This effort has led to the installation of fifteen markers at various cemeteries to commemorate the brave individuals that fought for freedom, with plans to continue bringing more signs to the county as time continues.

The SAR is a lineage group of men that can trace back a direct line to ancestors that fought in the American Revolutionary War. The group is a non-profit and non-partisan group that pays homage to veterans and spreads ideals of patriotism. As part of the organization’s goal of preserving American history, the group decided to begin placing these markers around at cemeteries to honor the deep local connection to American Revolutionary history.

The patriot burial markers are blue and yellow cast aluminum signs with a raised border and lettering. The markers measure 32″x 18″ and include the logo of the NYS SAR at the top. Signs will list the name of the cemetery, the names of the soldiers that are buried there, and a date range of the soldier’s burials. In some instances there are far too many soldiers in a single cemetery to list them all on the sign. In these cases Master of Ceremonies Paul Fardink stated that the sign will contain the total number of revolutionary soldiers buried in the cemetery.

Fardink noted that the organization has been able to achieve this possibility through the generosity of the William G. Pomeroy Foundation in Syracuse. The SAR partnered with this organization because it has been a leader in marking and preserving important small-town history since 2006.

Guests of the Clymer patriot marker ceremony eagerly crowd together to get a first look at the sign.

Since April of 2012, the foundation has been open to serving all municipalities and has expanded operations to include non-profit organizations as well. The foundation has sponsored the installation of over 2,600 memorial markers across 49 states since inception.

Fardink mentioned that a ceremony is typically held to celebrate the unveiling of a new sign. These ceremonies usually include an Honor Guard and a Bugelar from the Veterans of Foreign Wars group or a local American Legion, according to Fardink. The Daughters of the American Revolution have also helped to organize and participate in these events, said Fardink. The number of these ceremonial markers that have been installed in the county, along with the impressive amount of public and media attention, have substantially increased the awareness of many patriot burial sites, according to Fardink. Fardink wishes to see efforts continue to honor patriots buried in the area, and stated that the group will continue to install markers as long as the organization will provide funding.

Fardink noted the large quantity of Revolutionary history within the county. While the Chautauqua County chapter of the Empire State Society and the Sons of the American Revolution has been working hard to ensure patriot commemoration, Fardink stated that there are many other avenues of historical revolutionary preservation that can be explored.

“During my research I began investigating the signers of the Declaration of Independence, as five townships in Chautauqua County are named after them. Then there’s the 1824 visit of ‘beloved wartime commander’ General Lafayette to Westfield and Fredonia, where he was greeted by ‘a sizable group of veterans,’ many of whom are likely commemorated on Patriot Burial historical markers,” said Fardink.

Fardink recommends anyone interested in this history to get involved in the celebration and find ways to further honor these patriots. This can be done by contacting either the SAR or the DAR, said Fardink. Fardink stated that both of these organizations have continually supported the preservation of the memories and history of revolutionary patriots. Both organizations meet once per month, and welcome members of the community that are not organization members, but still have a passion toward Revolutionary War history.

Ceremony attendees pose with the patriot burial marker, unveiled in the Clymer Cemetery on East Main Street in Clymer. Submitted photo

The SAR will continue efforts to install more historical markers throughout 2026. Fardink noted that the group has already submitted grant applications for about five more locations. With each patriot marker that is placed, the community ensures remembrance and honor is being given to those that sacrificed so much.

“With each successfully funded historical marker, a visible reminder of the region’s ties to the Revolutionary War emerges,” stated Fardink. “And, as a visitor to these sites inspects the historical marker and gravestone alike, they’ll begin to understand why western New York has as much to say, learn from, and commemorate about the American Revolution as any other region in the nation.”

The patriot burial marker, located in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Ashville.