Local patriotic groups join forces to honor veterans

Members of the Judge Nathaniel Pope Society, Children of the American Revolution, were joined by the Fort Payne Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, at the Naperville Cemetery Saturday, May 27, for a wreath-laying ceremony to honor Naperville's Revolutionary War patriot John Dudley Sr.

In 2015, a commemorative marker was placed in Naperville Cemetery by the Sons of the American Revolution - Fox Valley Chapter. Dudley, born in 1758 in Connecticut, was buried at the cemetery after his death on Jan. 2, 1846, at son's home in Lisle Township.

During the Revolutionary War, he sailed across the Delaware River with General George Washington and assisted in the capture of 900 Hessian soldiers in the subsequent surprise attack at the Battle of Trenton on Dec. 26, 1776.

The group also assisted the Naperville American Legion Post 43 with Memorial Day flag placements for city founder, Captain Joseph Naper, and many other veterans.

The National Society of the Children of the American Revolution, founded in 1895, is the oldest patriotic youth organization in the nation. Membership is open to descendants of patriots of the American Revolution.

For the the Fort Payne DAR Chapter, any woman is eligible for membership who is no less than 18 years of age and can prove lineal, blood line descent from an ancestor who aided in achieving American independence. She must provide documentation for each statement of birth, marriage, and death.

For information, visit ildar.org/chapters/fortpayne/index.html or facebook.com/NapervilleDAR/.