USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > A History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, vol 1 > Part 35
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St. Mark's Chapter Royal Arch Masons was instituted July 24, 1865, its membership having been composed of former members of Adoniram Chap- ter. The names of the first members follow: John H. Eddy, Calvin P. Harris, John Holland, Robert Crossman, 2d, Isaac G. Carrier, William Cox, William H. Brown, Sylvanus N. Staples, E. Henry Hall, Charles Lawton, Thomas Y. Rothwell, L. O. Barnard, Shepard P. Briggs, Eli H. Eldridge, Zacheus Sherman, F. G. Shalling, Daniel A. Trefethen, Charles T. Robinson, James Utley, Charles F. Johnson, Edward Mott, Elijah U. Jones, Jonathan L. Stanley, John E. Browne, Edward E. Washburn, Silas Dean. The high priests of the chapter:
John H. Eddy, 1864-65; John Holland, 1865-66; Charles F. Johnson, 1866-69; James Utley, 1869-71; Timothy C. Baker, 1871-73; Charles F. Eddy, 1873-75; Lewis E. Leonard, 1875-77; Charles F. Eddy, 1877-78;
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Abner Coleman, 1878-80; Walter S. Sprague, 1880-82; Ivory H. Bumpus, 1883-84; Horatio H. Hall, 1884-86; William F. Bodfish, 1886-88; Edward P. Padelford, 1888-1890; Charles Hewitt, 1890-93; Daniel L. Brownell, 1893-96; Nathaniel J. W. Fish, 1896-97; Alfred L. Lincoln, 1897-99; James E. Lewis, 1899-1901; Franklin D. Williams, 1901-03; Benjamin B. Pierce, 1903-05; Lewis M. Witherell, 1905-07; Charles P. Foster, 1907-09; Enos D. Williams, 1909-11; Levi F. Wetherbee, 1911-13; Eugene H. Brownell, 1913-15; Ralph D. Dean, M.D., 1915-17; Lewis E. Higgins, 1917-19; Rob- ert C. Witherell, 1919-21; Carlos D. Freeman, 1921-22; Charles R. Hodges, 1922-23.
Taunton Council, Royal and Select Masters, was instituted April 14, 1921, and constituted May, 15, 1922. In 1923 the membership was one hundred and sixty, the officers at that time being Illustrious Master Enos D. Williams; Deputy Master Frank W. Boynton; Principal Conductor of the Work, Levi L. Wetherbee; Treasurer Frederick E. Johnson; Recorder Henry D. Atwell; Chaplain Frank E. Beeman; Master of Ceremonies B. Percy Minchew; Captain of the Guard Robert C. Witherell; Conductor of the Council Eugene H. Brownell; Steward Lucius T. Cushman; Organ- ist Edward G. Hall; Sentinel Chester E. Lindsay.
The Past Masters of the several Masonic lodges here organized the Past Masters Association, November 28, 1887. The Knights Templar Association was organized April 7, 1891, composed of the Knights Templar residing in Taunton and its vicinity. The Southern Massachusetts Masonic Mutual Relief Association was organized August 29, 1873, for the purpose of rendering relief to the families of such Masons as should become members. Adoniram Arch Chapter had its charter granted October 14, 1816, and its first meeting was held at Attleboro, October 8, 1816; it was removed to Taunton July 5, 1825, and eventually to New Bedford in 1845.
The Taunton Masonic Corporation received its papers of incorpora- tion July 27, 1900, for the purpose of leasing, holding and furnishing halls and rooms for the accommodation of societies of Free Masons. The officers elected at that time consisted of: President, Daniel L. Brownell; treasurer, George H. Rhodes; clerk, John H. Eldridge; vice-president, Al- fred B. Williams; directors: S. Frank Hammett; Benjamin B. Pierce, James E. Lewis, Lloyd E. White, John A. Abbott, George F. Pratt. The officers in 1923: President, Enos D. Williams; vice-president, Henry D. Atwell; treasurer, William C. Townsend; clerk, Percy F. Francis; directors : Arthur R. Knox of King David lodge; Edwin D. Ripley of Ionic lodge; Harold Walker of Charles H. Titus lodge, and C. Roland Hodges of St. Mark's Royal Arch Chapter.
