USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Athol > History of Athol, Massachusetts > Part 43
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Athol Rotary Club
In conformity with the service club idea which swept over the country in the early part of the present century a group of outstanding citizens of Athol organized Athol Rotary Club on September 25, 1925, with A. Abbott Laughton, President, and A. P. Johnstone, Secretary. The club met at the Hotel Leonard on Thursdays at 12:15 until January 1, 1945, when the Hotel
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Leonard ceased to serve meals. Then it was at the Y.M.C.A. for a time until a arrangements were made with the Pequoig Hotel management to take the organization there. In 1951 the Club again moved, this time to Athol House.
In 1947 Forrest H. Thompson, Past President of the Club, was District Governor of the 197th District of which this club was then a part.
Athol Sportsmen's Club
Early in 1892 a group of Athol citizens desiring a private fish pond and game preserve negotiated for some 170 acres with Levi B. Fay and some others who were owners of the old Pinedale area through which the Goddard Brook ran. On June 21, 1892 they perfected the organization known as Athol Sportsmen's Club. Shares were sold to different individuals with stipulations as to re-sale and with provision for assess- ments as necessary to carry out the project. A dam was built impounding the waters of Goddard Brook in the spring of 1893 flowing the area long ago named Hackmatack Swamp.
The organization has continued to have a full membership with some minor additions to its holdings to protect the shores of the pond, which has been stocked with fish on several dif- ferent occasions. A few of the shareholders have built cottages around the pond and altogether the large acreage owned is a very enjoyable recreation spot. John W. Campbell is the Pres- ident of this Club.
Athol Woman's Club
On Saturday, March 3, 1900 the Athol Woman's Club was organized in G. A. R. Hall, and within a few weeks the follow- ing staff took office: Mrs. George D. Bates, President; Miss Mary Epps, Ist Vice-President; Mrs. P. B. Swift, 2nd Vice- President; Clara S. Hill, Recording Secretary; Arlene Smith, Corresponding Secretary; Mrs. H. S. Goddard, Treasurer; and Mrs. Anna F. Cook, Auditor.
One of its initial meetings of historical importance was held in the early 1900s at G.A.R. Hall in observance of "Athol Day." Mrs. Sarah L. Smith and Mrs. Adele C. Parmenter col- lected some of the oldest music which could be found in town. Much of this music, though never transferred to paper, was handed down from one generation to another by the grand- mothers often singing the songs as they went about their daily tasks. One hundred and fifty members and twenty-five guests listened with interest to "Yes, 'tis the Indian Drum," "Ever Lamentation," and "A Fine old English Gentleman."
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The remainder of the program included three short talks about "Interesting Facts in Athol's Early History," by Mrs. Mary B. Lord, "Illustrious Sons and Daughters of Athol" by Mrs. Grace Fish Cass, and "Present Needs of Athol" by Mrs. Sarah B. Burns. Though Mrs. Burns lauded the recent public improvements she stressed the need of a library and town hall, more adequate protection of our water supply, public parks, and a higher standard of public spirit, for "You can kill a town by indifference as surely as you can a woman."
In December, 1928 the Club observed the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the Old Town Hall which had been the Club Building since 1921. This building is not without an historical background and significance in the affairs of the town for it was erected in 1828 by the town to house its pioneer church as the Church of Christ in Athol. There were many interesting features in this celebration under the general direction of Mrs. M. Eunice Coolidge, Chairman of the Community Service Department. Several of the ladies in old- fashioned gowns represented the period when the dedicatory exercises were held, with Mrs. Coolidge wearing her mother's wedding gown.
Rev. Benjamin A. Willmott of the Congregational Church read extracts from the dedicatory sermon delivered by Rev. Joseph Estabrook. Charles H. Cooke, then Chairman of the Selectmen, and Mrs. Walter P. Hamilton, President of the Club, spoke briefly. The author of this book had the pleasure of giving the historical lecture and of complimenting this club publicly for the work it has done in preserving and beauti- fying the building.
Among the curios on display that were of especial interest were the ancient pewter communion set on a table lighted with candles, the hymn books with wooden covers, foot stove, and the sermon of 100 years ago.
For a good many years the club had a waiting list, with the membership limited to two hundred and fifty. It is a decided social factor in our town. It contributed some four thousand dollars for the new hospital.
