USA > Louisiana > Orleans Parish > New Orleans > Standard history of New Orleans, Louisiana, giving a description of the natural advantages, natural history settlement, Indians, Creoles, municipal and military history, mercantile and commercial interests, banking, transportation, etc. > Part 33
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It should be stated that when the Grand Lodge was organized two of the lodges then in existence failed to participate, viz .: Louisiana No. 1, and Har- mony No. 122. Up to the close of the year 1818, the Grand Lodge had granted nine charters, only three of which were for lodges in Louisiana, and none of the three in New Orleans. But the three new lodges, together with the five which united in forming the Grand Lodge, made eight lodges in the State acknowledging its jurisdiction. Louisiana Lodge had gone out of existence and Harmony Lodge, No. 122, was still working under its charter from the Grand Lodge of Pennsyl- vania and there was another lodge in the State of which the Grand Lodge had no knowledge until years afterwards. From this time on until 1846 there was a great deal of confusion in Masonry in the State, lodges being formed under jurisdic- tions other than the Grand Lodge of the State, as under the French Rite, under the Grand Lodge of Mississippi, and other bodies; but since 1850 there has been little or no conflict of authority, all of the lodges having come under the jurisdic- tion of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana. For a detailed history of Masonry in Louisiana the reader is referred to the "Rise and Progress of Freemasonry in Louisiana," by James B. Scot, who had unusual facilities for writing a book of this kind, and did his work well. The following is a list of the Masonic lodges in New Orleans, together with the dates of their organization:
Perfect Union No. 1, organized 1793, date of present charter August 15, 1812; Polar Star No. 1, originally No. 5, organized in 1794, date of present charter August 15, 1812; Perseverance No. 4, organized in 1810, date of present charter August 15, 1812; Cervantes No. 5, organized February 14, 1884; Los Amigos del Orden, organized September 24, 1842, having been consolidated August 23, 1883, with Silencio No. 9; Germania No. 46, charter dated April 18, 1844; Friends of Harmony No. 58, April 22, 1848; Mount Moriah No. 59, March 24, 1849; George Washington No. 65, March 3, 1850; Hiram No. 70, March 3, 1850; Alpha No. 72, February 14, 1860; Quitman No. 76, March 4, 1850; Hermitage No. 98, January 21, 1851; Louisiana No. 102, January 23, 1851; Ocean No. 144, February 10, 1857; St. Johns No. 153, February 10, 1858; Linwood No. 167, February 13, 1861; Kosmos No. 171, February 9, 1864; Union No. 172, February 17, 1865; Dante No.
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174, February 14, 1866 ; Corinthian No. 190, February 9, 1869; Jefferson No. 191, February 9, 1869. Besides these lodges there are the following organizations :
The Grand Chapter, organized March 13, 1813; and the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar, chartered February 12, 1864, and two commanderies in New Orleans subject to the jurisdiction of the Grand Commandery, viz .: The Invisible Friends Commandery, No. 1, chartered May 4, 1816, and the Jacques De Molay Commandery, No. 2, chartered April 15, 1851.
Under the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the State are the following: Orleans Royal Arch Chapter, No. 1, and Concord Royal Arch Chapter, No. 2. Under the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters, which meets annually in Feb- ruary, there is the Louisiana Council, No. 2, which meets monthly. There are also the Eagle Council of Kadosh, No. 6; the Pelican Chapter, Rose Croix, No. 11; the Albert Pike Lodge of Perfection, No. 1; the Jerusalem Council, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the Masonic Veterans Association.
The colored Masons have the following organizations :
The W. M. Eureka Grand Lodge and constituent lodges as below: Richmond Lodge, No. 1; Berry Lodge, No. 2; Stringer Lodge, No. 3; St. Luke's Lodge, No. 4; Tuscan Lodge, No. 5; Gilbert Lodge, No. 6; DeGruy Lodge, No. 7; Progress Lodge, No. 16; Mount Olive Lodge, No. 21; Vera Cruz Lodge, No. 24; Ezra Chap- ter, No. 1, R. A. M .; Alpha Chapter, No. 2, R. A. M .; Eureka Chapter, No. 3, R. A. M .; Constantine Commandery, No. 1, K. T .; Bethany Commandery, No. 2, K. T .; and Godfrey, No. 3, K. T.