Rose Croix Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star of Massachusetts, was instituted January 9, 1902, at the Board of Trade rooms in Taunton; and was constituted at Masonic hall, September 18, that year, the organiza- tion of the chapter having been brought about by Mrs. Martha W. Chace. One hundred and seven charter members had the degree conferred upon them by Henry B. Worth, Grand Patron. The first officers were: Worthy matron, Dora E. W. Messinger; worthy patron, Marcus A. Dary; associate matron, Flora F. Shumway; secretary, Fannie R. Macomber; treasurer, Hattie A. Johnson; conductress, Elizabeth S. Atwood; associ- ate conductress, Bertha G. Dary; chaplain, Martha W. Chace; marshal,
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Myrtle L. Stanley; organist, Florence L. Chace; officers of the five points of the star: Annie T. King, Maud Lincoln, Mary A. Sturgis, Angerona B. Lincoln, Amelia Crossman; warden, Hattie A. Morse; sentinel, George E. Chace; Worthy matrons-1902, Mrs. Dora E. W. Messinger; 1904, Mrs. Flora F. Shumway; 1905, Mrs. Elizabeth S. Atwood; 1906, Mrs. Amelia M. Crossman; 1907, Mrs. Angerona B. Lincoln; 1908, Mrs. Alice D. Drew; 1909, Mrs. J. Augusta Walker; 1910, Mrs. Cora B. Gross; 1911, Mrs. Mabel F. Walker; 1912, Mrs. A. Leonora Shedd; 1913, Mrs. Ida W. Pierce; 1914, Mrs. Mabel S. Dean; 1915, Mrs. Blanche G. Williams; 1916, Mrs. Eva B. Baker; 1917, Mrs. Bertha E. Hodges; 1918, Mrs. Mar- guerita A. Adams; 1919, Mrs. Bertha T. Thornton; 1920, Mrs. Helen I. Whitmarsh; 1921, Mrs. Florence F. Vinicombe; 1922, Mrs. Alice M. Robinson. The officers for 1923: Worthy matron, Mrs. Bertha E. Grant; worthy patron, Robert C. Witherell; assistant matron, Mrs. Lucy S. Crapo; secretary, Mrs. Fannie R. Macomber; treasurer, Mrs. Hattie A. Johnson.
Odd Fellowship .- The oldest representative of Odd Fellowship in Taunton is Good Samaritan Lodge, once No. 3, now No. 19, which was instituted here December 11, 1826, by the grand officers of the State; and it was the first subordinate lodge that was thus made by the grand lodge. The first officers were: N. G., Richard White; V. G., Robert Jackson; secretary, Joseph G. Charnley. At a later period among the members of the lodge was James Wood, who became the founder of the order in Rhode Island. This lodge continued its existence even after the death of the grand lodge, in 1832, as Grand Sire Thomas Wildey found it living in July, 1833; and it was granted a new charter on July 10 of that year. The lodge finally ceased to exist, and was not revived, and its charter was returned to the grand secretary, December 25, 1871. In 1874, the grand lodge granted its number to Commonwealth Lodge. In 1877, however, the lodge was reinstituted, with the number 19.
If no mention of old King Philip Lodge were made, the story of Odd Fellowship in Taunton would be incomplete, the interests of that lodge having become merged with those of Sabbatia Lodge in 1917. King Philip Lodge, the second to be instituted in Taunton, was organized July 29, 1844, in the upper story of a building that formerly stood on the site of the Manheim building. The petitioners for a charter were James M. Cook, Caleb C. Sprague, James W. Earl, Elijah S. Robinson, E. Dawes Tisdale, Francis S. Munroe. The dispensation was signed by Thomas F. Norris, deputy grand master, and the lodge was instituted by Past Grand Master Daniel Hersey, assisted by Past Grands Mullen, Mudge and Pol- lard. The lodge had several homes, notably Market Hall (later a tack factory), in 1923 the car barns of the Eastern Massachusetts Street Rail- way Company; the Armory Hall, across the road; the Washburn block, Main street, on the site of the present Union block; Fraternity Hall, Mason Hall, Templars' Hall, and the I. O. O. F. building.
