Oldest association in the US

[Amy Stark]

I will give you three clues:

1) Elias Ashmole (the first guy pictured) is the documented first member (mid 1600s England). Our friend, Elias, founded the 1st Museum at Oxford, and they have a wonderful website-- The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology .

2) Alexander Pope (second guy) was an active member and the association's first poet laureate.***

3) While Ben Franklin was living in Paris he invited Voltaire to become a member.

***
“For forms of government let fools contest;
Whate’er is best administer’d is best:
For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight;
His can’t be wrong whose life is in the right:
In faith and hope the world will disagree,
But all mankind’s concern is charity.”

[Jeff Bishop]

Since they are all guys, that leaves out my first guess. So I would say FreeMasons?

[Amy Stark]

LOL You are the big winner!-- My prize ditch is empty, however =(

That was so much fun having lunch with the Norlight Crew! I really love you guys and my Norlight memories. There will never be another group of people who can write a "Christmas Cheese" Carol like we did.