Dearborn Heights Library Director Michael McCaffery (left) is honored by Michigan Society President Joe Williams of the Sons of the American Revolution with a silver 250th anniversary of the American Revolution medal during the Aug. 27 City Council meeting.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS – Library Director Michael McCaffery was honored Aug. 27 by the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution for his research on a local Revolutionary War veteran.
Major Thomas Maxwell, who fought in the French and Indian Wars, the Boston Tea Party, several notable battles of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, is interred in Wallaceville Historical Cemetery in Dearborn Heights, which is noted with a historical marker.
Chris White, Veterans Committee chair of the SAR Detroit Metro Chapter, said one of their goals is to identify the graves of Revolutionary War patriots, marking them and installing roadside plaques to identify the cemeteries.
A silver 250th anniversary of the American Revolution medal is awarded to Dearborn Heights Library Director Michael McCaffery by the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution during the Aug. 27 City Council meeting.
He said the Dearborn Historical Museum connected the SAR with McCaffery.
“Michael was interested in our project from the get-go,” White said. “He met me at the cemetery really early on a cold Saturday morning, and we were off and running.”
He said McCaffery was involved from the initial planning to the dedication ceremony, and was crucial to the project’s success.
“To say we could not have done it without him is an understatement,” White said. “He assisted with writing Major Maxwell’s biography and the text for the plaque we installed by the old schoolhouse.”
He said McCaffery also served as the liaison between the SAR and the city of Dearborn Heights.
Detroit Metro SAR Chapter Secretary Greg Winters presented McCaffery with the silver 250th anniversary of the American Revolution medal on behalf of both the Michigan Society and Metro Detroit SAR chapter.
“This medal is designed to recognize those who participate in events that recognize and honor our patriot ancestors and the events of the American Revolution,” he said. “Michael, we could not have done this without you.”
McCaffery said he appreciated the honor and thanked the SAR representatives for improving Dearborn Heights by recognizing and providing a plaque for a patriot gravesite.
“They shined a beacon of positive energy on our community,” he said.
McCaffery also thanked the city employees and officials who helped facilitate the project.