Washington, D.C. – The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) announced recently that the organization will be donating $3749.50 to Lady Knox Chapter, NSDAR, Rockland, Maine, for their Tolman Cemetery Project. Lady Knox Chapter previously sponsored two successful grant applications by other organizations, Thomaston Historical Society, 2016, for restoration of the Knox family gravesite, and Monhegan Lighthouse Station, 2014, for restoration of the lighthouse station building. Lady Knox Chapter was pleased to be awarded this grant for their own project this year.

Lady Knox Chapter, NSDAR first got involved with this project at Tolman Cemetery on Lake Avenue, Rockland, after local citizen, F. Carl Mahoney brought declining cemetery conditions to the Chapter's attention. The Chapter began by doing a major clean-up of the cemetery, purchasing new flag holders for veterans' graves, and doing a preliminary assessment of the cemetery headstones and a monument that was placed at the cemetery by the Maine State Organization in 1947. The 1947 monument holds a bronze plaque commemorating 21 Revolutionary War patriots interred at Tolman. Over the last 70 years, the monument gradually slid down hill toward Lake Avenue. Many of the cemetery's headstones are broken, leaning, or moss covered.

The Chapter has undertaken a multi-phase restoration project to be completed by September 2017. In 2016, they received grants from the City of Rockland and the Viles Foundation and raised money from private and corporate donations. Those grants provided funds for restoration of damaged headstones. The NSDAR Special Project Grant will allow the Chapter to place a new monument, at the entrance to the cemetery, to clean and install the 1947 plaque on the new monument, and add additional bronze plaques on the monument. One plaque will honor three additional Revolutionary War patriots not included on the 1947 plaque. A second plaque will commemorate Isaiah Tolman for his Revolutionary War service and for deeding one acre of his land for a public cemetery in 1783.

Mary Kay Felton, Regent of Lady Knox Chapter, NSDAR said, "I couldn't be more thrilled that the Chapter is receiving this generous donation from the DAR. We realize that our grant is just one of many that they made throughout the year to preserve our nation's history. We feel fortunate that they have chosen to assist us in placing a monument to recognize all the Revolutionary War patriots interred at the historic Tolman Cemetery and to recognize Isaiah Tolman for his patriotic service. Isaiah Tolman is Felton's fourth great grandfather. Although Felton, who grew up in Ohio and now resides in Camden, knew she was descended from Tolman, she didn't know about the historic cemetery on Lake Avenue until 4 years ago when Mahoney spoke at a Chapter
meeting about the declining state of the cemetery.

"This grant will make a new monument possible and the installation of the new plaques will ensure that others know about Isaiah Tolman and the Revolutionary War patriots interred on the land he donated, many of whom were his neighbors and relatives," said Felton. "Knox County Maine, has such a rich history. Lady Knox Chapter is pleased to do their part to preserve
and honor that history," Felton added.

The DAR grants program was started in 2010. Funding is awarded to support projects in local communities which promote the organization's mission areas of historic preservation, education and patriotism. The DAR receives hundreds of grant applications each year, making competition high for the funding through the non-profit organization. Interested groups must be sponsored by a local DAR chapter, submit a copy of their public charity 501(c)(3) IRS documentation, and include a narrative describing the need and urgency of the project as well as planned activities and benefits to the community which will result from the grant.

To learn more about the work of today's DAR, visit www.DAR.org. For more about applying for a Special Projects Grant from DAR, visit www.dar.org/grants. For more information about the Tolman Cemetery Project, please contact Mary Kay Felton at feltonmk@gmail.com or visit Lady Knox Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution on facebook.