Who We Are
The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR or SAR) was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. The society is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and supporting the education of future generations.
SAR members volunteer countless hours of service each year in their local communities. SAR is very active in assisting veterans. We are dedicated to supporting teachers by providing living history interpreters, lesson planning resources, and reenactment events for school-aged students to attend.
More Than Just a Lineage Society
As one of the largest male lineage societies in the country, the SAR boasts tens of thousands of active members in over 550 chapters across the United States and internationally. Any male who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution is eligible for membership. SAR National Headquarters houses one of the nations premier genealogical libraries.
History of the Florida Society
The Florida Society Sons of the American Revolution was organized in 1896. Lieutenant James Henry Bull, a Pennsylvania native stationed at the Pensacola Navy Yard, found several descendants of Revolutionary Patriots who were interested in forming a Florida Society. With support from Charles Augustus Choate, Editor of the Pensacola Daily News, a meeting was held at the law office of the Honorable John C. Avery on March 14, 1896.
Fifteen applicants submitted credentials for Charter membership and before years end, a total of twenty-two had been accepted as founding members.
Since our early beginnings, the Florida Society has had a long and storied history. Our history includes 94 different State Presidents, 176 Patriot Medal Awardees, 10 Compatriots who received the prestigious Minuteman Medal (the highest honor bestowed on an SAR Compatriot), and 5 Florida Compatriots who went on to serve as President General of the National Society.
The Florida Society Today
Today, the Florida Society is one of the largest and most active state societies in the National Society. We are organized into chapters throughout the state of Florida, each committed to community service, education, and the preservation of our nation’s founding principles.
The affairs of the Society are directed by its Board of Management, which meets twice a year — in the fall and in conjunction with the Annual Meeting each spring. Details of the next meeting are posted there.
Florida played an important role in the American Revolution, and the Society commemorates these events every year:
- The Battle of Nassau, the first amphibious assault by American forces, commemorated at Pompano Beach
- The Battle of Thomas Creek, near Jacksonville
- The Battle of Alligator Creek Bridge, at Callahan
- The Siege and Battle of Pensacola
- The last naval battle of the American Revolution, commemorated on Merritt Island
Dates, places and the history of each are on our Sites & Celebrations page.
Documents and Records
The Society’s governing documents, publications and programme materials are collected in the library. Members may also browse the member document store and the record of awards conferred.
Past State Presidents
Throughout the years, our organization has been guided and strengthened by a remarkable group of leaders whose dedication, vision, and service have left a lasting impact. Each president brought unique talents and perspectives that helped shape our growth and success. We take this opportunity to recognize and honor the following past presidents for their outstanding contributions and unwavering commitment to our mission.
| Term | President |
|---|---|
| 2026–2027 | Jonathan Hunt |
| 2025–2026 | Christopher Edwin Washler |
| 2024–2025 | James Yost Gaskins |
| 2023–2024 | Steven Ray Fields |
| 2022–2023 | Earl Frederick Mathews Jr |
| 2020–2021 | David Eben Bussone |
| 2019–2020 | Wm Lee Popham, Sr. |
| 2018–2019 | COL Patrick Jay Niemann USA (ret) |
| 2017–2018 | Robert James Folk, Sr. |
| 2016–2017 | Raymond Francis Wess |
| 2015–2016 | Lawrence Gene Fehrenbaker Sr, MD |
| 2014–2015 | Steven Allen Williams |
| 2013–2014 | Theodore Matthew Duay III |
| 2012–2013 | Phillip Herbert Tarpley |
| 2011–2012 | David Hardy Ramseur |
| 2010–2011 | Gerald Eldridge Meeks |
| 2009–2010 | William Robert Stevenson |
| 2008–2009 | Ronald Eugene Toops |
| 2007–2008 | Grant Rowland Wallin Jr. |
| 2006–2007 | Lindsey Cook Brock |
