USA > Indiana > Huntington County > History of Huntington County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 38
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Article II of the constitution declares that "The objects of this society are those set forth in the National Constitution." Pursuant to this declaration, the chapter has collected a large number of historic relics, which are kept in a room in the courthouse set apart by the county commissioners for the use of the chapter.
The regular meetings are held monthly from October to May, the first mecting of each session being held on the Saturday in October nearest the anniversary of the battle of Bemis Heights-October 7th. Occasional called meetings are held at other times, when business of importance demands attention, or upon the death of a member.
Since the organization of the chapter more than one hundred mem- bers have been enrolled. Some of these have died, others have removed to distant points and united with other chapters. The Year Book issued by the society for the season of 1914-15 shows forty-seven resident and nineteen nonresident members. The officers for the year are : Mrs. W. H. Barnhart, regent; Mrs. C. E. Grayston, vice regent; Mrs. J. H. Hessin, recording secretary ; Mrs. F. S. Plasterer, corresponding secretary ; Mrs. O. E. Russel, treasurer; Miss Cora Altman, registrar; Miss Prudence Kenner, historian.
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS
This order was introduced in America in 1819 by Thomas Wildey and another Odd Fellow, who had been initiated in England, the order having been founded at Manchester, England, early in the nineteenth century.
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The first lodge in this country was instituted at Baltimore, Maryland, under a charter from the Manchester Unity. "Washington Lodge and Grand Lodge of Maryland and the United States" was established on February 1, 1820, but soon afterward severed its connection with the order in England.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was the first secret society to establish an organization in Huntington County. Lafontaine Lodge, No. 42, was organized at Huntington on April 22, 1847, with Joseph Wiley, former eounty clerk, as the first noble grand. The first meetings were held in the old Roek House, where the city library now stands, and later in a room in the old American Hotel on West State Street. On July 5, 1859, the lodge surrendered its charter, owing to internal dis- sensions, but it was reorganized under the old name and number in 1865, sinee which time it has prospered. The present quarters, the substantial three-story briek building on Franklin Street opposite the courthouse, were first oceupied in 1889. At first the lodge held only an equity in this building, but later aequired title to the entire property, as well as the lot east of it. According to the report of the grand lodge in November, 1913, the lodge had 305 members in good standing and owned property valued at $38,913.52.
Lafontaine Lodge is the parent of all the other lodges in Huntington County, and at least two members of the lodge have been honored by the order by being eleeted to high positions. James B. Kenner was elected to the office of grand master in 1885 and later represented Indiana in the Sovereign Grand Lodge. John Morgan served as grand patriarch in the Indiana Grand Eneampment and also represented the state in the Sov- ereign Grand Lodge. Regular meetings of the lodge are held on Tuesday evenings and the grand lodge report above referred to gives the name of Samuel Lambert as noble grand, and Edgar E. Kelsey as secretary.
Little River Lodge, No. 275, at Roanoke, was instituted on May 9, 1867, by John Morgan, who was at that time distriet deputy grand mas- ter, with five eharter members, viz., : J. S. Grim, Daniel Clippinger, Jehu Swaidner, Albertus Bowen and William Blair. Three years after the lodge was established a comfortable hall was built and the growth since that time has been steady and permanent. In 1883 the lodge purchased the ground and laid out Glenwood cemetery, mention of which is made in another chapter. In November, 1913, the lodge was reported as having 116 members and assets amounting to $11,293.48. Sherman Showalter was at that time noble grand and Hugh J. McFadden was secretary. J. H. Barbour, of this lodge, was deputy distriet grand master for the dis- trict composed of Huntington County. The lodge meets on Monday evenings.
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Mount Etna Lodge, No. 304, was the third lodge of Odd Fellows to be established in the county. It was instituted on May 20, 1868, with E. J. Anderson, George W. Giltner, Aaron McKimmey, James M. Marshall, L. W. Anderson and Aden J. Wiles as the charter members. Regular meet- ings of this lodge are held on Saturday evenings. From the last report of the grand lodge it is learned that Mount Etna now has a membership of 125 and resources of $6,908.80. In that report A. L. Kellan is given as the noble grand and J. M. Cottrel as secretary. This lodge holds an interest in the cemetery established by the Odd Fellows and Masons at Mount Etna several years ago.