In connection with the history of the Louisiana State Lottery it should be mentioned that a lottery was authorized by the Legislature for the purpose of erecting a Masonic temple in New Orleans; but under that authority it is not now remembered that any action was taken. But in 1859 the Masons of the city deter- mined to erect one of the finest temples in the country, and purchased for $60,000 the ground known as the Carrollton Railroad Depot, included between St. Charles, Carondelet, Calliope and Delord streets, with the exception of a small angle at Carondelet near Calliope, upon which stocd a couple of houses. Upon this ground the foundations of a temple were laid at a cost of $30,000, the design being to erect a building to cost $250,000, but the project was abandoned because of the great expense. Land was sold off to the amount of $80,000, and the old Commercial Exchange building, standing at the corner of St. Charles and Perdido streets, was purchased for $55,000, the building being used as a temple until about 1890, when the erection of the present temple was begun, the corner-stone being laid
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October 20, that year. The building was completed in 1892 at a total cost of about $110,000.
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS.
Odd Fellowship was founded in Louisiana by the organization of Louisiana Lodge No. 1, under a charter granted by the Grand Lodge of the United States, February 20, 1831, the lodge being instituted May 23, following. The Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows was introduced into the United States in 1806, and in 1819 some persons who had been members of English lodges established a lodge at Baltimore which soon received a charter from the Manchester Unity. Thomas Wildey, who was one of the promoters of the Baltimore lodge, was largely instrumental in organizing the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, a charter for which was granted by the Grand Lodge of the United States, in an adjourned meeting held at Baltimore March 5, 1832, the Louisiana branch being proclaimed insti- tuted January 6, 1833. Eleven years later the State Legislature passed an act incorporating the body, the charter extending over a period of fifty years. The first encampment of the patriarchal branch was named Wildey, No. 1, and was organized under a charter from the Grand Lodge of the United States, granted March 5, 1832, to be located at New Orleans, and instituted by Grand Sire Wildey, December 24, 1832. Afterward other encampments were organized in different parts of the State. The Grand Encampment was organized under a dispensation issued October 2, 1847, to Wildey, No. 1; Louisiana, No. 2, of St. Francesville; Hobah, No. 3; and Magnolia, No. 4, of Baton Rouge, the Grand Encampment to be located at New Orleans, and known as the Grand Encampment of Louisiana. The preliminary meeting to act upon the dispensation was held January 13, 1848, the same being accepted and the meeting adjourned on the 10th of the month fol- lowing. Under Grand Lodge authority to establish Rebekah lodges, Naomi Lodge, No. 1, was instituted May 16, 1874, at New Orleans, and other lodges of the same degree were soon afterward organized at other places in the State. To the jurisdic- tion of Louisiana belongs the credit of originating and carrying to success three important adjuncts of the order, viz .: The General Relief Committee, organized in 1846; the Odd Fellows Rest cemetery, consecrated February 26, 1849, and the Widows and Orphans' Relief Association, organized in 1864. The Auxiliary En- dowment Association of Louisiana was organized in May, 1882.
The home of the Odd Fellows in New Orleans was formerly located at the corner of Camp and Lafayette streets, where now stands the Fisk Free and Public library building. Herc the corner-stone of the first Odd Fellows' Hall was laid
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April 26, 1850, and the building was dedicated November 23, 1852. It was de- stroyed by fire July 4, 1866, and the present Odd Fellows' Hall, situated on Camp street, between Lafayette and Poydras streets, was built in 1867-68, and dedicated November 10, of the latter year.
In 1862 the Grand Lodge and the Grand Encampment effected a separation from the Grand Lodge of the United States and assumed independent authority. Fraternal relations were restored in the early part of 1865.
During the great epidemics of yellow fever in New Orleans the Odd Fellows, as did all the older fraternal orders, accomplished many noble deeds in relief work ..
