History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 143

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992

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"In order to observe that frugality wbich bacomes a charitable so- ciety, the four assistants shall take care at the quarterly meetings to provide a neat and plain supper, and shall call for and settle the bill at eleven o'clock at furthest every meeting, except St. Andrew's night, and at twelve o'clock at furthest on that night. Nor shall any liquor ba brought into the company but what ia ordered by the assistanta, and if any member ahall atay after the bill is settled, their expenses ahall ba paid wholly by themselves."

The committee of assistants had power to bestow out of the society's stock such relief as they might think proper to poor persons whom they should judge objects of the society's charity, " provided, always, that none but natives of Scotland, their widows or chil- dren, or the widows and children of those who have been members of this society be entitled to any part of the charity ; and provided, also, that sums allowed do not exceed five pounds to any one person, and twenty pounds in the whole between one quarterly meeting and another." In the preface to the rules printed in 1769 it is said, "Every institution for the charitable relief of our fellow-creatures in distress must certainly claim the approbation and encourage- ment of benevolent minds. That such is the design of the St. Andrew's Society of Philadelphia will be acknowledged (it is hoped) by all who candidly pe- ruse the subsequent rules, to which a stronger proof might be added, if necessary, namely, a list of many hundreds who have been relieved by the charity of this society during nearly twenty years it hath sub- sisted ; in which list would be found many who must otherwise have suffered without friends in a place where they were strangers." This society met at the Tun Tavern in 1756, at Byrne's Tavern in 1765, and at the Indian Queen in 1774. In 1769 the officers were as follows: President, Dr. Thomas Graeme; Vice-President, Rev. Dr. William Smith ; Treasurer, Samuel Inglis; Assistants, James Craig, John Wal- lace, Charles Stedman, George Bartram; Secretary, David Sproat. The seventy members included among them men of the highest position,-Hon. James Hamilton (afterward Lieutenant-Governor), John Ross (attorney-at law), Archibald McCall, Rev. Wil- liam Currie, John Ross (merchant), Alexander Bar- clay, Gilbert Barclay, Rev. Dr. John Witherspoon (afterward signer of the Declaration of Independence), the two famous privateersmen, Capt. John Sibbald and Capt. John McPherson, Capt. John Inglis (of the royal navy), and others in honorable position, beside

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a large number of honorary members. During the Revolution the work of the St. Andrew's Society, although somewhat interrupted by the contest, was maintained with sufficient interest to keep up the or- ganization. In 1792 the officers were James Wilson, LL. D., justice of the United States Supreme Court, president ; Dr. William Smith and James Craig, vice- presidents ; John Shields, treasurer; Rev. William Marshall, chaplain ; William Moore Smith, secretary ; Thomas Leiper, Alexander Anderson, Robert Smith, and Richard Lake, assistants. In 1804, Gen. William McPherson was president and Thomas Leiper vice- president. The association has been in existence ever since, doing a great deal of good.

The Scots Society was established in the early part of the nineteenth century, for mutual benefit and assistance of emigrants from Scotland in indi- gent circumstances and their widows and children. Talbot Hamilton was president from 1800 to 1809. The widows' fund, for the assistance of widows during their widowhood, was established in 1808. The society met quarterly, on St. Andrew's day (on November 30th), and on the 1st days of March, June, and September. The William Wallace Scots' So- ciety, instituted November, 1824, was devoted to similar objects.