Loon Creek Lodge, No. 322, located at Andrews, was instituted on April 22, 1869, by Jehu Swaidner, district deputy grand master. The charter members of this lodge were: Heil Mckinstry, E. B. Cubberly, James E. Shipler, J. J. Lyon, Jesse L. Cramer, E. Ervin and William Boone. Meetings were held for awhile in the second story of the old school building, then a room was rented for lodge purposes and occupied until 1881, when the lodge erected a building of its own. Riverside ceme- tery is also owned and managed by Loon Creek Lodge. According to the grand lodge report this lodge had a membership of fifty-six at the close of the year 1913, at which time Ora Ross was noble grand and L. H. Boone was secretary. The assets of the lodge amounted then to $6,295.16.
Markle Lodge, No. 362, was organized on April 14, 1871, with seven charter members and the following officers : Joseph Scott, noble grand; A. A. Bowen, vice grand; W. J. Kilander, secretary, and Rufus Bowen, treasurer. The hall in which the lodge holds regular meetings on Tues- day evenings was erected in 1881, and the same year the lodge laid out a cemetery. In November, 1913, L. J. Hoopengarner was noble grand and H. E. Myers was secretary. At that time the lodge had eighty-four mem- bers and resources of $5,516.13.
Salamonie Lodge, No. 392, at Warren, was instituted on May 24, 1872, with five charter members, A. C. Smith as the first noble grand and T. J. « Lafollette as the first secretary. From this small beginning Salamonie has become the second strongest lodge in the county, being exceeded in membership and finances only by Lafontaine Lodge, of Huntington. In 1906 the lodge joined with the First National Bank in the erection of a handsome building on Wayne Street, where it now has one of the best appointed halls in the state. The regular meetings are held on Thursday evenings. In November, 1913, the lodge reported 264 members, resources of $17,491.20, William H. Jones, noble grand, and L. J. Haines, secretary.
Star of Hope Lodge, No. 464, was organized at the little Village of Toledo, in Rock Creek Township, about 1873. It is still in existence and is one of the prosperous lodges of the county. The last grand lodge report
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shows a membership of 125, assets $3,326.55, which include a good hall building and a cemetery near the village. At the close of the year 1913 J. F. Scotton was noble grand and L. E. Davis, secretary.
West Point Lodge, No. 688, located at Bippus, is the youngest Odd Fellows' lodge in the county. It is a substantial organization, however ; owns three storerooms, with a comfortable hall over one of them, and in November, 1913, reported ninety-eight members in good standing, with John Wagner as noble grand and S. E. Stults as secretary. The resources of the lodge at that time amounted to $2,534.96. Regular meetings are held on Wednesday evenings.
Each Odd Fellows' lodge in the county has connected with it a lodge of the Daughters of Rebekah, a degree to which the wives, sisters, mothers and daughters of Odd Fellows are eligible. These lodges are numbered as follows : Andrews, No. 37; Markle, No. 112; Roanoke, No. 246; Hunt- ington, No. 261; Warren, No. 262; Toledo, No. 348; Mount Etna, No. 421; Bippus, No. 592.
In the encampment branch of the order, subordinate encampments are maintained in the county as follows : Huntington, No. 88; Warren, No. 167; Mount Etna, No. 178; Andrews, No. 181; Toledo, No. 239; Markle, No. 308.
MASONIC FRATERNITY
The Masonic history of Huntington County dates from January 24, 1851, when the grand lodge granted a dispensation to certain members of the order to organize a lodge in the Town of Huntington. Those who signed the petition for a dispensation were: H. C. Skinner, M. J. Pur- viance, J. W. Spiller, S. J. Johnson, A. G. Perkins, S. H. Purviance, J. H. Swail and S. Cassidy.
On February 6, 1851, these petitioners and few other members of the fraternity met in the Odd Fellows' hall and instituted the lodge, with A. G. Perkins as worshipful master ; H. C. Skinner, senior warden; M. J. Purviance, junior warden. W. H. D. Lewis was the first person elected to receive the degrees. When the grand lodge met in May, 1851, a char- ter was granted to the lodge, under the name of Mystic Lodge, No. 110. At that time the lodge had a membership of twenty-five, each of whom signed the roll as a charter member. J. W. Spiller was the first worship- ful master under the charter.
Amity Lodge, No. 483, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized at Huntington in 1874, with George Emerick, worshipful master. This lodge was formed by the withdrawal of several members from Mystic Lodge, which in time surrendered its charter and passed out of existence.
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According to the grand lodge report for 1913, Amity Lodge then had 250 members, with William Lucas as worshipful master and Clark C. Griffith as secretary. The regular meetings are held on the first and third Mon- days of each month.
