Pennsylvania Society News Archive

Spring 2009 Bulletin

Left to right: David Rawson Esq., Richard Chappell, Peter Adams, Richard Dana Smith, Sr., Thomas KeRllogg, William Dutcher, Robert Van Gulick, Peter Hill

On Monday, February 9th Stetson Middle School rededicated their Fredom Shrine wall with a ceremony attended by a host of local dignitaries, service clubs and West Chester Area School District officials. A distinguished guest at the ceremony was the Pennsylvania Society Governor, Richard Dana Smith, Sr., Governor of the Pennsylvania Society of the Founders and
Patriots of America. Governor Smith was quoted saying “This celebration of America coincides with a momentous time when young Americans are enthusiastically taking an interest in the
political process and in American history”. Additional speakers included: Senator Andrew Dinniman and two House of Representative members - Barbara M. Smith and Tom
Killion. Also featured were members of the West Chester Exchange Club, members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 0409, the school principal LeRoy Whitehead, Student Council representatives, teachers and parents. Stetson Middle School is a member of the West Chester Area School District of Pennsylvania and serves over 900 students in grades six through eight. The West Chester Exchange Club is a volunteer group of men and women who provide programs of charitable work throughout the community.

Governor Richard Dana Smith, SR., featured guest at the Pennsylvania Stetson Middle School Rededication Ceremony.

Also in the Pennsylvania society, on February 8, 2009, the Society held its annual meeting –
including twenty members and guests, to celebrate and elect the Society’s officers for the coming year. The meeting was held at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Essington, PA. This is one of the most famous Yacht Clubs in America. It is located on the Delaware River, one mile from Philadelphia. The Yacht Club’s shores - witnessed the largest artillery bombardment during the entire Revolutionary War - that being the five week battle during October and November of 1776 at Fort Mifflin. It was entirely due to the brave heroic efforts of 80 men at Fort Mifflin on the Delaware – who held this fort until the river became frozen – thereby preventing General Howe from receiving needed supplies which would have been used to then destroy George Washington’s Army.

General Howe was then in complete command of Philadelphia. He was expecting fresh
supplies of guns, bullets, powder and provisions to re-equip his men since he fully intended to completely destroy George Washington’s entire Continental Army that fall, outside of Philadelphia. The fact is that there were more than 100 British ships - full of fresh provisions - trying to gain access to Philadelphia to provide the needed supplies to the British Army. Thankfully, the Patriots at Fort Mifflin held their ground, preventing the British supplies from reaching General Howe’s Army in Philadelphia. As we know, because General Howe did not receive these necessary supplies in time, he decided to stay in Philadelphia during that very cold winter - as our patriots tried to survive at Valley Forge.

Today, a visitor to the Corinthian Yacht Club can see Fort Mifflin in the distance. Also today, a visitor to the famous Fort Mifflin can see the name of John Adams, my distant cousin and second President of the United States, inscribed in the Marble Keystone – strategically located at the main entrance arch of Fort Mifflin. This is because, after the war was won, John Adams
instructed Congress to rebuild Fort Mifflin, as it had been completely destroyed by the British during the October to November 1776 bombardment. John Adams then believed, as history would bear witness, that Fort Mifflin would hold future strategic importance for our young and growing country.

Fall Bulletin 2008

The Pennsylvania society held a grand parade on
September 3, 2008 to celebrate their many
contributions to the city of Philadelphia.

The associates of the Pennsylvania Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America publicly celebrated with a grand parade and several distinguished governmental speakers on September 3, 2008 at Philadelphia. A large crowd assembled to remember and reflect upon the Pennsylvania Society’s beautiful contribution to the City of Philadelphia,
100-years ago, when a bronze memorial plaque was commissioned and installed on the wall of Philadelphia’s beautiful governmental building known as City Hall.

Our Pennsylvania Society’s Governor, Richard Dana Smith, Sr., opened the ceremony by
reminding the audience that one-hundred years ago in 1908, the Pennsylvania Society
assembled in the office of the Mayor and preceded by the flags and colors of the Order, marched to this very court yard where the beautiful bronze memorial plaque was erected.
Governor Smith recalled that at that original ceremony was 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.

Governor Richard Dana Smith, Sr. stated that “history tells us during September, 1781, Comte de Rochambeau, Commander in Chief of the French Army in America, encamped at this very spot with his Army of six-thousand soldiers on their way to Yorktown.” Yorktown was to
become the final battle of the American Revolutionary War where the French assisted our Commander in Chief, General Washington, and the Continental Army in capturing British General Cornwallis.

Governor Smith mentioned that the celebration also sheds light on the 225-year anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Paris. He stated that this Treaty was a direct result of General Washington’s Continental Army, aided by the French forces in America, claiming victory over British General Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown that successfully ended the American Revolution.

Remarks provided by United States Senator Arlen Specter, Lieutenant Governor of
Pennsylvania Catherine Baker Knoll, Senator John C. Rafferty, Jr. and Senator Andrew E. Dinniman highlighted the day as our Society’s Governor Richard Dana Smith, Sr. and his many loyal Associates were thanked and congratulated for remembering this important historical event. The Pennsylvania Society our Order by remaining steadfast in promoting patriotism and maintaining a respect for the character and heroism of the Founders and Patriots of America.

Spring Bulletin 2008

The Pennsylvania Society Celebrates their
Annual Meeting and discusses Philadelphia History

David W. Rawson, our Society’s Immediate Past Governor, recently hosted the Pennsylvania Society’s officers, members and guests at the Radnor Hunt Club in Berwyn. Berwyn is not far from Philadelphia, and Past Governor Rawson reminded the attendees that William Penn had originally established five squares when he founded Philadelphia. Penn called one of these squares, “Center Square”. Today, Center Square is home to Philadelphia’s city government and in its courtyard is a bronze monument that was commissioned and installed 100 years ago, in 1908, by our Pennsylvania Society.

Governor Richard D. Smith, Sr. stated that the 1908 bronze monument serves as a memorial of the encampment on that site in 1781 by the French Allies under Comte de Rochambeau. During September, 1781, Comte de Rochambeau, Commander in Chief of the French army in America, encamped at “Center Square” with his army of six thousand soldiers on their way to Yorktown. As we know, Yorktown was to become the final battle of the American Revolutionary War where the French assisted our Commander-in-chief, General Washington, in capturing Cornwallis. Governor Smith remarked how our Order’s insignia, prominent on the face of the monument, reminds us today of that date in 1908 when the Pennsylvania Society assembled in the office of the Mayor and preceded by the flags and colors of the Order, marched to the court yard where the monument was erected. At the 1908 ceremony was 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.

Governor Richard D. Smith, Sr. then unveiled our Society’s 1874 original Charter. It has been professionally preserved and excellently maintained. We studied the names of the Founders responsible for creating our Society over 133 years ago. We also discussed ways our Society might celebrate the upcoming 100-year anniversary commemorating the 1908 unveiling of our Society’s most important public monument in Philadelphia.

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.