USA > Iowa > Muscatine County > History of Muscatine County, Iowa, from the earliest settlements to the present time, Volume I > Part 52
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Ramona Council, No. 52, Degree of Pocahontas, was organized by E. G. O'Brien and instituted by Mrs. Kate Bronson, of Des Moines, April 20, 1906, with sixty charter members. At this time (19II) it has about 140 members.
BENEVOLENT AND PROTECTIVE ORDER OF ELKS, NO. 304.
The local order of Elks was organized June 10, 1895. The first exalted ruler was A. Sherwood Kerr, who served during the years 1895 and 1896. His successor was S. A. Borger. The first secretary of the organization was George K. Wagner. The organization has a membership of about 200, and is today one of the most prosperous and influential fraternal orders in the city of Muscatine.
In 1907 the Elks purchased the Batterson homestead on East Front street and converted it into one of the finest homes for club and lodge purposes within the confines of the state, expending in the purchase price and remodeling of the building enough money to make the value of the property at least $50,000.
EAGLE LODGE ANCIENT ORDER UNITED WORKMEN, NO. IO.
This fraternal insurance order was organized June 9, 1875, with thirteen charter members, and grew rapidly until now it assumes the dignity of being the largest Workman lodge of the state, totaling its membership to 875. It has an auxiliary in the A. P. O. N. T. The charter members of Eagle Lodge were: S. H. Downey, G. W. Keckler, W. F. Eichoff, J. M. Bishop, T. S. Berry, G. A. Nicholson, J. K. Martin, J. Robertson, A. S. Knowles, J. L. Berry, H. S. Howe, G. W. Stewart and W. T. Kirk. Following were the first officers: J. K. Martin, P. M. W .; S. H. Downey, M. W .; J. Robertson, G. F .; W. T. Kirk,
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overseer ; G. W. Stewart, financier; A. S. Knowles, receiver; T. S. Berry, G .; J. L. Berry, W.
Muscatine Lodge, No. 99, was instituted under dispensation by D. D. G. M., W. H. S. Howe, February 16, 1867, and chartered by Roderick Rose, G. M. W., and William H. Flemming, G. R. The following were the first officers: T. R. Fitzgerald, P. M. W .; Allen Broomhall, M. W .; John Stockdale, G. F .; J. G. H. Little, overseer; E. P. Day, recorder; A. N. Garlock, foreman; James A. Eaton, receiver; H. P. Jones, I. W .; John Hyink, O. W. There were sixty charter members.
MUSCATINE TENT, NO. 9, KNIGHTS OF THE MACCABEES.
The Maccabees are strong in Muscatine. The lodge was organized August 25, 1887. The first meeting was held in rooms of the Academy of Science, corner of Iowa avenue and Second street. There were seventy charter mem- bers and the first officers were as follows: Past Commander, Dr. H. M. Dean; Commander, Thomas M. Brown; Lt. Commander, George M. Titus; Record Keeper, J. R. Reuling; Finance Keeper, S. M. Hughes; Chaplain, Joseph E. Hoopes; Phys., Dr. G. D. Lezatte; Serg., L. C. Crosman; Master-at-Arms, Paul Steinmetz; Ist. M. G., Thomas P. Gray; 2d. M. of G., James Mayes ; Sentinel William M. Narvis; Picket, Marx E. Block.
Muscatine Hive of the Ladies of the Maccabees was organized September 15, 1896, with thirty-five members. This lodge acquired a high degree of superi- ority over its sister lodges of the city when Miss Ella L. Mark acquired the title of state commander as well as supreme mistress of honor. This is an auxiliary of Knights of Maccabees and its strength numbers about 110 members.
LAURENT COUNCIL, NO. 1035, KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.
This council was organized in Muscatine by members of the Catholic faith, March 12, 1908, with fifty members, and a few weeks later a second class of fifty was initiated, while in May, 1911, a third class of fifty was initiated. This is an order whose principles are founded upon high aims and is growing rapidly in membership and influence throughout the community.
