UB to Commemorate 206th Birthday of Millard Fillmore

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The 206th anniversary of the birth of Millard Fillmore, the University at Buffalo's first chancellor and 13th president of the United States, will be observed during a ceremony to be held at 10 a.m. on Jan. 6 in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

David L. Dunn, UB vice president for health sciences, will deliver the memorial address at the annual observance honoring Fillmore, who played a major role in the founding of numerous cultural, civic and community organizations in Erie County.

Born on Jan. 7, 1800, Fillmore was instrumental in founding the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society, the Buffalo Club and The Buffalo General Hospital.

His activities also led to the creation of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, the Buffalo Fine Arts Academy and the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences.

Some historians credit the former teacher, postmaster, lawyer and member of Congress with establishing the White House Library.

Col. Patrick D. Ginavan, commander of the 107th Refueling Wing of the New York Air National Guard based at Niagara Falls International Airport, will place a wreath from President Bush at the gravesite.

Larry Gingrich, associate dean of UB's Millard Fillmore College; Marguerite D. Hambleton, president of the Buffalo Club; and Joseph P. Dispenza, president of Forest Lawn Cemetery and Mausoleum, also will place wreaths.

Special guests will include members of the Abigail Fillmore Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and members of Forest Lawn's board of directors.

Also participating will be Donald H. Dayer, Aurora town historian, and Warren C. Moffett, former Aurora town historian, representing the Aurora Historical Society, which administers the Millard Fillmore Museum, housed in a building where Fillmore and his wife once lived; and William H. Siener, executive director of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society.

The Rev. Joel Miller of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo, where Fillmore was a member of the congregation, will deliver the invocation.

Flags will be presented by the UB Department of University Police under the direction of Richard C. Linde, assistant director. Also appearing will be the Buffalo Assembly, Fourth Degree, Knights of Columbus honor guard and the Seneca Vocational High School Air Force Junior ROTC color guard.