Members of the TNSSAR Color Guard are pictured with Patriot Augustine Hackworth descendants & family after the ceremony and unveiling of the SAR Patriot Marker honoring the Patriot’s service during the Revolutionary War.
The John Sevier Chapter Tennessee Society Sons of the American Revolution conducted a Patriot Grave Marking Ceremony on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in honor of Revolutionary War Patriot Augustine Hackworth at Condra Cemetery near Whitwell in Marion County.
Patriot grave marking ceremonies are conducted at the grave sites of known Revolutionary War patriots across the State of Tennessee. The ceremony included presentation and posting of colors by members of the TNSSAR Color Guard from three of the state’s chapters (John Sevier, Col.
Benjamin Cleveland and Stephen Holston), the patriot’s service biography presented by Cliff Kent, dedication of the Patriot Marker, by TNSSAR President Joel Davenport, society ceremonial passages presented by Michael Goss, Rick Bassette, Jim Pemberton and Tyler Bobenhausen.
Descendants of Augustine Hackworth helped with the unveiling of the society marker included Jim Hackworth, Dianne Hackworth, Janis Bishop, Bertie Layne and Judith Bennett. John Sevier Chapter 1VP Brian Frye lead the roll call of organizations to present wreaths & greetings as the ceremony registrar. The ceremony concluded with a three-volley musket salute by color guard members and the playing of TAPs (Paul Bobenhausen, Tyler Bobenhausen and Bryan Beck). Post ceremony, attendees posted a new Besty Ross grave side flag in honor of the patriot veteran and his service.
Patriot Augustine Hackworth was born in Caroline County Virginia in 1746. He was subject to militia service at age 15 or 1761 and could have been called on to serve till 1796. On Nov. 21 of 1832 when he was 86, he personally appeared at the courthouse in Jasper to make a sworn statement for a pension application. He stated, “that on June 1774 in the County of Bedford and State of Virginia he was drafted as a private to serve a three months tour of duty (which was typical of militia duty at the time), and served under Captain Thomas Bluford, First Lieutenant Edward Golman, Second Lieutenant Thomas Doolin and Ensign Jonathan Conduff, against the Shawnee Indians. He was marched to the mouth of Kanhaway River [Kanawha River], at which place they had been encamped about two weeks when on the 10th of October 1774 they were attacked by and had a severe engagement with the Shawnee Indians, in which battle this applicant fought.” The Battle of Point Pleasant was part of Lord Dunmore’s War and is often noted by historians as the precursor or initial battle of the Revolution. Thursday, Oct. 10 will be the 250th Anniversary of the battle. Augustine’s company was a rifle company and was in the very front line of the action which lasted most of the day. He is on record in 1777 as to swearing loyalty to the Patriot cause. He remained active in frontier defense even while he moved several times in the frontier region of Virginia, North Carolina and what is now northeastern Tennessee. In 1818 he removed to Marion County. He is noted in a Marion County land title document of February 9, 1826 when he would have been 80 years old.
The ceremony was also part of the SAR’s on-going celebration of the people and events of the American Revolution’s 250th anniversary running to the end of 2033. SAR ceremonial events are open to the public. For additional event information, see the chapter’s calendar on line at their
webpage or the TNSSAR color guard
webpage calendar.
Students who would like to compete in the SAR’s educational program contests, which include a history poster contest (normally fouth graders), founding documents brochure contest (middle school), history essay, oration and now video contest (ninth to 12th grade) can contact the John Sevier Chapter president at dogwoodlodge@epbfi.com.