There are many other societies and lodges in Muscatine but space cannot be given them for a detailed history of each organization. A mere mention of the various lodges will have to suffice. There is a Court of Honor, Muscatine Court, No. 67, with a membership of 400; the Brotherhood of American Yeo- man is the third lodge in the state and has 200 members; Argus Lodge, No. 17, Iowa Legion of Honor, which was reorganized in 1901, has a membership on its rolls of twenty-five; the American Patriots was organized in 1895 and with a membership of fifty, amalgamated with the Knights and Ladies of Golden Precept. The latter, Pearl City Lodge, No. 45, was organized with twenty charter members, February 15, 1900. In the summer of 1907 a lodge of Home- steaders was organized in Muscatine. It now has a membership of about 500. Then there is the Order of the Fraternal Bankers Reserve, with a membership of over 360, which was organized July 29, 1903. An order something similar
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to the above, the Bankers Pioneer Association, was organized October 31, 1902, with thirty-five charter members. The Bloomington Council, No. 175, Fraternal Aid Association, was organized with thirteen charter members. The member- ship now amounts to 400. Supreme Castle, Highland Nobles, was organized May 3, 1904, and the Major John Circle, an auxiliary to the Grand Army Post, was organized in 1901. Thirty-five women of Muscatine and vicinity were the promoters of this society. Its purposes are similar to that of the Woman's Relief Corps and there are now about fifty members. .
MUSCATINE AERIE NO. 815, FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES.
The Order of Eagles, which is one of the youngest fraternal associations of Muscatine, was instituted August 14, 1904, with 104 charter members. This is a fraternal order and is quite strong in numbers.
THE MUSCATINE TURNVEREIN.
This lodge was organized July 12, 1856, but having several times broken up, has been reorganized. The original members were Fred Tappe, Peter Schorr, Henry Fiene, Harry Clarner, C. Krainz, T. Ulrich, J. Dold, Joseph Koeberle, Jacob Lorenz, Anton Brenner, H. Schmidt, Fred Eitman, John Butz, Karl Kleine, H. Geiss, Charles Stegeman, F. Bernhardt, Hyman Salomon, Ephraim Hecht, Ferdinand Smalls, John G. Koehl, George Schneider, Joseph Bauerbach, John Storz, P. F. Mueller, C. A. Buescher, Henry Kaut, August Rehbein, Franz Koehler, Jacob Fisch, J. A. Aurer, A. Hengstenberg, Mathias Becky, John Huber, H. Funck, John Schmidt, John Stengele, A. Wilhelm, Lorenz Haeng, F. A. Wienker, Daniel Binz, William Achter, Jacob Horr, Henry Molis and Jacob Bowman. The names of the first officers cannot be given on account of the loss of the records containing them.
ST. JOSEPH'S MUTUAL AID SOCIETY.
This society was organized in 1859 and incorporated under the name of the German-American Roman Catholic Beneficial Society, which was subsequently changed as above, without any reorganization.
THE GERMAN MECHANICS' AID SOCIETY.
This society was organized December 14, 1865, with the following original members: F. H. Wienker, George Schneider, John Daiber, Peter Hess, Joseph Kleinfelder, Gottfried Neff, Martin Eichholz, Christian Otto, Sebastian Adamer, F. Goeser, Frederick Weckerlen, Gottfried Baer, O. F. Schmalz, John Burri, William Lohr, Israel Kintzle, John Wenner, Gus Schmidt, Joseph Fuller, John Huber, I. W. Koehler, Frederick Wittenman, Vincent Maurath, Henry Grau, M. Vetter, Joseph H. Bulster, P. Hartman, and A. Hartman. After the con- stitution and by-laws had been framed by Messrs. Otto, Hartman, Adamer, Kleinfelder and Schneider, and adopted by the society, the following perma- nent officers were elected for the ensuing year. F. H. Wienker, president ; Joseph Kleinfelder, vice president ; George Schneider, first secretary ; John Daiber,
MECHANICS' AID SOCIETY CELEBRATION, JULY 4, 1866 Procession moving west on Eighth Street near Catholic Church
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second secretary; Peter Hess, treasurer. The society was incorporated April 18, 1866.
WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS.
CITY FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS.
Through the efforts of the West End Fortnightly Club, and organization was effected of the City Federation of Women's Clubs August 25, 1902. This asso- ciation was composed of the Twentieth Century Club, Mother's Club, Query Club, Clio Club, Progressive Women, Fortnightly Club, and Shade's Reading Club. Mrs. C. Weed was the first president and served two years. During her presidency the Federation presented to the public library a beautiful Blasius piano, photos of famous paintings and plaster casts. Mrs. J. M. Kemble was the second president and held the office two years. Through her efforts and members of the Federation, rest rooms were inaugurated and conducted in the city, which were later turned over to the care of the Y. W. C. A. It might be well here to state that the Federation was chiefly instrumental in organizing the Young Women's Christian Association. Mrs. D. S. McDermott next filled the chair and during her incumbency rubber matting, costing $105 was pre- sented to Hershey Hospital. Mrs. J. W. Eells was the president in 1907, and it was that year that the Federation presented to the city a public drinking fountain, costing $100. Another gift of the ladies was $50 toward Weed Park Club House, and it is said the members of the Federation were the first to agitate the question of a Chautauqua for Muscatine.