The German Society .- The example of the Scotch- men was followed by the Germans. They had ex- perienced the inconvenience, misery, and horrors of transportation from Europe, packed closely in small vessels, subject to the brutality of sea-captains, and of enduring insults and privations. The voyage terminated and the immigrants landed, they found themselves in a strange country, thrown among people whose language they could not understand, and to whom they could not make themselves under- stood. Chance determined where they should go. Generally without means, they depended for their existence upon those who should "buy their time," and were subject to the commands of their masters. If the latter were kind and reasonable people, their lot was happy, but if they fell into the hands of harsh and brutal persons, they were subject to all the maltreatment and hard conditions of slavery. In time their terms of service would be ended and they were turned out to shift for themselves, with little money and nothing but the hope that by hard labor and economy they would be able to raise themselves from low estate. The wrongs which these poor for- eigners suffered led to representations made to the Assembly and protests, and an aet was passed in 1749 -50, "for the prohibition of the importation of (ter- mans or other passengers in too great numbers in one vessel." This law produced some amelioration in the condition of those persons, but was not sufficient to afford universal relief. There was still many wrongs practiced upon them, and these became so flagrant that in 1764 an association of citizens of Philadelphia of German birth was formed, to urge upon the Leg-

islature such reforms as were necessary and to protect the Germans who were brought to this country. This association was called the German Society, to supply poor, sick, and distressed Germans brought to the city of Philadelphia with relief. The association applied to the Assembly of Pennsylvania for the passage of an act amending the act of 1749, to insure more comfort to passengers on board of ships coming from Europe, and to compel just treatment on the part of shipping-merchants and sea-captains who might bring them. They were successful and atten- tive, on the arrival of vessels with Germans, to ascer- tain if they had been kindly treated, and to enforce the provisions of the laws in cases where injustice had been done. The society met from 1764 to 1776 at the German Lutheran school-house, on the north side of Cherry Street, east of Fourth. In 1776 the society bought a lot of ground on the west side of Seventh Street, between Market and Chestnut, and made preparations for building. Contracts were awarded, and materials-brick, stone, and lumber- placed upon the lot. The events of the Revolution discouraged the commencement of the work. When the British came to Philadelphia they found this store of material very handy, and they used it in the building of stables for horses in use by the army. On Sept. 20, 1781, the Assembly incorporated the German Society, and it was recited that the society had obtained two lots, on which it was expected to erect a building to be used as a school for teaching German and English and the opening of a library. On Dec. 26, 1805, the society appointed a committee, with power to act, consisting of Peter Muhlenberg, president of the society, Conrad Weckerly, Christlieb Bartling, Peter Kraft, Daniel Trump, John Stock, and Michael Kitts. Under their care a brick build- ing was erected on the Seventh Street lot, two stories high, and having a cellar with a board floor. It stood free from houses on all sides, and was well provided with windows and means of ventilation. The front of this building stood back twenty feet from the street line. It was plain, with a gable and pediment. The central doorway was approached by marble steps. On either side of the first story was an office, usually oc- cupied by a lawyer. There was a room in the rear of the lower story, which was rented to Charles Keyser, who used it as a German and English school until 1822. The College of Pharmacy occupied this room for some years, and was succeeded by the Schuylkill Navigation Company, which occupied the building as an office. The hall was dedicated with ceremonies and addresses on April 9, 1807. The society only used the second story for meetings and a library, which was then established, and which has since grown to a considerable proportion, consisting of books in the German, English, and other lan- guages. The total cost of the building, accessories, etc., was $6941.06. In 1841 two side-wings, of one story, were built and rented ont for offices, thus in-

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creasing the income of the institution. They were occupied by George Fox, James A. Donath, and Charles E. Lex, lawyers, and at a later period by A. W. Harrison and Augustus Mitchell for business purposes. In 1866, under contract with the Phila- delphia Gas-Works, who were in need of a central office, the front part of the building was partly torn down and a new building erected in front, which oc- cupied the whole width of the lot, and is (in 1884) still in use by the gas trustees in the lower story, whilst the society continues to occupy the second story for meetings and the purposes of the library. The latter probably numbers seventeen thousand volumes, principally in German and English. The books are in use by the members. This society, during the course of one hundred and twenty years, has faithfully fulfilled the object of its institution. It has relieved and protected thousands of emi- grants, and still maintains that care, although the necessity of interference on their behalf has been greatly diminished in the latter part of the century.

