Today, July 4, 2026,
Sherry and I visited Bonneyville Mill County Park in Elkhart County.
As a celebration for Independence
Day, they were offering hot dogs and apple pie with ice cream for a very
reasonable price of $5.
While paying for our
treats, an employee, on the mature side of age and noticing my attire, jokingly
said to me “Are you’re the ghost of William Tuffs?”
I figured he was
referring to some Revolutionary War fellow, but I did not know the name and so
I responded, “I don’t know that fellow.”
He then went on to
explain that Mr. Tuffs was a member of the Boston Tea Party. I was tempted to
ask if the Boston Tea Party had issued membership cards but thought perhaps, I
should not confuse the moment with my “Bob Newhart” style of humor.
But, thanks to this employee,
I discovered that William Tuffs is buried in the Bonneyville Cemetery close to
the County Park.
The gravestone has a
plaque mounted by the Improved Order of Redmen, which I had not previously
known.
It appears that they are
still in existence. At the website of
On July 25, 2026, there
will be “Boston Tea Party Participant Marker Ceremony” hosted by the William
Tuffs Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Elkhart County.
Indiana.
This event will take
place at 11:00AM.
Sherry and I are sure to
be there.
You can view my video recorded
today at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JygmHMVfB1U