Sabbatia Lodge, No. 225, I. O. O. F., has a membership of six hundred, assets in excess of $25,000, and is the principal owner of the Odd Fellows' building located on Court street. It is not quite thirty years old. At times it has attained distinction in the rendition of the first degree and in the promotion of inter-city anniversaries. It has been honored by
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the election from its membership of two grand masters of Massachusetts, the Hon. Nathaniel J. W. Fish and the Hon. Silas D. Reed. The lodge was started in the so-called Sabbatia Association which met in Skin- ner's block on Main street, in 1894. It was fathered and promoted by Henry A. Dickerman, James H. Pizer, Walter N. Smith and Edward S. Hersey. It was instituted March 20, 1894, in the then new Odd Fellows' building on Court street, by Grand Master Louis A. Cook and staff of grand officers. The first elective officers were: Henry A. Dickerman, N. G .; Walter N. Smith, V. G .; James H. Pizer, recording secretary; Edward S. Hersey, permanent secretary; and Frank P. Elliott, treasurer. Its reg- ular meeting night has always been Friday. For many years in its early history Ellerey B. Bromiley of Attleboro was its district deputy grand master. The lodge soon attained great repute by its development and production of the first degee. In this work, Herbert A. Morton, Albert L. Carpenter and Walter Carter were chiefly engaged. On the Rhode Island anniversary of the order in 1896, as guests of Roger Williams Lodge of Providence, Sabbatia exemplified its conception of the first degree before fifteen hundred Odd Fellows, in Infantry Hall of that city. The Sab- batia version had a bearing upon the new first degree in the ritual of 1908. From time to time the lodge exchanged work and visits, less and less as the years have passed. In comparatively recent years the lodge has done two notable things; it saved King Philip Lodge No. 44 from oblivion by assimilating its entire membership and assuming all of its liabilities; and through the readiness and availability of its treasury, Sabbatia saved the Odd Fellows' building from the possibility of the auction block, and re- habilitated its management in a board of three directors, Charles S. McCall, George H. Burt and Thomas H. Arden. Under their sound and conservative management, all current indebtedness has been kept cleared and two-thirds of all other outstanding indebtedness has been extin- guished. The elective officers of 1923: William G. Bradbury, N. G .; Wil- liam M. Stevenson, V. G .; Albert F. Lapham, recording secretary; Nor- man A. Thurlow, financial secretary; J. Fred Barden, treasurer. The board of trustees : Silas D. Reed, George R. Hastings, and Chas. M. Caswell.
Elizabeth Poole Lodge, No. 25, received its charter from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, April 17, 1875, and the lodge was instituted with 48 members enrolled on the charter list. The free use of King Philip Lodge hall was given the new lodge for fifteen. consecutive years, and the officers gave their services free for several years, one sister, a charter mem- ber, acting as treasurer for twenty years, and another charter member serving as secretary for twenty-eight years, she having been the only one to occupy all of the elective officers' chairs. When the Rebekah Lodge was first established, the sisters were not permitted to have the honor of noble grand conferred upon them, as the chair had to be filled by a brother Odd Fellow. William F. Rose, who was one of the agitators for this degree, was elected first noble grand, serving two terms; Hannah F. Holmes as first vice-grand. Two years after the lodge was instituted, the sisters of Rebekah lodges were granted the privilege of occupying the noble grand chair, and Carrie Strange received the honor. At that time she was the oldest past noble grand and also the oldest Rebekah in the city. In June, 1879, Elias Strange donated a sum of money to the lodge
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as a basis of an entertainment fund. In the year 1889, a degree staff was formed to make initiatory work more interesting.
In the latter part of 1894, several of the members withdrew to form a sister lodge, taking the name of Golden Rod Lodge, No. 133; and in 1898 several Odd Fellows with their wives came over from Middleboro, took the degree, united with the lodge, and later withdrew to form a lodge of their own. Three brothers were in the government service, and there were seven hundred names enrolled in the books. The following-named have served as noble grand :
William R. Rose, 1875-1876; Joseph H. Hastings, 1877; Carrie J. Strange, 1878; Sarah B. Nelson, 1879; Lucy J. Francis, 1880; John Tyndall, 1881; Leander Gifford, 1882-83; Hannah F. Holmes, 1884; Mary E. Maxim, 1885; William T. Hunter, 1886; Harriet Gifford, 1887; Mary E. Leonard, 1888; Bessie J. Hunter, 1889; Hattie Johnson, 1890; Maria Wyman, 1891; Martha Hewitt, 1892; Abbie Ryder, 1893; Myra Moore, 1894; Bertha Thornton, 1895; Clara Williams, 1896; Carrie Mellen, 1897; Edith Win- chester, 1898; Julia E. Littlejohn, 1899; L. Maud Lincoln, 1900; Sarah Cummings, 1901; Lizzie Foulds, 1902; Azuba Dunham, 1903; Emma Harnden, 1904; Alice Pero, 1905; Nettie Randolph, 1906; Alice Tetlow, 1907; Alma Janes, 1908; Lizzie Chase, 1909; Mary Wrightington, 1910; Jennie Kingsley, 1911; Eva J. Bugbee, 1912; Ula Wheeler, 1913; Emily Leach, 1914; Marion Thomas, 1915; Janafarah Jackson, 1916; Elizabeth Thomas, 1917; Lalia Thomas, 1918; Lila Needham, 1919; Edna Harnden, 1920; Alice Wheeler, 1921; Hilda Nevius, 1922; Eleanor Brightman, 1923.
