History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 50

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660

USA > California > San Joaquin County > History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 50

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In the early days, as we have already stated, there was much suffering and destitution among the pioneers, and to relieve that con- dition of affairs relief associations for the ben-

efit of the Odd Fellows were formed in San Francisco, Sacramento and Stockton. In Stock- ton a relief association was formed November 13, 1850. They met in the law office of A. C. Bradford, an Odd Fellow and Mason; R. C. Chamberlain was elected chairman and they passed a resolution, "That an association of members of the I. O. O. F. be formed for the purpose of extending the benefits of the order to sick and indigent brothers and that members constitute a temporary committee to tender such aid to suffering brothers as may be necessary." They did not again assemble, for in the changing condition of those times, here today and there tomorrow, probably not one of those Odd Fellows were again in Stock- ton.

Charity Lodge No. 6, I. O. O. F.

No further attempt was made to form an association, nor were any Odd Fellow move- ments made until January, 1852. At that time the Odd Fellows started a lodge movement and in the San Joaquin Republican, January 10, 1852, this call appeared : "The members of the Independent Order of Odd -Fellows resid- ing in Stockton are requested to meet on Thursday evening next, January 13, at the common council rooms, McNish building, on business of importance to the order." It would seem by this notice as though they had had meetings previous to the 13th. Allowing no time to be lost, the day following their meet- ing, this notice was published :

"A meeting of the members of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows will be held at the city council chambers, McNish building (this stood on the northwest corner of Hunter and Channel streets), on Saturday evening next, the 17th, for the purpose of taking the preliminary step for the formation of a lodge. All members are invited to attend." There was no suitable room in town large enough for an assembly hall, but fortunately about this time a gambler named Shirley completed a small brick building on Center Street about 100 feet from Levee, rented the second story jointly to the Odd Fellows and Masons. On February 7 this notice was published: "An adjourned meeting of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows will be held at their new hall on Center Street, in Shirley's brick building, on this Saturday evening. It is to be hoped that every member of the order of Stockton will be present as all things are ready for the organization of a lodge." Again they were disappointed, for they had neglected to obtain a dispensation and without authority from the proper officer no lodge can be legally insti- tuted. Post haste to San Francisco, E. G. Greenfield was sent to obtain a dispensation. In a few days he returned with a charter and

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on Saturday afternoon, February 14, instituted Charity Lodge No. 6 with six charter mem- bers: E. G., Greenfield, P. G. of New York; H. O. Mathews, P. G. of Pennsylvania; R. K. Chamberlain, P. G. of Alabama; Samuel Mc- Lean of Louisiana ; William Garvin of Missis- sippi, and J. J. Bytler of New York. The fol- lowing officers were elected and installed by E. G. Greenfield, deputy district grand mas- ter; Isaac Zacariah, noble grand; Samuel Mc- Lean, vice-grand; George B. Buffum, secre- tary, and H. Mitchell, treasurer.

The name Charity originated from an act of kindness to a brother in the fall of 1850. At that time a pioneer, named Jacob Letcher, a merchant of Mariposa, came to Stockton for medical attendance. His only acquaintance in the town was William Taylor, a Stockton. grocer whose store was in the Mexican adobe building on Main Street just west of Center Street. The sick man was taken to his store, there being lodging rooms in the second story. Mr. Letcher gradually grew worse and the physician told him he could not recover. Be- ing a member of Rockbridge lodge of Odd Fel- lows in Vermont, he inquired of his attendant, "Are there any Odd Fellows in Stockton?" "I don't know," he replied, "but I will ask Tay- lor." . "Yes," answered Taylor, "Hugh Mitchell is an Odd Fellow." Mr. Mitchell was found and until the day of Letcher's death the sick brother received every possible attention. Brother Mitchell then going to the office of the Stockton Times ordered printed at his own expense a number of circulars with the three links at the top. The circulars which were posted on the houses, fences and trees, stated that an Odd Fellow brother, Jacob Letcher, died December 4 and that all Odd Fellows were requested to attend the funeral at the Taylor, Reed & Co. store. About twenty Odd Fellows were in attendance. A plain redwood coffin had been obtained at a cost of $50 and the body was taken to the place of burial, now the site of the county jail, there being no ceme- tery at that time. The brothers marched be- hind the body and at the grave repeated the prayers from memory as best they could, also the burial service, and sang the funeral hymn, "Brother, to thy grave we come at the beat of funeral drum," and thus was the first Odd Fel- low in San Joaquin County buried.

