USA > Indiana > Elkhart County > A twentieth century history and biographical record of Elkhart County, Indiana > Part 32
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With this understanding of the difference and the degree of devel- opment between the social institutions of former times and those of the present, we may enter into some detailed account of the various organi- zations, of social or fraternal nature, which have been and are a neces- sary and essential part of the life of the inhabitants of Elkhart county.
The pleasurable occasions of the early days were in the main quite different from those of the present. The social centers were not so numerous and, as mentioned above, not so well organized. Of out-of- door enjoyments there was an abundance. The old settlers could tell of bee hunts or of the more exciting wolf hunt, for which the entire community would take a day off and starting from the circumference of a large circle would drive in the game toward the center, where the designated marksmen would be stationed to shoot down the game thus rounded up. Skating and sleighing, then as now, held a prominent place in the winter amusements. The social center was often the school- house, and how many tales might be told of the sociables, the "liter- aries," the spelling matches and other occasions which were the magnet
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to draw young and old. How many a boy, whose subsequent position in the world entitles him to distinction, obtained his inspiration and his ease of manner and training in debate in those old schoolhouse affairs. One of the dearest memories of the American people is of the " old red schoolhouse," although too often it was not red nor of any other definite color; it was sufficient, irrespective of color, exterior and interior rough- ness, and its influence upon the generations past, present and to come can never be lightly estimated.
Then there were outdoor meetings in the summer, on political, holi- day and other occasions, and all these picnics and festival days relieved the monotony of pioneer life. But these phases of Elkhart county his- tory are described in another chapter, and we must hasten to speak of the regularly constituted bodies, whose social and fraternal purposes are along definite lines.
The first to claim our attention shall be the Pioneers' Association. that elite body of men and women whose ranks, like those of the Grand Army, cannot be renewed, but whose members pass away with the breath of the years. Therefore, all the more reason why we should fondly record the existence of the association. At a very early period in the history of the county efforts were made to organize an association in which all the pioneers would be embraced. For various reasons the progress made was very slow. and it was only after the people had emerged from the epoch of labor and careful guard and had some leisure to think of their connection with the past and future and with each other that they turned their attention to this good work. The leaders in the movement finally effected their purpose and the first annual meeting of the association was held at Goshen May 11. 1857. It will be of in- terest to give the names of those who took chief part in the organization : J. H. Barnes presided over the meeting, and E. W. H. Ellis was secre- tary, and the following permanent officers were elected : President. Matthew Rippey : vice-presidents. Col. John Jackson. George Nicholson and William Waugh: secretary. E. W. H. Ellis: treasurer, Milton Mercer; executive committee. J. R. McCord, of Elkhart township: Rob- ert A. Thomas, of Clinton : John D. Elsea, of Benton : Mark B. Thomp- son, of Jackson: John Peppinger, of Union: Daniel McCoy, of Locke: Noah Anderson, of Harrison : John Davenport, of Concord : James Beck. of Baugo: C. Terwilliger, of Olive: J. D. Carleton, of Cleveland: Na- thaniel Newell. of Osolo: Owen Coffin, of Washington: Charles L.
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Murray, of Jefferson; Lewis F. Case, of Middlebury, and A. B. Arnold, of York.
The organization, thus so well completed, had a prosperous career. Each year the reunion of old settlers was looked forward to with increas- ing interest. And as time passed there were an increasing number of vacancies and the roll call became shorter and shorter.
Among the prominent old settlers whose faces appear in the group photographed at the meeting of the Pioneers' Association in 1895 are the following : Benjamin Crary, John W. Irwin, William Hawks, Abner Blue, A. Defrees and J. P. Hawks, all of whom are dead; and Edward Stevens, O. W. Cunningham, Milton Mercer, Dr. Wickham, A. F. Wilden, John Thompson and Albert Yates, who are still spared.
