The Irish standard., 1908-04-11
WHO ARE They?
Origin Of the Friendly Sons Of st. Pat,

Origin Of the Friendly Sons Of st. Pat
! rick
The Friendly Sons of st. Patrick
dates it's origin from September II,
1771, when seventeen persons nearly
all of them among the merchants of
Philadelphia. and all belonging to the
Hibernian Fire Bucket Brigade, and
all of them Irishmen or sons of Irish
men, met in Burns Tavern in that city
and formed the organization now so
famous. The object was friendly and
social intercourse.
From its inception in 1771 it's roll
comprised 100 members, viz: One
adopted member General George
Washington; sixteen honorary mem
bers, and eighty-three members. No
equal number in the thirteen colonies
contributed more to the success of the
American Revolution than did the
Friendly Sons of st. Patrick Nearly
| ~'N'S i'oAA Neao Sh6d6Cu III IIlC SIlll0
for independence at one time or an
other on land or sea.
Charles Thompson. secretary of the
Continental Congress, a member, wrote
the first copy Of the Declaration of In
dependence from the draft received
from Jefferson. Colonel John Nixon,
,he,> l,-
the people from the second story GEN.
trail window of Independence Hall.
John Dunlap. Il member, and publisher
of the first daily newspaper in the
colonies was the first to print and pub
lish it.
The Friendly Sons of st. Patrick
gave twelve generals to the Army of
the Revolution besides numerous Of
f1cers OF lower rank. The most con-
spicuous members were: General Ste
phen .Moylan. General Walter Stewart.
General William Thompson, General
\ William Irvine, General Anthony
Wayne, General Thomas Robinson,
General John Shee, General Edward
Hand and General Henry Knox, after
ward Secretary of war when Wash
ington became President. Among it's
honorary members were: General
George Cadwalader Robert Norris,
Commodore John Barry, Father of the
American Navy. Colonel Ephriam
Blaine grandfather of James G.
Blaine) and Colonel George Meade
grandfather of General Meade of Get
tysburg fame.)
In the terrible winter of 1777 when
the American Army lay starving and
freezing at Valley Forge, Robert Nor
ris. an honorary member of the Friend
ly Sons of ST. Patrick started a sub
scription to raise money sufficient to
save the army. heading it with his
own subscription of ten thousand
pounds sterling, which was followed
by Blair McClenachan for a like
amount, and in a few hours there was
subscribed. among that small body of
men (at that time not exceeding over
fifty nembers) the sum of one hun
dred and three thousand, five hund-
red pounds. sterling Cs517,5oo).
On December IS, 1881. the society
adopted General Washington as a
member. He was the only adopted
member. On being notified he wrote
as follows:
To George Campbell, Esq. president
of the Society Of the Friendly Sons OF
st. Patrick. In the city of Philadelphia.
Sir: I accept with singular pleasure,
the ensign of SO worthy a fraternity
as that of the Sons of st. Patrick in
this city-a society distinguished for
the firm adherence of it's members to
the glorious cause in which we are
embarked Give me leave to assure
you. sir. that shall never cast nv
eyes upon the badge with which I
am honored, but with grateful remem.
brance of the polite and affectionate
manner in which it was presented.
I am with respect and esteem.
Sir. your most obedient servant.
| GEORGE WASHINGTON.
The records and the original sigma
lures OF its membership are preserved
in Independence Hall, Philadelphia. Its
members We're composed Of Quakers.
Catholics. Episcopalians and Presby.
terians, the only qualifications being
fidelity to the American cause.