Stockton Lodge No. 11, I. O. O. F.

This lodge was instituted June 24, 1853 by Deputy District Grand Master Edwin W. Colt. Its charter members, all former members of the present lodge, were: Thomas K. Hook, noble grand; Dr. Christopher Grattan, vice- grand; Alden Spooner, secretary ; E. G. Green- field, conductor ; Westley Harris, Hugh Mitch-

ell, M. Lindauer and J. C. Edwards, ex-Gov- ernor of Missouri. To pay their current ex- pense they borrowed $1,500 of Charity lodge at three per cent interest per month. That lodge eight years later had plenty of money and they advertised in November, 1860, "To loan, $3,500 on city property, J. D. Wilkins, Moses Sev- ery, Andrew Wolf, trustees." The first offi- cers were: Thomas K. Hook, noble grand; Dr. Christopher Grattan, vice-grand; Alden Spooner, secretary, and E. G. Greenfield, con- ductor. Parker Encampment, which is the highest branch of the order, was instituted June 10, 1853, with the following charter mem- bers: E. W. Colt, Andrew Wolf, C. O. Bur- ton, Rev. John B. Hill, M. B. Kenney, C. B. Phelps and John Fulton. The Encampment was instituted by Grand Master Samuel Par- ker and named in his honor. The first officers were: E. W. Colt, chief patriarch ; M. B. Ken- ney, high priest ; W. G. Phelps, senior warden; J. Fulton, junior warden ; John B. Hill, guide; C. O. Burton, scribe ; Andrew Wolf, treasurer. The Grand Encampment, organized in 1855, met that year in Stockton. They again met here in 1867, and October 8, 1918. C. O. Bur- ton of No. 6 and Westley Minta and George Roesch of No. 11 are past grand patriarchs.

Truth Lodge No. 55, I. O. O. F.

This lodge was instituted December 18. 1884, by deputy grand master George W. Gal- lup, assisted by the grand secretary, Wm. B. Lyons and Daniel Norcross of San Francisco. The lodge was named Truth at the suggestion of J. Pitcher Spooner. Of the twenty-five charter members not one was drawn from the two older lodges. The following officers were elected and installed: C. C. Keniston, noble grand; J. P. Spooner, vice-grand; Ed C. Neil- son, secretary ; O. F. Cook, treasurer; A. M. Woods, warden; J. A. Bonney, conductor ; Thomas Dinning, inside guardian. That even- ing they elected 135 candidates and initiated 118 in relays of 12, many being unable to at- tend because of the muddy conditions of the road.

The Rebekah Degree

The Rebekah degree of Odd Fellowship was the work of several women of New York, as- sisted by Representative Schuyler Colfax, a past grand. Adopted by the Sovereign Grand Lodge September 20, 1851, it was simply a side degree of Odd Fellowship conferred upon Odd Fellows or their wives. The degree was first conferred in Charity Lodge March 8, 1852, upon fourteen members. In 1859 the following wives were given the degree: Mrs. Amada Wolf. Mary Matthews, Rhoda J. Ran- dall, Eliza Pierpont, Elizabeth Benjamin, Sa- rah C. McKensie, Catherine Ellsworth, Mar-

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garet Odell and Catherine Matterson. In 1863 the degree was conferred upon Margaret Sev- ery, Almira Oldham and Delia Wolf. In 1868 the Sovereign Grand Lodge took the degree out of the jurisdiction of the subordinate lodges and organized a Rebekah degree lodge managed and controlled by women, subject to the approval of the Grand bodies.