In its large number of fraternal orders and social and industrial organizations is another evidence that Elkhart county stands among the most progressive counties of the state. The countless orders and unions in existence in this country are a striking proof that this is an age of specialization. The social organism is too vast, too inert, too com- posite for facility of action as a whole; its work must be divided and subdivided among numerous branches, each of which must perform its duties with reference not only to its own welfare but to the general progress and well-being of the whole of which it is a part. Thus are the unions and the many societies the very essence of organized civili- zation; for as long as the individual remained an infinitesimal part of the sluggish and ponderous mass of humanity his usefulness and activity were limited to his own genius or ambition, but with the par- celing out of men into their smaller and proper spheres of activity, not only the worth of the individual is increased, but the power of society for definite action is raised many degrees. For this and the many other reasons justifying their existence, the various orders and societies have obtained a useful and certain place in the world, and the history of Elk- hart county could not omit some mention of their influence and extent. In the history of the smaller centers we have in each instance referred to the fraternal and social organizations of that place, and reserve for the concluding pages of this chapter the principal organizations in the large cities.
GOSHEN.
Goshen has a full quota of fraternal and other associations. The time-honored order of the Masons was the first to be established.
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Goshen Lodge No. 12. F. & A. M., was organized under dispensation September 14. 1844. with nine members, was granted a charter in May, 1845, and organized in accordance therewith in the following June. Goshen Chapter No. 45, of the Royal Arch Masons, was organized in I.ebruary, 1860, with twelve members. Dispensation for Bashor Coun- cil No. 15, R. & S. M., was granted March 12, 1860. The Mystic Shrine is represented by the El Cill Shrine Club, A. A. O. of N. M. S.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was the next great order to gain a place in Goshen. Elkhart County Lodge No. 34, I. O. O. F .. was instituted May 20, 1846, in the jury room of the old court house. On July 30, 1866, a dispensation was granted to Goshen Encampment No. 79, and organization was effected August 7 of the same year. The ladies' auxiliary, the Daughters of Rebekah, Rebekah Lodge No. 356, was instituted in Goshen April 15. 1891. And there is also Canton Goshen No. I. P. M.
The Knights of Pythias have had a prosperous career in Goshen. Calanthe Lodge No. 41, K. of P., was instituted November 5, 1873, and its membership is now about two hundred. Company No. II, Uniform Rank of the Knights of Pythias, was organized June 1, 1883, and Goshen Temple No. 329, Rathbone Sisters, has been existence since July 19. 1900.
Another prosperous order in Goshen is the Knights and Ladies of the Maccabees. March 11, 1886, Goshen Tent No. 4, K. O. T. M., was installed with a charter membership of sixteen, and on June 25, 1895. Goshen Hive No. 37, L. O. T. M., was organized.
One of the flourishing fraternal insurance organizations of the city is Heatwole Camp No. 4075. Modern Woodmen of America, which came into existence with twenty-two charter members on July 22, 1896.
Goshen Congress No. 3, Modern Samaritans of the World, was instituted July 20, 1898.
Tonawanda Tribe No. 130, Improved Order of Red Men, has been a factor in the fraternal circles of Goshen since January 27. 1892.
Goshen Lodge No. 798, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. was instituted several years ago.
The Woodmen of the World is represented by Victor Camp No. 32, which was organized June 29. 1893.
Goshen Council No. 1186, of the Royal AArcanum, was installed September 9. 1889.
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Goshen Council No. 14. Knights and Ladies of Columbia, was organized AApril 15, 1897.
Lodge No. 156 of the National Union has been in existence twenty years, having been instituted May 25, 1885.
Royal League No. 204 was organized September 14, 1900.
The Grand Army of the Republic has maintained a flourishing post in this city since August 16, 1882, when Howell Post No. 9o. G. A. R., was mustered in, and its roll call still continues quite long despite the ravages of years. The auxiliary, Howell Relief Corps No. 32, had seventeen charter members when it was organized on March 19. 1886.
One of the purely local organizations which deserves attention is the Ladies' Cemetery Association, whose object is the beautifying of Oak Ridge Cemetery.
The American Federation of Labor has a branch in this eity, formed on January 7, 1901.
Goshen Association No. 18, National Association of Stationary Engineers, was organized July 23. 1892.
Other unions are the Clerks' Union and the Carpenters' Union.
ELKHART.
In Elkhart also the Masons were early in the fraternal field. Kane Lodge No. 183. F. & A. M., was granted a dispensation in March, 1855, and the charter on June 1. 1855. Concord Chapter No. 101. R. A. M., worked under dispensation from May 20 to November 17, 1886, when it received a charter. The Knights Templar are represented by Elkhart Commandery No. 31, which was opened February 2, 1884. Starlight Chapter No. 181, Order of the Eastern Star, was formed June 4, 1895 ..
