SUMMER, 2000
BAY WATCH
I found the following bit of historical
trivia on the internet.
What happened to
the 56 men who signed
the Declaration of Independence? Five signers
were captured by the British as traitors and
tortured before being put to death. Twelve
had their homes ransacked and burned.
Two lost their sons serving in the Continental Army and another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from
wounds received while serving the Continental Army.
They signed and they pledged their
lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor.
What kind of men were they? Twenty four
were lawyers. Eleven were merchants, nine
were farmers and large plantation owners.
Three were doctors. One was a minister.
They were all men of means and well educated. But they signed the Declaration of
Independence knowing full well that the
penalty would be death if they were captured.
Carter Baxton of Virginia, a wealthy
planter and trader, saw his ships swept from
the seas by the British navy. He sold his
home and properties to pay his debts and
died in rags.
Thomas McKeam was so hounded by
the British, he was constantly forced to
move his family. He served in Congress
without pay and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him
and poverty was his reward.
Vandals and soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton,
Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge and Middleton.
At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr. noted the British general, Cornwallis, had taken over the Nelson home for
his headquarters. He quietly urged General
Washington to open fire. The home was
destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt.
Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife
and she died within a few months.
John Hart was driven from his wife’s
bedside as she was dying. Their thirteen
children fled for their lives. His fields and
gristmill were laid to waste. For more than
a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and children
vanished. A few weeks later Hart died
PAGE 3
Parade Preparation
Patriot, Philip Jusino
The Anderson Entry
I am your neighbor
Living on Forest Bay court.
I am presently seeking
Your financial support.
Your contribution
To the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Will ease my pain,
As I walk the walk (26.2 miles)
To see what I can gain
For research and for treatment
Of this dreaded disease.
Gerry Debrincat will be walking in a fund raising marathon in Bermuda this
fall to raise research monies for the Society. Please send your donations to:
Gerry Debrincat
1077 Forest Bay Court
248-738-5512
Make checks payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Inc.
(Continued on page 4)
PAGE 4
BAY WATCH
SUMMER, 2000
Unique and Beautiful Ducks
Take Up Residence in Forest
Bay.
Although most of us never think of ducks
as perching or nesting in trees, there are several North American species that regularly do.
Greg Holtquist erected three birdhouses for
ducks on trees located on the island surrounded by the canal. He placed these
wooden structures across from the homes of
Holtquist, Archer and Collens.
Currently residing in these duck homes are
families of Wood Duck. They are extremely
shy creatures, generally venturing away from
their nests/homes only in the early morning.
Male Wood Duck in Breeding Plumage
This Bar Is Open
Thanks to the imagination of Paul and Lori
Baltusis, a new tradition has been started at
Forest Bay—Friday evening cocktail hour.
The kickoff evening was June 23rd. Paul
procured a flag displaying a beer mug and the
inscription “This Bar is Open.” The flag was
prominently displayed in front of the Baltusis
New Friday Tradition at Forest Bay
The Welcome Flag
home, indicating all are welcome to stop in
for some libation and socialization. You are
encouraged to “come as you are” as these affairs are intended to be very informal.
On Friday, June 30th., the Campbells
erected the flag for the second cocktail hour.
It was very well attended and attendance is
expected to grow further as more residents
learn of our new tradition.
The Ho ltquists offered to serve as hosts for
the third cocktail party. So, keep a watchful
eye for the flag on Friday evenings and do
stop in and visit.
The Price of Liberty
(Continued from page 3)
from exhaustion.
Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.
Such were the stories and sacrifices of the
American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed,
rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken
men of means and education. They had security
but they valued liberty more. Standing straight,
tall and unwavering, they pledged: “For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the
protection of the divine providence, we mutually
pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and
our sacred honor.”