| 2005–2006 | Harry Francis Hollien |
| 2004–2005 | Harold Frank Miller Jr. |
| 2003–2004 | Lauren R Bradley |
| 2002–2003 | Frank Xavier Hodalski |
| 2001–2002 | John Henry Carter |
| 2000–2001 | John David Tinny |
| 1999–2000 | Renaldo Joseph Hamilton |
| 1998–1999 | Edward Delano Sullivan |
| 1997–1998 | Phillip Bruce Carr |
| 1996–1997 | Rollin LeRoy Bauchspies Jr. |
| 1995–1996 | Ralph Norman Cramer Sr. |
| 1994–1995 | Stanley Allen Evans Sr. |
| 1993–1994 | Arthur Edward Chapman |
| 1992–1993 | Albert Bryan Snapp |
| 1991–1992 | Howard Russell Ford |
| 1990–1991 | Harry Linford Young Jr. |
| 1989–1990 | Richard Irvin Jr. |
| 1988–1989 | Raymond Anthony Haas |
| 1987–1988 | Lunsford Otto Healy |
| 1986–1987 | Edward Sherman Hoyt |
| 1985–1986 | James Russell Miles Sr. |
| 1984–1985 | Richard Edward Friberg |
| 1983–1984 | William Mallory Jones |
| 1983–1984 | Albert Jefferson Twiggs Sr. |
| 1983–1984 | Sidney Scott King Jr. |
| 1982–1983 | J Alan Cross Sr. |
| 1981–1982 | James Frederick McClanahan Sr. |
| 1980–1981 | Joseph Simeon Rumbaugh |
| 1979–1980 | Wilbur H Sisson |
| 1978–1979 | John Dupree Williams |
| 1977–1978 | William Swasey Hatt |
| 1976–1977 | George Edward Morris Jr. |
| 1975–1976 | Cecil Leslie Bothwell Jr. |
| 1974–1975 | Richard Henry Thompson Jr. |
| 1973–1974 | Matthew Bacon Sellers III |
| 1972–1973 | George Davis Avant |
| 1971–1972 | Clarence L Hewitt Jr. |
| 1970–1971 | Calvin E Sutherd |
| 1970–1971 | Curtis E Haley |
| 1969–1970 | Marshall E Barton |
| 1968–1969 | Carl K Hoffmann |
| 1966–1967 | V Winthrop O'Hara |
| 1965–1966 | Bickford E Sawyer Sr. |
| 1964–1965 | Robert Clay Kime |
| 1963–1964 | Jack Coleman |
| 1962–1963 | Charles Edwin Terry Sr. |
| 1961–1962 | Herbert Chidsey Roberts |
| 1960–1961 | Austin Richards Drew |
| 1959–1960 | George St. Clair Campbell |
| 1956–1957 | Primrose Watson Fisher |
| 1955–1956 | Morris Claiborne Burnside |
| 1954–1955 | Ira Cecil Haycock |
| 1953–1954 | Frederick Kuhn Woodring |
| 1952–1953 | James Leon Ingram |
| 1951–1952 | Clyde Germany Trammel |
| 1950–1951 | Neal M. Brock |
| 1949–1950 | Frank William Hannum |
| 1948–1949 | William Richard Jackson Jr. |
| 1947–1948 | Ray Omer Edwards Jr. |
| 1946–1947 | Russell Levin Frink |
| 1945–1946 | Benjamin Iredell Powell III |
| 1944–1945 | Benjamin Iredell Powell III |
| 1943–1944 | James Westbay Day |
| 1942–1943 | James Westbay Day |
| 1941–1942 | James Alexander Austin |
| 1940–1941 | James Field Wardlaw |
| 1939–1940 | James Field Wardlaw |
| 1938–1939 | Herbert Lamson |
| 1937–1938 | Burton Barrs |
| 1936–1937 | Burton Barrs |
| 1935–1936 | Burton Barrs |
| 1934–1935 | Burton Barrs |
| 1933–1934 | Peter O Knight |
| 1932–1933 | Peter O Knight |
| 1931–1932 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1930–1931 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1929–1930 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1928–1929 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1927–1928 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1926–1927 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1925–1926 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1924–1925 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1923–1924 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1922–1923 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1921–1922 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1920–1921 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1919–1920 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1918–1919 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1917–1918 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1916–1917 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1915–1916 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1914–1915 | John Hobart Cross |
| 1913–1914 | John Hobart Cross |
| 1912–1913 | John Hobart Cross |
| 1911–1912 | John Hobart Cross |
| 1910–1911 | John Hobart Cross |
| 1909–1910 | John Hobart Cross |
| 1908–1909 | John Hobart Cross |
| 1907–1908 | Frank Gale Renshaw |
| 1906–1907 | William Swift Keyser |
| 1905–1906 | William Swift Keyser |
| 1903–1904 | John Campbell Avery |
| 1902–1903 | John Campbell Avery |
| 1901–1902 | John Campbell Avery |
| 1900–1901 | John Campbell Avery |
| 1899–1900 | John Campbell Avery |
| 1898–1899 | John Campbell Avery |
| 1896–1897 | James Henry Bull |