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The First Two Hundred Years, 1747-1947. 
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see larger picture		 From the forward:

"Some time ago, while browsing through the library of the St. Andrew's Society of Philadelphia, I came across a book entitled, The First Two Hundred Years, 1747-1947, of the St. Andrew's Society of Philadelphia. On perusal of this book, I found it to be a fascinating history of the Society filled with intimate details of its founding, its members and their contributions to their community, to the city of Philadelphia, and to the establishment and growth of the United States of America, over its first two hundred years.

As you will see, This is a story about men: men with a common heritage, with pride of ancestry and affectionate remembrance for the native land of their fathers....this is the record of their deeds of valor and of public service, their lives as Scots-and as Americans.

The eleven-member committee who put this book together, under the chairmanship of Edgar Gardner, and the other twenty-two contributors, are to be congratulated on the scholarship and attention to detail that they brought to this project some sixty-years ago. It was my opinion that every current member of the Society would benefit from reading this book and, because there were only 500 copies printed at that time, I proposed that the Society should have it reprinted and made available to our members and the general public. The executive committee and board of directors of the Society concurred in this decision and the result is the book before you which, through the modern technology of digital printing, has been reprinted in its entirety with the few errors made in the original edition having been corrected.

I trust that this book will be an inspiration to our current membership to continue in that tradition of service, responsibility, and dedication to duty exhibited by those members of Scottish descent who have gone before them and that the Society will continue to flourish under their aegis."

Andrew Roxburgh McGhie
President, 2005-07

The First Two Hundred Years, 1747-1947.  
 
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The St Andrew's Society of Philadelphia

 The St. Andrew's Society of Philadelphia was formed in 1747 by twenty-five prominent gentlemen of Scottish descent in order to provide assistance to persons of Scottish ancestry who found themselves in financial distress in the Philadelphia area. The Society is believed to be the oldest charitable organisation in continuous existence in North America.


Foundation and Early History

In its early years, the Society welcomed many immigrants from Scotland, in particular those coming to American as a result of the 1745 rebellion of Bonnie Prince Charlie, and the steady influx continued up to and past the Depression of the 1930s. The Society figured prominently in the early days of the United States. Five of its members, Phillip Livingston, Thomas McKean, George Ross, James Wilson and John Witherspoon, signed the Declaration of Independence and two of these also signed the Constitution. Additional well-known Society members have included the first US Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, Presidents William Howard Taft and Warren G. Harding, industrialist Andrew Carnegie, polar explorer Adm . Robert Peary and Gen. Douglas MacArthur. Actress Reese Witherspoon is a direct descendent of Rev. Dr. John Witherspoon, the only clergy member to be a signatory of the US Declaration of Independence. Over the last half century, there has been less need from immigrants for the Society's assistance, and it has been able to devote more of its resources to education, and to other projects dedicated to the preservation of Scottish customs and traditions in the US. These include piping competitions, highland dancing, and Scottish games. Members take a direct role in local communities by giving lectures to schools and civic groups on Scottish history and culture.

Education

In 1958, the Society established a separate Foundation, the purpose of which was to provide scholarship assistance to local students who wished to study for a year at a Scottish university. These students are Andrew Mutch scholars, named for the revered former Society chaplain and president. The Foundation has grown considerably over the years through the establishment of specific family funds, such as the McNeil, McFarland, and Somers scholarships, to the extent that the Society now sends six area students to the Universities of St. Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh, and brings one student from St. Andrews University to the University of Pennsylvania every year.

Since 1958, more than 117 scholars have attended Scottish Universities and more than 30 Scottish scholars have attended the University of Pennsylvania. The photo shows American students from the class of 2007-8 with Society officials. Thirty local colleges are invited to nominate candidates for these scholarships. Further to its dedication to education in our community, the Society maintains its office and library, containing several thousand volumes which are available to the public by appointment, at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia.

Activities

The Society holds an annual dinner on or around St. Andrew's Day, Nov. 30, which is attended by up to 400 members and guests with about half being in highland dress. The entertainment is supplied by the Cameron Highlanders Pipe Band which plays throughout the evening (but not continuously!). Invited speakers have included such luminaries as Lord Airlie (the Lord Chamberlain), Malcolm Forbes, the Duke of Argyll, and more recently, Mr. Henry McLeish, former First Minister of Scotland.

The Society holds an annual Burns Supper, Golf Outing, and has inaugurated a Tartan Ball which celebrates Tartan Day in the USA, April 6. It also publishes a newsletter, the Chronicle, and maintains a web site where more detailed information can be found. The Society is delighted to announce that The First Two Hundred Years 1747-1947, the recently republished history of the Society, will be available in September 2007 at Polyglot Press. The primary activities of the Society members revolve around the quarterly meetings where Society business is conducted prior to cocktails, dinner, and a post-prandial speaker.