The Hibernian Club was holding its meetings at Griffith's Tavern in 1759, and might have been merged into the association afterward called "the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick." The minutes of the latter, which have been rescued, and are the basis of an interesting memoir written by Samuel Hood, show that the latter was in full operation in September, 1771, and that the minutes referred to were those of an association before that time in existence. The society was composed of Irishmen and the descend- ants of Irish parents on either side, with right of admission to descendants of the members. This was a convivial society, and met quarterly on the 17th days of March, June, September, and December, for the enjoyment of a first-rate dinner. Each member was required to procure for himself, and wear at the meetings of the society, a gold medal of the value of three guineas, bearing the following devices : On the . vited to be present several gentlemen who were not right, " Hibernia," a female figure with a harp; on Irish by birth or descent, among them the minister of France, M. Luzerne, M. Otto, Mr. Holker, French consul-general; Count De la Touche ; and Count Dillon. There were also present Gen. Lincoln, Gen. Steuben, Gen. McIntosh, and Mr. Hanson, president of Congress. The guests were twenty-one in number. This association may have done somthing in the way of charity to emigrants, but the members finally went into the Hibernian Society. the left, " America," represented as an Indian, with quiver on his back and bow strung; in the centre, "Liberty," with a pole, joining the hands of " America" and " Hibernia." Below was the motto, " Unite." On the reverse was the figure of St. Pat- rick, in full pontificals, a cross in his hand, trampling on a snake. Motto, "Hiar" (" west"). At the meet- ing held in 1771 the following persons were present : President, Stephen Moylan; Vice-President, John The Hibernian Society received a charter April 27, 1792. The preamble stated, " It is highly proper to promote the designs of said society, inasmuch as they may greatly contribute to the prosperity of this State and of the United States by encouraging emigration from Ireland. The first officers were : Chief Justice Thomas Mckean, president; Gen. Walter Stewart, vice-president; Edward Fox, sec- retary ; Dr. John Carson and Dr. James Cunning- ham, physicians ; Charles Heatly and Jasper Moylan, counselors; James McClure, John Maloney, James M. Nesbitt; Secretary and Treasurer, William Mitchell. The honorary members at this time and up to 1776 were James Searle, Henry Hill, John Dickinson, Robert Morris, William Hicks, Richard Penn, William Hamilton, John Cadwalader, Samuel Meredith, Richard Bache, and Lambert Cadwalader. The members of the society in the same period were William West, Thomas Barclay, John Mease, Randle Mitchell, John Mitchell, Turbutt Francis, John Nixon, Thomas Fitzsimons, George Meade, George

Campbell, Tench Francis, James Mease, Andrew Caldwell, Matthew Mease, George Davis, John Shee, Ulysses Lynch, George Fullerton, John Boyle, Ben- jamin Fuller, Samuel Caldwell, Thomas Batt, Robert Boyd, D. H. Conyngham, Sharp Delany, Robert Glen, George Henry, James Logan, James Moylan, John Murray, John Patterson, Anthony Wayne, and William West, Jr. This list comprises the names of Catholics and Protestants, and religious differences were not allowed to enter into the composition of the society. Several of these names are those of dis- tinguished patriots in the Revolution. The society was firm in the American cause. In March, 1776, it expelled Thomas Batt " for taking an active part against the liberties of America." The dinners of the club were held at some first-class tavern, -- Byrne's, Smith's City Tavern, the Wigwam, or Duffy's. The members continued to meet until the British took possession of Philadelphia. Sessions were recommenced in 1779. Among the members after the Revolution were John Dickinson, William Bingham, Judge Richard Peters, Capt. John Barry, of the navy, Gen. Edward Hand, Maj .- Gen. William Irvine, Maj .- Gen. Knox, Gen. Walter Stuart, Gen. William Thompson, Col. Jobn Patton, Col. Francis Nichols, and Col. Francis Johnston. In December, 1781, Gen. Washington (an exception to the rule) was invited to dine with the society. As he was not of Irish blood, this honor created some discussion as to its propriety. To get over the difficulty the society unanimously adopted him as a member. It was requi- site that he should possess and wear the gold medal. This emblem had been prepared in England, and a new one could not be obtained. Dr. James Mease patriotically solved the difficulty by presenting his medal to Washington, trusting to opportunity after the war was over to obtain, another. In fact, the law was tacitly suspended at this feast. There were in-

