The Daughters of the American Revolution want you come to the Angelica Park Circle for 11am ceremony
From the Catherine Schuyler DAR,
The Unveiling and Dedication of the America250 Monument to honor Allegany County’s Revolutionary War Patriots will take place at Angelica, New York’s Annual Heritage Days, August 1st, 2026, from 11:15 a.m. to noon. The site is located at the east end of Angelica’s Park Circle, a location that is on the National Register of Historic Places. This event is the culmination of several years of researching, planning, partnership building, community outreach and investments, spurred on by a vision of the Catherine Schuyler Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR or DAR); a chapter of nearly 100 women who are direct descendants of at least one proven Patriot of the American Revolution.
Prior to the establishment of this 129-year-old chapter’s America250 Committee, a project to provide public access to the DAR’s wealth of information about our Patriot ancestors and the Revolutionary War era came into being. This ‘Patriots Corner’ is located on the second floor of the Allegany County Historical Society’s (ACHS) History Center and Museum in Andover, New York. Our Patriot’s stories are featured there and include articles written by DAR members who walked the cemeteries of Allegany County between 2020 and 2023 and prepared articles for the Cuba Patriot and Free Press; as well as binders of Patriot records, cross-referenced to ACHS surname files.
Some precious related items, including the chapter’s set of the replica Hamilton-Burr dueling pistols, commissioned by the National Historical Society for our nation’s Bicentennial are found in the Patriots Corner. These will be on display after the Monument Dedication in an America250 Exhibit Tent near the monument.
There have been several instances in Allegany County’s past where a newspaper, an educational institution, a historical society or local historian, and others have identified early settlers of Allegany County who were found to be Patriots of the American Revolution. At and for the building of the DAR Patriots Corner’s archive of information, past records were compiled, organized by township, and then alphabetically, and distributed to receive feedback on the accuracy. To date 117 proven Patriots of the American Revolution who were early settlers of Allegany County have been identified, almost all of whom are buried within the current county boundaries. Our America250 Monument pays tribute to them, as well as the descendants of more than 600 Revolutionary War Patriots who made their homes here, often for many generations.
When the chapter established an America250 Committee in 2023, some basic commitments began to emerge. One was to create a fundraising effort that would enable us to commemorate and celebrate in a meaningful way. The fundraising focus preceded, then paralleled, the monument vision. We started out with a colonial cookbook idea which, over time, expanded into much more than a colonial recipe book, although there are over 100 of those featured, some of which are surprising and fun. Added to most pages are Revolutionary War factoids, short biographies of patriot ancestors with connections to Allegany County, and original illustrations by a local artist. Chronological maps and accompanying short articles begin with the cover page and are on each divider in sequence. Just shy of 300 copies have been sold and a recent 3rd printing ensures there will be plenty available on Monument Dedication Day.
The Catherine Schuyler Chapter NSDAR America250 Committee was established in 2023-24 and grew to 12 very dedicated and inventive ladies, with steadfast commitments to making this journey a very special one. The primary goal became taking the needed steps to enable the creation of a lasting tribute to our Patriot ancestors, on an historic site readily accessible to residents of the county, as well as visitors. Many additional chapter members have also pitched in to assist with various aspects of this and other America250 projects along the way.
In consultation with our primary partners during the planning process, the Town of Angelica, the Angelica Booster Citizens, and Crandall’s Memorials, the monument and site designs were decided. Patriots unknown, as well as those who are known to be a part of Allegany County history, were to be included as part of the design. The monument, to this end, has ‘wings’ of etched stone walls, imaging colonial stone wall fencing, one representing the known and the other the unknown Patriots. The unknown are those for whom little or no documentation of their sacrifices are recorded or acknowledged, and those lost to time who may be made known at a later date.
Among the monument site features are a solar-lit flagpole installation, the monument itself, a Tricentennial time capsule that will be put in place under ground in front of the monument and capped with a granite marker, and background shrubbery.
Mindful of the importance of the location for this monument, the committee decided, early on, to approach the Town of Angelica “A Place Where History Lives”, for several reasons. This location is one of historic significance, being the first village established in the county, in 1805. It became the county’s initial County Seat, when the county was established in 1806. The village was named by early settler, Philip Church, grandson of General Philip Schuyler and Catherine (Van Rennselaer) Schuyler, for his mother Angelica Schuyler Church. Philip Church married Anna Matilda Stuart, daughter of another General of the American Revolution, Walter Stuart. Their granddaughters, Angelica Church Hart and Helen Church Gilpin, were among the founding members of the Catherine Schuyler Chapter NSDAR. Important, as well, is that Angelica is central, geographically, to Allegany County residents as a whole and readily accessible from the county’s primary north-south State Route 19 and the east-west at Exit 31 of Interstate 86. The Angelica Park Circle itself is on the National Register of Historic Places and in the village’s Historic District.
Myriad organizations, businesses, municipalities, families and individuals have contributed in countless ways to making this marvelous lasting tribute a reality. Their contributions will be recognized both at the upcoming dedication and unveiling and by other means. The Catherine Schuyler Chapter NSDAR if extremely grateful to all who have played a part in this successful venture.
Recently, monument t-shirts have been made available at the Catherine Schuyler Chapter’s online store. These t-shirts, in several color options, list the names of all 117 known Patriots who were early settlers of Allegany County on the back.
Those and other America250 items can be found at our on-line store at:
https://darcsc.itemorder.com/shop/home/
