USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester county; a narrative history, Volume II > Part 34
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Other "Knights"-The word "Knight" seems to have proven attrac- tive to the founders of many of the older orders, as witness the Knights of Malta, dating from 1873, and represented in Worcester by U. S. Grant Com- mandery, No. 150, Ancient and Illustrious Knights of Malta, organized in 1894; Gustavus Adolphus Commandery, No. 439; Beulah Sisterhood, No. 4, Dames of Malta, founded in 1896. Knights of the Golden Eagle, instituted in Baltimore, in 1873, whose practices are based on the history of the Cru- saders. Pearl Lodge, No. 123, of the Knights and Ladies of Honor, was established in Worcester, in 1878.
Foresters of America : Knights of Sherwood Forest, Worcester Conclave, No. 91; Court City of Worcester, No. 28; Court Quinsigamond, No. 60, organized 1891; Court Heart of the Commonwealth, No. 103, organized 1895; Court Frederick B. Bogan, No. 151. Companions of the Forest : Worcester Circle, No. 147; Adele Circle, No. 633, organized 1901 ; Bancroft Circle, No. 699, organized January 30, 1903.
Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters: Worcester Court, No. 59; McCafferty Court, No. 100; Holy Cross Court ; Father Fitton Court ; Court Saint Loretta, No. 124; Court Notre Dame, No. 170.
Sons of St. George: Prince Consort Lodge, No. 29, organized in 1872, incorporated in 1882; Uniform of Sir Knights, York Commandery, founded 1890.
United Order of Golden Cross: Worcester Commandery, No. 88, insti- tuted 1880; Castle Commandery, No. 546, instituted August 28, 1893.
United American Mechanics-There is a large group of fraternities which seek to enlighten and elevate our citizenry, create better social condi- tions and to help its membership in time of sickness and death, but are mis- understood because they have chosen names suggestive of trade unions. Such are the Order of the United American Mechanics, with Central Council, No. 50, established in 1892; Junior United American Mechanics, Industry Council, No. 17, organized in 1889; Junior Social Circle ; Worcester Lodge, No. 56, Ancient Order of United Workmen, started in 1885-the Ancient Order claims to be the first of the "benefit" societies in the United States. The Modern Woodmen of America, claim to be "the largest fraternal bene- ficiary society in the world."
The Grange-"The Grange" is the short and familiar term of the State and subordinate organizations of the Patrons of Husbandry, a national association of agriculturists, founded November 15, 1867, or according to some authorities, on December 4, 1866. The society originated in the depressed condition of agriculture following the Civil War, and frankly
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designed to help the farming classes. Its purposes and work have since extended far beyond the original intent. As notable in agriculture as in manufacturing, the county of Worcester has been a stronghold of the order in Massachusetts. Among the Granges are: Worcester Grange, No. 22, organized December 30, 1872, with nineteen charter members. Present membership is about 500; Worcester Central Pomona Grange, No. 7, organ- ized at Auburn, April 1, 1880, with Joseph Chamberlain, of Worcester, as Master. There were six subordinate granges, but on February 21, 1894, it was deemed advisable to change from a district to a Pomona Grange status. A charter was secured and first meeting of Worcester Central Pomona Grange, No. 7, was held at Oxford on April 18, 1894, with subordinate granges at Auburn, Douglas, Grafton, Holden, Millbury, Oxford, Shrews- bury, Sutton, Upton, Worcester. There are now fourteen subordinate granges, those named above, and Northbridge, Paxton, Rutland, and Uxbridge granges.
