Members of the Captain John Collins Chapter were honored to attend the grave marking ceremony in tribute to Revolutionary War soldier Private James Hooper on April 18, 2026, at Sandy Springs United Methodist Church Cemetery in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Hosted by the Sandy Springs Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), the ceremony formed part of the America 250 observance and recognized Hooper’s service and sacrifice in the cause of American independence.

The program opened with Regent Celia Méndez calling the assembly to order, followed by the processing of the colors by the Mount Vernon Chapter NSSAR Color Guard. An invocation by Kathleen Hadfield, Registrar of the Sandy Springs Chapter NSDAR, and the Pledge of Allegiance led by First Vice Regent Mary Wolff set a respectful and patriotic tone. Regent Méndez then welcomed guests and introduced a series of greetings from representatives of the Georgia State Society NSDAR, the Mount Vernon Chapter NSSAR, Sandy Springs United Methodist Church, and the City of Sandy Springs.

A brief history of Private James Hooper’s life and military service highlighted his origins in Lunenburg County, Virginia, his enlistment in 1778, and his service as both a private and minuteman under multiple officers in the 6th Virginia Regiment. The narrative recounted his participation in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on March 15, 1781—described as one of the largest and most hotly contested engagements in the southern theater—as well as his march northward with General George Washington’s army following Valley Forge. The account also traced Hooper’s postwar move to Franklin County and later to the Sandy Springs area (then part of DeKalb County), his land lottery grant, and the generous 1851 land donation by his grandson that helped establish Sandy Springs United Methodist Church, where he is buried.