Ellinwood Country Club
Purchased in 1929, the Ellinwood Country Club property was incorporated under the name of the Ellinwood family whose destinies for four generations were linked with this farm. The history of the club grounds dates back to Dr. Joseph Lord, one
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of the original five settlers of Athol, who began a clearing and erected a log house in 1735 on or near the site of our present club building. About 1750 when Dr. Lord fell into a violent disagreement with the Proprietors of the plantation, he re- moved to Putney, Vermont and conveyed to his son, Joseph, husbandman, for thirteen pounds six shillings and eight pence 'the northerly half of a hundred acre division, No. 23, with a house, barn, and a saw mill thereon, excluding one highway of 9 rods wide called a stone pit path turning from the country road southwardly crost the brook called South Brook." This probably refers to the south end of Pleasant Street beginning in front of the Club house and to the west end of Doe Valley Road. Eventually the son followed the father to the north country where both ended their days.
Dr. Ebenezer Hartshorn, Athol's second resident physician, acquired title to this property on January 24, 1767. Quite suddenly some seven years later he sold out to Dr. Israel Trask of Brimfield and removed almost immediately from Athol. Though there is little information available about Dr. Trask, it is evident that he occupied this place for a time, probably as a local physician. Within six months, however, Dr. Trask sold the property to Dr. Daniel Ellinwood, also of Brimfield, who took over both the farm and the mill which had been leased for the past seven and one-half years by Jonathan and Daniel Wood of Upton. Dr. Ellinwood continued in active occupancy until his death here on April 29, 1794. Lucy, his widow, survived him for nearly half a century, living here with her son and some years after his decease, until her death on March 23, 1838.
Dr. Ellinwood added materially to the acreage here by the purchase of house lot No. 20 EE, a ten acre lot No. 20, an eight acre lot and two and one-half acres of the eighth division of land. It is probable that house lot No. 20 included the site of the club house.
Thus for forty-five out of sixty years this farm was the home of the local doctor and it was a central location in those years as Pleasant Street was the principal business and resi- dential center of the town.
Dr. Ellinwood was succeeded in ownership here by his son, Daniel, and his grandson, Daniel Austin Ellinwood, who was born on this place and who lived here until his very old age. He not only built the present house for himself and the house now occupied by Mr. Charles E. Edwards for his son, Austin F. Ellinwood, who was killed at the saw mill, but also rebuilt and
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enlarged the saw mill, increased the water power by raising the dam, and for many years did a prosperous business here.
When William Miller created great excitement throughout New England in 1843 by his prediction that the world was coming to an end, Austin Ellinwood was one of his most staunch believers. Millerite meetings were held in the mill and Ellinwood and many of his friends made preparations for immediate translation to heaven. As an outgrowth of this came the Second Advent Christian Church of which Ellinwood was a staunch supporter.
In common with many other business men Ellinwood was unable to survive the financial stress from 1873 to 1880 and in 1879 was obliged to make an assignment of his property, including his farm and the saw mill for the benefit of his creditors. On July 16, 1879 his assignees conveyed this prop- erty to Robert Brookhouse of Salem, and thus the Ellinwood ownership of upwards of 100 years ceased here.
Six changes in ownership occurred during the next forty- six years: to Albee K. Litchfield, to George W. Drury and Clarence A. Drury, Frank E. Turner, Orimel B. Preble, and E. E. Nickerson, Marshall G. Goodell and Albert R. Sedgley until 1929 when Webb R. Avery acting for Ellinwood Country Club, Inc. purchased the property.
This recreation club opened its golf course in the summer of 1930.
Forresters of America
Meeting at Eagles Hall, the Catholic Order of Forresters of America elected John F. Hayden as Grand Chief Ranger in 1922. This organization was in existence but a few years.
Freemasonry
Harris Lodge Star Lodge Athol Lodge Union Arch Chapter Commandery of Knights Templar Harris Council
The only diversion for our ancestors from the grinding toil incident to subduing this wilderness and gaining a livelihood here seems to have been the two long sermons in the church on Lord's Day. But at long last the light of Freemasonry began to pervade this area.
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The Grand Master of England in 1733 appointed Rt. Wor- shipful Henry Price as Provisional Grand Master for New Eng- land and within three months after his commission was dated he had opened Saint John's Grand Lodge in Boston.
Probably because of lack of inter-communication the Grand Lodge of Scotland granted a few charters in New England and at length in 1769 appointed Most Worshipful Joseph Warren as Grand Master of Massachusetts Grand Lodge. This compe- tition continued until 1792 when these two Grand Lodges were united.