Huntington Chapter, No. 27, Royal Arch Masons, was organized under a charter dated May 24, 1855, with nine members. Dr. F. S. C. Gray- ston was the first man to receive the degrees in the chapter. In 1914 the membership numbered 193, with Alfred Reichenbach as high priest and Clark C. Griffith, secretary. Regular meetings are held on the second Friday of cach month.
Huntington Council, No. 51, Royal and Select Masons, was organized in January, 1878, and received a charter dated October 23, 1878. Dr. Lagrange Severance was the first illustrious master. The council holds regular meetings on the fourth Monday of each month. In 1914 the membership was 159, with George B. Whitestine illustrious master and Clark C. Griffith, recorder.
Huntington Commandery, No. 35, Knights Templars, was chartered on April 20, 1892, with twenty-one charter members and Ferd F. Boltz as eminent commander. The growth of the commandery has been steady and in 1914 there were 107 members. Sir Robert R. Glenn was then cminent commander, and Clark C. Griffith, recorder. The state conclaves of the commandery are on the second and fourth Thursdays of cach month. All the Masonic bodies of the city hold their meetings in the Masonic Hall in the Bippus Building, at the northwest corner of Frank- lin and Jefferson strects.
Roanoke Lodge, No. 195, Free and Accepted Masons, was chartered by the grand lodge of the state on May 27, 1856. The first officers were Caleb Edwards, worshipful master; Samuel Daugherty, senior warden; William Hendry, junior warden. During the first fifteen years of its experience the growth was steady, and in 1870 the membership was over one hundred. Then followed the organization of new lodges within its former jurisdiction and some of the Roanoke Masons transferred their membership elsewhere for the sake of convenience. In 1913 the member- ship was sixty-seven. Frank A. Miner was then worshipful master and John E. Jones, secretary. In 1874 the hall and records were destroyed by fire, but a new hall was erected in 1883, where regular meetings are held on the first and third Fridays of cach month.
King Lodge, No. 246, Free and Accepted Masons, located at Warren, was first organized under dispensation on November 2, 1858, with twelve members. Dr. Daniel Palmer was the first worshipful master; Charles Wayne, senior warden; George W. Good, junior warden; A. D. Frame, secretary. On March 25, 1859, a charter was obtained from the grand
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lodge and since then the lodge has experienced a steady growth. In 1913 the membership was 187. Regular meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at the Masonic Hall in the Sprowl Building, on Wayne Street. A. J. Whitling was elected worshipful mas- ter for the year 1914, and Orla Truston, secretary. King Lodge owns a fine cemetery near Warren.
On March 21, 1866, Mount Etna Lodge, No. 333, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized with the following charter members: William B. Morgan, A. R. Large, A. E. Nordyke, John B. Harris, K. R. Collins, Riley Fleming, David Shutt, J. R. Williamson and M. R. Chadwick. The first worshipful master was K. R. Collins, and M. R. Chadwick was the first secretary. Daniel Smith and Dr. L. C. Beckford were the first per- sons to receive the degrees in this lodge. Mount Etna Lodge passed through an experience similar to that of Roanoke, through the organiza- tion of new lodges, which drew from the membership. About 1885 the membership was but twenty-five, but since then there has been a revival and in 1913 the lodge reported fifty-three in good standing. William Carmichael was then worshipful master and Victor D. Rankin was sec- retary.
Late in the year 1867 a few Masons got together at Andrews (then called Antioch) and took the preliminary steps for the organization of a lodge. Several mectings were subsequently held, part of the time in the railroad station building and part of the time over William Brown's storc, but at these meetings only instruction was given in work, as no authority had been granted to confer the degrees on candidates. When the grand lodge met in May, 1868, a dispensation was granted and the first authorized meeting of the lodge was on June 27, 1868, when an organization was perfected with ten members. On May 24, 1870, a char- ter was issued by order of the grand lodge, and the lodge at Andrews was regularly instituted on June 14, 1870, by Dr. W. C. Chafec, who was appointed a special deputy for the purpose. It then became known under the present name of Antioch Lodge, No. 410. In 1911 the lodge erected a handsome building at the cost of about $8,000, in which it has one of the best appointed Masonic halls in the Wabash Valley. The mem- bership at the beginning of the year 1914 was about one hundred, with Raymond O. Bixby worshipful master, and Otto K. Gleason secretary. The regular meeting nights are the first and third Tuesdays of each month.
