Five O'Clock Club of Philadelphia

The Five O'Clock Club of Philadelphia was a social dining club founded by a group of prominent Philadelphia business and government leaders in 1883. With 35 members, the club had no building of its own, but organized dinners, banquets, and other entertainments at other clubs and hotels in Philadelphia. While the club was created by newspaper men, among its members were local Republican politicians, including Philadelphia Mayor Charles F. Warwick, Philadelphia Mayor and US Congressman J. Hampton Moore, Pennsylvania Attorney General Francis Shunk Brown, Pennsylvania Attorney General F. Carroll Brewster, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice William I. Schaffer, US Congressman Robert H. Foerderer, and US Senator Joseph R. Grundy.

In its early days, the club met on the second Saturday of each month, taking the summer months off.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1889], p. 67. The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel,"Noted Men for Sproul Fest: Many Active in National Affairs to be Five O'Clock Club Guests," Evening Public Ledger, 7 Dec 1918, p. 2. the Manufacturers' Club"Five O'Clock Club Meeting," Philadelphia Times 15 Dec 1889, p. 4. and the Union League of Philadelphia"Five O'Clock Club Dinner," Philadelphia Times 10 March 1889, p. 2. were frequently the scene of Five O'Clock Club meetings. The club was the successor of the short-lived Thursday Club and was launched within days of the folding of that club,"Five O'Clock Club", The Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 Feb 1883, p. 3. and was a main competitor to the similarly organized Clover Club of Philadelphia, which survived the Five O'Clock Club. The Five O'Clock Club was dissolved in 1937.

Beginnings The club was conceived in the business office of George William Childs, owner of the Philadelphia Public Ledger newspaper. In January 1883, Childs issued a call for a meeting to organize a new club to replace the defunct Thursday Club. The following month, in room 20 of the Public Ledger building, a number of men met and organized the new society. Newspaper men were the majority. Among those present were M. Richards Muckle, Joel Cook, Israel F. Sheppard, Robert M. McWade, Frank Smith, and James H. Alexander, all connected with the Public Ledger. Also present were W. H. C. Hargrave, John M. Perry, James R. Wood, George W. Boyd, Robert C. Clipperton, John L. Carncross, Henry R. Edmunds, and Charles Lawrence.History of the Five O'Clock Club, J. Hampton Moore. (Philadelphia: n.p., 1891), pp. 5–6. The first officers of the club were Captain Robert C. Clipperton, the British Consul in Philadelphia, as president; Joel Cook, of the Philadelphia Public Ledger, as vice president; and Frank Smith, also of the Philadelphia Public Ledger, as secretary."The Five O'Clock Club Organized." Philadelphia Times, 12 Feb 1883.

Meetings

Meetings of the Five O'Clock Club were marked both by their informality -- meeting at 5:00 p.m. meant gentlemen were not required to wear formal clothes -- and by their wit. Distinguished guests were typically present at meetings and the evening's entertainment consisted of speeches, songs, declamations, and witty banter. It was at an 1899 meeting of the Five O'Clock Club that the state of Missouri came to be known as the "Show-Me-State." Rep. Willard Duncan Vandiver (D., Mo.) commented, "I come from a State that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.""I'm From Missouri" Philadelphia Inquirer, 17 August 1967, p. 9.

Ending Fifty-four years after its founding, the 10 remaining members of the Five O'Clock Club decided to disband the organization. The final dinner meeting of the organization happened on Thursday, October 14, 1937, at the Art Alliance, in Philadelphia."Events of the Day," Philadelphia Inquirer, 14 Oct 1937, p. 12. One week later, the club held their final meeting, a luncheon meeting, the first in its history, with 36 guests, at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel's Clover Room on Thursday, October 21, 1937."Five O'Clock Club Smashes Tradition," Philadelphia Inquirer, 20 Oct 1937, p. 4. The final menu was oysters, green turtle soup, roast turkey and Nesselrode pudding and the final toast was "Old days, old times, old friends." Present at the final meeting were Col. Louis J. Kolb, president; J. Hampton Moore, secretary-treasurer; Joseph R. Grundy, Francis Shunk Brown, John Kent Kane, Edward T. Stotesbury, J. S. W. Holton, Judge William I. Schaffer, Henry W. Moore, and Joseph Wayne, Jr.The details regarding the final meeting are taken from "What Do You Want to Know?" Philadelphia Inquirer 26 Oct 1959, p. 20.

