History

The Order of Americans of Armorial Ancestry was organized  September 15, 1903 and was incorporated in the State of New York  December 30, 1903. The organization was founded by Mrs. William Gerry Slade, and others. Following is a transcription of the Articles of Incorporation.

Certificate of Incorporation of  Order of Americans of Armorial Ancestry

We, the undersigned desiring to form a corporation pursuant to the provisions of the Membership Corporation Law, all being of full age and citizens of the United States, and at least three of us are residents of the State of New York, do hereby make, sign, and acknowledge and file this certificate for that purpose:

First:  The object for which this corporation is formed is to promote genealogical, biographical, and historical research.

Second:  The name of the proposed corporation shall be The Order of Americans of Armorial Ancestry.

Third: The territory in which its operations are to be principally conducted is the State of New York and the other States and Territories of the United States.

Fourth: The city in which its principal office is to be located is the City of New York in the County and State of New York.

Fifth: The number of its directors shall be eleven.

Sixth: The names and places of residence of the persons to be its directors, until the first annual meeting  are:

Mrs. William Gerry Slade of New York City
Mrs. Ellis Samuel Pepper of Southport, Connecticut
Mrs. Theodore Shelton of Saint Louis. Missouri
Mrs. Charles S. Jenkins of Newburgh, New York
Miss Sophia E. Puig of New York City
Mrs. M. Louise Edge of Jersey City, New Jersey
Mrs. Sullivan Johnson of Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Mrs. Mary Francis Gibson of Vienna, Virginia
Mrs. Jasper Cairns of New York City
Mrs. J. Wells Wentworth of New York City
Mrs. John Miller Horton of Buffalo, New York

Seventh: The time for holding the annual meeting shall be January 11th, of each year.

In witness thereof, we the undersigned acknowledge this certificate this 23 day of November 1903.

[Signatures of Emma Maleen Caidy Slade; Katherine Pratt Horton; M. Louise Edge; Emma E. Riggs Cairns; Mary Armstrong Harvey Pepper; Cora Smith Gould

State of New York, County of New York

On this 23rd day of November 1903, before me personally came Emma Maleen Caidy Slade; Katherine Pratt Horton; M. Louise Edge; Emma E. Riggs Cairns; Mary Armstrong Harvey Pepper; and Cora Smith Gould all to me known and known to me to be the persons named in and who executed the foregoing instrument and severally acknowledged to me that they executed the same.

[Notary Public Seal] [Notary Public Signature- indecipherable- "Notary Public, New York County"]