USA > Indiana > Miami County > History of Miami County, Indiana : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people and its principal interests, Volume I > Part 44
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MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES
Some thirty years ago or more the Jewish Ladies' Aid Society was organized for the purpose of assisting in raising funds for the erection of temple or synagogue in Peru. Unable to accomplish their primary object, these good women devoted themselves to general charitable work, frequently giving relief in times of flood, fire or other misfortune. In 1895 the society was reorganized with nineteen charter members, only three of whom are now living. Three new members have been added and the organization now consists of six women, with Mrs. David Kittner as president and Mrs. Felix Levy, secretary and treasurer. Although few in numbers this society was one of the first to respond to the call for aid in furnishing the . Dukes Memorial Hospital and one room in that institution was com- pletely equipped by the Jewish Ladies' Aid Society.
The German Aid Society is another old organization that was founded for general charitable work, especially among its members. For many years regular meetings were held on the first Monday of each month. Among the members of this society are quite a number of the most substantial German citizens of Peru.
On September 18, 1900, the Miami County Detective Association was organized with twenty-seven charter members and the following officers: John W. Volpert, president and organizer; Timothy Ginney, first vice- president; Jacob Cunningham, second vice-president and treasurer ; Charles R. Hughes, secretary ; Frank C. Phelps, assistant secretary ; William A. Sutton, captain. Since that time branches have been organ- ized at Gilead, Converse, Miami and Chili, though the headquarters are in Peru. The society since its establishment has enrolled about 800 members. It is affiliated with the National Horse Thief Detective Asso- ciation, though its operations are not confined to running down and capturing horse thieves, and among the members are many bankers and business men, some of whom "never owned a horse," as one member of the society expresses it. Each branch has a captain and lieutenant, whose duty it is to notify the members when information is received
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that some criminal is to be hunted and a general drag net is thrown out and gradually drawn around the offender by the members of the association. In one case, when a horse valued at $120 was stolen, the thief was tracked and captured, although his capture cost the society more than four times the value of the horse. Annual picnics are held by the society on the first Saturday in September. John W. Volpert has been president ever since the organization. The other officers for 1914 were: O. A. King, vice-president; Frank Hostetler, general secre- tary ; Pliny M. Crume, financial secretary ; J. A. Cunningham, treasurer.
Late in the year 1913 the Amboy Civic and Industrial Club was organized "to upbuild in every way conditions in and around Amboy and to conduct meetings wherein propositions of value to the community are to be generally discussed." The club numbers some forty-five mem- bers, including the leading business and professional men of the town, and the officers elected for the year 1914 were: H. G. Ballard, presi- dent; Merle Agness, corresponding secretary; Roy Melton, financial secretary and treasurer ; Dr. V. E. Baldwin, chairman of the entertain- ment committee.
THE FRATERNITIES
In Peru and the principal towns of the county the leading secret and fraternal orders are represented by lodges, and there are also a number of organizations belonging to what might be considered the minor societies of this character, as well as a number of trades unions, such as the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Locomotive Firemen, Cigar Makers, etc. The first secret order to establish a lodge in Miami county was the
MASONIC FRATERNITY
Miami Lodge No. 67, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized in June or July, 1844, in the second story of a brick building near the bridge over the Wabash, the lower story of which was used as a toll house. The first officers were: William M. Reyburn, worshipful mas- ter ; Isaac Marquiss, senior warden; Richard L. Britton, junior warden ; George L. Dart, secretary; John M. Jackson, treasurer. Besides these officers there were six other members. Moses Falk was the first man to receive the degrees in this lodge. The lodge continued under dispensa- tion until May 29, 1848, when it received a charter from the grand lodge.
In 1873 a number of the members of this lodge withdrew and organ- ized Peru Lodge, which obtained a charter from the grand lodge as
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No. 482. Peru then had two lodges until the spring of 1908, when they were consolidated under the name of Peru-Miami Lodge No. 67. This consolidation took place in March and a little later the lodge purchased the old high school building at the southwest corner of Sixth street and Broadway and converted the building into a Masonic Temple. At the close of the year 1912 the lodge had 358 members in good standing. The last grand lodge report gives the names of Harvey M. Replogle as worshipful master and Albert O. Gallahan, secretary, for the year 1913. The lodge is in a prosperous condition and holds regular meetings on the second and fourth Wednesdays in each month.
