Mosheim Society (Philadelphia)

Founded by a group of young men of German heritage in Philadelphia around 1 August 1789, for the purpose of promoting the German language and in order for the members to apply themselves in speaking and writing German; named after the Lutheran theologian and church historian Johann Lorenz von Mosheim. Many of the members were graduates of the University of Pennsylvania; several were later pastors of German congregations in Pennsylvania. The Society had a total of 44 members from the time of its founding until August 1792 (period covered by these minute books). Members composed essays and letters in German that they submitted at meetings; and topics of general interest were debated in German. The Society published a constitution and by-laws in 1791. It was probably dissolved around 1796; however, a society by the same name is known to have been active in the first two decades of the 19th century.