Lebanon Lodge

This lodge was named Lebanon by Louis H. Lang, a charter member. The dispensa- tion was granted to form a lodge January 19, 1878, and January 24 the lodge was instituted by Grand Master F. W. Dann, assisted by Past Grand Masters J. McDougal, R. E. Wil- hoit, and H. T. Dorrance. The charter mem- bers comprised thirteen brothers and sisters : M. A. Lang, E. Tretheway, A. M. Rodgers, M. Stamper, Mary F. Thorndike, Martha Saunders, A. L. Torrance, K. G. Long, E. Waring, A. Steiney, E. Shoemaker, Louis Bond, A. Van Valear. The first officers were A. J. Hyde, noble grand; Mary F. Thorndike, vice-grand; and Louisa Bond, secretary.

Rainbow Lodge No. 97

Rainbow lodge, the third largest in the state, was instituted April 19, 1886, by G. W. Gallup, deputy grand master. The charter membership comprised thirty-six Odd Fellows and the following Rebekahs: Mrs. Sarah Spooner, C. A. Ritter, J. E. Williams, Eliza Spooner, Emma Reynolds, Hattie Chapman, and H. D. Campbell. The officers installed were Hattie Chapman, past grand; Emma Reynolds, noble grand; Mrs. C. A. Ritter, vice-grand; Frank Goodrum, financial secre- tary; F. W. Ritter, recording secretary ; and John Hammond, treasurer.

The Odd Fellows in 1859 celebrated the for- tieth anniversary of the order, and it was the finest celebration ever held in Stockton. After parading the streets in their handsome new re- galias, they marched into the Stockton thea- ter, where a fine program was given. It com- prised music by Condy's band, prayer, song by the Musical Union, reading proclamation by A. C. Bradford, oration, Nathan Porter of San Francisco; benediction by Rev. John B. Hill. The Odd Fellows and their wives then marched to the city hall, where a banquet was spread. The hall was handsomely decorated with flags and banners. The feast closed with responses to twenty-four toasts and the affair ended with a grand ball. Three years later the lodge held a memorial service in honor of Thomas Wildey, the founder of the order on April 26, 1819. His death was flashed over the overland telegraph October 21, 1861, the first "news" over the wire.

Odd Fellowship in San Joaquin County, ac-

cording to its number, has been honored more than any other county in the state, as five grand masters, four grand presidents, two or more grand patriarchs have been in office from this locality. H. T. Dorrance of Charity No. 6 was a past grand master of Vermont, and H. A. Manchester of Stockton lodge, who died April 29, 1877, was a deputy grand sire, the second highest office in the gift of the order. Edwin W. Colt was installed as grand master in May, 1855, Charles O. Burton was grand master in 1865, Karl C. Brueck was grand master in 1898, and three times has been elect- ed representative to the Sovereign Grand Lodge; George F. Hudson from the same lodge, Stockton No. 11, was elected grand master in 1911, and Lloyd Cohen of No. 11, now grand warden, will be grand master in 1923. In the Encampment C. O. Burton and Wesley Minta were chief patriarchs in early days; George F. Roesch was elected in 1894, and John R. Cronin in 1918.

The Stockton Rebekahs also have been sig- nally honored, and Mrs. Elizabeth Condy, a past noble grand of Lebanon lodge, was the first district deputy grand master in the state. Her appointment was dated December 5, 1887, and it came about in this manner: In Septem- ber of that year the Sovereign Grand Lodge authorized the appointment of women district deputy grand masters, now known as presi- dents. Elwood Bruner of Sacramento, then grand master, was an intimate friend of Wes- ley Minta of Stockton, and in redistricting the state, Grand Master Bruner made Stockton District No. 1 and appointed Mrs. Condy dep- uty. In 1896 Mrs. Marion Greenwood was elected as grand president. Mrs. Etta Stew- art was elected to the same honorable position in 1910, Mrs. Laura Lawrie in 1918, and Mrs. Fannie Clancy of Woodbridge Lodge, elected in 1921, also served as grand president.