Xenia Lodge No. 267, the second Masonic lodge in the county, was organized a year or more before the beginning of the Civil war, and held meetings regularly until the destruction of its hall by fire in the fall of 1872. For about two years no meetings were held, but in 1874 the lodge was revived, another hall rented and again it started upon an apparently prosperous career. In 1878 the hall, with all the records and other property of the lodge, was again destroyed by fire and soon after that the lodge surrendered its charter. Xenia (or Converse) was then without a Masonic organization of any kind until a few years ago, when Converse Lodge No. 601 was instituted. This lodge has been active and successful from the start. According to the last report of the grand lodge, its membership at the close of 1912 was 110. In 1913 George Jardine was worshipful master and Charles G. Roby, secretary. This lodge recently donated $47 to the Masonic home.
Crescent Lodge No. 280, located at Miami, was established about the same time as the lodge at Xenia. Those who were most active in secur- ing its institution were A. Armstrong, Warren Truax, Allen Hatfield, M. T. Norman and Eb. Humrickhouse. The first meeting place was in a hall over the Christian church, but in 1882 a brick hall was erected. Ira A. Kessler was worshipful master in 1913 and Alonzo M. Zehring was secretary. The membership at the beginning of that year was seventy-eight. Crescent Lodge gave $20 to the Masonic home in 1913.
Mexico Lodge No. 347 was organized shortly after the close of the Civil war. At one time it had a strong membership of sixty or more, and while in that condition erected a hall at a cost of about $1,200. The lodge also owned other property. Deaths and removals weakened the lodge somewhat, and at the close of the year 1912 it reported to the grand lodge only thirty-three members. It is in good financial condition, however, and the members show no lack of interest in the "landmarks." In 1913 Lewis Frick was worshipful master and J. G. D. Bender, secre- tary.
Gilead Lodge No. 354 was first proposed at a meeting held in that Vol. 1-27
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village on February 9, 1866, when a petition was prepared for presenta- tion to the grand lodge asking for a dispensation to organize a Masonic lodge. The petition was granted, and on June 28, 1866, the lodge was formally instituted with James L. McKim, worshipful master; Jacob Smith, senior warden; Jesse Elliott, junior warden; J. H. Waite, secre- tary ; William H. Wright, treasurer. A charter was obtained on May 29, 1867, and the lodge was duly instituted with about fourteen charter members. At the close of the year 1912 it reported fifty-four members and donated $54 to the Masonic home. Cordie O. Heddleson was then worshipful master and J. Fred Sommer, secretary.
Lincoln Lodge No. 532 was organized at Macy (then Lincoln) on August 16, 1875, with eleven charter members and the following officers : J. W. Hurst, worshipful master; Daniel Musselman, senior warden; Valentine Thompson, junior warden; F. B. Hart, secretary ; Frederick Hoffman, treasurer. The lodge has had a fairly prosperous career, occu- pies a well furnished hall, and at the close of 1912 reported to the grand lodge a membership of fifty-three. Charles A. Davis was master in 1913 and Will H. Day was secretary.
Chili Lodge No. 568 was organized in September, 1882, with ten charter members. The first officers were: J. Q. A. Robbins, worship- ful master; J. C. Belew, senior warden; David Ridenour, junior war- den; James C. Davis, secretary. Although this lodge has never been strong in numbers, its members are loyal and firm believers in the prin- ciples and landmarks of the order. Regular meetings are held on Sat- urday evening of each month on or before the full moon. The last grand lodge report gives the membership as twenty-four, with Earl H. Boswell as master and Joseph H. Martindale, secretary.
Harrison Lodge No. 660 was instituted a few years ago at North Grove and is the only Masonic lodge in Harrison township. It has prospered from the beginning and at the close of 1912 reported to the grand lodge forty-three members in good standing. Silas Stout was then master and Burr E. York, secretary. Regular meetings are held on the first and third Wednesday evenings of each month.
The youngest Masonic lodge in Miami county is Bunker Hill Lodge No. 683, which is in a healthy condition, reporting thirty-seven members at the close of the year 1912 and donating $10 to the Masonic home. For the year 1913 Max F. Mertz was master and Elbert E. Day, secre- tary. The stated meetings of Bunker Hill Lodge are held on the first and third Mondays of each month.