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Other Orders-Worcester Lodge, No. 608, Loyal Order of Moose, was founded in 1910; the Maccabees of Worcester in 1897; the United Order of the Golden Star has the Charles Sterne Commandery, No. 20, of Worcester ; Worcester Aerie, No. 203, Fraternal Order of Eagles; Fraternal Order of Orioles ; Worcester Conclave, No. 332, organized 1895, and Bench- ley Conclave, No. 627, organized in 1899, were merged in Worcester-Bench- ley Conclave, No. 332, of the Improved Order of Heptasophs, organized in 1916; another body of same order is Lewis Conclave; Rochelle Lodge, No. 21, Independent Companions of America, was organized in 1909; Viking Council of Independent Order of Mystic Brothers, was organized in 1881, and reorganized in 1889; the Worcester Lodge, No. 47, Fraternal Order of Fraternal Helpers, instituted 1902; Worcester Herd, No. 8, Benevolent Order of Buffaloes, chartered 1912; the Aurora Society, organized in 1909; New England Order of Protection : Worcester Lodge, No. 89, organized in 1889; Wachusett Lodge, No. 341, organized in 1900; Keystone Lodge, No. I24. Loyal Legion: Union Commandery, No. 2. Daughters of Liberty : Fidelity Council, No. 4, organized in 1891 ; Unity Council, No. 30, instituted 1894. Royal Arcanum : Worcester Council, No. 12, organized in 1877 ; Con- quest Council, No. 915, organized July 20, 1885, with Charles R. Johnson as regent. United Order Independent Odd Ladies: Perseverance Lodge, No. 8, instituted in 1895; Hope Lodge, No. 1I, organized 1888; Ruth Lodge, No. 16; Summit Lodge, No. 38, instituted in 1895.
The fraternal annals of the towns of the county are meagre, for although some of them, such as Lancaster, Sutton, Mendon, and Brookfield, were larger than Worcester when it was chosen the shire town, their entities have
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been broken up, and to a large extent the older lodges have faded or moved elsewhere, since the natural trend of such organizations is toward the cities and larger towns. Lancaster had a lodge of the Masons in 1801, which, as we will see, became the first of its kind in another place.
Fitchburg has a fraternal record similar to Worcester's, for it has been the tendency in the formation of social organizations that in all large centers of population each kind is established at about the same time and increase in numbers and strength almost simultaneously. The lodges of the city are: Aurora Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, instituted at Leominster, June 9, 1801, and removed to Fitchburg March 17, 1845; the Thomas Royal Arch Chapter of Masons, instituted at Princeton December 21, 1821, and removed to Fitchburg November 13, 1847; the Jerusalem Commandery, No. 19, Knights Templar, instituted October 13, 1865; the Lady Emma Chapter, No. 27, Order of Eastern Star. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows are as follows : Mt. Rollstone Lodge, No. 98, instituted December 12, 1845; Apollo Lodge, No. 205; King David's Encampment, No. 42, instituted October 18, 1870; Grand Canton Hebron, No. II, Patriarchs Militant, instituted March 4, 1886; Pearl Hill Rebekah Lodge, No. 47; E. Victoria Morse Rebekah Lodge, No. 143; Loyal Progressive Lodge, No. 7203, M. U .; Loyal Fitch- burg Lodge, No. 7705, M. U. Improved Order of Red Men-Nashua Tribe, No. 37, was instituted on February 23, 1887; Whaloma Council, No. 16, Degree of Pocohontas. Alpine Lodge, No. 35, Knights of Pythias, was instituted on March 12, 1879. The other Pythian bodies are: Alpine Tem- ple, No. 86, and Pythian Sisters of Alpine Temple, No. 86. Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division No. 2, organized in June, 1869; Division No. 26, meets in West Fitchburg ; Rollstone Lodge, No. 107, Ancient Order United Workmen; Nashua Lodge, No. 152, Ancient Order of United Workmen ; City of Fitchburg Court, No. 39, Foresters of America; Fitchburg Circle, No. 697, Companions of the Forest; Court Montcalm, No. 30, Franco- American Foresters; Pinehurst Court, No. 167, Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters; German Order of Harugari, Rollstone Lodge, No. 573, and Marienloge, No. 42; Fitchburg Nest, and Ladies' Nest, Order of Owls ; Banner Lodge, No. 27, Order of Vasa ; Freja Lodge, No. 50, Order of Vasa.