Canton Ridgely No. 15

Many secret organizations have their mili- tary branches ; the Masons have their Knights Templar, the Knights of Pythias their Uni- form Rank, and the Odd Fellows their Can- tons. In 1870 this branch was created in the Encampment and known as the Uniform de- gree. The degree was organized in Stockton October 6, 1884, and named in honor of James Ridgley, a very prominent Odd Fellow and the author of the past grand charge. In 1885 the branch was organized and known as the Canton Degree, and its members were hailed as chevaliers. Canton Ridgley was instituted February 25, 1886, with the following mem- bers: S. P. Bailey, H. M. Balch, Theodore Bohlen, Julius- Cohn, James S. Dunham, J. W. Fitzgerald, Rudolph Gnekow, Joel Green- wood, Edward L. Gnekow, J. E. Hall, A. F.

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Hillman, George Hinkley, H. E. Holman, John Jackson, Charles M. Keniston, D. F. Northrup, H. E. D. Petsinger, George Roesch, George F. Schuler, E. A. Taylor, Ed Trethe- way, and Wm. W. Woodbridge. The officers elected were W. W. Woodbridge, command- ant: C. M. Keniston, lieutenant; E. L. Gne- now, ensign; George F. Roesch, clerk; and J. E. Hall, accountant.

The Encampment meets annually in various cities of the state and with them go the Can- tons. They assembled in Stockton October 15, 1895, and they have gathered here several times since that date. In that year, on the evening of October 14, they were the guests of Lebanon Rebekah lodge, in the Odd Fel- lows Hall. The next day, after holding an all-day session, they were tendered a recep- tion by all of the lodges in the Masonic Hall. The program included music, recitations, a speech by Grand Scribe Barnes, and dancing. Wednesday, their degree work concluded with a banquet given by the Rebekahs in the Com- mercial Hotel. Thursday there was a splendid parade and Canton drill on Hunter Street after the arrival of Brigadier J. F. Crossett and staff, and Cantons Santa Rosa, San Fran- cisco, Oakland, and Sacramento with their bands. That evening the pavilion was crowd- ed with Odd Fellows and Rebekahs, at least 5,000 being present. After prize drills by the Cantons the decoration of chivalry was con- ferred on Major Mefret of San Francisco. This was a beautiful and impressive ceremony in which the decoration was conferred by General Crossett, assisted by Canton San Francisco, Mrs. Alice Kafitz, Maude South- worth, Louise Schuler, and Carrie Roesch. Finally, kneeling, the candidate was ap- proached by little Elsie Robin, who pinned upon his breast the badge of chivalry.

Odd Fellow Hall and Building

Their first hall was the second story of a brick building on Center Street, still standing. It was about 20x60 feet in size with an en- trance by an outside wooden stairway. When holding meetings the members were com- pelled to close the iron shutters of the win- dows, thus making it a sweat box in the heat of summer. It was rented by the Odd Fel- lows and Masons for $250 a month from a gambler named Shirley who had a saloon and gambling tables in the lower floor. The lodges fitted up the hall at an expense of $377, quite a sum for lodges of less than forty members. In less than six months Shirley told them to vacate their hall as he wanted it for gambling tables. Biven & Branco, grocers, had just erected a brick building just south of the Shirley building and Biven, being an Odd Fellow and Mason, the firm rented the second

story to the order. In February, 1855, the jewelry store of John & Conrad Ling on El Dorado Street was destroyed by fire. Erect- ing a two-story brick building the Lings, who were Odd Fellows, offered to fit up the second floor for the order. The organization accept- ed the offer, and the hall was dedicated July 10, 1855, by Deputy Grand Master E. W. Colt, and Newton Booth delivered the oration.

