Pennsylvania Society of the Order of the Founders and Patriots of America Founded 28 December 1896

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.

Governor Richard D. Smith, Sr. 647 Brintons Bridge Rd. West Chester, PA 19382-8134 (610) 793-1930

Registrar Richard W. Chappell 215 Pierce Rd. Wilmington, DE 19803-3729 (302) 658-4987