Pennsylvania Society News Archive

Fall Bulletin 2007

Recently the officers of the Pennsylvania Society met in Philadelphia to enjoy the renowned world-class hospitality and exceptional food prepared by the oldest men’s dining club in America, The Philadelphia Club. The purpose of our visitation was an annual pilgrimage to inspect a bronze plaque affixed to the western wall of City Hall’s interior courtyard. Erected by our Order in September 1908, it memoralizes the encampment on this site in 1781 by the French Allies under Comte de Rochambeau.

We inspected the monument and studied our Order’s Insignia- prominent on the face of this rare and treasured bronze monument. As we recalled, in 1908 The Pennsylvania Society of our Order assembled in the office of the Mayor in City Hall and preceded by the flags and colors of the Order, marched to the Court Yard where the monument had been erected. In addition to the members of the Society, there were present also the Hon. John Reyburn, Mayor of Philadelphia, Viscomte de Chambrun, a great-grandson of the Marquis de Lafayette, and Charge d’Affairs of the French Embassy at Washington, Admirals Pendelton and Arnold and other naval officers.

We ended the day by discussing several ways the Pennsylvania Society of our Order might celebrate the upcoming 100-year anniversary - in September, 2008 - of the erection in Philadelphia of our Order’s most important Pennsylvania historic monument.

Pennsylvania OFPA group photo with Charter.