Prior to 1840, charters were granted to the following New Orleans lodges : Louisiana, No. 1; Perseverance, No. 2; True American (changed to Washington), No. 3; Unity, No. 5. Louisiana, No. 1; Perseverance, No. 2; Washington, No. 3, and Unity, No. 5, surrendered their charters May 23, 1840, in order to form a lodge to be known as Union, No. 1. The charter was granted, but, due to the . fact that a new lodge could not take the number of an old one, the name of the new lodge was changed to Union, No. 6. Subsequently Louisiana, No. 1, and Wash- ington, No. 3, reclaimed their original charters.
The subordinate lodges of Odd Fellows now in existence, together with the date each was instituted, follow :
Louisiana, No. 1, May 23, 1831; Washington, No. 3, December 27, 1838; Teutonia, No. 10, April 28, 1846; Magnolia, No. 22, January 29, 1848; Independ- ence, No. 23, October 25, 1848; Columbus, No. 24, April 23, 1849; Southwestern, No. 40, January 2, 1854 ; Gretna, No. 53, January 16, 1889; Progressive, No. 54, June 24, 1899.
Ora Rebekah Lodge, No. 7, was instituted November 13, 1890, and Vashti Rebekah Lodge, No. 17, February 15, 1899.
Wildey Encampment, No. 1, was instituted December 24, 1832, and Washing- ton Encampment, No. 6, March 11, 1848.
The colored organizations of Odd Fellows are as follows :
Louisiana Grand Lodge, No. 21, and subordinate lodges; Butler, No. 1336; Amos, No. 1487 ; Emblem of Progress, No. 1507; Pride of Louisiana, No. 1529; O. J. Dunn, No. 1548; Crescent, No. 1646; Good Intent, No. 1656; Pride of Jeffer- son, No. 1679 ; La Creole, No. 1918; Israel, No. 1971; Magnolia, No. 1990 ; Orleans Progress, No. 2327; and Jolin and Jacob, No. 2842.
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KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
The Knights of Pythias organized lodges in Louisiana as early as 1868, but shortly thereafter, in fact as soon as the Grand Lodge had been got in shape, the political corruption which was then tearing the State from center to circum- ference, invaded the organization and an effort was made to control the vote of the members. This quickly caused a revolt and the Grand Lodge was practically disorganized. The next effort of the order was made in 1876 when on April 15 of that year Orleans Lodge, No. 1, was organized under a charter granted five days previously. In May of 1880 Supreme Chancellor S. S. Davis, of Maine, came to Louisiana and reorganized the Grand Lodge at Monroe. The Endowment and Uniform Ranks were also organized about this time, and since then the order has flourished here. The Louisiana branch of the K. of P. bears the distinction of having had at one time an orthodox Catholic priest as prelate of one of its lodges. The headquarters of the Grand Lodge are now located at New Orleans, with the following officers: P. A. Capdau, G. C .; W. A. Knapp, G. V. C .; W. L. Erwin, G. P .; T. C. Will, G. M. of E .; John A. McLean, G. K. of R. and S .; W. C. Davis, G. M. A .; P. J. Chappuis, G. I. G .; P. J. Alexander, G. O. G .; J. Zach Spearing and Henry Bernstein, Supreme Representatives. The lodges of the Knights of Pythias, together with the date each was organized, are as follows :
Orleans, No. 1, April 10, 1876. Crescent, No. 3, Aug. 31, 1878. Royal Arch, No. 8, March 28, 1879. Samaritan, No. 9, Aug. 25, 1879. Paragon, No. 16, May 14, 1880. Ivanhoe, No. 22, Jan. 14, 1881. Tivoli, No. 25, March 8, 1881. Alma, No. 42, Oct. 12, 1883. Dionysius, No. 45, April 17, 1884. Myrtle, No. 47, July 5, 1884. Perseverance, No. 48, July 12, 1884. Syracuse, No. 50, Oct. 2, 1884. Columbia, No. 52, Feb. 3, 1885. Manhattan, No. 53, May 25, 1885. France, No. 56, September 16, 1885. Eagle, No. 57, Oct. 13, 1885. Minerva, No. 58, Oct. 28, 1885.