In December, 1894, sixteen members of Elizabeth Poole Lodge, No. 25, under the leadership of Henry A. Dickerman, withdrew from that organization, as follows, to form Golden Rod Rebekah Lodge, No. 133: Henry A. Dickerman, Minnie L. Dickerman, Leander Gifford, Harriet E. Gifford, William T. Hunter, Bessie J. Hunter, Edgar C. Leonard, Mary E. Leonard, Edward W. Wyman, Maria A. Wyman, Jireh W. Strange, Caroline J. Strange, Winfield S. Geary, Myra W. Geary, James H. Pizer, and Carrie Churchill. The lodge was instituted December 6, by Grand Master Ruggles and his board of grand officers, who installed Mary E. Leonard as first noble grand. In the evening, the new officers worked the degree on 192 candidates, and at the end of the first year there were 250 members. Mrs. Bessie Hunter, at whose suggestion the name Golden Rod was adopted, presented the lodge with a silk banner, October 27, 1915, and the lodge had as guests members of twenty-seven lodges in dif- ferent parts of the state, there being 645 Rebekahs present at the meeting. The service flag has the names of fourteen members, as follows: Charles F. Frink, William Folsom, Captain Edwin G. Hopkins, Leon Lincoln, Clifford H. Macomber, Thaddeus C. Frederick, Sergeant Franklin Duck- worth, Frank Jones, John S. Panton, Lieutenant Fred L. Nickerson, James A. Lincoln, William H. Stevenson, Alexander R. Cameron, Henry R. Hall. The following-named have served as noble grand: Mary E. Leonard, 1895-96; Cora L. Brownell, 1897; Susan E. King, 1898; Mary E. Borden, 1899; L. Maria Williams, 1900; Sarah Dean, 1901; Hattie W. Frisby, 1902; Hattie E. Lincoln, 1903; Lilla B. Dean, 1904; Gertrude Williams, 1905; Elizabeth B. Haskins, 1906; Martha Brooks, 1907; Esther A. Rouse, 1908; Maria LeGrow, 1909; Edith L. Paige, 1910; Eva M. Burt, 1911; R. Fannie Frink, 1912; Hattie C. Lockhart, 1913; Edna S. Hall, 1914; Blanche
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E. Woodward, 1915; Mildred C. Thurley, 1916; Elizabeth P. Chapman, 1917; Bertha M. Staples, 1918; Bernice A. Panton, 1919; Mabel O'Brien, 1920; Bernice Bradbury, 1921; Fannie Hall, 1922; Ella Schofield, 1923.
The first meeting of the Past Grands Association was held August 28, 1894, at the close of the session of King Philip Lodge, with eighteen past grands present. On September 4, another meeting was held, and it was voted to call the association the Taunton Association of the Past Grands. George H. Burt was elected president, William H. Thomas vice-president, and George W. Richardson secretary and treasurer.
In 1845 the subject of Patriarchal Odd Fellowship was canvassed among the membership of King Philip Lodge, when that lodge was the only one of the order here, and the following-named petitioned the grand encampment for a charter: James M. Cook, E. Dawes Tisdale, Charles Foster, Sylvanus Thayer, James P. Ellis, E. A. Morse and James W. Earle. The officers of the grand encampment visited King Philip Lodge, March 30, 1846, whose lodge room was then in the present car-barn building on Winthrop street. Naomi Encampment was then duly instituted, with the following-named officers: C. P., James Cook; H. P., E. Dawes Tisdale; S. W., Charles Foster; scribe, E. Ambrose; treasurer, James P. Ellis; J. W., Sylvanus Thayer. A number of the members were instructed in the encampment degree. In the latter fifties, owing to strong anti- fraternity feeling, membership decreased, and in 1859 there was a tempor- ary dissolution of the encampment. The tide turned at the conclusion of the Civil War, and in June, 1871, a number of Odd Fellows applying for reinstitution, the encampment was reestablished October 27 that year, James M. Price, G. P., coming here for that purpose.
