August Meeting  Thursday the 19th at the Watts house in Laurens on Hwy 221. Join us for a light meal and fellowship at 6:30 p.m. and the "Forwarding of the Colors" at 7:00 p.m. We will discuss any questions the membership may have regarding the national elections in Dalton or the outcome of the resolutions and amendments.  We also will make our plans and announce the time and date for the Camp’s annual Fall cookout in September. October will begin a new slate of officers for the McGowan Camp, therefore please remember to be present for this important meeting as the Camp colors will be presented to our new Commander.  The Camp Executive Committee has been discussing all positions and potential candidates for various offices and will convene again prior to that October date (21st) to confirm those recommendations.  It is also important to know that the camp membership may propose candidates to the Executive Committee for consideration and individuals may also present themselves to serve in various capacities where they are gifted.  Please contact Commander Simpson or Lt. Commander Watkins with any recommendations. All SCV camps do not conduct local elections in the same manner.  It has been the tradition of the McGowan Camp since its chartering in 1995, to promote the current Lt. Commander to succeed the retiring Commander.  This method has worked extremely well for 9 years and it is my recommendation that we continue this procedure.  The Camp Executive Committee has likewise, in the area of other camp officers, made selections within its ranks to present to the membership for Confirmation.  The Camp Executive Committee is made up of the following men: Commander (Mark Simpson), Immediate Past Commander (Steve Cline), Adjutant (Dever Ray Martin), Treasurer (Scott Watts), Color Sergeant (Allen Young), Chaplain (Scott Watts).  Other offices which may be appointed by the Commander or Lt. Commander are Guardian Chairman, Newsletter Editor, Historian, Sergeant at Arms etc….. It is also important to understand, especially for new members of the Camp that Commanders do not succeed themselves in office but serve for only one (1) two year term.  It should also be noted that each Commander will have served a total of 6 years on the Camp Executive Committee; 2 years as Lt. Commander, 2 years as Commander, and his final 2 years as Immediate Past Commander.  It is with that mention that I wish to express a deep appreciation for Commander Steve Cline who has been exemplary in the fulfillment of his duties to the Camp and the Cause.  At the close of the October meeting, Commander Simpson will replace Commander Cline as Immediate Past Commander and I encourage all Compatriots to express their personal appreciation for his 6 years of dedicated service. I know that he will continue to be pivotal and integral part of the life of the McGowan Camp. The Camp colors will be officially and ceremonially transferred to Lt. Commander Ludie Watkins at the October 21st Meeting.  I ask and encourage all to be in attendance and in full support of this change in Camp leadership.  Proud to wear the Gray Mark A. Simpson, Commander

The 109th Annual Reunion of the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Dalton, Georgia has adjourned and we have a slate of new officers. Deene Sweeney, Commander in Chief Commander Sweeney has served the past 2 years as Lt. Commander –in-Chief and hails from the state of Texas.  He will serve our Confederation with the highest level of integrity as CIC and will be a man all can be proud of.  More information can be found at: http://www.sweeneyforcic.org The McGowan Camp delegation placed all nine of it’s delegate votes for Commander Sweeney. He won office with 1,122 votes (53%) to 993 (47%) cast for Candidate Troy Massey of Arkansas. Dr. C. Anthony Hodges, Lt. Commander in Chief Dr. Charles Anthony Hodges is a native Tennessean, born in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee.  For more information go to: http://www.dranthonyhodges.com   The Mcgowan Camp delegation cast its nine delegate votes for candidate Paul Gramling from Louisiana. More information on him may be found at: http://www.gramlingforltcic.org Election Results:  Hodges – 1,194 (56%) Gramling – 928  (44%) Other Election Results in the ARMY of NORTHERN VIRGINIA Henry Kidd  (Virginia), Commander Randy Burbage (South Carolina), ANV Councilman Roger McCredie dropped his name from the candidate list for Army Commander and therefore, by a motion of acclamation and standing vote, Henry Kidd was accepted as our ANV Commander.  In the vote for ANV Councilman, Randy Burbage was overwhelmingly elected over candidate Forrest Tucker. The McGowan Camp delegation gave full support to Commander Kidd and Councilman Burbage.

MEDLOCK FAMILY DNA PROJECT – Commander Simpson I am pleased to share the following email communication with you from Mrs. Terry Gladfelter in Florida. If you know a Medlock in Laurens and can assist in this project, please contact Terry at the email address below. Dear Mark, You must be the group who placed the Confederate crosses on the 2 Medlock graves in the family cemetery. I am so grateful and appreciate your good work. I am a Medlock daughter down the line from James Travis Medlock Sr. who is buried in the Medlock-Knight-Pucket family graveyard off Hwy 25 on Bobby Knight Road. Just a few weeks ago my good friend Samuel Medlock of Columbia stopped by the cemetery and he called me, I'm in Florida. Sam and I have been to Laurens for research many times. Love the area. The other grave with a new CSA marker is Anderson Medlock. That brings me to my question. Do you know a living male Medlock of Anderson's line who might give us a few check cells for DNA testing? Will you help us find one? I can send names of sons and grandsons of Anderson Sam and I are doing the dna project for Medlocks/Matlocks and any other variations. We are at a point now of being able to tie Anderson to a line. For many years he has just had a supposed father of Silas. JT Medlock, buried next to Anderson, is Sam's ancestor. Sam has already been tested. Most people look at this DNA with a skeptical eye. I did too but promised to help Sam. Now I'm a convert. This is our website hosted by another SC Matlock desc'd who happens to live in CA. http://www.ba044ancestry.com From the main page click on DNA box and it will take you to the charts and results. Look at the other pages as well. We are now working on lining the families and I have James 1800 nearly done. JAMES  MEDLOCK Son of Nathaniel Medlock_ http://ba044ancestry.com/MatlockMedlock/JamesMedlocksonofNathanielMedlock.html You can follow James b.1800 all the way back. We know we have some of the Medlocks out of place but that is what this dna is going to show. For DNA I've been searching for guys of the major lines. That is the reason we have had such fantastic results with so few entries. Up to 19 now. Anyway we have linked SC, VA, PA, and in a few weeks will know if we go to NJ.  A Matlock/Matlick/Medlock matched 25 of 25 markers. I have been so pleased with our SC guys when we found them. Those so far have just ponied up to the bar, paid their money, and gave us some cheek cells. No fuss at all. I did have to explain to one of them that this is not the test used by law enforcement! This test simply works on the Y-Chromosome passed from father to son. I'll need a sample from Reuben's line and Garrison's line and then the who;e upper SC area will be covered. SC lines represented so far are John Sr. Jr. (at the lab), Nathaniel, Thomas, James Travis Sr., Samuel of Edgefield, Luke. Thank you for any help you can give. If you find a descendant, I'll take it from there. If any Medlock of about 40 years can tell us the name of his grandfather or great grandfather, I'll bet you we can fill out his line.  Terry Gladfelter [email protected]

A Cemetary work day is planned for August 21st. See David Tillman for details.