Besides the nine Masonic lodges above enumerated, Peru has Peru Chapter No. 62, Royal Arch Masons, and Peru Council No. 58, Royal and Select Masters. Several chapters of the Order of the Eastern
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Star-a degree to which the wives, mothers and sisters of Master Masons are eligible-have also been instituted in the county, the strong- est ones being Ruth Chapter No. 120 and the one at Macy.
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS
This order originated in England in the closing years of the eighteenth century, though it is not certain just where the first lodge was formed. In 1812 several lodges sent delegates to Manchester, where a convention was held and the "Manchester Unity, Independent Order of Odd Fellows," was organized and soon came to be recognized as the ruling body in Great Britain. About the year 1818 Thomas Wildey and another Odd Fellow came to America and located at Baltimore, Maryland, where the first lodge in the United States was instituted in 1819, under a charter granted by the Manchester Unity. On February 1, 1820, "Washington Lodge and Grand Lodge of Maryland and the United States" was established and soon afterward severed its connec- tion with the Manchester organization.
_Odd Fellowship was the second benevolent order to find a foothold in Miami county. Miami Lodge No. 52 was instituted at Peru on Jan- uary 13, 1848, with seven charter members. The lodge now owns the upper story of the building at Nos. 13 and 15 South Broadway, where it holds regular meetings every Monday evening, and according to the last grand lodge report had cash resources of $2,700. During the year 1913 it expended $503 for relief. Earl Wilson was then noble grand and F. W. Bender was secretary.
The second lodge in the county was Deer Creek Lodge No. 256, which was organized at Miami in May, 1866, with five charter members. Two years later the lodge purchased a hall, which was sold in 1875 and a new one erected at a cost of about $700. During the next ten years the membership decreased and the lodge lingered along until 1891, when it surrendered its charter and disbanded.
Chili Lodge No. 302 was instituted a year or two after the one at Miami, and like Deer Creek Lodge, started off with five charter mem- bers. William Tubbs was the first noble grand and A. B. Andrews the first secretary. In 1872 a comfortable hall was erected, the lodge then having about fifty members. That seems to have been the zenith of its greatness. A few years later the membership began to decline in num- bers and the lodge finally passed out of existence.
Beacon Lodge No. 320, located at Converse, was instituted in March, 1868, with six charter members. The following were the first officers: J. M. Runyan, noble grand; Henry Thomas, vice grand; R. K. Robert-
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son, secretary ; J. W. Eward, treasurer. Rented quarters were occupied for several years, but in 1879 a substantial brick building was erected by the lodge, the upper rooms being intended for lodge purposes and the lower floor leased for business. Some years before that the lodge had established a cemetery near the town. According to the grand lodge report for November, 1913, Beacon Lodge owns real estate valued at $11,750, has 228 active members, and during the preceding year paid $461 for relief. The noble grand was then David A. Job, and W. A. DePoy was secretary. This is one of the most prosperous lodges in the county.
On June 16, 1871, E. H. Barry, then grand secretary and acting as a special deputy, instituted Bunker Hill Lodge, No. 369, with ten charter members. James A. Meek was elected the first noble grand; Noah W. Trissal, vice-grand; Peter Keegan, secretary; William B. Patterson, treasurer. This lodge, while never strong in numbers, as compared with some other lodges, has always been prosperous. In 1873 a comfortable hall was built at a cost of about $1,500. Forty-two members were reported to the grand lodge in November, 1913, at which time W. T. Barber was noble grand and Elmer Mort, secretary. Regular meetings are held on Friday evening of each week.
Mexico Lodge, No. 400, was instituted in July, 1872, with five charter members; G. P. Kunse, noble grand; W. D. Allen, vice-grand; C. H. Kline, secretary, and W. V. Beecher, treasurer. Nine members were initiated at the first meeting and at the end of ten years the member- ship numbered about seventy-five. In 1880 a fine brick building was erected by the lodge, the lower floor being rented for business purposes and the upper occupied as a lodge room. Upon the completion of this building the lodge at Mexico had one of the finest halls in the state. Some years later a decline began and in 1913 the lodge reported only nineteen members. At that time T. T. Millinger was noble grand and J. G. D. Bender was secretary. The regular meetings of the lodge are held on Saturday evenings.
Lessing Lodge, No. 452, was organized at Peru in April, 1873, and was composed entirely of Germans, the lodge work being conducted in the German language. It continued in existence for about twenty- five years, when it disbanded, the members uniting with other lodges.
