Commissioner Charles Gause No 433 Chapter of US Daughters of 1812 Congratulated New Officers for the 2026-2028 Term of Office.

 Photo: The new officers were sworn in on June 6, 2026, at the 1812 meeting. The new President is Suzanne Palmer; Vice President, Susan Woodard; Chaplain, Linda Lashley, who will serve another term; Secretary, Kathleen Benedict; Registrar, Rebecca Chipman; Historian, Phyllis Wilson; and Librarian, Joan Hall. Missing from the photo is Treasurer Cindy Sellers, who will also serve another term.

                                     

    

Treasurer - Cindy Sellers

L to R: Carol Jutte, Caron Myers, secretary, Suzanne Palmer, registrar, Linda Lashley, chaplain, Martha Blacher, librarian, Rebecca Chipman, vice-president, and Michele Russell, president

 Three Vietnam Veterans Were Recognized at the June Meeting

At the 6 June 2026 meeting of the Commissioner Charles Gause Chapter, we recognized three Vietnam Veterans.  Caron Myers was awarded the Vietnam Veteran Lapel pin and certificate in honor of her father, Billy Gene Wright-Spikes’ service in the US Army from 8 Sep 1955-30 Jul 1958. 

As the only living relative, Caron also received a certificate in recognition of her cousin, James Laurence Howell (Larry), who was lost in hostile enemy action on 5 March 1970.  Larry was 22 years of age.  He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Washington, D.C.  

The Chapter awarded a Vietnam Veteran Lapel pin and certificate to Thomas Henderson Jackson, who served in the US Army from 3 January 1967 through 2 January 1973 when he transferred to the US Army Reserves.  Thomas Henderson was wounded in action in Vietnam and was awarded the Purple Heart and Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, among other service badges and awards.  Thomas Henderson Jackson is the cousin of Caron Myers.  

The Commissioner Charles Gause Chapter has been a Commemorative Partner with the U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration since November 2023 and has awarded certificates and lapel pins to Chapter members since then.  Although the work of the Commemoration ended in late 2025 (it was established in 2012), Commemorative Partners are encouraged to continue to recognize Vietnam veterans and their families with lapel pins while supplies remain in their inventory.

James Lawrence Howell

Billy Gene Spikes US Army. 1955-1958

                                     Thomas Henderson Jackson

On June 6 2026, the Daughters of 1812 Charles Gause Chapter viewed a video about Fort Niagara and the British takeover on December 19,1813. The British quickly took Fort Niagara. Two days later, the British, along with Indian allies, marched south, burning cabins along the Tonawanda Creek on the way to burn the village of Buffalo. Lydia and Captain Robert Simson were a part of this terrorizing march. Saving their cabin and manning the Tonawanda Guard house.

                        Lydia Simson wife of Captain Simson

Thank you, Suzanne Palmer and Martha Blacher, for the information for this post.