We know that many of the leaders of the Revolution were Masons and that many a military decision during that conflict was made under the seal of Masonic secrecy. There were two or more military lodges formed among the soldiers of that conflict but we have no knowledge that an Athol soldier affil- iated with any of them.
The first record we find of any of our townsmen seeking enlightenment is on December 17, 1793 when Joseph Pierce of this town was proposed in Morning Star Lodge at Worcester. Following him on April 15, 1794 Hiram Newhall of Athol was proposed in that lodge. Both of these brothers were made Master Masons on March 23, 1795.
Joseph Pierce, a native of Worcester and a Revolutionary veteran, had evidently come here in 1788 from Shrewsbury North Parish (Boylston) and was the local Deputy Sheriff. Hiram Newhall, a native of Leicester, came here in 1772 and was active here for many years after that. As the local Justice of the Peace he was automatically a member of the "Sessions," the Board of County Commissioners of that day. Thus we see that these two men through their County offices naturally be- came attracted to the new Masonic Lodge formed in Worcester.
Only two more local men seem to have made the long journey to Worcester for Masonic affiliation, and that was Dr. Samuel Rice who was initiated on January 17, 1797 and James Humphrey, Jr., who was proposed on September 15, 1795. Prescott Jones was proposed on February 7, 1798 but does not appear to have been further mentioned in that lodge.
Meanwhile Harmony Lodge had received a charter at North- field and being much nearer to us attracted our men thither for a time. Aside from the above mentioned five men, eleven more Athol residents were Masons before the end of the eighteenth century, all of them being affiliates of Harmony Lodge.
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On St. John's Day, June 24, 1801, a public celebration of the day was held at Athol. The brothers met at Crosby's Tavern on Pleasant Street at nine a.m. A procession was formed headed by a band of music and the brothers marched to the Meeting House on Athol Common. There the oration was delivered by Rev. Bro. Ezekiel L. Bascom of Gerry (Phil- lipston). After the church services the procession was re- formed and the Masons returned to Crosby's Tavern where a dinner had been prepared for them. Athol men known to have participated in that event were Levi Lovering, Dr. Samuel Rice, Aaron Oliver, Prescott Jones, Aaron Smith, Caleb Smith, Seth Kendall, Hiram Newhall and Joseph Pierce.
Local enthusiasm created by this demonstration seemed to warrant the Athol brothers in asking for a charter for a local lodge. Thus on October 20, 1801 Morning Star Lodge was asked to approve the same. This was likewise later asked of Mt. Zion Lodge, then at Hardwick, and Republican Lodge at Greenfield. Receiving approval by these "neighbors" the petition was formally presented to Grand Lodge on June 14, 1802 and a temporary charter granted.
The new lodge was named Harris Lodge in honor of an illustrious Mason, Rev. Thaddeus Mason Harris of Dorchester. On October 13, 1803 Isaiah Thomas, Grand Master of Massa- chusetts, drove here by previous arrangement and duly insti- tuted the lodge.
Harris Lodge continued active in our town for some years but after a time the local brothers seem to have lost interest and the membership came largely from the towns east of us. Thus it is natural that on October 3, 1811 it voted to remove to Gerry. The stay there was brief for on December 30, 1813 it voted to remove to Templeton where it succumbed to the anti-Masonic whirlwind of 1828.
The next Masonic interest here seems to have been in 1825. On June third of that year a group met in Athol and signed a petition for the forming of a lodge at (North) Orange. Of the thirteen signers of that petition seven were Athol residents, viz: David Young, Jr., Nathan Nickerson, Jr., James Young, Amos Cheney, Thomas Barry, Adin Holbrook, and Eliphalet Thorpe. The request was granted and the new lodge met for the first time on August 10, 1825. After having taken into full membership eight new members from Athol, the last meeting of that lodge was held on February 22, 1831.
Mt. Arrarat Lodge was later (1826) formed in Petersham but
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only two or three of our citizens sought membership there.
Soon after Harris Lodge was organized Hiram Chapter of Royal Arch Masons and Valley Encampment of Knights Temp- lar were organized at Greenwich Village. These bodies made strenuous efforts to survive the anti-Masonic storm of 1828 and in succeeding years, but they eventually succumbed.
In the second decade of the last century New Salem was the most populous town in Franklin County, and in its midst Golden Rule Lodge was organized in 1815. But it like all the others locally could not survive the opposition of fifteen years later.
Several Athol men in the prosperous years around 1860 again became interested in Masonry and sought membership in Republican Lodge of Greenfield, and later in Orange Lodge, the second of that name, at Orange.
