The sun., 1894-12-30
coLoRED MEy IN 4 FIVE CLUE.
The Society OF the Sons or New York Char.
liable as Wen As Representatives.

liable as Wen As Representative.
Up on West Fifty-third street, comfortably
installed In 3 handsome club house, is the So
ciety OF the Sons OF New York. Its members are
all colored men. and all parts OF the country are
represented by either associate or honorary
members. They include merchants, lawyers,
writers, and men in many other walks. The aim
OF the founders OF the club was TO have It COM
posed OF men representative Of the better ele-
ment among Afro-Americans in the Empire
State, and the members think they have sue
ceeded in this respect.
II was In 1854 that some colored men decided
to organize the club. The idea from the first
was 20 make the club representative OF the State
of New York, and so the regular membership
was limited to colored men who had been born
in the Empire State, or had como here before
they were fiye years of age. On July as OF tho
same year the organization was completed.
Louis Williams was the first President OF the
society. The next President was George Myers.
and the third j. A. TrOwer. All these Tnen are
now dead. and their pictures adorn the walls OF
the club house. From the first applicants had
20 prove certain mental and moral qualihca-
tions. and nobody over SO years OF age has been
permitted TO I'LL an application for mem bers h p.
once on its feet Charity was added to fraternity
and sociabllity as objects Of the club; Destitute
sSlorsd people who SIS wsrs found worthy received
dead members. In 1856 President Myers was
reelected 10 ofice. and the office OF historiogra
pher was created. since then q yearly account
OF the clubs doings has been published and filed
away for the edihcation OF future members.
Up to 1890 the society was without a club
house or regular place OF meeting. Then the
Civn Court room at Twenty-second street and
Seventh avenue was secured, and meetings
we're held there until the present handsome
club house was bought. IL was ia October, 1891,
that the society completed its home fund and
purchased the three-story and basement brown
stone house at l53 Wet Ftfty-third street for
$4,000. Considerable money spent in
fiKing the exterior well as the interior. la
the basement Is a restaurant. On the first floor
ere psrlGr S1d reception room Here Is an oIen
are strewn about the rOOm. There is u wiring
room and library on the same door in the rear.
where every facility for readers and writer's is
provided. The club library was obtained in a
novel way; The members concluded, after pay-
ing the bills for htting up the house, that they
could not afford TO spend more money on a II.
brary. SO the club gave a book reception. lt
members 70 attend a reception az the club
house. and each visitor wa requested 10 bring
book with her as "a contribution 10 the library.
The reception Was great success. and the most
remarkable thing about il vas that there were
only seven applications out 0t the six or seven
The patriotic spirit of the club is evidenced In
the library ard parlors by American hays.
They are every here, ol the walls ana IN tie
corners while the ceiling Is entirely concealed
by mass OF stars and stripes.
On the second floor are tile pool and billiard
room, the cafe. and the card room, On the top
floor j. the large meeting room, which can bs
utilized for entertainments as well as meetings.
At present there are 800 members Of the club,
exclusive of the honorary and associate mem
bers. The annual eleG!!on ~ ;hcers took place
a few weeks ago and William Russell johnson
was elected President 10 ~grr-ed William r.
Gross. who had served the C.GJ "a that CHpao.ty
for tgO years. Several evenings ago Mr. Iru-s
gave dinner a. the club house IN honor 81 Mr..
johnson. The other uftCeF- are Me4soF =.
saunders, l. y Benedict. and I. +. Hof-
man. Vice -Presidents; Joseph A. Trradw well
aud A. J. Clarke, secretaries; Waiter Falrrhld
treasurer; Frank Stanley, historiOgrapher, and
Frederick StAC khOuze. Librarian Among the
honorary members % tie society are the Rev
Alexander Cromwell ~ WA.E.rg'ui. PROF.
Charles A. Dorsey, T. Thomas Fort..- Richard
T. GEeeUrr. the Rev. Henry A. 'l-rr... T.. No
aHt- Stew arr, Hiram Thomas. t.v t.,,. Ju,+l lu
4. Thomson. and Jamr- d. BaEtrr. Au.8.g
the 49,, IAte ulemhers are haFl-s ~. Auder-
son, William Hsylign. James W. Rutledgs, NJ
l. Hunter william II. HubbslL Preston 81
esEARSs. ARa DARisl AsFTisoAs