Members

W. M. Barrett.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1905], pp. 684-685.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1906], p. 689.

J. W. B. Bausman.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1890], p. 551.

James M. Beck.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1905], pp. 684-685.

Judge Teter Dimner Beeber (1854–1930).

Judge Abraham M. Beitler (1853–1935).Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1905], pp. 684-685.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1906], p. 689.

Mayor Rudolph Blankenburg (1843–1918).Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1905], pp. 684-685.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1906], p. 689.

Charles H. Bower.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1893], p. 578.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.

George W. Boyd. Founding member.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1890], p. 551.

Benjamin Franklin Breneman (1837–1905).Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1890], p. 551.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1893], p. 578.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1905], pp. 684-685.

F. Carroll Brewster, LL.D. (1825–1898). Honorary Member.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.

Francis Shunk Brown (1858–1940).Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1906], p. 689. "Grundy, Brown Elected to Five O'Clock Posts," Philadelphia Inquirer, 30 March 1930, p. 4"What Do You Want to Know?" Philadelphia Inquirer 26 Oct 1959, p. 20.

Dr. Martin G. Brumbaugh."M. G. Brumbaugh Dies of Heart Attack," Mount Union Times 21 March 1930, p. 1."Grundy, Brown Elected to Five O'Clock Posts," Philadelphia Inquirer 30 March 1930, p. 4.

Judge William Wilkins Carr (1853–1919).Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651."Philadelphia Jurist Dead," The Gazette Times (Pittsburgh), 5 April 1919, p. 15.

Colonel Alexander Purves Colesberry (1836–1916).Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1893], p. 578.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1905], pp. 684-685.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1906], p. 689.

David F. Conover.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1890], p. 551.

John H. Cook."Five O'Clock Club Meeting," Philadelphia Press 15 Dec 1889, p. 4.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1890], p. 551.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1893], p. 578.

Joseph Culbert (b. 1837).Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1890], p. 551.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1893], p. 578.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1906], p. 689.

Alva C. Dinkey."Grundy, Brown Elected to Five O'Clock Posts," Philadelphia Inquirer 30 March 1930, p. 4."Five O'Clock Officers Renamed," Philadelphia Inquirer 5 May 1931, p. 17.

Samuel Disston.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1905], pp. 684-685.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1906], p. 689.

James Doak, Jr. (1837–1916).Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1890], p. 551.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1893], p. 578.

Thomas Dolan.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1905], pp. 684-685.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1906], p. 689.

John T. Donnelly (1825–1883). Founding member."Well Known Theatrical Manager Dead," Lancaster Intelligencer, 12 Dec 1883.

Henry R. Edmunds. Founding member.

Francis Fenimore (1840–1909).Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1893], p. 578.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.

James McIntyre Ferguson (1833–1885). Founding member."Death of James M. Ferguson," Philadelphia Times, 6 Nov 1885, p. 2.

Robert Hermann Foerderer (1860–1903).Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.

H. E. Garsed.

W. W. Gibbs.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1905], pp. 684-685.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1906], p. 689.

George S. Graham. Founding member.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1905], pp. 684-685.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1906], p. 689. Colonel John Gribbel."Five O'Clock Officers Renamed," Philadelphia Inquirer, 5 May 1931, p. 17.

Henry B. Gross (b. 1849).Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1890], p. 551.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1893], p. 578.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.

Senator Joseph R. Grundy (1863–1961). "Grundy, Brown Elected to Five O'Clock Posts," Philadelphia Inquirer, 30 March 1930, p. 4Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1905], pp. 684-685.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1906], p. 689."What Do You Want to Know?" Philadelphia Inquirer 26 Oct 1959, p. 20.

Franklin M. Harris.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1893], p. 578.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1896], pp. 617-618.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1898], p. 651.

William F. Harrity.Boyd's Philadelphia Blue Book [Philadelphia: C. E. Howe, 1906], p. 689.

Major William H. Hastings.

J. S. W. Holton."What Do You Want to Know?" Philadelphia Inquirer 26 Oct 1959, p. 20.

John F. Hope.