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Ash, Thomas Cuthbert, Redmond Byrne, Joseph Mc- of Englishmen by birth, ereatcd differences of feel- Guffen, John Read, David McCormick, John Me- Elwee, Joseph Brown, Alexander Lawrence, Jr., and Andrew Kennedy, acting committee. This society took active means to assist emigrants. A committee of twelve members, divided into four classes, each class to serve three months, was required to visit all vessels arriving in port from Ireland, to inquire into the condition of the passengers, to give such relief and advice as was necessary, to inquire if the laws regulating the passenger trade had been obeyed, and to take measures to punish the masters of vessels who had been guilty of negligence, cruelty, or oppression of emigrants.

Society of the Sons of St. George .- The British Club, social in its objects, met at Griffith's Tavern in 1759. The example of the Scotch, Germans, and Irish incited the natives of England to the formation of a society in imitation of the objects already aimed at by the societies heretofore named. The Society of the Sons of St. George, established at Philadelphia for the advice and assistance of Englishmen in dis- tress, was founded on St. George's day, April 23, 1772, at Byrne's Tavern ("Sign of the Cock"), in Front Street, below Walnut.1

The officers elected were : President, Rev. Richard Peters, D.D .; Vice-President, Robert Morris ; Treas- urer, Daniel Rundle; Stewards, William Parr, Esq., Dr. John Kearsley, Thomas Foxcroft, Richard Foot- man ; Secretary, Richard Peters, Jr. ; Messenger, John Airy. The St. George's Society was in session at the City Tavern on St. George's day, April 17, 1775, when Robert Morris, afterward the celebrated financier of the Revolution, announced the recep- tion of the news of the battle of Lexington. The members were shocked at this intelligence, and the feast was one of sorrow and anxiety. Subse- quent events, as was natural in a society composed

1 The following were the original members who signed the articles of association: Rev. Dr. Richard Peters, Robert Morris, Daniel Rundle, Richard Peters, Jr., Esq., William Parr, Dr. John Kearsley, Richard Footman, Thomas Foxcroft, Matthias Aspen, Charles Allen, William Adcock, Dr. Thomas Bond, Dr. Phineas Bond, John Baynton, John Baron, Joseph Bullock, Dr. Robert Bass, James Budden, Edward Bar- rett, Thomas Bowlsby, Richard Bache, Jonathan Brown, Capt. Joseph Blewer, Alfred Clifton, Rev. John Carter, John Coanes, Capt. Isaac Caton, Capt. James Caton, Edward Drewry, Dr. John Day, Manuel Eyres, John Eyres, Anthony Stocker, William Sitgreaves, Capt. James Spack, Joseph Stansbury, Robert Sherman, Thomae Savidge, Rev. Wil- liam Stringer, Rev. Dr. William Smith, John Tyler, Godfrey Twells, John Foxcroft, Mark Freeman, John Glover, Thomas Goodwin, George Goodwin, Dr. George Glentworth, Isaac Hazlehurst, William Hlevin, John Ileaton, Amos Hayton, Rev. Robert Harding, Capt. William Hey- sham, Capt. John Hazlewood, Nathaniel Ilyde, Francis Jeyes, Jolin Jennings, William Hanghton James, Samuel Jeffries, John Kidd, Lyn- ford Lardner, Lieut. John Lennox, William London, Capt. John Maw- bey, Thomas Murgatroyd, George Noarth, Dr. William Pemberton, John Phillips, William Pollard, Thomas Ronker, George Rundle, Rich- ard Rundle, Charles Startong, William Suell, Peter Turner, Hon. Thomas Willing, Richard Willing, Drewry Wake, Thomas Charles Williams, John Williams, George Westcott, Thomas Yorke, and Thomas West. Among the other members added before 1776 were: Dr. An- thony Chovet, Joseph Fox, James Humphries, Asheton Humphries, Robert Hare, Richard Penn, and Rev. William White.

