UNION COUNTY, NJ — Two hundred years ago, Major Gen. Marquis Lafayette returned to America. He was supposed to visit for three months, but he was overwhelmed by the crowds of people who came out to welcome him. He ended up staying in America for 13 months. The American Friends of Lafayette are conducting ceremonies at cities the general visited on those dates 200 years ago.
The New Jersey Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard helped support six General Lafayette 1824 Bicentennial Visit ceremonies in September.
On Monday, Sept. 23, the Westfield Daughters of the American Revolution, AFL and the Union County Historical Society hosted a ceremony at Boxwood Hall NJ State Historic site in Elizabeth. Abraham Clark Chapter President NJSSAR Chris Sands was invited to conduct the Pledge of Allegiance at this event.
On Tuesday morning, Sept. 24, The Washington Rochambeau Revolutionary Route-NJ, the AFL and Lafayette Lodge 27 hosted a ceremony at Lafayette Lodge 27 in Rahway.
Then, on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at 1 p.m., Gen. Lafayette arrived at the Woodbridge History Museum for a ceremony.
On Wednesday, Sept. 25, Gen. Lafayette was in the Assembly Hall of the State House in Trenton for a speech.
On Wednesday night, Sept. 25, at 6 p.m., a grand reception took place at the Trenton Masonic Temple recreating the Grand Reception from 200 years ago that day.
On Thursday morning, Sept. 26, the AFL and the NJ Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons had a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of David Brearley and then a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the David Brearley Center for the American Constitution at St Michael’s Episcopalian Church in Trenton. David Brearley was a founding father; as a colonel in the New Jersey Regiment, he fought with Gen. Lafayette at the battles of Brandywine and Monmouth. Brearley was also the first New Jersey Grand Master of Masons, the first chief justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, a delegate to the Constitutional Convention and voted for the Constitution.
Photos Courtesy of Chris Sands