DAR to Dedicate Revolutionary War Marker

The Eunice Cobb Stocking Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will dedicate a DAR Marker for the Revolutionary War Service of Joseph Dutton. This is the culmination of a 6-month effort which included historical research, obtaining local permission, receiving approval from the National Historian at the DAR, and private fundraising. The dedication will be held on May 19, 2018, at 11 am at Scotts Swamp Cemetery, near 197 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington, Connecticut. The public is welcome to attend the dedication and a small reception at the site immediately following.

Joseph Dutton was a longstanding Connecticut patriot who served three terms of service in the Revolutionary War. He was a young private who served in Connecticut and also across the Hudson River in New York state. Joseph Dutton's ancestry was deeply entrenched in Connecticut from the colonial time. His family migrated from England to Massachusetts and settled in Connecticut. Joseph Dutton lived in Farmington and his parents and grandparents were early settlers of the greater Farmington valley. Life during the Revolutionary War was very difficult so the average expectancy was thirty-six during that era. Joseph Dutton lived to be an astounding seventy-five years old, more than double that of most people during the Revolution. His service to his country and his longevity enabled him to ultimately collect a pension. That, coupled with the State of Connecticut and town of Farmington records preservation, provided the evidence that was required to obtain the honor of a DAR marker.

It is unfortunate that many revolutionary soldiers were killed and unable to have descendants capable of honoring them with a DAR marker. Many more were not fortunate to be buried in a family setting with a marked grave. Joseph Dutton was blessed to survive the war and be buried in a marked grave, with other family members, in this special cemetery that has survived the test of time. In addition, his gravesite in the Scotts Swamp Cemetery in Farmington benefited from the work of Charles Hale, enabling an installation of a federal marker for this and other veterans’ graves.

Bree Morse Berner, an active member of the Eunice Cobb Stocking Chapter and Glastonbury resident, has championed the effort for a DAR Marker for her patriotic ancestor, Joseph Dutton. She received support from a fellow member and resident, Katherine Simmons, who also has Dutton ancestors and is the Eunice Cobb Stocking Chapter Registrar. In addition to the good fortune of Joseph Dutton's well preserved grave and good local recordkeeping, Bree's great, great grandmother, Elizabeth Julia Hart Morse, maintained a lifelong knowledge and pride in her grandfather's military service in the American Revolution. She retained a shoe buckle and knee buckle as family heirlooms and joined the DAR in 1905 becoming the first to establish Joseph Dutton's revolutionary service with the DAR. Elizabeth's letters of inquiry to confirm his military service are stored with his pension papers in the National Archives. With support from other DAR members, Bree fulfilled the goal of proving Joseph Dutton deserved DAR recognition. She then worked with other Joseph Dutton descendents from Ohio, Wisconsin and Connecticut to fund the purchase of the DAR Marker, some of whom will be attending the dedication. Bree Berner, Joseph Dutton descendents and the DAR are thrilled to honor Joseph Dutton's patriotism to the United States of American during the Revolutionary War.

The Eunice Cobb Stocking Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution is located in Glastonbury, Connecticut. The chapter meets on the first Wednesday night of the month at 7 pm and regularly holds educational, historical and conservation programs that are open to the public. The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With nearly 185,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world's largest and most active service organizations. DAR members are committed to volunteer service having served more than 12.5 million hours in communities throughout the world during the past three years. To learn more about the work of today's DAR, visit www.DAR.org or connect with DAR on social media at facebook.com/TodaysDAR, twitter.com/TodaysDAR and youtube.com/TodaysDAR. If you have questions or you are interested in joining this chapter, then please email StockingChapter.DAR@gmail.com.