was present) cant get the U.S. govt. to pay up his long witheld pension payments-with interest... Submitted by Dale, from MI |