There are several organizations of the Union Saint Jean-Baptiste d'Amer- ique : Conseil Notre Dame ; Ligue du Sacre Coeur de Jesus Conseil, No. 54; Conseil Yonville, No. 77; Conseil Langlois, No. 93; Conseil St. Francois, No. 121. Fitchburg Lodge, No. 847, of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, is a strong organization, as is Fitchburg Council, No. 99, of the Knights of Columbus. The Fitchburg Aerie, No. 448, of the Fraternal Order of Eagles; the Knights of Malta is represented by Palestine Commandery, No. 176; the Loyal Order of Moose, by Fitchburg Lodge, No. 1388. Other
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fraternal bodies are : Independent Companions of America, No. 25, and New England Order of Protection, Watatic Lodge, No. 31 ; Order of Odd Ladies, Puritan Lodge, No. 39; Order of Scottish Clans, Clan Leslie, No. 132; Order of Sons of St. George, Shakespeare Lodge, No. 121 ; Ordine Figlia d'Italia, Loggia Cristoforo Colombo, No. 169; Panum Maja, No. 24; Royal Arcanum, Fitchburg Council, No. 777; United Order of Golden Cross, Progressive Commandery, No. 991 ; Fitchburg Grange, No. 186, Patrons of Husbandry.
Leominster lodges of the Masons, Odd Fellows and Hibernians are a half-century or more old. Included among its fraternal orders are: Ancient Order of Hibernians, United Workmen, Elks, Chevaliers de Lafayette, For- esters of America, Franco-American Foresters, Eagles, Red Men, Knights of Columbus, Knights of Pythias, Ladies of the Golden Eagle, Loyal Order of Moose, L'Union St. Jean Baptiste d'Amerique, Masonic bodies, Grange, Royal Arcanum, and Odd Fellows. The patriotic orders include the Daugh- ters of American Revolution, Grand Army of the Republic, Sons of Veterans, Daughters of Veterans, Spanish War Veterans, American Legion. There are several Italian organizations : The Loggia Regioni d'Italia, Loggia Figli d'Italia, Societa Francesco Saladini, Societa Santa Maria del Campo d'Alvito, Societa Principessa Yolanda, and Italian-American Naturalization Club. The Sons of Italy, Regioni d'Italia, No. 185, on December 31, 1923, dedicated their new building, Lincoln Hall, built at a cost of $40,000.
Westborough has the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Divisions Nos. 20 and 23 ; Order United American Workmen, Westboro Lodge, No. 91 ; Foresters of America, Court Westboro; Knights of Columbus, Council No. 85; Masonic, Siloam Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; Order Eastern Star, Bethany Chapter, No. 13; Hockamocko Lodge, No. 79, of Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Laurel Rebekah Lodge, No. 41 ; Patrons of Hus- bandry, Westborough Grange, No. II; Royal Arcanum, Parkman Council, No. 297.
In Uxbridge are the Ancient Order United Workmen, Waucantuck Lodge, No. 191; Ancient Order of Hibernians, Wheelockville; Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Uxbridge Lodge, No. 120; Knights of Columbus, Council, No. 1620; Masonic, Solomon's Temple Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons ; Foresters of America, Court Purity, No. 40; Patrons of Husbandry, Uxbridge Grange, No. 200; Daughters of Isabella.
Fraternal lodges were established in Princeton, as in other towns that need not be named, a century ago, but the most of these gave up their char- ters. The town has still the Ancient Order of United Workmen, instituted on June 12, 1890; the Princeton Farmers' Club, dating from 1860, and Princeton Grange, No. 74, founded February 6, 1875.