Elkhart Camp of the Woodmen of the World was organized May II. 1893, and Cedar Grove No. 8. Woodmen Cirele, received its charter January 17. 1899.
The Modern Samaritans of the World have made great progress in Elkhart. Elkhart Congress No. I was instituted at Elkhart March 23. 1898, with one hundred and six members, and now has nearly a thousand members. \ ladies' auxiliary was formed November 2, 1899. and is in a flourishing condition.
The Knights of the Maccabees. The charter of Elkhart Tent No. 3. K. O. T. M .. is dated February 26, 1886. Progressive Hive No. 3. L. O. T. M., was instituted December 22. 1892. Indiana Hive No. 22. L. O. T. M., was organized February 19. 1895.
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The Grand Army of the Republic has five branches in Elkhart. Elmer Post No. 37, G. A. R., was mustered in on November 8, 1881. The Elmer Woman's Relief Corps No. 15 was instituted May 14, 1885. with twenty-three charter members. Within two years after the forma- tion of the first post Shiloh Field Post No. 198 was instituted, on June 20, 1883. The Shiloh Field Relief Corps No. 5 was instituted April 8, 1884. Frank Baldwin Circle No. 14, Ladies of the G. . A. R., came into being .August 12. 1896. with twenty-one charter members.
The Knights of Pythias. Elkhart Lodge No. 75 was instituted October 29. 1877, and later Elkhart Company No. 18, Uniform Rank K. of P., was organized. Elkhart Temple No. 14, Rathbone Sisters. the woman's auxiliary of the order, was formed May 12, 1890.
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is represented by Elkhart Lodge No. 425, which was organized March 30, 1898.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was the first established order in this city. and among the first in the county. Pulaski Lodge No. Go was granted its charter July 13, 1848, and its subsequent career has been most gratifying. . \ charter was granted Elkhart Encampment, I. O. O. F., May 18, 1870, and Naomi Lodge No. 67, Daughters of Re- bekah, has been in existence since May 17, 1871.
Court Elkhart No. 5. Independent Order Foresters of America, was instituted December 4, 1893.
The Modern Woodmen of America has a large membership in Camp No. 3320. and its auxiliary, the Royal Neighbors of America, also has a branch in the city.
Elkhart Lodge No. 23, Ancient Order of United Workmen, was formed April 30, 1888.
Modoc Tribe No. ILI, Improved Order of Red Men, has been in existence since December, 1890.
Elkhart Council No. 150. National Union, was organized May 7. 1885.
Elkhart Temple No. 7. Patriarchal Circle, was organized June 15. 1882. Elkhart Council No. 9. Knights and Ladies of Columbia, was formed January 12, 1897.
Elkhart, owing to its large industrial interests, has a number of trades and labor unions, and the most important are given as follows :
Order of Railway Conductors, Division 19, was instituted in March, 1881, with seventeen charter members.
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. The John Hill Division
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No. 248 was organized April 27, 1884. Cora Smith Division No. 143, G. I. A. to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, was organized July 7, 1892.
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, Prospect Lodge No. 162, was instituted June 3, 1883. Helpmate Lodge No. 10, the ladies' auxiliary, was organized December, 1891.
The Central Labor Union of Elkhart was organized February 10, 1900, under the charter of the American Federation of Labor. Three unions were represented in the Central Union at the time of organiza- tion, and since then others have joined and there is a large membership.
Elkhart Typographical Union No. 266 was formed in the fall of 1890. Becoming discouraged the local union surrendered its charter in September, 1891, but in the following spring a reorganization was effected.
Cigar Makers' Union. Local Union No. 415 was organized Octo- ber 31, 1898.
Metal Polishers and Brass Workers' Union. Local Union No. 142 was formed in December, 1899.
Retail Clerks' Protective Association, Local No. 293, was organized August 20, 1899, with twenty-two charter members, and now has a large enrollment of members.
Journeyman Tailors' Union, No. 296, was installed April 1, 1890.
The Society of German Workingmen was organized at Elkhart May 10, 1873.
