About Our Chapter

In the summer of 1998 a special committee of the GASSAR met to discuss programs for the GASSAR. One project was to increase the number of Vice Presidents in order to reduce the mileage each had to travel in order to visit chapters. In addition, a proposal was made to expand the GASSAR by setting up additional chapters in the new territories. 

Gwinnett County was targeted as a possible area for a new chapter. In November of that year, a review of the membership list identified SAR members living in the Gwinnett County area. Many of whom were not active in the society due to the problems of attending meetings, and were receptive to establishing a chapter in an area closer to their home. 

Contacts were made with the DAR chapter in Lawrenceville and a presentation was made at one of their monthly meetings. A presentation was also made to the Gwinnett Historical Society. Central Region Vice President, Ed Sterrett, aided by Paul Simpson, were both involved in the presentations. When the date of the meeting was announced, Mr. Simpson was able to interest the Gwinnett Post newspaper who interviewed Mr. Sterrett and published a half-page article on the day of the meeting.  

The meeting was held on Superbowl Sunday, 1999. The day was a wet and cold dismal day and it was anticipated there might be only 18 prospects who would brave the elements to attend. Instead, 26 prospects attended, a goodly number of which had not been personally contacted.

Officers were elected, meeting times were determined and the name of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Button Gwinnett, for who the county is named, was selected as the name of the Chapter. It is interesting to note there had been an earlier chapter in Gwinnett with the same name that had disbanded in the 1960’s. The grandfather of member, Hubert Tucker, was a member of that chapter.

Over 30 men signed the charter request which was presented and approved by the State Board of Managers on April 1, 1999. A Charter Banquet was held at the Historic Female Seminary in Lawrenceville in May 1999. The officers were elected and installed at that time. They were as follows:

1999 Charter Officers