The Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati recently adopted what is known as the Rule of 1854—a resolution of the 1854 Triennial allowing for the admission of hereditary representatives of otherwise qualified officers who did not join the Society when it was formed in 1783.
The story of why the Rule of 1854 was needed and how the Pennsylvania Society came to be the only one of the 14 Constituent Societies that did not adopt it is a fascinating look at the times and politics of the 19th Century.
From a practical perspective, the adoption of the Rule of 1854 now means that the Pennsylvania Society now has over 200 more officers in its list of Eligible Officers, opening up membership for their descendants interested in joining the Society of the Cincinnati.
Over the years, many of the Pennsylvania officers eligible under the Rule of 1854 have been claimed by other Constituent Societies. Such lines of descent will remain in their current Societies, unless the current representative wishes to transfer membership to Pennsylvania or the line has remained vacant for an extended period of time.
If you believe you are eligible to join the Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati under the Rule of 1854, we invite you to contact us about applying.