On July 4, 1864 twenty-four men were authorized by Grand Lodge to form Star Lodge in Athol and from that beginning the present prosperous lodge of that name has grown.
Star Lodge began its career in Houghton's Hall, 444 Main Street, but shortly removed to Fuller's Block, 1479 Main Street. After eight years it was caught in the extreme turmoil of the rivalry between the villages of Athol at that period. Star Lodge voted to return to Houghton's Hall and Athol Lodge was speedily formed by the aggrieved and seceding members. Star Lodge met in Houghton's Hall until 1874 when it moved into elaborate quarters built for it by Lucien Lord in his new Ma- sonic Block, 435 Main Street. In this hall on December 21, 1890 it lost by fire practically all of its property and equipment.
For a year after this catastrophe the Lodge met in Tyler's Hall, 576 South Street, and then moved to the third story of a new block built by Mr. C. Fred Richardson and there it re- mained until June, 1914 when it again moved to its present quarters in the then new Starrett Block.
In as amicable a settlement as could be reached in those days of intense acrimony throughout the town the property of Star Lodge was divided with its seceding members who were chartered as Athol Lodge on September 12, 1872 and con- tinued their fraternal meetings in the Fuller's Block Hall. After the completion of Brewer's Block, Athol Lodge on October 18, 1883 removed to that block where it continued for over thirty years.
When Mr. L. S. Starrett was building his Main Street block
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in 1913 arrangements were made with him to construct its entire third floor as Masonic apartments and overtures were made to Athol Lodge to move downtown into these new rooms. This arrangement was far from satisfactory to a group of older members who remembered the troubles of other days, but the younger element was allured by more sumptuous surroundings and forced the removal to the new hall where Athol Lodge has prospered as never before. Star Lodge as the senior Masonic body in Athol holds the lease of the quarters, subletting them to the various other bodies, all with some Masonic connection, which meet there.
The organizers of Star Lodge were not content with a "blue" lodge alone but almost immediately began negotiations for the establishment here of a Royal Arch Chapter. Grand Chapter listened with favor to their plea and on March 13, 1866 Union Arch Chapter was organized, its territorial jurisdiction being Mt. Zion Lodge of Barre, Orange Lodge of Orange, and Star Lodge. This Chapter has continued through the years to fol- low the fortunes of Star Lodge, changing locations as the lodge made changes.
Despite the internal differences of the early seventies coupled with the business depression incident to the stock market crash of 1873 the members of Union Chapter sought opportunity to stand upon the summit of ancient York Rite Masonry and asked to have a Commandery of Knights Templar chartered here. Again their plea was heard, their wish granted, and arrangements were made to organize a Commandery as an incident to the dedication of the new Masonic Hall in Lucien Lord's Masonic Block. This date fell on January 23, 1874 and Athol Commandery No. 37 takes precedence from that time. Like Union Arch Chapter it has followed the fortunes of Star Lodge and remains its tenant in the Starrett Block. Its juris- diction as originally prescribed was the same as that of Union Chapter, but with the organization of both a Chapter and Commandery in Orange, the area covered by Orange Lodge is no longer under the jurisdiction of the Athol bodies. Dr. William J. Bolton, a Past Commander of this body, was Grand Commander in 1919.
Again after the Masonic bodies were well established in the Starrett Block there was a call for still another local Masonic society. For many years a few Athol brothers had maintained membership in a Council of Royal and Select Masters, some at Fitchburg and others at Greenfield. These brothers joined with the newer aspirants, and on October 30, 1918 were regu- larly organized as Harris Council with Henrie C. Fay as Illus-
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trious Master. This body like the others meets in the Starrett Block quarters and is a part of the truly Masonic family here.
A few of the Masons here have made further Masonic ad- vances in the Scottish Rite Bodies of Worcester, Greenfield, and Boston, and not a few have affiliated with Alleppo Temple Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at Boston.
Athol Grange No. 175, Patrons of Husbandry
Athol Grange No. 175, P. of H., was organized in the old Grand Army Hall at No. 1616 Main Street on March 29, 1889. It soon removed to the Masonic Hall in Fuller's Block, 1479 Main Street, where it prospered greatly. In 1899 the group made arrangements to take over the second and third floors of Union Block, 1590-98 Main Street, remodelling these rooms into a desirable lodge room with adjacent quarters. Eventually it acquired title to this real estate having aside from this some quick assets. But the expense of the building proved burden- some and in 1938 having an attractive offer for its real estate, the Grange sold out, stored its equipment, and removed to Knights of Pythias Hall, 39 Exchange Street.
