GOVERNOR'S MESSAGE
Welcome to the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New Jersey! We have a long and proud tradition since 1894 as one of the early constituent Society members of the General Society of Colonial Wars. We are pleased to share our Society's accomplishments and goals for the future with you and encourage you to peruse these pages to learn more about our history and current activities.
Our ancestors performed military service or held office in a Colony from the settlement of Jamestown on May 13, 1607, to the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775, at the commencement of the American Revolutionary War. We seek to perpetuate their memory through our programs and Committee work. We strive to live up to the ideals of our founders in an age when our values are too often challenged by those who do not recognize the sacrifices made by gallant heroes so that we may enjoy our freedoms today.
Several of our Committees, more particularly the Grants Committee, the Historical Committee, and the Education Committee work with other New Jersey nonprofit organizations and governmental entities to preserve historical structures, retrieve and restore historical documents and artifacts, provide awards, prizes and scholarships for students of Colonial history, and erect monuments, plaques and other signage to help educate the public about the history surrounding us in our daily lives.
Our Society is characterized by a spirit of collegiality and goodwill in our dealings with each other and all the people and organizations with whom we interact. It is an organization about which we may all be proud. If you think you may meet the qualifications for membership in our organization, please let us know, and we will be happy to introduce ourselves to you and assist you with the application process. Membership in our Society is truly an honor. So, begin the process by contacting us today at membershipscwnj@gmail.com!
I hope you will choose not to take my word for it, but follow the links at the top of the banner above and see for yourself what our Society has to offer. And then I hope you will get in touch with us.
Fortiter Pro Patria!
Daniel H. Harman III
Governor
Here is a sampling of some of the activities sponsored by the SCWNJ:
Historical – We help preserve and commemorate historical events and locations
throughout the state. The Monuments page of this website includes photos of the many
historical markers we have placed throughout nineteen New Jersey counties. Among
the many historical projects, we have supported include helping to preserve and
maintain the Old Barracks in Trenton, which dates from before the Revolutionary War.
Genealogical – We help compile and preserve genealogical information, including
lineage papers and supporting documentation for our members and our colonial period
ancestors.
Charitable – We are a 501(c)(3) organization and are recognized as a tax-exempt public
charity by the Internal Revenue Service. In carrying out our mission, we support various
colonial period historical projects with grants. We also fund an annual scholarship to a
worthy college student who is studying our colonial history.
Social – We gather several times a year in various settings, either for luncheon, dinner,
or other events to enjoy each other’s company and hear speakers discuss a variety of
subjects related to the history of the colonial period.