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Athol has many and ancient fraternal societies including : Athol Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, dating from 1803; Star Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, organized in 1864; the Union Chapter, Royal Arch, organized in 1866; the Harris Council, Royal and Select Masters ; the Athol Commandery, Knights Templar ; the Demolay ; and the Themis Chap- ter, Order of the Eastern Star. The Odd Fellows lodges are: Tully Lodge, No. 136; Mt. Pleasant Encampment, No. 68; Canton Athol, No. 60, Patri- archs Militant ; the Bamier Rebekah Lodge, No. 89; the Manchester Unity, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Miller's River Lodge, No. 7742; Man- chester Unity Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Sentinel Elm Lodge, No. 68. The Red Men bodies are: Pequoig Tribe, No. 100, and the Degree of Pocohantas, Collewandra Council, No. 69. The Pythian bodies are: Corin- thian Lodge, No. 76, and Mystic Temple, No. 55. The Foresters of America, Court Athol, No. 66; Artisan Lodge, No. 86, American Order United Work- men; the Andreas Hofer Lodge, No. 601, D. O. H .; the local aerie of Fra- ternal Order of Eagles; Independent Order of Companions; L'Union St. Jean Baptiste d'Amerique, and there is a local commandery of the United Order of Golden Star, Summit Commandery, No. 49.
Lodges extant in Blackstone are: the Ancient Order of United Work- men, Blackstone Lodge, No. 46; the Blackstone River Lodge of Masons ; and the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division No. 10. The Blackstone River Lodge of Odd Fellows, No. 106, was organized in 1846. The Blackstone River Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons was organized under dispensation on January 1, 1856, and erected the Masonic Building on Main Street in 1870. On January 4, 1887, the East Blackstone Grange of the Patrons of Hus- bandry, No. 137, of Massachusetts was organized with twenty-seven charter members.
Millbury by right of descent has one of the oldest Masonic lodges in the county, Olive Branch Lodge of Masons, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, which received its charter as early as September 14, 1797. Millbury was then, of course, part of Sutton, and the lodge comes into the records of both Sutton and Oxford. In 1816 it was seated at Sutton, and in 1860 was removed to Millbury. The first officers were Jonathan Learned, Master ; D. Fiske, Senior Warden; I. Harris, Senior Deacon; J. Kingsbury, Junior Deacon; N. Whitman, Senior Steward; P. Butler, Junior Steward; William Robinson, Tyler. Tyrian Royal Arch Chapter of Masons was organized in 1874; Adah Chapter, No. 15, Order of the Eastern Star was chartered on April 28, 1884; Millbury Division, No. 9, of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, was formed in November, 1871 ; the Millbury Grange, No. 107, Patrons of Husbandry, came into being on February 9, 1883, with N. B. Chase as Master ; Morning Star Lodge, No. 130, of the Independent Order of Odd
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Fellows was instituted on September 25, 1883, with fourteen charter mem- bers, of whom D. M. Waterman was Noble Grand; Bethesda Lodge of the Daughters of Rebekah was instituted on November 8, 1888; Court Millbury, No. 79, Foresters of America, was instituted on August 9, 1892, with Thomas A. Dowd, as Chief Ranger; Fraternal Circle, No. 522, Companions of the Forest of America, which was organized on April 15, 1901 ; La Société des Artisans Canadiens Francais, No. 108, was organized September 8, 1902, with Charles J. E. Bazin as president; Cour Pothier, No. 44, de l'Ordre des Forestiers Franco-Americains, was formed in November, 1909; Wampus Tribe, No. 159, Improved Order of Red Men, was instituted at Millbury on November 28, 1904. The Ancient Order of United Workmen was organized December 9, 1887.
Winchendon has had an active Masonic body since 1866, the Artisan Lodge, and among later organizations are: North Star Chapter, organized in 1902, and the Eastern Star Lodge, instituted in 1909. The Odd Fellows are united in Manomonack Lodge, No. 121, which was instituted in 1847, and there is a Rebekah degree; Royal Arcanum, Naukeag Council, No. 1013; Division No. 29, Ancient Order of Hibernians was organized in September, 188I. Connected with this society is Division No. 10, Ladies' Auxiliary, which was organized in 1897. The Lodge of United Workmen was instituted in Winchendon, on March 22, 1887 ; Watatic Tribe, No. 85, Improved Order of Red Men, was instituted March 8, 1889. Associated with this Tribe is Loleta Council, No. 81, Degree of Pocohantas, which was instituted in March, 1908. The Winchendon Grange, No. 192, Patrons of Husbandry, was organized in July, 1891. Court Monadnock, No. 76, Foresters of America, was organized May 26, 1892. Court No. 110, of Winchendon, is an auxiliary branch of the society of "Artisans Canadiens-Francaise"; in September, 1901, the Winchendon Court was established. Conseil Laurier, No. 132, is a branch of "L'Union St. Jean Baptiste d'Amerique"; the Winchendon Council was formed with fifteen charter members, May 21, 1905. A Ladies' Auxiliary, Ste. Catherine, was formed on December 2, 1906. Benjamin Hill Lodge, No. 481, New England Order of Protection, was instituted December 15, 1908. The Knights of Columbus dates from December 12, 1909.
