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It said in part:
"SONS OF THE REVOLUTION"
The undersigned have formed themselves into a Society under the
name of "SONS OF THE REVOLUTION," and invite the membership
of all who like themselves are descendants of officers or soldiers
of the Revolutionary Army.
The object of the Society is to take part in the Centennial Exhibition
at Philadelphia. A meeting will be held for organization at the
rooms of the New York Historical Society on the morning of Tuesday
the 22 of February 1876 at 12 o'clock. All persons having a right
and desire to become members may send their names and the names
of those they represent to the undersigned.
John Austin Stevens
"The Call" gave birth to the Sons
of the Revolution.
Stevens was elected librarian of the New York Historical Society
in 1876 and in the following year founded the Magazine of American
History. He was then elected chairman of the centenary celebration
in November 1883 of the Evacuation of the British from New York.
He organized a procession with the Old Guard in Continental uniform
and Washington's coach wreathed in flowers. In carriages, heading
the procession were President Arthur, Governor Cleveland, General
Grant and Stevens.
The Organization At Fraunces Tavern
Stevens, who had "rediscovered" Fraunces Tavern when
earlier planning the centenary of the New York Chamber of Commerce,
was frustrated in his efforts to rent the entire tavern for the
Evacuation Day observance.
The saloonkeeper rented only the Long Room to Stevens, saying "he
could make more money with his saloon" if he declined to rent
the rest of the building. Stevens gave a memorial lunch in the Long
Room on December 4, 1883. "It was at a turtle feast arranged
by me also, on the evening of the same day, that the Sons of the
Revolution (whose birth was at the 'New York Historical Society,'
Washington's Birthday, 1876) was here organized," Stevens wrote.
The feast began at noon and ended at midnight with the old room
substantially the same as it stood a hundred years before, papered
in blue and white willow tiles. A bright fire glared and splutters
in the hearth just as it glared and spluttered in the days of Washington.
The feast provided for the guests, is one for which the old tavern
was famous: turtle soup, Stilton cheese, sherry and Madeira wines,
and arrack punch. Long pipes were provided for the guests, and speech
and song followed in quick succession.
The lunch portion of the event dealt with an anniversary of the
founding of the Chamber of Commerce (of which Stevens was a member).
The evening event dealt with the Sons of the Revolution. Special
china, milk pitchers, plates, napkins, etc. were made for that day.
They are on exhibit at the Museum. For the lunch, the individual
turtle soup bowls have a small green turtle on them. For the evening,
the text on the bowl is similar, but the picture is of Washington,
not a turtle. The milk pictures were brown and shaped like a bust
of Washington. They appear in a newspaper sketch of the event. Stevens
also researched the 13 toasts that were given 100 years earlier
at Washington's Farewell, and they were repeated.
Next:
Sons Placed Nathan Hale Statue In
City Park
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