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The Scots Charitable Society (est.1657) of Boston, Massachusetts, was established to provide relief for local, "needy Scotch people, after proper investigation." It "enjoys the distinction of being the oldest Scots society in America." It "became the prototype for thousands of other groups" of private charity in America.
The founding members were: Robert Porteous, William Cossar, Alexander Simson, George Thomson, James Moore, James Grant, Thomas Dewar, John Clark, Peter Grant, John Kneeland, Thomas Polson, William Anderson, James Webster, William Gibson, Alexander Grant, Andrew Jamesone, William Ballantyne, William Speed, James Ingles, John Macdonald, Thomas Shearer, George Trumble, Alexander Bogle, John Bennett, James Adams, Malcome Makcallome, and John Mason.
Charter
At a meeting the 6 of January 1657 we whose names are underwritten being all or the most part present did agree and conclude for the releefe of our selves, and any other for the which wee may see cause, to make a box, and every one of us to give as God shall moue our harts whose blessing and direction wee doe from our harts desyre to have from him (who is able to doe abundantly aboue all that wee are able to ask or think) both in the beginning and managing of that which we doe intend, and therefore that we may express our Intentions and become our own Interpreters, (leaving those that shall come after us to doe better than we have begun) hopeing that by the assistance of the great God who can bring small beginnings to greatter perfection than wee for the present can think of or expect, and lykewise we hope that God who hath the harts of all men in his hands and can turne them which way soever he pleaseth will double our spirit upon them and make them more zealous for his glory and the mutuall good one of another . . . and therefore knowing our owne weakness to express our selues in this particulasr we leave ourselues and it both to God and to the word of his grace, and doe desyre to declare our Intentions about which we have agreed. That is to say that wee whose names are Inserted in this booke doe and will by God's assistance give as God will moue us and as our ability will bear at our first entring, but it is agreed that none give less at ther entring then twelve pence and then quarterly to pay sixpence, and that this our benevolence is for the releefe of our selves being Scottishmen or for any of the Scottish nation whome we may see cause to helpe (not excluding the prudentiall care of the respective prudentiall townsmen whose God shall cast any of us or them, but rather as an addition thereunto) and it is agreed that there shall nothing be taken out of the box for the first sevin yeers for the releefe of any (the box being as yet in its minority), and further it is agreed that there shall be one Chosen (one of good report, fearing God, hateing covetousnes) quarterly to receive the dutyes of the said box and lykewise what Legacies may be left unto it, and that the first box maister shall give up all the revenues belonging unto the said box unto the next that is chosen, and so continue quarterly until) the Company may see any Inconvenience in it or cause to alter it, and it is agreed that our children shall have the same liberty with ourselves, they entring (when they are growne up) orderly, and it further agreed that those who doth willfully neglect to pay there dutys and have entred for the space of a twelve month togethir, shall have no benefite hereafter by the said box.
Organization
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scotscharitable/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/scotscharitable
- Website: https://scots-charitable.org/, visited Sep. 14, 2018.
Sources
- "List of Members of the Scots' Charitable Society", 1657-1713 (download PDF)
- Mackay, John, "An Old Scots Society" in The Scottish Review Vol. 15 (January & April 1890), pp. 406-420.
- Rust, Teresa, "The Scots’ Charitable Society of Boston, Massachusetts" at Scottish Prisoners of War Society, visited September 14, 2018. .
- Scots' Charitable Society, The Constitution and By-laws, of the Scots Charitable Society of Boston (1896).
- Wikipedia: Scots Charitable Society of Boston.