The President’s 2016 Annual Report of the Civil War Study Group, Inc. Locust Grove, Virginia
The Civil War Study Group, Inc., and its informal public organization, Civil War Study Group at Lake of the Woods, completed its sixth successful year.
Attendance at regular monthly meetings continues to increase with the move to the lower level of the LOW Clubhouse. We have more than 250 names on our email list. The organization does not have general membership, nor does it have dues. Its officers and directors serve with no remuneration and its projects are funded through donations and an annual golf tournament.
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
On March 15, 2016, Peter Rainey retired from the position of chairman of the corporation. There was no motion to elect a new Chairman and on October 6, 2016, the board voted unanimously to eliminate the position of Chairman.
The board expressed its regret on the untimely death of Dan Hartwick in September. Dan was a director who had resigned earlier in the year due to a family commitment. Dad and his wife Joyce had assumed responsibility for the artifacts display case in the LOW Clubhouse.
Also on October 6, three new board members were unanimously elected to begin serving January1, 1017. They were Allie Felder, Bob Johnson, and Greg Stoner. Their election was announced at the CWSG annual dinner on October 28 1916.
Officers elected to serve three-year terms beginning January 1, 2017, were
President - Charles Brewer
Vice President - Jack Phend
Secretary - Joe Rokus
Treasurer - Boggs Wright
Continuing to serve as directors for the next year are Dwight Mottet, one of the organization’s founding members, and Craig Rains.
MONTHLY MEETINGS IN 2016
February 26. “Missing the Mark on Mercy Street: Who was the Real Frank Stringfellow?” by Frank Stringfellow Walker Jr. whose name came from the real TV character who actually was a minister who christened Walker’s father.
March 17."Culpeper County: a Guided Civil War Tour -- with Commentary from the Participants," by Mike Block, president, Friends of Cedar Mountain Battlefield
April 22. “The Confederacy’s Forgotten Son: Maj. Gen. James Lawson Kemper C.S.A.” by author Harold R. Woodward Jr. of Madison County.
June 24. “Six Things We Bet You Didn't Know about the Battle of Trevellian Station, June 11-12, 1864” by CWSGI President Craig Rains.
July 22. "Finding Gems in Virginia's Largest Regional Archives: Central Rappahannock Heritage Center." by Elizabeth "Beth" Daly, a member of the board of directors of the Central Rappahannock Heritage Center.
August 26. "A Pretty Good Start: Central Virginia Battlefields Trust at 20" by Ben Brockenbrough, chief administrator of Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, Inc.
September 23. "Does the Civil War Really Matter Anymore?" by Sharon Grubbs, an area history teacher who was awarded a scholarship by CWSGI to attend the Civil War Trust's National Teacher Institute.
November 18. “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”: the Carol and its Connection to the Mine Run Campaign of November-December, 1863 by Dr. Pete Rainey, former CWSGI chairman
SPECIAL EVENTS IN 2016
SPOTSWOOD AND APPERSON FAMILY CEMETERIES MARKED. In the first week of the new year, Carroll Memorials of Fredericksburg installed granite markers at the Spotswood and Apperson family cemeteries. CWSGI paid for the markers that featured the family names on bronze plaques. Six months later, interpretive panels were installed for each cemetery. Although these cemeteries had been here more than 150 years, this was the first time they had been permanently marked. The idea for the project came from Pete Rainey.
ORANGE COUNTY SCHOOLS HISTORICAL PROJECT. In May, the Civil War Study Group conducted the judging of posters by Locust Grove Elementary School and Lightfoot Elementary School fourth-grade students in the annual History Day Educational Program. Jack Phend was in charge of the project that involved several CWSG volunteers who did the judging.
BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT. This was the sixth year for this major fund-raiser for CWSGI. Jack Phend served as tournament director for the tournament at Lake of the Woods Golf Course. Fifty golfers and a record 27 sponsors helped raise about $3,500.00 for CWSGI projects. LOWVets again set up a raffle during golfers’ check-in and raised several hundred dollars for “Families of the Wounded” and the Hunter Homes McGuire VA Hospital in Richmond.
INFORMATIONAL SIGN INSTALLED AT THE CWSGI MEMORIAL. In June, the board ordered a sign installed at the memorial on the Lake of the Woods Church property at the informal trailhead leading into the Wilderness Battlefield. It explains the purpose and meaning of the granite memorials placed there in 2014.
HISTORICAL DRIVING TOUR OF LAKE OF THE WOODS. Because of the growing interest in the history of the LOW area, Bob Johnson spent several months developing a driving tour of points of interest within the community. His “History and Civil War Driving Tour” is now available free on-line in a nine-page size and a detailed 39-page version.
CWSG ANNUAL DINNER, October 28. "They Stood Like the 'Old Guard of Napoleon': Jefferson Davis and the pro-Bonaparte Democrats, 1815-1870" by Dr. Jeffrey L. Zvengrowski of the University of Virginia. The annual CWSG dinner was again a resounding success with more than 75 in attendance. Special this year was a “sneak peek” for a just-published book “Dear Old Ellwood: a Home in the Wilderness” that was written by Carolyn Jones Elstner, who was on hand to autograph copies. Charles Brewer coordinated the event that was held at the Lake of the Woods Clubhouse.
ALEXANDER CEMETERY TOUR. On October 20, 2016, the Civil War Study Group teamed up with Friends of Wilderness Battlefield to give a tour of the historic Alexander Chapel Cemetery, located near the intersection of Route 3 and Route 20. Jack Phend chaired the project and the excellent tour was conducted by Joe Rokus.
DEDICATION OF THE APPERSON FAMILY INTERPRETIVE PANEL. The Apperson family cemetery is located between 2006 and 2008 Lakeview Parkway. It was more than 100 years old when incorporated into the land acquired to create Lake of the Woods. On November 7, more than 30 descendants, friends, and local officials gathered for a dedication and unveiling of an interpretive panel at Edgemont Circle beach explaining the connection between the Apperson family and Lake of the Woods. Jack Phend was in charge of the event. The marking of the cemetery, as well as the Spotswood family cemetery, was the idea of retired CWSGI Chair Pete Rainey.
LAKE OF THE WOODS 50TH ANNIVERSARY. Civil War Study Group’s final official act of 2016 will be the removal of five artifacts from the Clubhouse display case to become part of Orange’s James Madison Museum exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishing of LOW. Joe Rokus and Charles Brewer are coordinating this. The exhibition will be open during the first quarter of 2017 and the artifacts will be returned to the cabinet at its conclusion.
Respectfully submitted, Craig Rains, President Civil War Study Group, Inc.
November 22, 2016