Ohio Society DAR’s Ohio State Regent Susan Leininger places the America 250 marker for Underrepresented Patriots at the base of the headstone for Private Benjamin Williams
Ryan Berry | Daily Advocate
Private Benjamin Williams made his way to the Longtown area in Darke County before his death in 1839.
Ryan Berry | Daily Advocate
This is a close-up look at the marker that will be used throughout the state to honor Underrepresented Patriots.
Ryan Berry | Daily Advocate
By Ryan Berry
DailyAdvocate.com
GREENVILLE — As part of the annual Bethel Long Wesleyan Church’s Homecoming, Fort GreeneVille Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) held a ceremony to honor Benjamin Williams, a Revolutionary War soldier and patriot buried at Clemens Cemetery in Longtown.
DAR’s Regent Penny Weaver opened the ceremony and gave a brief welcome. She said, “Fort GreeneVille Chapter Daughter of the American Revolution is honored being part of the 168th Homecoming celebration and historical cemetery tour of Clemens Cemetery. We are here today to honor Benjamin Williams, an American Revolutionary War patriot.
The recognition is part of a state-level project of DAR’s America 250 campaign to raise awareness and honor Ohio’s underrepresented patriots. To receive the special marker for service during the American Revolutionary War, the patriot is required to be either female, African American, Native American, French, French Canadian, Dutch, Spanish, Jewish or of mixed heritage.
Fort GreeneVille DAR member Caroline Petitjean shared Williams’ history and how he found his way to Darke County. She said was born around 1762. He was a free person of color who enlisted to serve during the American Revolutionary War. He began his service in 1781. Petitjean said, “He served as a private under Captain Winchester, Colonel Adams and General Mordecai Gist. He was at the siege of Yorktown and assisted in the capture of Cornwallis’ Army in 1781.” Williams went on to serve on behalf of America for three years. Williams made his way to Hamilton County, Ohio where he applied for a pension in 1819 and began receiving $8 per month. Petitjean shared that sometime after 1835, Williams arrived in Darke County and settled near Longtown. Williams died on Feb. 19, 1839.
Ohio Society DAR’s Ohio State Regent Susan Leininger had the privilege of presenting the American 250 marker that honors Underrepresented Patriots. Leininger said, “As we approach the 250th anniversary of our country, we feel it is very important to recognize the contributions of all of our veterans and patriots who helped to attain American independence.” According to Leininger, Williams is the first recipient of this marker in the state. She added, “Thank you to the efforts of the Fort GreeneVille Chapter DAR, we are delighted to be able to honor Private Benjamin Williams with this Underrepresented Patriot Marker today.”
Pastor Pamela Geise of the Bethel Long Wesleyan Church gave the benediction but added, “We need to treat our vets better. We need to honor them a lot more than we do.”
To contact Daily Advocate Editor Ryan Berry, email [email protected].
