Preserving the Heritage of the Signers, Since 1907

The first active steps toward the formation of the Society were taken on July 4, 1907, at the Jamestown Exposition near Norfolk, Virginia, where descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence had gathered upon invitation of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Association and the Exposition officials to assist in an impressive celebration of the 131st anniversary of the “Immortal Declaration.” After the public exercises of the day over 150 descendants, representing a majority of the 56 signers, assembled in the Pennsylvania State Building on the Exposition grounds, and a temporary organization of the Society was effected. View scans of the minutes from that first meeting.

The meeting was then adjourned to October 19th when a large number of those who first assembled, and many others, met in the Maryland State Building on the Exposition grounds, adopted a Constitution, and elected officers for the current year to end July 4, 1908.

The officers elected were Mr. Albert McClellan Mathewson of New Haven, Connecticut, President; Mr. Thomas Jefferson Randolph of Norfolk, Virginia, Secretary; and Mr. William Shields McKean of Washington, D.C., Treasurer.

The First Congress of the Society was convened at Philadelphia on July 3 and 4, 1908, with meetings being held in the old State House, generally known as “Independence Hall,” in the room in which the Declaration of Independence was adopted and signed. The Society has continued an unbroken sequence of activities and meetings since then.

The Annual Congress of the Society shall be held every year in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, whenever possible in Independence Hall, on a Saturday between May 9th and June 13th or on a July 4th weekend.