Press Release, Lyndonville Lions Club

Photos courtesy of Lyndonville Lions Club: The Lyndonville Lions Club will have a wreath-laying ceremony on July 4 at the grave of Nehemiah Spaulding, a Revolutionary War soldier buried at LynHaven Cemetery. His descendants will be in the parade on July 4.

LYNDONVILLE –  The Lyndonville Lions Club have been busy preparing for their 52nd Annual July 4th Celebration in Lyndonville.

This year’s event will be especially meaningful as it also commemorates the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. Americans and patriots alike will join together in celebrating “America 250” across this great nation.

Parade organizers have planned for all the traditional favorites to be part of this daylong community celebration. The Lyndonville High School band, the Mark Time Marchers, and the Gates Police Pipe Band are all scheduled to perform in this year’s parade lineup.

Local businesses and community organizations are encouraged to participate by entering floats, displays, trucks, tractors, and other equipment to showcase their organizations while adding a unique and exciting twist to the parade experience.

Of course, no Lyndonville July 4th parade would be complete without the strong presence of the many local fire companies whose participation has long been a proud tradition.

The parade is once again expected to begin with a military flyover to salute the brave men and women who have served — and continue to serve — to keep the “free” in our freedom.

The popular lawn arts and crafts show, along with a variety of food truck vendors, will return this year, although some adjustments are anticipated due to ongoing construction at Lyndonville Central School District facilities. Current plans may place vendors and food trucks along the north side of the school and in the area behind the school on the west side to accommodate limited space on the front lawn.

Closing out the evening festivities, an encore performance by The Bleeding Hearts will once again headline the popular Firecracker Concert Series beginning at 7 p.m. and continuing until the firework’s spectacular lights up the sky around 10 p.m.

Revolutionary War Veteran Selected as Honorary Grand Marshal

After an extensive search the Lions have decided to posthumously honor Mr. Nehemiah Spaulding. Mr. Spaulding is the only Revolutionary War Veteran buried in Lynhaven Cemetery which is located in the Town of Yates and the Village of Lyndonville.

Extensive research through the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Sons of the American Revolution, along with family and government military records, confirms Nehemiah Spaulding’s dedicated service to our fledgling nation from early 1776 through 1783. His contributions during the American Revolution are well documented and preserved through historical records.

Nehemiah Spaulding was born on August 9, 1757, in Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut, to Isaac and Mrs. Spaulding, whose family had immigrated from England to the American Colonies around 1745. Cornwall is also recognized as the birthplace of Ethan Allen, famed leader of the Green Mountain Boys.

As a young boy, Spaulding’s family gradually moved westward and eventually settled in the Albany region of New York — an area that would become one of the most fiercely contested regions during the Revolutionary War. The Saratoga, Albany, and Mohawk Valley regions were the sites of numerous battles and skirmishes as British and American forces fought for control.

Among the most significant campaigns was the British Army’s failed “three-pronged attack,” a major strategy intended to divide and defeat the colonies during the Revolution.

Historic engagements stretching from Lake Champlain to Fort Ticonderoga became pivotal moments in America’s struggle for independence and helped shape the foundation of the nation’s eventual victory over British colonial rule.

Mr. Spaulding’s military service is further documented through his enlistment in the 9^th Regiment of the Albany County Militia. During this period, he served under Colonel Peter Van Ness from approximately October 1776 through November 1776.

His service continued under the command of Robert Van Rensselaer, who rose through the ranks during the Revolutionary War to become a brigadier general.

Mr. Spaulding’s military record eventually culminated in service with the 3rd New York Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Marinus Willett. This unit was commonly associated with “Willett’s Levies,” a term referring to soldiers conscripted or recruited for a fixed duration of service in support of the Continental Army.

Units in which Mr. Spaulding served saw action across several key engagements of the Revolutionary War, including the Saratoga Campaign, the Battle of Klock’s Field, and the Battle of Johnstown, along with multiple skirmishes throughout the lower Mohawk Valley and upper Hudson Valley regions.

During the American Revolution, local militia units played a critical role in supporting the Continental forces. These part-time citizen-soldiers provided flexible manpower that allowed General George Washington and other commanders to respond to British movements, maintain pressure on smaller enemy detachments, and preserve Continental Army strength for major coordinated campaigns.

The units associated with Mr. Spaulding were also noted for providing important surge support during several pivotal conflicts, including the Battle of Oriskany, the Battle of Bennington, and other regional engagements that helped shape the broader Saratoga Campaign. These battles were instrumental leading into the decisive confrontations of September and October 1777.

The American victory at the Battle of Saratoga, led in opposition to British General John Burgoyne, is widely regarded as the turning point of the Revolutionary War.

After his military service, and following a short period of residence in southern central New York, Mr. Spaulding eventually relocated to the Town of Yates, where he lived out the remainder of his life until his passing on August 19, 1789.

His sons and numerous descendants remained connected to the broader Lyndonville region for generations, with family ties continuing locally until the early 1980s, when the last known living relatives relocated to South Carolina. Mr. Spaulding was laid to rest at Lynhaven Cemetery in the Village of Lyndonville.

In recognition of his Revolutionary War service, the Lyndonville Lions Club will conduct a wreath-laying ceremony at his gravesite following the July 4th parade to honor his legacy and sacrifice.

Representing the family lineage, Mr. Peter Byron, great-great-great-great-grandson from York, New York, along with his sister Nancy Gerhardt, great-great-great-great-granddaughter from Tonawanda, New York, will serve as honorary grand marshals during the July 4th parade, carrying forward the remembrance of Mr. Spaulding’s service and the family’s historic connection to the community.

“Light Up Lyndonville” in red, white and blue

Lions Club members John Belson, right, and Larry Wolfe inspect the long stem roses for the Lions Mother’s Day Rose Sale.

The Lyndonville Lions are proud to announce our “Light Up Lyndonville”! Beginning July 1st through July 5th, the Lions will decorate Main Street in the Village of Lyndonville with red, white, and blue lights and festive banners to honor our nation’s independence and the spirit of “America 250.”

We invite residents of both the Town of Yates and the Village of Lyndonville to join in the celebration by decorating homes, businesses, and properties with lights, flags, banners, and inflatables that showcase your patriotic pride.

The Lions will be judging displays throughout the holiday weekend, with cash prizes awarded to winning decorations following the celebration!

Stay connected for updates and details by following: The Orleans Hub and Lyndonville Lions Facebook.

Busy Month in May

The Lyndonville Lions wrapped up May with their annual Mother’s Day Rose Sale and distributed approximately 100 new glasses to people who attended the Lions Pop-Up Eyeglass Clinic.

Members of the Sawyer family receive their new glasses after attending the Lyndonville Lions Eye Glass Clinic.