Elkhart has especial reason to be proud of her Century Club. This, one of the most modern and handsome of exclusive club buildings, stands on Main street just north of Jackson. It was erected in 1898 for the club by H. E. Bucklen, at a cost of twenty thousand dollars, including the furnishings. The Century Club was organized for purely business and social purposes in 1892, and, to quote from its own souvenir booklet, " while at all times the club may not have shown that enter- prise and energy which some of the most exacting and unreasonable outsiders thought it should exhibit, it has always been alive to the best interests of the city, and has quietly fostered and furthered many an enterprise which to-day is the pride and honor of Elkhart." The club building has a very striking architectural design, being one of the ornate structures of the city. An excellent scheme of arrangement has been carried out in the interior, where the principal divisions are lounging
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CENTURY CLUB
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room, card room, billiard room, gentlemen's parlor and directors' room, and a beautiful and capacious auditorium.
The Marquette Club, composed of progressive Elkhart young men banded together for healthful recreation and pleasure, was organized on December 7, 1897.
Elkhart has possessed an active branch of the Young Men's Chris- tian Association for many years. The organization was effected Feb- ruary 3, 1882, but its work was not effective until 1884, when it was reorganized as a railroad association. In August, 1885, the erection of a special Y. M. C. A. building was begun, and the structure was opened to the public in the following spring. It is located on Tyler avenue, covers a ground space of 75 by 30 feet, and all its equipments and furnishings are admirably suited for its broadly beneficent work.
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CHAPTER XXI. HISTORY OF CLUB MOVEMENT IN ELKHART COUNTY.
BY MRS. F. E. MUMMERT.
President of Indiana State Federation of Women's Clubs.
The woman's club came almost simultaneously with the woman's college. In the days when might made right, there was very little out- side " the four walls " which women could do ; but as times changed and the race began to understand that there was a more just and satisfactory way of settling differences than by fighting, when people really began to believe in the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man: when the conference began to be thought of as a substitute for the quarrel. and the idea of arbitration took root, there was work for women to do. and all unconsciously the woman's college and the woman's club came to give them the necessary training to take their part in the world; thus fitting women to stand side by side with men and together work for the social, civic. moral and intellectual uplift of humanity. To help solve world problems requires deep thinking and broad training, hence the growth of the woman's club, that this training might be obtained.
Naturally, the history of the club movement throughout the United States covers the history in our own state and county, and a brief state- ment of what has been and is being accomplished at large may tend better to show what women are doing in Elkhart county.
It is generally supposed that the "Sorosis" of New York was the first woman's club ever organized in this country, but upon careful investigation this honor is now claimed by our own Indiana, and that the first woman's club in the United States was organized by Mrs. Con- stance FauntLeRoy Runcie in 1859, at New Harmony, Indiana, and known as the " Minerva Club," thus antedating the " Sorosis " by nine years. Mrs. Runcie is at present a resident of St. Joseph, Missouri. and says she also founded her second club in 1867 at Madison, Indiana, thus giving Indiana the distinction of having two woman's clubs before the Boston or New York clubs.
Since woman has put herself in touch with the work of the club
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she has advanced and accomplished much, and a part of the work done is indicated only briefly as follows:
First .- She has gained admission to complete rights of citizenship in many states.
Second .- She has gained fully recognized admission to all occu- pations, and instead of seven occupations being open to woman, as in 1840. she may now have choice of upwards of three hundred distinct trades and professions : business, factory and professional.
Third .- She has accomplished the removal of the education of women from the field of the "namby-pamby" and the ornamental to that of the useful. beginning with household economics and extending into the highest branches of science and literature, and co-educational ad- vantages being also secured.
Fourth .- She has inculcated the acceptance of motherhood as a pro- fession, requiring thorough recognition of the fact that it brings woman's highest reward.
Fifth .- She has brought about the contribution of an immense amount of careful thinking, placed in book form, regarding household duties, household management, the care of the body and methods of correct living.
Sixth .- She has secured the invention of a great number of house- hold conveniences, calculated to save the labor of the housewife and to make work, as it should be, interesting, inviting and agreeable.
