The Fees of Members.
Life members pay fifty dollars in advance at one time; they are exempt from further membership dues. Annual members pay three dollars per year each. For the present no initiation fee is required. Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia are already represented in the list of life members. The membership roll also contains the names of gentlemen of the seventh, eighth, and ninth American generations.
The Society’s Officers.
The officers comprise a President-General, a Secretary-General, a Treasurer-General, a Librarian and Archivist, an Historiographer (not yet elected), and an Executive Council. The constitution also provides for a Vice-President for each state and territory and for the District of Columbia. It is proposed to eventually organize state and city chapters of the society. A list of the present officers will be found contained herein.
The First President-General.
The first President-General of the society was Richard Worsam Meade, 3d, Rear-Admiral, U. S. N. (retired). He was born in New York City, Oct. 9, 1837, at the home of his maternal grandfather, Judge Henry Meigs, which family has given many officers to the United States Navy. He was the oldest son of the late Capt. Richard Worsam Meade, 2d, U. S. N., and was a nephew of the late Gen. George Gordon Meade, who for two years commanded the Army of the Potomac. President-General Meade died in Washington, D. C., May 4, 1897. His obsequies took place in that city. The Society contributed a floral harp. Among the mourners there were present from the society: Messrs. Edward A. Moseley, J. R. Carmody, J. D. O’Connell, and Capt. John M. Tobin. The honorary bearers were: Rear-Admiral John G. Walker, Commodore Charles S. Norton, Admiral George Dewey, Commodore Norman H. Farquhar, Commodore Winfield S. Schley, Capt. A. S. Crowinshield, Capt. Charles O’Neil, U. S. N., and Col. Charles Heywood, United States Marine Corps. Eight stalwart seamen bore the body. A battalion of marines from the Washington barracks, under command of Capt. E. B. Robinson, and a delegation from Lafayette Post of New York City, escorted the body to Arlington, preceded by the United States Marine Band.
Meetings and Field Day.
Provision is made for quarterly meetings of the society and monthly meetings of the Executive Council. As far as possible, each meeting, especially those of the Council, is held in a city or state different from the one where the preceding meeting was held. This prevents the society from becoming merely local to any one state or city, and makes it what its founders intended it to be—a national body. A general field day of the organization is held annually in the summer or fall. The annual meeting for the election of officers is held in January.
Diploma of Membership.
Each member will be entitled to a diploma of membership, bearing the name of the society, the date of his admission, and such other appropriate matter as may be decided upon. These certificates will be signed by the President-General, the Secretary-General, the Treasurer-General, and one or two other officers, and will be suitable for display in office, library, or study.