Courtesy photo
Katelyn Cannon Wins SAR Eagle Scout Award
Eagle Scout Katelyn Cannon of Scouts BSA Troop 19 from St. Rose of Lima Church, Short Hills, was unanimously selected as New Jersey’s 2022 Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) winner of the Arthur M. & Berdena King Eagle Scout Award for authoring a patriotic themed essay titled “The Legacy of the Revolutionary Frontiersmen”.
Katelyn’s essay focused on racial tensions of the “Bloody Year” of 1782, where she highlighted the spike in racially motivated slaughters and vengeful attacks of both Native Americans and western Pennsylvania frontiersmen. Katelyn research discovered that she was a revolutionary descendant of Captain John “Miller” Hardin, who served under Colonel William Crawford in the Sandusky Plains as a member of the Westmoreland County Pennsylvania Militia. Colonel Crawford led his unit of approximately 500 men deep into Indian territory; however, he and dozens of his men were ultimately captured. Colonel Crawford was tortured and burned at the stake by American Indians. Fortunately, Captain Hardin was able to return home to his family shortly thereafter.
Katelyn’s essay presented a brave argument that “the revolution of frontiersmen, including her ancestor John Hardin, left an important, if not always positive, legacy”.
Katelyn, who is also a senior at Millburn High School, was presented an Eagle Scout trophy and scholarship check by the national SAR President General C. Bruce Pickett. “Katelyn’s essay has now been submitted to the national competition where the top Eagle Scout award recipient will receive a ten-thousand-dollar scholarship to be awarded at the national headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky this summer.”, said SAR West Fields Chapter President Julien Hershey.
The Sons of the American Revolution is a genealogical society for males who can prove descent from a patriot of the American Revolution. For more information contact Chris Sands at Chrissands44@aol.com.
