Certificate, Membership

Title:

John Sullivan's Society of the Cincinnati Certificate

Object Name:

Certificate, Membership

Creator:

Pierre L'Enfant

Date:

July4,1790

Material:

Ink on Parchment

Dimensions:

H-4.75 L-21 Dia-7 inches
Certificate: H: 14 inches W: 21 inches

Description:

Parchment certificate of membership. Framed in black behind glass. Printed in black and white and filled in by hand with symbols of the Society of the Cincinnati and American Independence. An armored solider representing Cincinnatus and a bald eagle threaten a cowering lion and retreating figure of Britannia on the left, while the angel Fame trumpets the American victory on the right. Medallions bearing images of Cincinnatus flank the scene in both corners while the Society Eagle radiates from above, and a maritime scene is located bottom center.

Inscription: Be it known that John Sullivan, Esq. General in the later army of the United States is a member of the Society of the Cincinnati� I� have hereunto set my hand at the city of New York in the state of New York, this fourth day of Jul� one-thousand seven-hundred and ninety�

Provenance:

Presented by George Washington to John Sullivan at the General Meeting of the Society of the Cincinnati in New York, New York in 1790. Found in collection in the house.

Filled with patriotic symbols, Pierre L'Enfant's design for the Society's membership certificate, also known as the diploma, honored the men who helped win American independence. An armored solider and a bald eagle threaten a cowering lion and retreating figure of Britannia on the left, while the angel Fame trumpets the American victory on the right. Medallions bearing images of Cincinnatus flank the scene while the Society Eagle radiates from above. . The first diplomas were printed in Philadelphia in late 1784, then signed by George Washington and Henry Knox, the Society's president general and secretary general

Dated on the fourteenth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this diploma belonged to the New Hampshire Society's first president, John Sullivan. Sullivan led the state branch until 1794, the year before his death, wile also maintaining an active political career that included stints as governor of New Hampshire and a federal judge.

Subjects:

Certificate, Certificates, Documents, Membership certificates

People:

Sullivan, John, L'Enfant, Pierre

Place of Origin:

Phildelphia and New York

Collection Name:

Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Hampshire

Item Number:

1990.181

Accession Number:

1990.181

Type of Material:

Objects

Copyright Statement:

For information regarding copyright, permissions, and reproductions contact the American Independence Museum

Credit Line:

American Independence Museum

Participating Organization:

American Independence Museum