Markle Lodge, No. 453, Free and Accepted Masons, was first organized under dispensation in May, 1872, and in June, 1873, it received a charter from the grand lodge, with the present name and number. The lodge was formally instituted on July 4, 1873, with Dr. Joseph Scott, worship-
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ful master ; George Bailey, senior warden; F. A. Bratton, junior warden. In 1913 the membership was fifty-one, with Philip E. Monroe worshipful master and Claud O. Thomas secretary. Regular meetings are held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.
Some years ago a degree known as the Order of the Eastern Star was added to the Masonic Fraternity for the benefit of the immediate female relatives of Master Masons. Chapters of the Eastern Star have been organized at Huntington, Andrews, Roanoke and Warren, and most of them are in a flourishing condition.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS
The ritual of this order was written in the winter of 1860-61 by Justus H. Rathbone, while he was teaching school at Eagle Harbor, Mich- igan. It was founded upon the story of Damon and Pythias and Mr. Rathbone's ambition was to found a fraternal society based upon the friendship of these two ancients. The Civil war came on before he had an opportunity to carry out his desires, and he entered the medical department of the army. On February 15, 1864, while stationed in Washington, D. C., he read the ritual to four other Government em- ployees-William H. and David L. Burnett, Robert A. Champion and Edward S. Kimball-and on the 19th of the same month Washington Lodge, No. 1, Knights of Pythias, was organized with thirteen members.
On August 11, 1868, the supreme lodge was instituted at Washington, D. C., and on August 5, 1870, it was incorporated by act of Congress. In the meantime the grand lodge of Indiana was organized on October 20, 1869, with John Caven, of Indianapolis, as the first grand chancellor.
The first Knights of Pythias Lodge in Huntington County was insti- tuted in the City of Huntington on April 20, 1881, with Grand Chancellor William N. Gillum, of Rockville, in charge of the ceremonies, assisted by members from Logansport, Bluffton, Richmond and Decatur. The lodge took the name and number of Huntington Lodge, No. 93, and started upon its career with thirty-one charter members. Dr. Lagrange Sev- erance was the first chancellor commander. Meetings were held in the Dick hall, corner of Jefferson and Market streets, and in the Clayton hall, on Market Street, until the present Knights of Pythias home was purchased and occupied.
On March 1, 1905, a committee was appointed "to investigate the advisability of securing a home and to procure propositions looking to the same." That committee consisted of Fred E. Swaim, Howard Henderson, Luther A. Smith, Charles K. Lucas and A. D. Mohler. Several pieces of property were considered, but on July 19, 1905, an option was obtained
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on the Samuel F. Day residence, at the northwest corner of Market and Cherry streets, opposite the city hall, for $7,000. The option was closed soon afterward and the members of the lodge subscribed for about $6,000 in bonds for the purpose of remodeling the building, to render it suit- able for lodge purposes. The changes were made and the home was formally dedicated on Friday evening, October 5, 1906, giving Hunting- ton Lodge a hall and clubhouse far better than is usually found in cities of 13,000 population.
Two members of this lodge have been honored by being elected to the office of grand chancellor-James M. Hatfield, in 1895, and William P. Hart, in 1912. The report of the grand lodge for the year ending on June 30, 1913, shows the resources of the lodge to be $16,762.58, of which $15,000 is in real estate. The lodge now has 315 members, with Max Hart, chancellor commander; Fred E. Swaim, keeper of the records and seal. The regular meetings of the lodge are held on Wednesday evening of each week.
Golden Rule Lodge, No. 308, of Andrews, was instituted on March 23, 1891, and on June 30, 1913, reported sixty-nine members. This lodge owns real estate valued at $1,400 and has other assets amounting to $614.62, indicating that it is in a healthful condition. At the time the grand lodge report was issued in 1913 W. O. Taylor was chancellor com- mander and F. W. Kelsey keeper of the records and seal. On September 19, 1907, the lodge dedicated a home, and here regular meetings are held on Monday evening of each week.
Artesian Lodge, No. 388, Knights of Pythias, located at Warren, was instituted on May 9, 1893. Although the lodge owns no real estate, it reported resources of $3,518.25 at the close of the year ending on June 30, 1913, at which time O. A. Pulley was chancellor commander and Calvin Perdue keeper of the records and seal. The regular meetings are held on Monday evening of each week in the hall in the Larrimer block. The membership is about 150.