The foremost work of the club movement has always been educa- tion. Of its educational work, perhaps the establishment of public and traveling libraries has been and is one of its most effective activities. Through the fostering care and influence exerted by club women, the libraries are multiplying in number, and in number of books, readers and consequent good to present and future generations.
The Federation club women are pledged to work for a common cause, the cause of womanhood throughout the land. They believe that the improvement of our schools will never be satisfactory until the ques- tion of politics is completely divorced from education and school man- agement. They believe if our boys and girls can be taught that to live for one's country in the best and truest sense is as glorious as to die for it, and protecting its rights and maintaining its laws and institutions is as much a part of patriotism as defending it from invasion; we may rest assured that the future of our nation is safe.
Club life teaches women the necessity of putting aside all person- ality. of judging all persons and questions on their merits, and of sink- ing the individual preferences in that which will be for the highest good of all. Thus it is that club women are being trained to broader and
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higher thinking, to be more perfectly educated; to have not only the knowledge gained from books, but the ability to utilize all knowledge which can be gained from any source.
In this great aggressive and progressive club movement now mani- festing such patent influence in our land, Elkhart county has had and is now taking a prominent part. It is known that during the period of the Civil war, when men were enlisting to defend our country's honor and the principle of personal liberty, a society was formed in Goshen, the county seat, for reading and debate, dealing largely with the ques- tions of the times, which were on the hearts of all. This debating society flourished for years, and may be said to have been the beginning of similar work, and club work in the county. Many such societies, later on, were organized in the rural districts of the county, until almost every schoolhouse was the center of this kind of intellectual training and drill, which should be revived and encouraged and maintained as one of the best means of drill for the young, to enable them to better grapple with the problems that are sure to confront them as time goes on.
For quality of work and real interest exhibited, those societies rivaled the up-to-date club of to-day. Here the school " ma'am " and the school master received the inspiration for future careers in pedagogy. Here many a campaign orator was developed, getting his inspiration and early training from the old, now obsolete, country schoolhouse de- bating societies.
With the problems of the twentieth century we need something more of these debates, where intellect is pitted against intellect in splen- did effort. But as time went on the debating and literary society was superseded by the Reading Circle and Club.
In the inception of the modern woman's club idea we must not forget the influence of the Chautauqua movement, to which much of our present club work can be traced. As early as 1878 in the city of Goshen, Miss Mable Hawks, still a resident, began reading the Chau- tanqua course and continued her reading for two years alone, when two others joined in the reading. From the fall of 1881 to and including 1883, there were five in the circle. These met once and sometimes twice a week to compare notes and ascertain what information was found outside the subject matter of their reading. There was 10 or- ganization, hence no officers. In the fall of 1884 a large C. L. S. C. (Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Course) was organized, with Mr. James Mayfield, of Goshen, now deceased,, as its first president. With
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some change in membership the circle continued its work until 1890, some few continuing a year or more afterward. There are nearly a score or more of C. L. S. C. graduates in Goshen, many having com- pleted several courses of study and thereby added one or more seals to their diplomas.
Following this first club movement, we now have nine regularly organized women's clubs in Goslien, namely: The Philomathean, a direct outgrowth of the Chautauqua, studying literature and art chiefly. The Bay View Circle, a Chautauqua course, as the name implies. Li- brary Club, devoted chiefly to the study of travel and history. Winona, a Chautauqua circle, and the Chautauqua Club, as the name indicates, another Chautauqua circle. The History Club, making a specialty of the study of American history. The Progress Club, an art class, and the " Beacon Lights," students of history and literature and the most progressive club in the city, as it is the only club affiliated with the State and General Federations, one of whose members is now president of the State Federation of Women's Clubs and another a member of the educational committee of the General Federation.
Through the combined efforts of some of the above named clubs popular lecture courses, university extension lectures and series of lec- tures on special themes which were the subjects of study in the clubs, have been promoted and maintained.
Goshen also deserves to be proud of its Woman's Musical Club, which is entering upon its seventh year with a membership of nearly three hundred. This club, with its strong and commendable features in " Artists " recitals, has brought superior musical attractions of a high order to the city, thus raising the standard of music. It has also supported choruses under efficient directors, rendering oratorios and cantatas. This club has much good musical talent in voice, on organ, piano and stringed instruments, having several members whose training has been completed under the best masters abroad.
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