TWENTIETH CENTURY CLUB.
The Twentieth Century Club was organized November 23, 1900, there being nineteen charter members. The following year the society joined the Federation of Women's Clubs. This club has had the honor of being entertained by many men of letters, and others prominent in the professions, among them being Chan- cellor McClain; William Owens, the noted tragedian; I. B. Richman, the his- torian ; and Miss Mira Hershey, the well known heiress and philanthropist. At one time while studying United States history, the members met with Mrs. Lewis. On that occasion Mrs. Stephenson's paper on "The Land and the Native Races" was read by its author in the room where seventy-five years ago a group of wild Indians, in war paint and feathers, had gone through the contortions of a war dance for the amusement of a few early settlers, in the home of the late Hon. Stephen Whicher.
THE MOTHERS' CLUB.
Probably the largest and most philanthropic association of women in Mus- catine is the Mothers' Club. This organization has been in existence since 1899 and was organized by Miss Florence Ewing, who at the time was mistress of a private kindergarten. It was in January of the year mentioned that the club was first started and in the following September a new organization was per- Vol. I-28
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fected, a constitution and by-laws adopted and the name of the club changed from a Mothers' Kindergarten Club to the plain, homely, substantial and beau- tiful Mothers' Club. In March, 1900, this association affiliated with the Mothers' Congress and in May the president and one delegate attended the national con- vention. Its first officers were: Mrs. Fred Munroe, president; Mrs. Theron Thompson, treasurer; Mrs. D. S. McDermott, secretary.
WEST END FORTNIGHTLY CLUB.
The first strictly literary club to be organized in Muscatine is that of the West End Fortnightly, its membership being limited to twenty. The organi- zation took place in October, 1891, its first meeting place being at the residence of Mrs. C. Weed.
THE SPALDING CLUB.
The Spalding Club was organized in 1904 and is one of the most progressive of the various reading circles of the city. It is composed entirely of members of the Catholic church and was organized for the purpose of reading literature peculiar to that faith. The membership of this association is limited to sixteen. The club was named in honor of Bishop J. L. Spalding, of Peoria, Illinois, a man of great learning, a writer of national reputation, and a pulpit orator of renown.
SHADE'S READING CIRCLE.
The association with the above name is limited to a membership of eleven and was organized in 1899 at the home of Mrs. Anna Cummins. The first book that was read by the circle was "The Houseboat on Styx," by John Kendrick Bangs. This unique title suggested to the organizing members a name for the circle.
PROGRESSIVE WOMEN'S CLUB.
This club was organized in the fall of 1900 for the purpose of reading liter- ature and studying the works of various writers. The meetings are held every two weeks at the home of some one of the members.
GENEVA GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB.
This social organization came into life in 1900, at which time the links were laid out and formally opened May 30, of that year. The first president was Dr. F. H. Little. The first vice president was L. G. Barnard and the first secretary and treasurer, George Reeder.
On the old fair ground property a neat one-story club house was erected. In 1902 the club was reorganized and incorporated under the name of the Geneva Golf and Country Club. Dr. F. H. Little was made president, John Sterne- man, vice president, Charles P. Jackson, secretary and treasurer, and Henry Sheetz green keeper. The new home was erected and formally opened the latter part of July. A tennis court was added to the amusements afforded and
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proved quite popular. This organized body is one of the prominent institutions of the community.
MUSCATINE LAUNCH CLUB.
This club is one of the important social and sporting societies of this vicinity. In 1908 it erected a magnificent club house at a cost of $5,000, on a strip of ground south of the Muscatine North & South depot, on the bank of the river on property belonging to the city. The building presents a most impressive sight from the river and is one of the finest homes of this kind in the state. This club was chiefly instrumental in the formation of the Mississippi Valley Power Boat Association, and through its efforts the first annual regatta of the asso- ciation was held and made a great success.
MUSCATINE COMMERCIAL CLUB.
The organization of the Commercial Club in 1892 added very much to the standing of Muscatine with her sister cities of the state. It brought her lead- ing citizens in contact to a greater extent with the outside world and quickened her ambition to keep abreast of the time and grow, not only in business activities and wealth, but also in population and the influence strength of numbers engenders.
The first meeting of the Commercial Club, the organization which got its inception and impetus from W. L. Roach, was held in rooms on the second floor of the Commercial House, and later, for almost a year, the club had its head- quarters at this historic old hostelry. The following year permanent rooms were occupied in the Stein building on West Second street.
