Moses Clark
Our Namesake
A Revolutionary War fifer (1761–1844) whose service and later years in Kent County gave our Society its name.
About the Society
Our Story
Nearly a century of Children of the American Revolution history in Kent County, carried forward for a new generation.
Our Mission
The Moses Clark Society exists to preserve our nation’s heritage by inspiring young people through patriotism, leadership, education, historic preservation, and service.
Rooted in the legacy of Revolutionary War Patriot Moses Clark, and building upon nearly a century of Children of the American Revolution history in Kent County, we seek to connect each generation with the one that came before us, while preparing the next generation to lead with character and purpose.
Through research, community service, leadership opportunities, and historical preservation, we strive to ensure that the stories entrusted to us today will continue to inspire tomorrow.
Our Vision
We envision the Moses Clark Society becoming more than a local youth organization.
We aspire to become a lasting resource for historical preservation, leadership development, and community service — a place where the stories of all our nation’s patriots, our Society’s members, and our local history are preserved, shared, and passed from one generation to the next.
By preserving the past with care and preparing future leaders with purpose, we hope to leave the Society stronger than we found it.
Preserving the Past.
Inspiring the Future.
Every generation receives a legacy.
Every generation leaves one behind.
The Mission Tree
The Mission Tree is more than a graphic — it is the way we understand ourselves. Every part of the tree tells part of our story, from the roots that ground us to the fruit we hope to leave behind.
Roots Our Heritage
The roots represent the strong foundation upon which our Society is built. They include Moses Clark, the O-Wash-To-Nong Society, the Children of the American Revolution, and the generations whose service and leadership continue to inspire us today. Without strong roots, a tree cannot grow.
Trunk Our Mission
The trunk represents the Society itself. It connects our history with our future while supporting every project, member, and activity.
Branches Our Programs
The branches represent the many ways our mission comes to life.
- Historic Preservation
- Leadership
- Education
- Community Service
- Patriotism
- Communications
- Archives
- Membership
Each branch supports the others. Together they strengthen the Society.
Leaves Our Members
Each leaf represents an individual member. Every member contributes unique gifts. Together they create something far greater than any one person could accomplish alone.
Fruit Our Legacy
The fruit represents the lasting impact of the Society.
- Young leaders
- Preserved history
- Stronger communities
- Lives changed
- Future generations inspired
Leadership Philosophy
The Moses Clark Society believes leadership is not measured by titles, but by service.
Our officers serve not to direct others, but to encourage, mentor, and strengthen future leaders. We believe every member has gifts to contribute.
By working together, preserving our shared history, and investing in one another, we build a Society that will continue to flourish long after today’s officers have completed their service.
Our goal is not simply to lead for today. Our goal is to prepare those who will lead tomorrow.
“We inherit the roots of those who came before us. We strengthen the tree for those who will follow.”
Our Society inherits the roots planted by those who came before us. May we care for them well and leave an even stronger tree for those who follow.
Our History
Though the Moses Clark Society was chartered in 2016, its story did not begin there. In 1931, the Sophie de Marsac Campau Chapter, NSDAR organized the O-Wash-To-Nong Society — Kent County’s first Children of the American Revolution Society — and for sixty years its members served their community and preserved our nation’s history. After a period without a local Society, the Moses Clark Society was organized in 2016 to carry that tradition to a new generation.
These chapters gather the longer story we have been collecting and preserving — from Revolutionary service records to local newspapers and family memory. We begin with our namesake.
The Beginning of C.A.R. in Kent County
Our Local Roots
How the Children of the American Revolution first took root here, leading to the founding of the O-Wash-To-Nong Society in 1931.
Coming Soon
O-Wash-To-Nong Society
Kent County’s First C.A.R. Society
The members, families, and decades of activity of Kent County’s first C.A.R. Society — alongside the Sophie de Marsac Campau Chapter, NSDAR and West Michigan SAR.
Coming Soon
William McNeil Oliver
Service, Sacrifice & Remembrance
A young O-Wash-To-Nong Society leader (1925–1944) who gave his life in the Second World War — and the 1945 memorial rediscovered in 2026.
From O-Wash-To-Nong to Moses Clark Society
A Bridge Between Generations
The bridge between the earlier Society and the organization established in 2016.
Coming Soon
The Moses Clark Society
2016 to Today
The modern Society’s first decade of service, leadership, and preservation.
Coming Soon
Preserving the Story for Tomorrow
The Archive Grows
The America 250 project, the Veteran-Owned Business Directory, the website and history initiative, and the growing archive.
Coming Soon
Legacy & Remembrance
Honoring Those Who Came Before
How the Society keeps memory alive — Moses Clark’s grave and remembrance, the care of his marker, William Oliver’s cenotaph, and wreath-laying and Memorial Day tributes.