Brenda Johnson and Bonnie Larkin, daughters of Benjamin Prescott Chapter DAR are pictured making preparations for the “Tea with the Marquis ”. Submitted photo

FREDONIA — 200 years ago, the Marquis de Lafayette, a Frenchman known as a national hero in helping the colonies to win the American Revolution, made a stop on his new America tour in Fredonia.

At the beginning of June, the Benjamin Prescott Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution are set to celebrate the anniversary with a French tea event. The Benjamin Prescott Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution will host “Tea with the Marquis ” on June 1 at 2 p.m. at the Fredonia Grange, 58 W. Main St.

Lafayette, a French aristocrat, was a military hero during the American Revolution. He was invited to tour the new America as the nation’s guest in 1824 and 1825. During his 13 month tour, he arrived in Fredonia in the early morning hours of June 4, 1825, to much fanfare and celebration. The DAR’s tea event will celebrate and remember his visit.

Two members of the Benjamin Prescott DAR, Bonnie Larkin and Brenda Johnson, said the event is also being hosted by the Sons of the American Revolution, and the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’s tour has been celebrated in 24 of the states that he visited on his tour, with celebrations ongoing since August.

They noted that in 1825 Lafayette was the only living major general from the American Revolution, and so to many he was “like a rock star.” When he arrived in Fredonia and traveled down Main Street at 3 a.m. people came out to line the streets and see him. Multiple historical markers are placed in Fredonia recognizing Lafayette as well.

“A lot of people think the American Revolution would not have been won without Lafayette and the French,” Johnson said. “He is a hero that has been somewhat lost to history, but he was a major hero in 1825.”

The Tea with the Marquis event is set to include items typically found in a French tea, including French pastries, a local actor, Mike Lee, who will be portraying Lafayette for the event, along with members of the SAR to represent the soldiers who fought with Lafayette, and some other speakers, French tea and food.

“People can come dressed in period costume too if they wish,” Larkin said.

Even if a person does not know much about Lafayette himself, Johnson said they should be interested in coming to the tea event to celebrate some of Fredonia’s history.

“Lafayette is a big national hero,” Johnson said. “Basically every town has a street or park named for him. There’s a Lafayette Street in Jamestown. This event is helping us celebrate our history and remind us where we came from, and it should be fun.”

Lafayette played an instrumental role in winning the Battle of Yorktown, bringing in French assistance, but he also played a part in multiple other battles including at Valley Forge and the Brandywine. Larkin and Johnson added that he was a wealthy French aristocrat who came over to America on his own dime at 19 years old, basically became George Washington’s adopted son, and stayed and helped fight in the Revolution all with his own money.

The pair also noted that Lafayette is returning to the public eye in some ways, and that this anniversary of his visit also comes just before the 250th anniversary of the United States being born.

“This is also the only place in Chautauqua County where Lafayette ever was, specifically in the North County on Route 20,” Johnson said. “He traveled through what is now Ripley to Dunkirk and got on a boat. People from all over came to see him.”

For questions or more information on the Benjamin Prescott Chapter of the DAR’s “Tea with the Marquis”, contact BLLARK@yahoo.com or call 716-985-4202.