The Commercial Club has done valiant service for the city of Muscatine in promoting railroad building, manufactories, an opera house and various other things that have added to the wealth, growth and importance of the community. Most of the business men of importance are now members and the club has become one of the strong factors, always vigilant in the city's interest and of undoubted industry in its efforts making for a greater and more affluent com- munity. Since the completion of the Hershey Bank and business block the club's quarters have been established on the sixth floor of that great modern building. Here there are beautifully furnished parlor and reception rooms, card and pool rooms, offices, and one of the finest bowling alleys to be found any- where. This goes to show that the organization has its social side as well as a care for the sterner realities of life. The Commercial Club's record has been in keeping with the wide-awake, keen, and businesslike proclivities of its mem- bers and with the welfare of Muscatine always at heart, the club's future pres- ages a continued growth and prosperity for the city it represents.
CHAPTER XXIII.
LOOKING UPWARD.
PUBLIC AND SEMI-PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS FOR RELIGIOUS ADVANCEMENT AND UP- LIFT OF THE COMMUNITY-P. M. MUSSER PUBLIC LIBRARY-YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION-YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION-HERSHEY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL-BELLEVUE HOSPITAL-OLD LADIES' HOME-GERMAN LUTHERAN ORPHANS' AND OLD PEOPLE'S HOME.
Professor E. E. Sparks, of the University of Chicago, visited Muscatine in December, 1896, and meeting several of the representative citizens, expressed a desire to deliver a course of lectures. A meeting was called and in the old Congregational church Professor Sparks presented his work and told the little gathering of about one hundred what would be profitable to them should they decide to have the course, and to gather together a small collection of books to use for reference in the study. Dr. Morgridge presided at the meeting and in- vited discussion and opinions upon the topic. Thereupon Professor Sparks was engaged to give a season course of lectures and a committee consisting of Dr. Myrick, Mrs. Anna C. Kennedy and Professor G. J. Roberts was appointed to make a canvass for subscribers and report at a future meeting a plan of organ- ization. January 9, 1897, another meeting was held in the Y. M. C. A. rooms, at which Professor Sparks was present, and at a subsequent meeting, January 13th, at the high school building, Professor Sparks gave the first of the series of his lectures, his subject being, "Men Who Made the Nation." There were about one hundred present and Professor E. F. Schall presided. This may be said to have been the inception of the public library in Muscatine, for at a meeting held January 2Ist, a constitution was adopted and the first directors chosen were Professor F. M. Witter, Mrs. Peter Jackson, Mrs. B. E. Lilly, Mrs. Anna Lee Mahin, G. M. Titus, Rev. Arthur Fowler, Mrs. E. L. Jayne, Professor G. J. Roberts, Z. H. Hutchinson, Professor E. F. Schall, Professor J. H. Lukens, Mrs. Emma Mahin, Mrs. Anna C. Kennedy, Dr. G. O. Morgridge and Dr. A. E. Myrick. The first officers were: G. M. Titus, president; Profes- sor E. F. Schall, vice president; Dr. A. E. Myrick, secretary ; W. E. Bliven, treasurer ; Mrs. Emma Mahin, librarian.
A clause in the constitution states that the object of the association shall be to foster systematic reading and study, to sustain university extension and other lectures, to unify and centralize the literary and student elements and to promote the establishment of a public library in this city. The movement increased in interest as was witnessed by the attendance of two hundred at the next lecture
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and two hundred and forty at the following one. The first year, however, did not prove very successful financially. The committee as appointed did efficient service, however, and with three exceptions existed at the time of its dissolu- tion as at first constituted. Vacancies on the committee that did occur were filled by the appointment of J. G. Van Lent, Irving B. Richman and P. M. Musser. Of course those who had the establishment of a library at heart ex- perienced many discouragements, but the movement grew as time passed and books were added which formed the nucleus of the present splendid library.
The first books were kept in a room in the high school building under the care of Mrs. E. L. Mahin, the present librarian, and were transferred to the present home of the library. On Friday evening, December 20, 1901, the P. M. Musser library building, erected at a cost of nearly $50,000, the gift of P. M. Musser, one of the oldest citizens of Muscatine, was formally dedicated and by the donor transferred to the city. In spite of the severe cold weather at the time, the crowd was so large that the exercises were held in the large Methodist church on the opposite side of the avenue. Afterward the building was thrown open for inspection and until a late hour crowds of interested and happy people passed its doors and admired its beauty.
