The Society of the Sons of St. George, Established at Philadelphia for the Advice and Assistance of Englishmen in Distress was an organization founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Saint George's Day, April 23, 1772.J. Thomas Scharf and Thompson Westcott: History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Philadelphia: L. H. Everts & Co., 1884, Vol. 2, p. 1467.An Historical Sketch of the Origin and Progress of the Society of the Sons of St. George, Philadelphia: Alfred M. Slocum Co., Printers, 1897, 257 pp. Earlier meetings were reportedly held at Tun Tavern.
The society's charter in its act of incorporation approved by the Pennsylvania assembly on April 6, 1791,St. George's Society: Charter and By-laws of the St. George's Society, Philadelphia: T. S. Manning, Printer, 1814, 16 pp. states:
The seal of the society was described in the act of incorporation as a shield bordered with thirteen stars, on which is depicted Saint George slaying the dragon, with the eye of Providence beaming upon him, and on a wreath above, a young phoenix rising from the flames. The motto on the upper edge was "The Seal of St. George's Society, Philadelphia," around the bottom edge, "I was a stranger, and ye took me in," and over the crest "Add to brotherly love, charity."
The Society’s founding meeting was held at Byrne's Tavern, on Front Street, below Walnut Street.St. George Society of Philadelphia, http://dev.stgeorgephiladelphia.org/index.html, n.d. (2009). The first officers elected at the organizational meeting were: President, The Rev. Richard Peters, D.D., Rector of Christ Church; Vice-President, Mr. Robert Morris; Treasurer, Mr. Daniel Rundle; Secretary, Mr. Richard Peters, Jr.; Stewards, Mr. Richard Footman, Mr. Thomas Foxcroft, William Parr, Esq., Dr. John Kearsley; and Messenger, John Airey. The society carried out its charitable mission through the American Revolution and the War of 1812.
In 1838 the Society commissioned a Portrait of Queen Victoria from the English-born American artist Thomas Sully. In 1876, the club bought the Philadelphia mansion of tycoon Matthew Newkirk at 13th and Arch Streets, renamed it "St. George's Hall", and used it as their headquarters until the building was torn down in 1903.Photo: St. George's Hall, Thirteenth and Arch Sts., Free Library of Philadelphia
In the 1900s, the society provided support to British war brides in World War I and World War II.St. George Society of Philadelphia, 2009, op. cit.
The Society was identical to the "Society of Englishmen, and Sons of Englishmen, Established at Philadelphia, for the Advice and Assistance of Englishmen in Distress" which met at Carpenters' Hall on St. George’s Day, April 23, 1773.J. Thomas Scharf and Thompson Westcott. 1884. History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Philadelphia: L. H. Everts & Co., Vol. I, p. 233.Society of Englishmen, and Sons of Englishmen: Rules and constitutions of the Society of Englishmen, and Sons of Englishmen, Established at Philadelphia, for the Advice and Assistance of Englishmen in Distress. Philadelphia: Benjamin Towne, 1774, http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/ER/detail/hkul/2725850, n.d. (2010).
See also St. George's Society of Baltimore
References
External links Official website