Grand Lodge Convenes at Stockton

In May, 1855, the Grand Lodge met in Stockton, the first and only time except in 1867. Their meeting was held in the city hall, and the second evening Isaac Zacariah gave a grand display of fireworks at his beautiful garden, corner of Park and Grant streets, for the entertainment of the delegates. They again assembled in Stockton May 7, 1867, and during their visit they were tendered a recep- tion and ball in Hickman's hall, just com- pleted, and a banquet in Lewis & Darcy's res- taurant on the Levee. On May 11, the new grand master, Charles N. Fox, and the grand secretary, T. Rodger Johnson, visited Locke- ford and instituted Progressive Lodge No. 134. The following officers were elected : Pe- ter Moore, noble grand; Philip B. Wagner, vice-grand ; S. B. Sabine, secretary ; and Philip Cahill, treasurer.

In 1856 Charity and Stockton lodges were in a flourishing condition, and the members began discussing the question of erecting an Odd Fellows' building. They could find no satisfactory location until 1865. At that time, May 14, a fire destroyed all of the wooden buildings belonging to the city on the corner of Hunter and Main streets. The lodges now decided that that was the place for an Odd Fellows' building and a committee from the I. O. O. F. Association petitioned the council for the purchase of the corner lot, 65x96 feet. The association declared, "We propose to erect a brick building, a building which will be an ornament to the city and a credit to its citizens." The city sold them the lot for $3,000. The association was reincorporated with a capital stock of $30,000, 300 shares at $10 each. Immediately Charity Lodge took 800 shares, Stockton Lodge 300 shares, and Parker Encampment 40 shares. A building committee was appointed and work com- menced August 24.

The building was ready for the laying of the cornerstone November 28, 1865. The Grand Lodge was requested to perform the impres- sive ceremony, having laid the court house cornerstone in 1853. The lodges assembled at the El Dorado Street hall and preceded by Condy's band marched to the site. A very large crowd had assembled, for in that day the ceremony was a very important event.

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After music by the band Grand Master Burton called the assembly to order and called upon the grand chaplain, Rev. P. G. Buchanan, for prayer ; the Odd Fellows then sang their open- ing ode commencing "Brothers of our friendly order, Honor here asserts its way, All within its sacred border, Must its high commands obey." The grand secretary, T. Rodgers John- son, then read a list of the articles deposited in the box, and the Grand Master, placing the box in the stone cavity, sealed it up with mor- tar. Then came the ceremony of the pouring of the oil, the strewing of flowers, and the scattering of wheat and then the Grand Mas- ter declared "In the name of Benevolence and Charity I lay this stone." The deputy grand master, H. T. Dorrance, then declared the cor- nerstone duly laid. Then followed prayer and the ceremony closed with an oration by John W. Dwinelle of San Francisco. The building was erected at a cost of $42,000. The beautiful hall, at the time the handsomest in California, was dedicated August 21, 1866, by Grand Master C. H. Randall of Sonora lodge No. 10. Long before the hour of dedication the lodge room was crowded with Odd Fellows' wives and family. After marching the streets the lodges entered the hall, and so crowded was it a person could scarcely move. The exercises opened with an anthem by the Episcopal Church choir, comprising Mrs. Charles Pink- ham, Mrs. Robert S. Johnson, George Vincent and Charles Pinkham. After prayer and sing- ing of the ode the grand marshal, C. F. Rae, proclaimed it the will of the Grand Master that the hall be dedicated. The president of the association, C. O. Burton, then handed the keys of the hall to the Grand Master and he in a short address declared the hall dedicated. The dedication was then proclaimed by R. E. Wilhoit, the Herald of the North; R. E. Young, the Herald of the East; C. H. Covell, the Herald of the South; and I. S. Smith, the Herald of the West. After each proclamation the trumpet sounded. The Grand Master then handed the keys to the two noble grands of the lodge, saying, "May joy be within its walls and peace a constant guest. May all of the influences that flow hence be good, now and forever, Amen." The dedication ceremony closed with an oration by Newton Booth. That evening there was a ball in Agricultural Hall, its principal feature a dozen or more canaries in cages suspended from the ceiling, and through the entire evening they sweetly sang. Fifty-five years past and January 21, 1922, Grand Master Ketterlin dedicated a new Odd Fellows' hall. Since 1892 the Odd Fel- lows had been talking of erecting a new build- ing or remodeling the old building, but they could not agree regarding the location, or the