ing. Some of the members inclined to the mother- country. Others warmly espoused the cause of the col- onies, and maintained their principles during the long struggle. The meetings were afterward suspended. No meeting was held until March 4, 1776, when Dr. John Kearsley, Jr., was expelled upon the public avowal of Tory sentiments. At the next meeting the operations of the society were suspended altogether, and the members did not come together again for eleven years. Governor Richard Penn was president in 1775-76, and he was re-elected on the reorganiza- tion April 23, 1787. In 1793 the meetings were sus- pended in consequence of the yellow fever, and they were not resumed for three years. The society was not incorporated until Jan. 16, 1813, when an act of Assembly was obtained through the services of a committee consisting of Thomas Ketland, Joseph Sims, John Vaughan, Dr. J. P. Glentworth, and Tristram B. Freeman. In 1821 the society returned answer to commissioners appointed by the General Assembly in relation to pauperism, that between Jan. 23, 1813, and Jan. 23, 1821, the society had ex- pended $3754.87 for charitable purposes, and had as- sisted and relieved two hundred and seventy-six male adults, three hundred and sixty-two females, and five hundred and thirty-two children, exclusive of twenty-two cases, in each of which it was stated there was a large family of children. The resident contributing members were then about one hundred, and they paid their dues quarterly. The Rev. Dr. Joseph Pilmore, who died in 1826, left to the society his residuary estate, which amounted to $8162.52. The society voted that Dr. Pilmore was a benefactor, and ordered his portrait to be painted, which was done. It still hangs in the society's hall. For some years the members met in the third story of the Philadelphia Exchange, and during that time sent Thomas Sully to Europe to paint a portrait of Queen Victoria. In 1875 it was determined to secure a hall. The property of Matthew Newkirk, a hand- some marble building at the southwest corner of Thirteenth and Arch Streets, was bought, greatly enlarged, an extra story having been added, and the interior altered, by which a large assembly-room in ·the second story was secured with accommodations for seating one thousand persons. An elegant eques- trian group in bronze, representing St. George killing the dragon, was placed upon the pediment, and St. George's Hall became a public building, which was finer in appearance than any other occupied in the city by a national society.

The French Society .- Natives of France were not numerous in Philadelphia before the Revolution. After that time refugees from San Domingo came in considerable numbers, and also persons from France, driven out by the revolution there. At a meeting of Americans and Frenchmen celebrating a dinner, Jan. 1, 1793, at Oeller's Hotel, to commemorate the

