Called to leadership by his fellow
citizens after an invasion, Cincinnatus
left his farm, and, upon victory, essentially
was in dictatorial control of Rome.
He then relinquished his powers to the
Senate and returned to his farm.
“On our eagle membership pin, you
have one side where the senators are
giving him a sword, and on the other,
he’s turning it back in for a plowshare,”
Lunger says.
Fittingly, George Washington served
as the first President General of the
Society of the Cincinnati. Washington
had virtually unlimited powers as
commander-in-chief of the Continental
Army, but resigned his commission and
retired to his farm at Mount Vernon
before reluctantly agreeing to serve as
the first president of the United States
(1789 to 1797). Washington remained a
member until his death in 1799.
There are about 3,600 members of
the Society of the Cincinnati in the
United States, and about 400 in France.
When it was first formed, Society rules
called for membership to be passed to
the officer’s first-born male heir. But
through the years, not all male heirs
produced sons. Given those and other
difficulties, each of the 13 state societies
has its own membership rules, although
lineage remains a prerequisite.
The North Carolina Society boasts
about 400 members, including 15 from
New Hanover County, and welcomes 5
to 10 new members each year.
“It’s a lengthy process,” says Tony
Maupin, president of the North
Carolina chapter. “We’re trying to
figure out a way of shortening it. The
NEW HANOVER COUNTY MEMBERS
The 2015-2018 North Carolina Society of the Cincinnati Member Directory
and Handbook lists 15 members from New Hanover County.
GEORGE CLARK JR.
Great-great-great grandson of Cpt.
Henry Irwin Toole, 2nd Regiment,
North Carolina Continental Line
JOHN DEBNAM
Great-great-great-great-greatgrandson
of Capt. William Burch,
North Carolina Continental Artillery
JEFFREY DEGROOTE
Great-great-great-great-great
grandson of Maj. Thomas Donoho,
6th Regiment, North Carolina
Continental Line
DAVID EGGLESTON, JR.
Great-great-great-great-great-greatgreat
great grandnephew of Ensign
Richard Ward, 8th Regiment, North
Carolina Continental Line
DAVID EGGLESTON, SR.
Great-great-great-great grandnephew
of Capt. Matthew Ramsey, 9th and
4th Regiments, North Carolina
Continental Line
WILLIAM EMERSON, JR.
Great-great-great-great grandson of
Lt. Reuben Grant, 6th Regiment,
North Carolina Continental Line
SAMUEL FLINT, J R .
Great-great-great-great grandnephew
of Capt. Cincinnatus Ashe,
Continental Marines
WILLIAM DAWSON GAGE
Great-great-great-great-great-great
grandson of Capt. Simon Bright
Jr., 2nd Regiment, North Carolina
Continental Line
WILLIAM HUMMEL
Great-great-great-great grandnephew
of Lt. Jeremiah Bullock,
7th Regiment, North Carolina
Continental Line
WILLIAM KING, M.D.
Great-great-great-great-great grandson
of Capt. William Bethel, North
Carolina State Troops in Continental
Service
STEPHEN LOGUE, JR.
Great-great-great-great-great-great
grandnephew of Capt. John Hart,
6th Regiment, North Carolina
Continental Line
WILLIAM LYNCH, JR.
Great-great-great-great-great-greatgreat
great grandnephew of Col.
Samuel Jarvis, North Carolina State
Troops in Continental Service
KENNETH SPRUNT, J R .
Great-great-great-great-great grandnephew
of Lt. Benjamin Bryan,
7th Regiment, North Carolina
Continental Line
DAVID SPRUNT
Great-great-great-great-great-great
grandnephew of Gen. Ambrose
Ramsey, North Carolina State Troops
in Continental Service and 10th
Regiment, North Carolina
WALKER TAYLOR IV
Great-great-great-great-great
grandnephew of Lt. John Raiford,
2nd Regiment, North Carolina
Continental Line
24
WBM july 2018
COURTESY OF THE SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI