The Colonial Dames of America May 23, 1890

Updated September 10, 2026

insignia or membership badge. No. 1472 - Gertrude McCall/ Made by John Frick JLRY. CO. N.Y. STERLING 28 GRAMS This badge belonged to Gertrude McCall of Philadelphia, a prominent figure belonging to one of Pennsylvania’s elite founding colonial families. She was a direct descendant of Peter McCall (1809–1880), the highly esteemed Mayor of Philadelphia and University of Pennsylvania law professor. Profession & Historical Contribution: While women of her social standing in the late-Victorian and Edwardian eras rarely held standard commercial jobs, Gertrude was a dedicated historian, preservationist, and archivist by profession. She is best remembered for organizing and curating her family's extensive multi-generational legal papers, donating them directly to The Historical Society of Pennsylvania to preserve early American legal history. Deeply embedded in East Coast high society, her lineage connects to the most influential political and legal circles of early America. Her family's pedigree was meticulously vetted and approved by The Colonial Dames of America to grant her this early enrollment (#1472

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