size of the building. Finally M. Levy, who had occupied the first story for nearly a quar- ter of a century as a dry goods store, fearing the building might be sold over his head pur- chased it of the Association for $103,000, and the Association then erected a fine three-story building on the 50x150 foot lot which had been bought. The building was erected at a cost of $85,000 and the lodges are free from debt and money in the treasury. The building con- tains a large inside lodge room, closets, and a club room, on the second floor, and a large banquet and dance hall in the third story. A moving picture theater occupies the entire first story.

The Traveler

An occasion of great interest to Odd Fel- lows was that of April 3, 1909, when the Trav- eler was received in Stockton was great cere- mony and much rejoicing. One of the emblems of the order is a bundle of sticks, and so named Traveler. This bundle of sticks was of especial interest, because they were made by Odd Fellows on board the Atlantic fleet and traveled with them around the world. On each stick was handsomely carved the name of each battleship, and they rested in a hand- some carved box. Finally landing in Califor- nia the Traveler was presented by Odin, a Swedish lodge of Oakland. The Stockton lodges presented it to Sacramento, finally to be presented by the Grand Lodge of Califor- nia to the Sovereign Grand Lodge. The Trav- eler was brought to Stockton during the after- noon, accompanied by about 100 members of Odin Lodge, who during the afternoon were given a collation in the Odd Fellows' hall. At six o'clock "the blasts, long continued, of the twenty-five whistles of the city gave notice to the public that the Odd Fellows' festival was on." The fraternity began assembling at the hall, and led by the band they marched to the depot to receive the Oakland and San Fran- cisco Odd Fellows. On their arrival a parade was formed and led by J. E. Hall and W. X. Clark, of the committee on arrangements. Past Grand Master Ogden of Oakland and Charles Nicewonger, noble grand, Canton Ridgely, and the hundreds of Odd Fellows, they marched through the principal streets. At eight o'clock in Masonic Music Hall the ceremony took place of presenting the Trav- eler to the Stockton lodge. On the stage with the invited guests sat four members of the order who had been Odd Fellows over fifty- two years, namely, Andrew Wolf, eighty-sev- en years of age; John Grattan, eighty-four ; Dr. Christopher Grattan, eighty-six; and Roy- al B. Parker, ninety years of age. They were escorted into the hall and returned to their

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homes by A. B. Parker, past grand. It was the delight of the various lodges in presenting the Traveler to present it in a unique or some unusually attractive manner, and Odin Lodge presented it in a model of a Viking ship. The drill team of the lodge were dressed in the Viking uniform of their ancestors and march- ing into the hall they rolled on a cradle before them the. Viking ship. Bringing the ship to rest in the center of the hall and unfurling from the mast head a large American flag, they sang the Star Spangled Banner. Then followed the program of the evening : praver, B. M. Bixler of Truth lodge; address, "The Lessons of the Traveler," Wm. C. Wall, Truth lodge; baritone solo, James E. Ziegler ; Presentation of the Traveler, by Odin lodge; acceptance by O. B. Parkinson, of Charity lodge; selection, orchestra; address, Past Grand Master Ogden of Oakland; duet, dou- ble quartet of Odin lodge; remarks, noble grand of Fountain lodge, Oakland; address, 'The Cheer of the Traveler," Karl C. Brueck, past grand master of Stockton lodge. The vis- itors were then entertained in Odd Fellows' hall until two o'clock, awaiting the arrival of the west-bound train.

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History of San Joaquin County, California : with biographical sketches of leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 50

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849 Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1660

Author: Tinkham, George H. (George Henry), b. 1849
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif. : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1660