Local District Attorney General Jason Lawson has been selected as the newest member of the historical preservation club, the Sons of the American Revolution.   SAR, and its counter-part DAR, the Daughters of the American Revolution, are civic organizations dedicated to preserving and promoting the patriotic work of our nation’s founding fathers and soldiers in fighting for American Independence in the Revolutionary War.  To be admitted to the SAR, a person must be a citizen in good standing and be able to trace their ancestry directly to a Revolutionary War patriot.

            District Attorney Lawson was selected to join SAR as a direct descendent of Samuel Scurlock, a young patriot soldier during the Revolutionary War who served as a private in the militia of North and South Carolina.  He served for three years with the armies of General George Washington and General Nathanael Greene.  At the battle of Gates Defeat, Scurlock was wounded in the leg by a musket ball shot which resulted in his medical discharge from the war due to injury.  However, once recovered, Scurlock re-enlisted and fought again at the Battle of Guilford in North Carolina.  He then continued to fight under General Washington through the conclusion of the war and was present at Yorktown when British General Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington, ending the war.  The musket ball that had caused his medical discharge was never removed, and he carried it with him in the calf of his leg for the remainder of his life where it could be easily felt by those examining.

            “It is inspiring to hear the stories of the brave people who placed their lives at risk to win our freedom,” said Lawson.  “I am humbled to be a descendant of one of these patriots and very proud to be part of an organization that will work to keep his memory and the memory of others like him alive and appreciated by our future generations.”

            The Sons of the American Revolution participate in many initiatives throughout the year, including identification and maintaining the grave markers of patriots, placing wreaths on these graves at the holiday season, and reading of the Declaration of Independence at Fourth of July events.  The organization also awards scholarships to deserving recipients for patriotic essays, as well as for participation in school JROTC or BoyScouts EagleScout programs.