Kenilworth, No. 69, Nov. 6, 1885. American, No. 62, Dec. 10, 1885. Hercules, No. 68, April 3, 1886.
Halcyon, No. 66, April 10, 1886. Garibaldi, No. 72, Oct. 21, 1886. Excelsior, No. 74, Oct. 30, 1886. Lexington, No. 73, Nov. 4, 1886. Washington, No. 75, Dec. 2, 1886. Samson, No. 80, April 25, 1887. Jefferson, No. 81, April 26, 1887. Virginius, No. 88, April 27, 1889. Audubon, No. 90, June 3, 1889. Ivy, No. 93, Nov. 3, 1889. Onward, No. 95, Dec. 6, 1889. R. E. Lee, No. 99, March 14, 1891. Empire, No. 112, April 9, 1892. James G. Gregory, No. 117, April 29, 1893. Apollo, No. 127, March 22, 1894. Metairie, No. 126, March 24, 1894. Beauregard, No. 128, May 17, 1894. Confidence, No. 131, July 7, 1894. Virginia, No. 136, June 15, 1895.
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KNIGHTS OF HONOR.
The Knights of Honor became established in Louisiana July 8, 1881, with the organization of Alpha Lodge, No. 2501, at Shreveport. The first New Orleans lodge was Pelican, No. 2511, which was formed July 25, 1881, with forty members. The prime movers in the organization of this lodge were Dr. S. M. Angell, F. H. Robinson and D. J. Searcy. The lodge has been a popular one ever since it was chartered, and at the beginning of 1900 had a membership of 140. There are at the time of this writing 18 lodges in New Orleans, with a total membership of 1676. The Uniform Rank was established in the State December 6, 1887, by the formation of Eagle Commandery, No. 9, which was afterward changed to the Crescent City Commandery. The subordinate lodges in the city are as follows : Pelican, No. 2511; New Orleans, No. 2515; Eagle, No. 2519; Eureka, No. 2524; Excelsior, No. 2526 ; Union, No. 2531; Continental, No. 2532; Washington, No. 2540; Columbia, No. 2546; Carrollton, No. 2747; Algiers, No. 2549; Orion, No. 2561; Arlington, No. 3532 ; Progressive, No. 3578 ; Avenue, No. 3586 ; Perseverance, No. 3596; Germania, No. 3606; Minerva, No. 3626; and Palmetto, No. 3775.
ANCIENT ORDER OF UNITED WORKMEN.
The Ancient Order of United Workmen was not introduced into Louisiana until eighteen years after the order was founded at Meadville, Pa., in 1868. The first Louisiana lodge was established at Gretna in 1884, under the title, Jefferson Lodge, No. 12, but, due to the prejudice then existing against New Orleans because of epidemics, the order was kept out of the city proper until 1894, when Corinthian Lodge, No. 19, was organized, and duly chartered with 87 members. Just prior to the organization of this lodge, the Southern Jurisdiction, embracing Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and the Indian Territory, which had existed from 1884 to 1892, was changed to embrace Arkansas, Louisiana and the Indian Ter- ritory, with the Grand Recorder's headquarters at Bentonville, Ark., and it was due to this change that the ban against New Orleans was removed. While being one of the largest in point of membership of all the fraternal organizations in this country, the Ancient Order of United Workmen does not appear to have gained a particularly strong foothold here. The lodges in the city proper are: Corin- thian, No. 19; Lafayette, No. 20; and Crescent, No. 22. The Louisiana repre- sentatives to the Supreme Lodge are J. H. Shepherd, Shreveport; W. W. Whit- tington, and W. J. Calvert, Alexandria.
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AMERICAN LEGION OF HONOR.