At the dedicatory exercises the best part of the program was when Senator George M. Titus introduced Muscatine's great benefactor, P. M. Musser. He referred to the Old Ladies' Home, which was purchased and donated by this same Mr. Musser, and finally enlarged on the donation of the beautiful library, on the nature of the gift, and then presented Mr. Musser to the audience. As the latter arose, the audience burst into applause, which attested the feeling of appreciation that the people of Muscatine felt toward him. In response to this expression of gratitude, Mr. Musser spoke as follows :
"Fellow Citizens: One and a half years ago I proposed to the citizens of Muscatine a library building to cost $25,000 or $30,000. I am glad tonight to surrender to the city council through the Honorable Mayor the title to the library building and grounds. I will let my fellow citizens judge whether I have kept my promise or not."
Mr. Musser was followed on the program by Mayor Barney Schmidt, who formally received the deed from Mr. Musser. Senator Titus, presiding at the exercises, then introduced various speakers and made many appropriate refer- ences. In speaking of Rev. T. A. Fowler, he brought out particularly the work of that gentleman in this community, both in the capacity of a pastor, the re- building of the church, and his great work for the library. Among the many prominent men of the state who graced this occasion were Johnson Brigham, who is the Iowa state librarian, and Judge Horace E. Deemer, a former Mus- catine boy and at this writing (1911) a prominent candidate for United States senator.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING.
The library building is practically 70 feet square and two stories in height, with a basement. The substructure is of portage red sandstone and the roof of tile. The windows in the peristyle are all of cathedral glass face of an ornate oval form and the large one in the west, a perfect square, giving an
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effect within of perpetual sunshine. The general reading, delivery, childrens, stack and trustees' rooms are furnished with oak tables and chairs and are fin- ished in oak. The upper story contains a lecture room, art gallery and trustees' room. The lecture room is seated with opera chairs. In the basement is a large apartment for the storage of books, magazines and papers, among the lot being a complete file of the Muscatine Journal's first issue as the Bloomington Herald in 1840. It is a credit to the Journal, and Muscatine citizens are proud of it.
The city contributes a two mill tax annually toward the support of this most worthy institution, which amounts yearly to about $4,500, and the special funds from all other sources amount to about $400 a year. The annual report of Mrs. Mahin, the librarian, for 1910 shows an unexpended balance of $1,004, and an expenditure of $1,500 for an addition to the building on the south side, of two rooms for office purposes. In the year 1910 there were 731 new books purchased, 37 donated and 114 condemned. The total number of books in the library at the beginning of the year was 12,450, and the total circulation 35,- 898. The total receipts were $7,444.18 and the expenditures, including the $1,500 for the new addition, were $6,440.
The members of the present board of trustees are as follows : C. R. Musser, Mrs. Ella Jayne, J. F. Devitt, E. F. Underwood, S. G. Stein, Mrs. E. L. Mahin, I. B. Richman, J. G. Van Lent. The officers are : G. M. Titus, president; Mrs. Ella Jayne, vice president; J. G. Van Lent, secretary ; Mrs. E. L. Mahin, li- brarian.
THE MUSCATINE CHAUTAUQUA.
In the fall of 1905 a movement was started for the organization of a chau- tauqua at Muscatine, and the services of Frank J. Sessions, founder of the Waterloo Chautauqua Assembly, were secured to address the first meeting held for the purpose, which took place on the evening of October 6. The speaker, with the assistance of others who addressed the assemblage, created the neces- sary enthusiasm and a committee of fifteen was appointed to wait upon the mayor to perfect the organization. Later, articles of incorporation, by-laws and other preliminaries were the result of the committee's labors. A short time thereafter a chautauqua was assured, by the securing of a guarantee fund, over- subscribed, of $3,000. It was then that a meeting of the stockholders was held and the following directors chosen: W. F. Chevalier, Z. W. Hutchinson, John F. Devitt, S. G. Stein, G. M. Titus, E. S. Batterson, Henry F. Giesler, J. G. Van Lent and Frank D. Throop. The chosen officials of the directorate were: W. F. Chevalier, president; Z. W. Hutchinson, secretary; Henry F. Giesler, treasurer. The first Chautauqua was held at the Citizens Railway Park, upon invitation of the officials of that corporation the following July. The program was an excellent one and the Chautauqua of Muscatine county became at once an assured success and a permanent institution.
The citizens of Muscatine are imbued with the spirit of Christianity and its resultant good works, which is evidenced by the number of handsome public buildings in the city, made possible by the generosity and highmindedness of men and women, and children also, who have given with a free hand the funds
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