Denver Lodge, No. 537, was instituted on August 14, 1876, with fourteen charter members. During the first few years of its existence this lodge was prosperous and in 1880 or 1881 a fine hall was erected. According to the grand lodge report of November, 1913, Denver Lodge had thirty members, property valued at $1,730, with I. W. Miller as noble grand and Charles Bell, secretary. Monday evening is the regular meeting night.
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Peru Lodge, No. 539, was instituted in 1876 and is now the strongest lodge in Miami county, having 304 members and owning property valued at $20,916, according to the last report to the grand lodge. At the time of the great flood in March, 1913, this lodge donated over $1,600 for the relief of the flood sufferers. The officers in 1913 were Thomas W. Kester, noble grand and John F. Smith, secretary. Regular meetings are held on Tuesday evenings in the hall on the northwest corner of Main and Wabash streets-the building erected by the Meth- odist church several years ago, but now owned by the lodge.
On November 23, 1876, Allen Lodge, No. 540, was instituted at Macy with six charter members: W. R. Marshall, noble grand; Oliver Jen- kins, vice-grand; Azro Wilkinson, secretary, and Milton Enyart, treas- urer. For a few months meetings were held in rented quarters, but in 1877 the lodge built a hall of its own. It has been reasonably pros- perous throughout its career. In 1913 it reported to the grand lodge a membership of 102 and property valued at $2,900. F. P. Bemendorfer was then noble grand and S. See was secretary. During the year the sum of $168 was expended in relief work among the members. Regular meetings are held on Saturday evening of each week.
Deedsville Lodge, No. 650, is one of the young Odd Fellows' lodges of the county. It is a strong, prosperous organization, however, and in 1913 reported a membership of sixty-five, property valued at $2,560, and during the year had paid for relief the sum of $196.50. Grant Brown was then noble grand and J. F. Leedy was secretary.
The youngest lodge in the county is located at Amboy and is desig- nated as Amboy Lodge, No. 664. It is also one of the strongest lodges in the county, having a membership of 105, property valued at $12,610, and expended for relief during the year ending on June 30, 1913, the sum of $128. In the last grand lodge report appears the name of B. A. Kelly as noble grand, and C. B. French, secretary.
Peru Encampment, No. 58, was organized in connection with Miami Lodge, and Eureka Encampment, No. 187, in connection with Peru Lodge. Encampments are also located at Converse and Denver. Peru Canton, No. 20, an organization known as the Patriarchs Militant, or uniformed rank of Odd Fellowship, was organized at Peru in August, 1886, with twenty-six charter members and W. K. Armstrong as captain.
The Daughters of Rebekah, composed of Odd Fellows and their wives, mothers and sisters, is represented in connection with the lodges at Amboy, Bunker Hill, Converse, Deedsville, Macy, Mexico and both the Peru lodges.
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KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS
On February 15, 1864, Justus H. Rathbone, William H. and David L. Burnett, Edward S. Kimball and Robert A. Champion, five clerks in the government departments at Washington, D. C., met and listened to the reading of a ritual prepared by Mr. Rathbone, founded upon the friendship of Damon and Pythias. Four days later Washington Lodge, No. 1, Knights of Pythias, was organized. For several years the order grew very slowly, owing to the fact that the Civil war was at its height at the time the first lodge was established. On August 5, 1870, the supreme lodge was incorporated by an act of Congress and from that time the progress of the organization was more satisfactory to its founders. In a few years lodges were organized in practically every section of the Union and every new knight was an active missionary of the order, whose watchword is Friendship, Charity and Benevolence.
There are four Knights of Pythias lodges in Miami, located at Peru, Bunker Hill, Converse and Denver. The statistics concerning these lodges, given below, are taken from the report of the grand lodge of Indiana, which met at Indianapolis on October 7 and 8, 1913, and show the condition of the lodges on June 30, 1913.
Hercules Lodge, No. 127, located at Peru, was instituted on August 14, 1885, with eighty-four charter members. The first meeting place was in a hall over the postoffice, which was then located at No. 62, South Broadway. Three days after the institution of the lodge a uniform rank was organized with thirty-eight members and Louis N. Andrews as captain. According to the grand lodge report above mentioned Hercules has 241 members, real estate valued at $13,365, and personal property worth about $1,700. It is the strongest and wealthiest lodge of this order in the county. In 1913 J. E. Haney was chancellor commander and Henry S. Bailey keeper of records and seal. Regular meetings are held on Wednesday evenings.
