Marker now notes service of Revolutionary War soldier in Shelby

Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) An American and Revolutionary War flag fly in the breeze as a member of the Rochester Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution plays Taps during a ceremony Saturday at the grave of Revolutionary War soldier Benjamin Darling in Maple Ridge Cemetery. (Right) A firing squad from the Rochester Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution fire a musket salute over the grave of Revolutionary War soldier Benjamin Darling in Maple Ridge Cemetery.

SHELBY – The grave of a Revolutionary War soldier buried in Maple Ridge Cemetery was the scene of a special ceremony on Saturday to place a historic marker at the site.

James Walker of Pontiac, Mich. discovered the location of his fourth-generation grandfather Benjamin Darling’s grave while researching his family ancestry. Walker said he became interested in his family history in 2012.

“During the years of raising kids and putting family first, I didn’t have time,” Walker said.  “But in 2012, I started researching in full force.”

Since then, he and his wife Marta have traveled all over the world visiting sites associated with his ancestors, including London, where they visited Windsor Castle, where one of his relatives who was a knight had a stall in St. George Chapel there.

James Walker of Pontiac, Mich. talks about how he discovered the grave of his fourth-generation grandfather Benjamin Darling, buried in Maple Ridge Cemetery. A ceremony by the Rochester Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution celebrated the placing of a marker at the gravesite on Saturday.

While doing his research, Walker discovered Darling was buried in Maple Ridge Cemetery, just west of Millville, and he also discovered there were nearly a dozen Benjamin Darlings. He explained how he verified this was actually his relative.

He said this Benjamin was married twice and had several children by his first wife and 11 by his second wife, Susannah, who is buried beside him. Records indicate the Darling’s son Oliver was deaf, and Walker found evidence that when this Benjamin went to apply for his pension, he listed his children, with the note that son Oliver was “entirely deaf.”

“So I knew I had the right Benjamin Darling,” Walker said.

Then he contacted the Rochester Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Family, friends and members of the Sons of the American Revolution chapters from Rochester and Buffalo, as well as local DAR members,  gather around the grave of Revolutionary War soldier Benjamin Darling, after placing a marker on his grave in Maple Ridge Cemetery.

SAR president Brent Downing was eager to get the call and started arranging for a special ceremony to install a marker at the grave. At 1 p.m. Saturday, a contingent of SAR members, all dressed in authentic Revolutionary War uniforms and some carrying muskets, arrived at the cemetery.

“All of us hold these patriots dear to our hearts,” Downing said. “We remember the sacrifice and service of these gentlemen, without whom we wouldn’t have what we have today. I am so honored to be able to do this for him.”

Walker and Marta made the trip from Michigan to witness the dedication, during which Walker explained his research, and the SAR fired a musket salute, followed by playing of Taps.

(Left) Andrew Pierce from the Buffalo Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution and Robert Fuller from the Rochester Chapter attended the ceremony Saturday at Maple Ridge Cemetery to place a marker on the grave of Revolutionary War soldier Benjamin Darling. (Right) James Walker stands with his wife Marta, who holds his fourth-generation grandfather’s certificate of service in the Revolutionary War. The Walkers traveled to the Maple Ridge Road Cemetery for dedication of a marker on Benjamin Darling’s grave.

Darling was born July 6, 1758 in Lunenburg, Worcester County, Mass. He served with the 7th Connecticut Regiment and saw action at the Battle of Monmouth, N.J. and Germantown, Pa., before his regiment moved to Valley Forge, where they spent the cold winter of 1777. He died Feb. 7, 1841 at the age of 82.

Walker doesn’t know where Darling lived, other than it was in the town of Shelby. He expects Darling was a farmer.

Walker is vice president of the Oakes Chapter of the SAR in Pontiac, of which he has been a member for 10 years.

Also attending the event were several members from the Buffalo Chapter of the SAR, and local DAR members, including Sharon Schnieder, Orleans Chapter DAR Regent.

Shelby highway superintendent Dale Root also attended the ceremony, and was told by Downing he had never seen an old cemetery is such good shape. Root said they keep it mowed and he has plans to keep the sumac out and make it look even better.

(Left) Sharon Schnieder, Orleans Chapter DAR Regent, shakes hands with James Walker of Pontiac, Mich.(Right) Brent Downing, president of the Rochester Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution, left, stands with James Walker, right, before the ceremony in Maple Ridge Cemetery on Saturday dedicating a marker on the grave of Walker’s fourth-generation grandfather, who served in the Revolutionary War.