Numbered with the fraternal orders of Webster are: The Webster Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, which was organized September 10, 1859; the Benjamin Franklin Council, No. 333, Royal Arcanum, was organ- ized on May 27, 1879 ; the St. Jean Baptiste Society, organized May 15, 1881 ; Webster Lodge of Independent Order of United Workmen, organized April 19, 1886; the Turn-Verein Vorwaertz Society, organized January 30, 1887; the Maanexit Lodge, No. 117, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, organized
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March II, 1887, and possessing its own hall; the Mt. Sinai Lodge, No. 90, Knights of Pythias, organized March II, 1887; the Arbutus Rebekah Lodge, No. 100, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, organized May II, 1891; the Chargoggagogg Tribe, No. 130, of Red Men, organized about 1890; Court Friendship, No. 59, Foresters of America, organized March 12, 1891 ; Divi- sion No. II, Ancient Order of Hibernians, organized March 22, 1893; Ladies' Auxiliary of same order, organized May 20, 1893; Webster Council. No. 228, Knights of Columbus, organized May 5, 1897; the Franco-American Foresters, organized December, 1909; Lakeside Lodge, No. 1280, Loyal Order of Moose, organized in 19II; Genoa Circle, No. 57, Daughters of Italy ; Nokomis Chapter, No. 128, Order of Eastern Star (Masonic), insti- tuted October 14, 1909; Webster Aerie, No. 835, Fraternal Order of Eagles.
CHAPTER LI
The War With Spain
Within the last half-century, the United States has engaged in two "for- eign wars," of which the War with Spain was the first. Both are rated as humanitarian, in so far as the purposes of our Nation were concerned, since neither one was waged for territory or wealth. Neither Spain nor America was ready for war in 1898 and this unpreparedness proved disproportion- ately costly in lives. If victory perched upon the stars and stripes, it was partly due to the fact that fortune was on its side. During a third of a cen- tury of peace the regular army had been reduced to a handful and the navy was a rusty and untried weapon. Spain had in Cuba six times the number of men the United States could muster in its whole enlisted force, and the Spaniards were armed with a modern gun using smokeless powder, while America had the ancient Springfield rifle burning a powder whose thick black smoke advertised to the enemy the location of the user. Spain had one hun- dred and thirty-seven vessels in service, as against eighty-six of the American service, and the strength of the Spaniards lay in cruisers, the type of ship most valuable. Foreign students of world affairs believed that America was embarking upon a conflict leading to inevitable failure. The strength on paper of the Spanish army proved to have only the strength of paper. The bold tactics of Admirals Dewey, Sampson, Schley and others, together with better gunnery, turned the tide in naval affairs.
Lacking a professional soldiery, the United States was compelled to depend upon its volunteers, chiefly the National Guard, and the Spanish- American War was the opportunity and the justification of the National Guard and its allied volunteer organizations. At the beginning of the war it was the plan of the Federal military authorities to call and use the militia of the coastal states to protect their sea borders, so certain was it that the navy of Spain would attack our coasts. It is now an almost forgotten incident of 1898 that many of the wealthy people of Boston took their valuables to
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Worcester and deposited them in the vaults of that city's banks. Guard units from the interior states were to carry on the war in Cuba, but they proved numerically weak, badly equipped and poorly drilled. Because the militia of Massachusetts was better armed, better clothed, better trained, it was the first to be called and Massachusetts Volunteer Militia troops saw more service in the West Indies than those of any other State in the Union. Six regiments and a naval brigade were mustered in from Massachusetts. Of the first four regiments to answer the call of the President, all saw foreign service and three engaged in battle, a record not equalled by the troops of any other State.