Canton Cohannet, No. 49, Patriarchs Militant, began its existence Janu- ary 27, 1889, at the King Philip lodge-room, corner of Main and Weir streets, when sixteen of the patriarchs of Naomi Encampment met and started the uniform rank in this city. The first officers were: Captain Lewis M. Witherell; lieutenant, Eli Wordell; ensign, Jireh W. Strange; clerk, Albert H. Brickill; accountant, Leander Gifford; guard, William H. Thomas; sentinel, Jerome B. Mason; picket, Charles H. Leonard; standard bearer, Edward Whitters. The canton was instituted February 17, 1889, and nearly twenty, besides the above-named, were mustered into the service.
The present headquarters of the various lodges of Taunton Odd Fellowship, the I. O. O. F. building on Court street, was built in 1893, and the cornerstone of the structure was laid in August of that year. On April 26, 1894, Taunton Odd Fellows took possession of their new building, with a parade and banquet. The committee in charge of the day's events consisted of Chief Marshal Edward Valentine, George Williams, Charles A. Boomer, James E. Perry, F. M. Nichols, George Colwell, L. M. With- erell, John C. Chace, William H. Lewis, W. H. Thomas.
Loyal Friendship Lodge, No. 6429, Manchester Unity Odd Fellows, was instituted April 2, 1881, in Grand Army Hall, 19 Weir street, with forty-five charter members, by the Boston district officers, the officers chosen being: N.G., Thomas Fyans; V.G., Charles McCall; R.S.N.G., Robert King; L.S.N.G., Roderick McVay; R.S.V.G., William McCall; L.S.V.G., Richard Holt; P.S., Walter Warburton; E.S., Richard H. Sey-
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mour; Treasurer, Isaac Seymour; L.M., William F. Broughton; Chaplain, George W. Roebuck; Conductor, Peter Booth; Warden, Jabez Brown; First S.S., John H. Aldred; Second S.S., John D. Mott; I.G., Charles Smith; O.G., John Smith. Thirty-four members of this lodge served in the World War, namely: Edward J. Jefferson, John Whittaker, Arthur Makin, Thomas Makin, Fred Brown, John J. Boyle, Robert F. King, Joseph Haigh, William A. Mandigo, Albert Briggs, Arthur Wrigley, Frank Wilkins, James R. Kerton, Manuel Mendoza, Joshua Ashcroft, Christopher Hamilton, John B. Dumont, Leon B. Lincoln, Russell E. Wheeler, Alfred Smith, Charles B. Jones, Germain Laurent, William Parkinson, Arthur Bradshaw, John W. Green, Andrew Stevenson, Albert Hindle, Stanley B. Lynds, Antone M. Vieira, Floyd Reed.
The Southeastern Massachusetts visitation n was held in Taunton November 6, 1915, about 1100 people being present. The lodge has affiliated with it a Friendship club, and an interesting initiatory degree staff. Past Grand John Macfarlane was the lodge secretary for twenty years. The membership in 1923 was 276. Taunton Past Grands Consulate has forty- three members. Those who have held the office of Past Grand are as follows :
Thomas Fyans, Robert H. Seymour, Robert Allen, Joseph King, senior, J. H. Banks, Rudolf Cass, John M. Walkden, William Giles, George T. Carter, James A. Howard, Joseph Fyans, Edmund E. Hill, Charles E. Miller, E. F. Whitcomb, William F. Jackson, Luke Chamber- lain, Joseph King, second, Thomas H. Kenney, John Macfarlane, Stephen C. Parker, James Marsden, Alexander Lyle, Albert W. Warburton, John W. Grigor, John Senior, Henry B. Child, Abram S. Morse, Charles A. Freeman, Charles W. Ashley, Herbert King, James H. McVay, Benjamin F. Child, James Simmons, Edmund Whitehead, Walter Parker, Wallace F. Child, Joseph Brimmicombe, John Brimmicombe, Wilfred Smalley, James Ainscough, Willard Dexter, Allister Cole, Patrick Haggerty, Myles Thompson, Albert Thompson, Ernest Moulden, Charles H. Noakes, Abra- ham Broomhead, Delbert Nickerson, James Newman, Robert King, James Ashcroft, George Richards, Henry Slade, Frank Gove, Ernest Lockhart, Thomas Rylands, Frank Wilkins, Rufus MacDonald.