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victories achieved by the Gallic arms in the war waging between France and other nations of Europe, I been used with much discretion for the benefit of it was determined to open subscriptions for the relief | Frenchmen in distress, and good advice and friend- of distressed citizens of France then in the city. In ship has been shown toward them. the succeeding month they fully organized Le Société Officers,-President, H. A. Pintard ; Vice-President, H. Perdriaux; Treasurer, S. Delbert ; Secretary, G. G. Dussoulas; Directors, E. Borda, George W. Farr, Jr., J. E. Lafore, H. Lejambre, Paul Pohl, Jr., F. A. Seynave, William G. Delbert, F. G. Dussoulas, A. F. Bornot, E. A. Le- jambre. Française de bien Faisance. John Ternant, the minis- ter of France to the United States, was elected presi- dent; John de la Forest, Vice-consul of France, vice- president; Peter le Maigre, treasurer ; Peter S. Du Ponceau and John Armand, secretaries ; Henry Elouis, Joseph Mcisson, James Gardette, Joseph D. Hamelin, Benjamin Nones, Peter Legaux, Anthony Chardon, Edmund Bureau, Augustus Massole, John Peter Blanchard, Bernard, Francis, Robert, and Francis Dupont, acting committee. In the same year there were on the latter committee also James Vannxem, Ferdinand Gonrdon, Charles Homanel, Francis Serre, and Ambrose Vasse. This society was active until about 1798, when it ceased from its labors. A social association, Le Société des Grivois ("The Society of Merry Fellows), served for a time to keep the French- men together at dinners and on other festive occa- sions, each member bearing a club name or nick- name, by which he was always addressed. Prominent among the members were Messrs. Chardon, De la Grange, Tanguy, De la Boissiere, Dr. Monges, De St. Memin, De la Neuville, Dr. Gardette, and others.

In 1804 an attempt was made to revive Le Société Française de bien Faisance, but it was not successful. On the 7th of September, 1805, the work was accom- plished at a meeting of French citizens.1

The society was incorporated on the 2d of October, 1805, and held its first meeting at the "Harp and Crown," on the 2d of October. The following officers were elected : President, Jean Laval ; Vice-President, Augustine Bousquet; Treasurer, Patrice Gernon ; Secretary, Lawrence Huron; Board of Directors, Jean du Barry, president ; Dr. Jean Mathieu, Rene G. Gravelle, Louis Desauque, Richard Gernon, Four- nier Rostaing, Louis Gachet, De Lisle, Amable Bra- sier, Dr. James Gardette, Simon Chandron, Françoise Laquet, Joseph B. Galbade, William Foussette, Dr. Rousseau, Dr. Monges, Garrestie Tender, Louis D. C. Carpentier, and Peter le Barbiere Du Plessis. After some years the organization became inert. Jean Laval, the president, held the capital, four thousand two hundred and fifty dollars, in trust, and dispensed of the interest for many years to Frenchmen in dis- tress, which trust was exercised with great judg- ment during his life. In 1830 the society was re- organized with a large number of members, and rechartered in 1835, and the fund held by Mr. Laval was handed over to it. Since that time the society has been in active operation, and is usually known as

1 The original members of this association at this time were Jean Laval, Augustine Bonsquet, Richard Gernon, l'eter Naire, L. Gashel Dellsle, J. Tarascon, James S. Duval, Louis Clapier, J. I. Boujac, I. G. de la Roche, John A. Soullie, N. G. Dufeif, J. W. Fousset, L. Desnuque, J. Gardette, Fournier Rostaing, Charles Burgier, and others.

the French Benevolent Society. The funds have

The Welsh Club met at Griffith's Tavern in 1759, and is supposed to have given origin to the St. David's Society, which existed before the Revolution. In 1798 a number of Welshmen associated themselves for the relief of Welsh emigrants in distress, and they were incorporated as the Welsh Society in 1802. In 1801 the Welsh Society resolved to give a piece of plate, worth one hundred and fifty dollars, to Dr. Thomas C. James, for his humane attention to unfor- tunate Welsh emigrants sick at the city hospital, at the wigwam on the banks of the Schuylkill, during the yellow fever of that year. In 1809 the officers of the Welsh Society were as follows : President, Samnel Meredith ; Vice-President, Robert Wharton; Treas- urer, Thomas Cumpston ; Secretary, Joseph S. Lewis ; Register, Jonathan Smith ; Stewards, John Evans, Richard Price, Thomas Parke, Chandler Price, Reeve Lewis, Elihn Channcey, and Matthew L. Bevan ; Physicians, Dr. Thomas C. James and Dr. Joseph Strong; Councilors, Benjamin R. Morgan and Ed- ward Tilghman.

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History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 143

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 992

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992