When in early 1943 Corinthian Lodge decided to move to the Bank Block, the Grange at first looked with favor on the change, but later decided to move back uptown and soon ac- quired the abandoned Second Advent Church at 1282 Main Street. In purchasing and remodelling this old church the or- ganization not only expended all of its ready cash but went somewhat in debt. During 1948, however, the last of the debt was paid and a mortgage burning ceremony held.
Associated with this society is Franklin Worcester Pomona Grange chartered January 30, 1892, which holds jurisdiction over granges at Athol, Royalston, Phillipston, North Orange, Warwick, Orange, Wendell, New Salem, and Petersham. Sev- eral of the present members of Athol Grange came to it when Garfield Grange at North Dana was disbanded because of the Quabbin Reservoir.
Order of Demolay, Harris Council
Organized early in 1923 under the sponsorship of Union Royal Arch Chapter, its membership is composed of youths from 14 to 21, is guided by a Board of thirteen Advisors-all of whom must be Master Masons, and meets the first Tues- day in the month in the local Masonic quarters. For some five
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years from 1942 to 1947 it suspended operations because of the war emergency, but resumed in 1947.
Order of Eastern Star, Themis Chapter No. 30
With the growth and general prosperity of two lodges, a Chapter and a Commandery in Athol, the wives and daughters of our Masons began to seek some affiliation with them. This they found in Themis Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, which was organized on June 12, 1890 in Knights of Pythias Hall. Here the Order met with Mrs. George F. Lord as first matron until after Star Lodge removed to Richardson's Block in 1892, when it secured accommodations with Star Lodge and as its tenant this Eastern Star Lodge now continues.
Its close proximity to the State Eastern Star Home in Orange has added some interest to the activities of this auxiliary of the Masonic fraternity.
Order of Rainbow for Girls, Athol Assembly No. 24
Sponsored by Themis Chapter No. 30, Order of Eastern Star of Massachusetts, was instituted in Masonic Hall on November 19, 1927 by Mrs. Lulu H. Gobrecht, Supreme Deputy, with Marjorie Ainsworth, Worthy Advisor and Rachel Smith, Worthy Associate Advisor.
Mr. and Mrs. George Dodge, Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron of Themis Chapter No. 30, were the first Mother Ad- visor and Dad of the Assembly.
Up to December 31, 1952 four hundred and ninety-three girls have been initiated into this juvenile branch of the Masonic Society. It is well supported, and is a material ad- dition to the interest of a large segment of the public in Masonic affairs.
Knights of Columbus
In the Academy of Music, the Athol Council, Knights of Columbus, was instituted on January 13, 1907 by Supreme Knight Edward L. Hearne. Its membership of forty-two was headed by Rev. J. J. Howard, then pastor of the Church of Our Lady Immaculate. The major degree was exemplified by District Deputy Peter F. Ward and suite of Fitchburg, Massa- chusetts.
Soon after its organization the Knights of Columbus took quarters in the upper story of the Cooke Block, 487 Main
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Street, where it met until 1951 when it removed to 883 Main Street.
Knights of Pythias, Corinthian Lodge No. 76
Corinthian Lodge No. 76, Knights of Pythias, was instituted on July 3, 1889 in Odd Fellows Hall, Cardany's Block. It met for a year or more in the Lower Village Grand Army Hall and then for ten years or more in the new Millers River Bank Building, occupying the entire upper or third floor.
From there it moved to Simonds Block which was renamed Pythian Block, removing from there in May, 1927 to the former Odd Fellows Hall in Cardany's Block. In 1943 it re- moved to the quarters in the remodelled First National Bank Block taking a lease of the entire third and fourth floors. Its affiliates have been Athol Company Uniform Rank, now dor- mant, and Mystic Temple, Pythian Sisters, formerly Myrtle Assembly.
Two of its Past Chancellors have attained the office of Grand Chancellor, William G. Lord in 1925 and Forrest H. Thompson in 1947.
Military
American Legion, Ed. H. Phillips Post No. 102
The American Legion, conceived and promoted by the re- turning soldiers of World War I even before they had left the soil of France, found a ready response among the Athol men and on July 9, 1919, long before the consummation of the Treaty of Versailles, organized Edward H. Phillips Post No. 102. Lt. Col. Harry L. Doane was its first Commander and his successors have continued to keep the Post with high ideals.
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