Past Provincial Grand Master Thomas Fyans of Taunton was an active Odd Fellow, and it was his ambition to have an Odd Ladies' Lodge, in Taunton. Having interested a number of friends, Loyal May- flower Lodge, No. 6, was instituted April 28, 1896, in Good Samaritan Hall, by the officers of the Massachusetts District Odd Fellows, of which Mr. Fyans was provincial treasurer, and forty-six names appeared on the char- ter list granted at Lowell. Shortly after the first anniversary, Mr. Fyans died, and George Carter was chosen his successor as lodge instructor. In 1923 there were surviving fifteen charter members, a past provincial grand lady, Elizabeth Macfarlane, and the permanent secretary, Mrs. Ida Read, had filled that office twenty-two years. The lodge has had fifty noble grands. The lodge observed its twenty-seventh anniversary at Elks Hall, April 26, 1923, with two hundred members present.
Catholic Societies .- Late in the summer of 1893, as stated by Secretary James H. Lawlor, several of the prominent Catholic laymen attempted to band together prominent men of the city in order to form a local council of the Knights of Columbus. The order had been in existence compara-
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tively few years, and the idea had circulated through Taunton as well as other neighboring cities, and many of the younger men of this city saw the opportunity to form a fraternal society which would socially and financially meet the requirements. With this in view, James P. Galligan and Thomas F. Cavanaugh called a meeting, and it was voted that a coun- cil should be started, provided the application for a charter was granted by the supreme officers. On November 12, 1893, Supreme Knight John L. Phelan and Supreme Secretary Daniel Colwell, acting on vote of the Supreme Council, issued the charter to Taunton Council, which was the eighty-second dispensed.
Fifteen or sixteen men attended the first meeting, which was held in Elks' Hall. The charter remained open from October until March, at which time there were thirty-five charter members. They were M. Francis Flood, Richard J. Joyce, Dr. E. F. Galligan, James F. Maher, James H. Cash. Thomas F. Clark, Thomas F. Boylan, Sumner B. Sargent, James E. Walsh, Edward F. Fitzgerald, Rev. John W. Quirk, John E. Brennan, Hugh J. Reilly, William H. Power, James P. Gaffney, Manus J. McHugh, Thomas F. Reilly, James P. Galligan, John H. Hoye, James P. Dunn, Patrick A. Corcoran, Michael J. Fahey, Patrick T. Creed, Patrick J. Coyle, Frank J. Flavin, Thomas F. Cavanaugh, John T. Franks, John F. McDon- ald, William J. Fannon, Michael F. Roarke, Charles T. Gaffney, John S. Conaty, William H. Desmond, and Jeremiah C. Dorgan.
After formation of the society, quarters were obtained on the third floor of the Cavanaugh building on Court street. These rooms were occu- pied for a period of five years, when the council started to grow, and more centrally located quarters were obtained on Main street, where the Wilbur building now stands. These rooms were just for social purposes, while the meetings were held in rooms of the council in the Gazette build- ing. From the Gazette building the Knights of Columbus moved to the Mason building at the corner of Weir and Taunton Green, where they have been since. Sumner B. Sargent, former postmaster, was the first grand knight, Thomas F. Cavanaugh, chancellor.
The order has prospered well in the past twenty-eight years, and ranks well with other fraternal societies in the city. Ready response has met every appeal for aid by the society as well as the individual members, and all movements during the war were supported. In December, 1917, the Knights of Columbus collected a total of $6,821.36 from the residents of the city as a contribution to the War Fund, and $778.00 from the mem- bers, each of whom accepted a voluntary assessment. They bought $600 of Liberty Bonds and War Savings stamps, and contributed the sum of $475.94 to other collections during the period of collections for various war activities. In addition to all this, the Knights of Columbus credited the dues for all members while in the service, which amounted to a large sum. If this amount were compiled it would mean a total of over $10,000, which is excellent when one considers that there were but 350 members. At the beginning of the war the membership was 289, and by drives after 1918 the membership was increased until at the present the number is 750.
Taunton Council contributed very heavily to, the call of the President and the following men answered the call to arms :
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