This collection consists of two volumes of organizational records from the Scots Thistle Society of Philadelphia, a fraternal mutual aid society. The volumes include the society's constitution, bylaws, a brief history of the founding of the society, minutes, financial records, and membership lists. Although these volumes begin in 1806, after the loss of earlier records, they contain information from before that, including the constitution, bylaws, and membership lists from 1805. The bulk of the collection dates to 1806-1865, with one inserted leaflet dated 1904.
Inserted into the front cover of Volume 1 is a printed reminder note for the Scots Thistle Society meeting held on March 7, 1904, with handwritten meeting notes. Another laid-in leaflet bearing handwritten notes is located in the "Laws section" of the volume. The record of minutes for the meeting held on March 4, 1826, includes a written reference to the United States Constitution.
Four loose sheets of notes are inserted into Volume 2: one sheet in the Quarterly Dues section at the page for 1847; two at the minutes of the meeting held on June 1, 1840; and one at the minutes of the meeting held on June 26, 1845.
See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for tables of contents for the two volumes.
The Scots Thistle Society of Philadelphia was a benevolent society organized to provide mutual aid, death benefits, and illness benefits to its members. It was founded in 1796 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and incorporated in 1799. Membership was limited to immigrants to the United States from Scotland and those of Scottish heritage who were judged to be of upstanding character, industry, and reliability. The Society collected an entrance fee and quarterly dues from its members, and provided them financial benefits in times of need. The Society bylaws provide financial support for members prevented from working by illness, deceased members’ funeral expenses, widows of deceased members, and recent Scottish immigrants in financial distress. According to the historical account given in these volumes, the Society's original record books were destroyed in a fire in 1806, and the constitution and bylaws contained in these volumes are reproductions of the originals.