The American Legion of Honor gained a foothold in New Orleans through the organization of Chalmette Council, No. 801, in the latter part of 1881. The days of greatest prosperity for the order in this part of the country were between the years 1885 and 1890, when the membership in the State reached about 2,500. The membership is not so large now. The next meeting of the Grand Council will be held in New Orleans in May, 1901. The subordinate councils in New Or- leans are: Concord, No. 206; Louisiana, No. 455; Orleans, No. 507; Chalmette, No. 801; Bienville, No. 869; De la Salle, No. 862; Dixie, No. 879; Columbia, No. 926; Walhalla, No. 939; and Tulane, No. 1167.
Among the other orders represented in New Orleans are the following :
The Knights and Ladies of the Golden Rule, by Chalmette Castle, No. 100, the Grand Chapter having been organized in 1884.
The Order of Heptasophs, or S. W. M .- Subordinate Conclaves, Eagle, No. 3, and Aetna, No. 15.
The Ancient Order of Druids, with the following groves: Concordia Grove, No. 1; Mispel Grove, No. 6 (German) ; Orient Grove, No. 10; Louisiana Grove, No. 13 (German) ; Crescent, No. 17; Merlin, No. 18; American, No. 19; Harmony, No. 22 ; Friendship, No. 23; Elvin, No. 24; Ivy, No. 25; Orleans, No. 26; R. E. Lee, No. 27; Stonehenge, No. 28; Hope, No. 29; Morvin, No. 30; Manhattan, No. 32; and Louisiana Circle, No. 1.
The Templars of Honor and Temperance with two organizations-The Grand Temple of Honor of Louisiana, and Howard Temple, No. 2. Besides these there are the New Orleans Catholic Total Abstinence Association, the St. Joseph's Total Abstinence Society, St. Alphonsus Total Abstinence Society, and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
The Catholic Knights of America have the following branches in New Orleans : Numbers 271, 278, 291, 311, 343, 352, 356, 394, 416, 467 and 506.
The Woodmen of the World have the following camps: Palmetto, No. 1; Orange, No. 8; Eureka, No. 27; Hickory, No. 28; Tulanc, No. 48; Acorn, No. 51; Live Oak, No. 53; Magnolia, No. 58; and Yellow Pinc, No. 60.
The Patriotic Order Sons of America has the following camps: Washington, No. 1; No. 4; No. 5; No. 6; No. 11; No. 15; No. 16; and No. 17, and the Louis- iana Commandery, which meets on the fourth Thursday of each month, at No. 407 Carondelet street.
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The Patriotic Order of Americans has the following camps : Martha Wash- ington, No. 1; No. 2; and No. 3.
The Independent Order of B'nai B'rith has the following lodges: Crescent City, No. 182; B'nai Israel, No. 188; Gulf, No. 224; Home, No. 243; and James W. Gutheim, No. 439.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE NATURE OF BIRD LIFE AT NEW ORLEANS.
BY HENRY H. KOPMAN. --
T IS singular that a city so near the tropics as New Orleans should be restless and changeful, yet it is so, not only in its civic institutions, but also in nature's round. Though its temperatures are rather even than otherwise, the place does not bask in the undisturbed enjoyment of a subtropical climate. Still, when we thoroughly realize now and again the strength of the tides of changing seasons with us, the true conception comes rather in the nature of a surprise ; for the extent of New Orleans' climatic changes does not live perpetually before the minds of the inhabitants, and with a few exceptions the whole course of the year makes an impression of much more equable conditions than exist.