Bunker Hill Lodge, No. 299, was instituted on February 24, 1891, with J. H. Neff as chancellor commander and Orlando Finney, keeper of records and seal. Within three months after it was instituted the lodge numbered fifty-five members and now has one hundred and nine- teen. Its real estate is valued at $1,000 and its personal property at $1,216, indicating that it is in a prosperous condition. Friday evening is the time for holding regular meetings. The officers for 1913 were J. Frank Sutton, chancellor commander; Fred S. Freeman, keeper of the records and seal.
Custer Lodge, No. 339, was instituted at Converse on December 28, 1891. In point of membership it is now almost equal to Hercules
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Lodge, showing only one member behind on June 30, 1913. Its real estate is valued at $4,500 and its personal property at $1,925, its mem- bership is 240, and it is one of the active, enterprising organizations of the county. E. M. Osborn was chancellor commander in 1913 and Claud McDaniel, keeper of the records and seal. The lodge meets every Tuesday evening.
Denver Lodge, No. 373, was instituted on October 28, 1892. It is the youngest and weakest lodge in the county, although it is in a good condition, having forty-seven members in good standing. The lodge owns no real estate, but its furniture and other personal property is valued at $825. Regular meetings are held on Friday evenings. Charles Gruell was chancellor commander in 1913, and Charles O. Derck was keeper of records and seal.
Some years ago a Knights of Pythias lodge was instituted at Macy, but after a short existence it was disbanded, most of the members affili- ating with the lodge at Akron, Fulton county.
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
The Grand Army of the Republic is an organization of soldiers who served in the war of 1861-65 and was organized in 1866. For several years the growth of the order was rather slow, but about 1880 it under- went a reorganization and from that time it spread rapidly until posts were organized in almost every town in the United States. In the year 1882 five posts were organized in Miami county.
William B. Reyburn Post, No. 56, the only one in the county at the close of the year 1913, received its charter on April 10, 1882, and was instituted in Kumler's hall with a charter membership of fifty- seven. The first commander was Louis B. Fulwiler. When the new court house was built a hall was provided for this post on the ground floor, on the west side of the building, where the veterans have a place to meet at all times and enjoy the privileges of a club house. The post numbers at the present time about one hundred members. For the year 1914 Clark Latta was commander and William F. Gibbons, adjutant. W. F. Daly, of this post, was at one time junior department commander for the Department of Indiana. The post has participated in numerous memorial day exercises and has attended soldiers' reunions at various towns.
John S. Summers Post, No. 59, was organized at Converse (then Xenia) on April 12, 1882, with thirty-eight charter members. Five years later the membership was about sixty, which was the highest number ever enrolled. After a number of years the post became so
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weakened by death and removal of members that its charter was sur- rendered.
The next post to be organized in Miami county was Josiah Brower Post, No. 66, which was located at Denver. William Trout was the first commander and M. Bappert, adjutant. Brower Post at one time had a membership of about fifty, but as time passed and the old veterans answered the last roll call the number decreased until meetings were discontinued and the organization was finally disbanded.
Charles Waite Post, No. 71, was located at Macy. It was mustered in with nineteen charter members. F. D. Hart was the first commander and he was succeeded by Abner Waite. Five years after the post was organized the membership was over forty. Then dissensions arose and a number withdrew. This checked the growth and prosperity of the post and after a few years more it passed out of existence.
John M. Wilson Post, No. 112, was organized at Bunker Hill on November 1, 1882, and was mustered in with about thirty charter members. Timothy Scott was the first commander and W. W. Robbins officer of the day. This post was named in honor of Colonel John M. Wilson, one of Miami county's best known volunteer soldiers and a veteran of both the Mexican and Civil wars. The post continued in existence until about the close of the nineteenth century, when it sur- rendered its charter.
The Women's Relief Corps, an organization composed of the wives and daughters of the members of the Grand Army of the Republic, was at one time rather strong in the county, but with the disbanding of the smaller posts the relief corps maintained in connection with these organ- izations were also discontinued and the only organization of this character in the county at the close of the year 1913 was the one at Peru, connected with the W. B. Reyburn Post. It is known as the Ladies of the Grand Army.
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