Markle Lodge, No. 423, was instituted on September 2, 1895, and now has about 170 members. Regular meetings are held on Friday evenings. No real estate is owned by the lodge, but on June 30, 1913, it reported per- sonal property and cash on hand amounting to $2,191.83. At that time Price Jennings was chancellor commander and E. J. Walter was keeper of the records and seal.
Huntington Company, No. 16, Uniform Rank of the Knights of Pythias, was instituted on January 30, 1884, with twenty-six members, and at one time was the largest company in the country. The second annual encampment of the Indiana Uniform Rank was held in the City
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of Huntington the last week of August, 1887, closing with a grand ball at the skating rink.
The Pythian Sisters (now the Rathbone Sisters) the ladies' degree, had its beginning about 1889, the Indiana grand temple being the first to be organized. Hermione Temple, No. 13, of Huntington, was instituted March 28, 1889, with Mrs. Alice B. Shanks as the first presiding officer. Mrs. Shanks afterward served as grand chief of the order in Indiana.
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
This order is the outgrowth of the Civil war of 1861-65, only hon- orably discharged soldiers who served in that conflict being eligible to membership. It was organized in 1866 and for several years had a rather slow growth. About 1880 it was reorganized on the plan of making each state a department, and from that time the growth was more rapid and of a more permanent character.
Andrews Post, No. 116, was organized on November 22, 1882, with twenty-two charter members. Lassel Long was the first commander. Five years after the establishment of the post it had a membership of about seventy, after which a decline set in. Deaths and removals finally weakened the organization to such an extent that it was disbanded.
James R. Slack Post, No. 137, was organized at Huntington early in 1883 and was named for General James R. Slack, who entered the volun- teer service of the United States in October, 1862, as colonel of the Forty-seventh Indiana Infantry. Twenty-seven Huntington County soldiers enrolled themselves as charter members, viz .: Lagrange Sever- ance, Andrew J. Rosebrough, Sextus H. Shearer, Edwin C. Amadon, Cephas M. Holloway, William G. Smith, Cyrus E. Briant, Nathan W. Swafford, John W. Bowman, George Ainsworth, William R. Lawrence, Samuel Kilander, Max Wizigrenter, Frank Fetters, Norman A. Myers, Nathan A. Kuhlman, James Watson, Joseph Tuttle, George W. Whitacre, Dewitt C. Anderson, Edwin B. Ayres, James C. Branyan, Israel Kaylor, Burr Elder, Abner H. Shaffer, Henry Kerkoff, Henry Messner. When the new courthouse was built the commissioners set apart a room on the second floor for the use of the post, where regular meetings are held. This is now the only Grand Army post in the county.
William McGinnis Post, No. 167, was organized at Roanoke on May 11, 1883, with twenty-nine charter members, most of whom have answered the last roll call. At one time the organization numbered about sixty members, but death visited the post so frequently that at last only a few were left, when the charter was surrendered, some of the members uniting with Slack Post at Huntington.
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Monroe Laymon Post, No. 211, was organized at Warren on August 2, 1883, by S. H. Shearer, at that time commander of the James R. Slack Post at Huntington. The post started off with twelve charter members and Hiram Brown was chosen the first commander. Within a year the membership increased to nearly seventy. Regular meetings were held for several years, when old age began to tell upon the veterans, and the organization was finally disbanded.
R. S. Thomas Post, No. 241, at Mount Etna, was organized on Sep- tember 27, 1883, with twenty-six charter members. It was first called Champion Hill Post, but it was discovered that another post in the state had already adopted that name, and the one at Mount Etna was then called the R. S. Thomas Post. Like the Grand Army posts at Andrews, Roanoke and Warren, the one at Mount Etna finally succumbed to the inevitable and passed out of existence.
There is something pathetic in the story of the Grand Army. When it was first organized the members retained the elastic step and vigor of manhood with which they had marched upon many a battlefield under such illustrious leaders as Grant, Sherman and "Old Pap" Thomas. Each year hundreds turned out to honor their dead comrades by suit- able memorial exercises and the decoration of the graves with flags and flowers. Annual encampments were well attended and many an inter- esting incident of the great Civil war was related in the "camp fires." But the hand of Time is never sparing and the Grim Reaper has gar- nered many of those who went out in 1861 to preserve the Union. Now the Memorial Day procession-"the thin line of blue"-moves with halting step, and when the members of the Grand Army assemble in their post halls they see no longer the brilliancy of eye that distinguished them when they marched to the front more than half a century ago.
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