This partial failure of adjustment between observation and somewhat pre- conceived notions is explained by the fact that while a very lasting and a very clearly determined predominance is not ordinarily the accompaniment of the sets of commoner conditions belonging separately to each of the four seasons, there are several changes much more sudden and much more complete than is commonly realized. These changes are, especially, the ones caused by the thrilling life of spring; they are very effectual in introducing a new course of natural affairs. By them the early Southern summer is very remotely separated from the Southern winter as its predecessor ; a long way lies again to winter through the successive steps of autumn. Yet even after a little observation makes it manifest that in its own time and in a modified way New Orleans passes through the whole succes- sion of year phases proper to the temperate belt of the Northern hemisphere, the
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possibility of the most radical disarrangements and reorganizations of the bird forces is not taken into consideration except by those who have had their attention drawn to these things. As a matter of fact, such phenomena are most dependable witnesses to the often covered advance of seasonal activities. But if the whole subject of movement among the birds is ignored nothing like a correct idea of the composition of the avifauna at New Orleans or in other Southern localities can be formed. In the North it is familiar enough that many of the birds are gone all winter, and their home-coming is most patent; but, excepting a few generally appreciated facts, as, "Robins come in cold weather," the extent of what goes on in bird migration with us is not suspected by most persons. They see many birds here the year round, and they look upon them as unequivocal in- habitants of the soil, the birds of Louisiana only, and not of twenty or thirty other States as well. This impression that lower Louisiana, particularly, is a land peculiar in its bird dwellers may be traced very probably to the richness of the avifauna in certain tribes of birds, and to the often well-earned conspicuousness of single species whose fame emanated largely from here through the expositions of great Audubon. Many of his biographies had a very direct bearing on North American birds as found tenanting this State. Gaudy and varied marsh denizens, Orphean Mockingbirds and Wood Thrushes, the Nonpariel, the rainbow's color chart, all these among a host were held up to the world as samples of a multitude of beauties that were not absolutely peculiar to the section from which many of them were depicted, but which shone there on all sides.
But, after taking actual census, what do we find most of the birds of all parts of Louisiana to be but the birds of North America, and what the very small re- maining fraction but those of a considerably extended Gulf region, in several cases merely proving most characteristic within such limits, and widely trans- gressing them in a more restricted manifestation. There is absolutely no species of bird known to be peculiar to Louisiana. Still that does not remove the fact that bird-study in New Orleans' environs presents many differences from other bird- lore; we catch a peculiar light on the strangers that pass our land. What is seen of the bird life here, as in all other sections of the United States, is only different segments of the great body of a continental avifauna, whose advance to the north- ward or southward depends upon the operation of the weather and climate forces. Having, like other cities, its times of exodus among annual travelers, and its waves of disturbance arising from readjustments of residence made necessary by the course of activities and pursuits, New Orleans is as natural a place as
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any for a comparison of the bird movements and human concerns. Like the great thronging in early summer to cooler climates is the all-embracing spring progress of the birds northward, with the corresponding return in fall; at other times of the year are the local exchanges of population. At those periods in the year during which release from routine, no matter when it comes, is enjoyed by city- bred men and women, it must occasion interest to learn the constant character of the aspects proper to these recurring times.
Especially in the autumn, when nearly every one is touched more or less directly by the important readjustments previous to the settling down of affairs to a winter status, a chance arises of watching the birds that enliven the days of fall bustle and preparation, of the return of travelers, the greetings of friends. During this time, which is focal in so many lives, the ornithologist feels that he is taking up a very fresh chapter in the yearly history of his bird friends. The weather, as a basis of this study, is of its usual importance; in this case its point of notice is the strange mixture of warmth and the energizing quickness and freshness of bright fall weather, especially about the second and third week of October. Either returned from a higher latitude or filled with deep satisfaction in the reviving air of the season after a summer at home, the interest of the ornithologically inclined centers in the wish to be out and to recall how this weather and its accompaniment of birds harmonizes with a country which at last acquaintance was under the sway of very different conditions of the weather.
As the actual city borders are nowhere within a short distance of anything approaching woodland, the bird life that laps against the city's threshold at other times than the nesting season presents a majority of species living in fields and other open places. Still these species give to the town naturalist hints of what is proceeding among wider bird areas.
If an excursion for the purpose of noting these things is delayed until Octo- ber 10, we shall certainly find an assemblage that is without an exact parallel at any other time. Battered rows of corn and okra stalks are thoroughfares for the Savanna Sparrows that slip through the grass; in notes, feathers, and form there is decided delicacy about these birds; their color is pale, and their markings are faint, as is the slightly metallic note that escapes each as it oscillates in low flight over the grass. The Phœbe bird, from low, exposed perches, calls attention to itself by its somewhat peremptory salutation. Blended gray and brown, it need have no shame for its plain feathers, whose color is repeated all over the tops of the weed fields, and in the fall grasses. The Indigo birds, purely brown at this
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