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President’s Welcoming Message

New Jersey Society of the Cincinnati President Louis Sanford Rice, III

Louis Sanford Rice, III
38th President of the New Jersey Society 2023 –

38th President of the New Jersey Society of the Cincinnati
In office
2023 —

Preceded by John McConville Shannon

Welcome to the website of the New Jersey Society of the Cincinnati.  It is designed to provide you with a comprehensive picture of the Society – its origins, its purpose and its activities today.

The Society was formed at a meeting of New Jersey Continental Army officers on June 11, 1783, in Elizabeth, New Jersey.  They had convened to consider subscribing to the Institution of the Society of the Cincinnati, drafted at Newburgh, NY, on May 13, at the end of the War of Independence, by Continental officers wanting to “perpetuate [..] as well the remembrance of this vast event, as the mutual friendships which have been formed under the pressure of common danger, and, in many instances, cemented by the blood of the parties.”

The provisions of the Institution called for the establishment of state societies, consisting of all the members resident in each state, with officers to be chosen annually.  All original members agreed to subscribe one month’s pay to their state society’s coffers, which funds were to be used for “substantial acts of beneficence, according to the ability of the Society, towards those officers and their families, who unfortunately may be under the necessity of receiving it.” Today there are 13 constituent societies in the United States and one in France, the Société des Cincinnati de France.  All are constituent societies of the General Society of the Cincinnati headquartered at Anderson House in Washington, DC.

The Society commemorates the achievements of the American Revolution and the bonds of friendship that were formed among the officers during the War of Independence.  At their meetings each spring and fall the members of the New Jersey Society remember the sacrifice and dedication of their propositi (the officers whom they represent) by offering a silent toast to George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental forces, first President of the United States and first President of the General Society of the Cincinnati.

Members of the New Jersey Society contribute their time, talent and treasure to the work of the General Society and its affiliate, the American Revolution Institute.  In addition, the New Jersey Society makes grants to support local Revolutionary War-related sites and organizations, such as the Old Barracks in Trenton and the Jabez Campfield House in Morristown.

Not all eligible New Jersey propositi are represented today: a list of the unrepresented ones will be found under the Membership tab.

The rules of our society state that only one member can be the hereditary representative of a propositus, meaning an officer who served in the Continental Army or Navy. (However, the rules do permit a related successor member, a related life member with no right of succession, and a certain number of honorary members.) Not all New Jersey propositi are represented today: a list of the unrepresented ones will be found under the Membership tab.

Ours is a private membership organization.  We welcome the interest of the public and are happy to tell our story; but only members and their invited guests may attend or participate in the Society’s activities.

With an uninterrupted existence since its inception in 1783, the New Jersey Society of the Cincinnati carries on a distinguished legacy that the members are proud to maintain and perpetuate.  If you have any questions about the New Jersey Society of the Cincinnati, please contact the Secretary, Jim McNeilly, at: secretary@njcincinnati.org.

Sincerely,

Louis Sanford Rice III, President (2023 – )
New Jersey Society of the Cincinnati