Charter Members

There were 31 charter members of The Rotary Club of Key West including five officers. Our club was given charter number 213 on April 1, 1916.  Members agreed to hold regular meetings the first Wednesday of each month at high noon.  They met at a store on Duval Street near Front and Greene Streets.

Here are the charter officers:

President:               Jefferson Browne, Lighthouse Keeper/Attorney

Vice President:        Dr. Joseph Fogarty, Physician

Secretary:               William H. Malone, Attorney

Treasurer:               Frank Johnson, Jeweler

Sergeant-At-Arms:   George  "A.T." Roberts, Grocery Owner

The complete list of members can be found in the PDF document under downloads "History of The Rotary Club of Key West"

Our club President wrote to the International Association of Rotary Clubs on June 18, 1916:

"We have the best men in the city in our club; not all of course, as the 'one man from each vocation rule' will keep some out; but those we have are of the best.  The V.P. is Mayor, and State Senator; the Secretary Ex-Senator, and lawyer of the highest character; Mr. Allen of the Committee is President of the First National Bank, etc"

"We intend to make our club a strictly high class one."

Picture:  Joint meeting with The Rotary Club of Havana 1936. Inscription in Spanish from The Cuban Consulate:

"With sincere appreciation to the Rotary Club of Key West as a memento of our joint meeting with Cuban representation in this city on February 24, 1936."