Historical Sketch of Kentucky Society.

From the earliest records preserved, it appears that the Society of Sons of the Revolution in the Commonwealth of Kentucky was instituted on June 24, 1894, and was incorporated on the 26th day of January, 1895, and that the following names were signed to the original articles of incorporation, viz.: Lucas Brodhead, George B. Kinkead, Leslie Combs, Robert W. Woolley, James Duane Livingston, John T. Shelby, Desha Breckinridge and Wilbur R. Smith. All of these gentlemen, with the exception of James Duane. Livingston, a member of the New York Society, and Wilbur R. Smith, a member of the District of Columbia Society, had previously qualified for membership in the Society of Sons of the Revolution in the following order, viz.: Lucas Brodhead, Desha Breckinridge, Leslie Combs, John T. Shelby, R. W. Woolley and Geo. B. Kinkead.

It further appears that on divers dates between June 3, 1895, and September 28, 1899, William S. Fulton, Otis S. Tenney, Louis des Cognets, H. B. McClellan, James Edward Bassett, James A. Todd and Geo. W. Ranck, formally subscribed their names to the constitution and by-laws as members of the Society.

It further appears that on February 4, 1895, a temporary organization was effected by the election of Leslie Combs, as President, and Wilbur R. Smith, as Secretary.

It further appears that:

On May 11, 1895, H. B. McClellan, O. S. Tenney and Rev. W. S. Fulton were elected members of the Society, and that a committee was appointed to prepare a constitution and by-laws for the Society, and that

On May 20, 1895, Louis des Cognets was received as a member, a constitution and by-laws were reported to the society by the aforesaid committee and thereupon duly adopted, and the following were elected as officers for the ensuing year, viz.:

President-Leslie Combs,

Vice-President-J. D. Livingston,

Secretary-Wilbur R. Smith,
Treasurer-Louis des Cognets,
Historian-H. B. McClellan,

Chaplain-Rev. W. S. Fulton,
Registrar-Lucas Brodhead,

and the following as the Board of Managers, viz.: John T. Shelby, O. S. Tenney, Leslie Combs, W. S. Fulton, J. D. Livingston, W. R. Smith, Lucas Brodhead and H. B. McClellan, and the date of the annual meeting was fixed for the 4th of July; and the date of the monthly meeting for the first Monday of each month; and that

On June 3, 1895, at a meeting of the Board of Managers, James A. Todd was duly elected to membership in the Society, and his election was afterwards ratified at a meeting of the Society held on July 24, 1896, and that

On August 8, 1895, at a meeting of the Board of Managers, application for membership was made by James A. Curry, J. Howard Curry, Butler T. Southgate and Thomas R. Morgan, and further that the application of Dr. Henry E. Tuley, of Louisville, Kentucky, for membership, on certificate from the Society of Sons. of the Revolution in the District of Columbia, and the application for membership of Chas. Hodge, by certificate from the Society of Sons of the Revolution in the State of Pennsylvania, were approved; and that

On August 12, 1895, at a meeting of the Board of Managers, the report of the Registrar was received that the applications for membership by Thos. R. Morgan and Butler T. Southgate are correct, and the Board of Managers ordered their names to be recorded as members. Messrs. James A. Curry and J. Howard Curry were requested to furnish certified extracts from the authorities referred to in their applications.

The foregoing synopsis covers all proceedings for the year 1895. Within the first year of its existence the Society attained a membership of fifteen.

By resolution adopted at a meeting of the Society held on March 24, 1911, the articles of incorporation were for the first time ordered amended. These amended articles, constituting the present charter of the Kentucky Society, are given in the following pages.