The chronology of events in Massachusetts prior to the declaration of war reveal that in January, 1898, Governor Wolcott took measures to get the militia in readiness for field service in case the Cuban situation led to war. On April 15, the Legislature of the Commonwealth appropriated $500,000 for local defense and the equipment of her troops. All through this month the commanders of the various military organizations tendered the services of their troops and reported upon the readiness to move into camp. On April 23, President Mckinley issued his first call for troops and asked Massa- chusetts for four regiments of infantry and four companies of heavy artil- lery. The four Massachusetts Volunteer Militia infantry regiments named to fill the quota were the 2d, Colonel Embury P. Clark; the 6th; the 8th; and the 9th, Colonel Fred B. Bogan, and these were assembled at South Framingham, in "Camp Dewey," early in May. The Worcester units were mainly concentrated in the 2d and 9th regiments. The Worcester Light Infantry, Company C, Captain Frank L. Allen ; the Worcester City Guards, Company A, Captain Edwin G. Barrett ; the Wellington Rifles, Company H, Captain Charles S. Holden ; and the Heywood Guards, Company F, of Gard- ner, were organized as the 3d Battalion of the 2d Massachusetts Regiment. The Worcester Light Infantry, for the third time in its history left Worcester in answer to the call of the Nation. The other chief Worcester unit was the Emmet Guards, which became a company in the 9th Regiment. Worcester County individuals were to be found in probably every guard unit of the State, and in other states. The large volume, Worcester in the Spanish War, published in 1905, is worthy of the close attention of students of the part played by the city and county in this conflict.
The experiences of the 2d and 9th Regiments, Massachusetts United States Volunteers, reveal what the boys from Worcester had to meet and endure in the Spanish War.
The 2d Regiment was the smallest of the infantry regiments from the State, never being recruited to its full strength, and it served for the shortest period of them all. But this same 2d, in the brief six months that it was
FITCHBURG'S WAR MEMORIAL By Herbert Adams, famous sculptor, a native of that city
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under arms, suffered the greatest proportional losses of the six regiments representing the Commonwealth. More than ten per cent. of those who left Boston for the Cuban front lost their lives ; at its best the 2d numbered 943, its dead numbered ninety-eight. It was among the first to enter Camp Dewey, May 3, and the days in Framingham were like those of the other units, days of reviews, the securing and inspection of equipment, medical examinations which led to the discarding of many, then the grand review by Governor Roger Wolcott, and entrainment for Lakeland, Florida, by rail. Many of the men still have pleasant recollections of the brief stay in "Camp Massachusetts," which name they gave to the pine knoll between the two Lakeland lakes ; but the memories of Ybor City, just outside Tampa, are not quite so pleasant. On June 8, Florida was left behind. Cooped up on the vessels provided by the government for their transportation to Cuba, the regi- ment sweltered and cursed as they lay for days off the Cuban coast until landed on June 22 at Baiquiri. The battles for Santiago were on at this time, and the Second was marched to Siboney. The famous "Rough Riders" passed by their camp, and the sound of firing could be heard, but nothing as yet could be seen of the actual warfare. It was a case of stand by and wonder what would come next. The men had not long to wait, for they were soon on their way to El Caney and their first fight. In a battle that lasted from 7:00 a. m. to 5:00 in the evening, the 2d had its share. The regiment had the mis- fortune to be armed with the antiquated Springfield rifle, and compelled to burn black powder with its attendant smoke. With every volley, their posi- tion was outlined to the Spaniard, who paid them the closest attention every time the smoke showed where to shoot. For the safety of other troops, who were endangered by the fire brought upon the 2d, it was sent to a flank posi- tion, which while it may have helped others, did not benefit the troop. Many were wounded; had the Spanish been any sort of marksmen, the regiment would either have been withdrawn or annihilated. The 2d was under San Juan Hill the day of its capture, and under fire the most of the time. That night the regiment had its first cooked meal in forty-eight hours.
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