History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Part 48

Author: Chester E. Bryan
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1207

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chancellor commander; J. J. Mitchell, vice-chancellor; Kyle Vance, keeper of records and seal; Homer Stone, master of exchequer; Alex Evans, master of finance; A. C. Bongent, master at arms; Cleyton Curl, inner guard; John Theel, outer guard; Ed Lewis, J. J. Mitchell and W. E. Lukins, trustees.

Plain City Lodge No. 159, Knights of Pythias, was organized on May 11, 1883, and was installed by Robert Smith, deputy grand chancellor, of Richwood, Ohio, charter members : E. E. Jones, C. Amann, A. E. Smith, C. A. Horn, O. C. Robinson, C. L. Sher- wood, E. L. Williams, M. J. Jenkins, E. C. Robinson, J. H. Stewart, J. L. Converse, J. C. Tauber, T. L. Robinson, Charles Dutton, L. C. Barlow, Bruce Robinson, W. H. Platt, A. N. Woodruff, A. N. Jones, D. L. Lombard and W. W. Horn. The first officers were W. W. Platt, past chancellor; M. J. Jenkins, chancellor commander; C. A. Horn, vice- chancellor; D. L. Lombard, prelate; Charles F. Dutton, keeper of records and seal; Charles Amann, master of finance; Bruce Robinson, master of exchequer; O. C. Rob- inson, master at arms; J. H. Stewart, inner guard; Thomas L. Robinson, outer guard; W. W. Platt, grand representative.

J. W. Bowers was the first candidate initiated after the charter was installed. The present brick lodge building is the property of this chapter and was erected in 1890 at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars. The present membership numbers sixty- two.

The following are the officers for 1915; O. M. Lowery, chancellor commander; F. J. Currier, vice-chancellor; W. D. Atkinson, prelate; H. B. Baker, master of work; O. K. Howland, keeper of records and seal and master of finance; L. C. Alder, master of exchequer; Jesse Arnold, master at arms; J. J. Mayberry, inner guard; J. S. Kelley, outer guard; O. K. Howland, grand representative. The following members have served the lodge in the capacity of past grand representative: W. W. Platt, M. J. Jen- kins, D. L. Lombard, J. F. Feather, J. W. Bowers, C. H. Lucas, C. C. Smith, J. E. Smith and E. E. Stevens. The following members from this chapter have held higher offices in the lodge : M. J. Jenkins, grand chancellor, 1896, and surgeon of the Ohio brigade, uniformed rank, Knights of Pythias; J. F. Feather, hospital steward of the first regiment, Ohio brigade uniformed rank, Knights of Pythias; H. C. Black, district deputy grand chancellor; and the following have served as county deputy grand chan- cellor; J. W. Bowers, J. F. Feather and C. H. Lucas.

FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES.

The first Aerie, Fraternal Order of Eagles, was organized at Seattle, on February 6, 1898, with but a handful of members. From this humble beginning the order has gained in membership until it has reached the enormous number of almost one-half million. It has increased its wealth from nothing to almost one hundred million dollars. It has paid for sick benefits within the last year alone over three hundred and fifty thousand dollars, for funeral benefits about eighty eight thousand dollars; for physician's services, two hundred and thirteen thousand six hundred and seventy dollars.

The order is founded upon the four corner stones of liberty, truth, justice and equality-that liberty for which the forefathers fought and which the fathers fought to maintain; that truth without which no enterprise, no business can be successful and without which none can succeed; that justice of the Golden Rule-do unto others as you would have others do unto you; that equality that is one of the corner stones of good society-belief in the doctrine that all men were created equal-whether they remain so is a matter of environment and choice. These are the pillars upon which the order rests.

It is its duty to look after the sick or those in trouble or in grief-to furnish a physician to the sick brother or any member of his family. It is its duty to bury the

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dead brother and to look after his widow and orphans, see that they are properly cared for, and they even after the death of the husband and father still continue to have the services of the Aerie physician. These brief remarks form an epitome of what the Fraternal Order of Eagles is accomplishing and briefly gives to the general public at least some idea of its work. The order does not seek to curb the religious opinions of anyone, but instead welcomes to membership adherents of any faith, provided he be eligible otherwise.

The following are the past presidents of London Aerie No. 59: M. B. Golden, John P. Welsh, Joseph Enders, D. K. Gould, H. L. McCafferty, John Fraher. The present officers are John Fraher, Fred Schlegle, Leo Holland, A. S. Eastman, Frank Carey, John W. Gorry, Dr. H. V. Christopher, Cornelius Casey, Edward McCann, William Roddey. Trustees, A. J. Schlereth, D. K. Gould and Edward Hill.

London Aerie No. 950, Fraternal Order of Eagles, was organized on January 10, 1905, and was installed by C. E. Vorta. The first officers were as follow : M. B. Golden, past worthy president; John P. Welsh, worthy president; D. L. Dunevent, worthy vice- president; Thomas Golden, chaplain; Maurice Mooney, treasurer; William F. Kelley, secretary ; Frank Farnsworth, inside guard; Walter McGrath, outside guard; Luther McCloud, Emmett Shaffer, Joseph Endos, trustees; Dr. W. W. Snyder, physician; Earl Kennedy, conductor.

The present membership numbers one hundred and eighty-nine. The present officers are Leo Holland, past worthy president; C. J. Casey, worthy president; Harvey Goings, worthy vice-president; Daniel Bowen, chaplain : William H. Smith, conductor ; Frank Carey, secretary ; H. B. Welsh, treasurer; E. P. Speasmaker, E. B. Chrisman and Daniel K. Gould, trustees; Edward McCann, inside guard; Cecil Adams, outside guard; H. B. Sparling, conductor.

CATHOLIC ORDER OF FORESTERS.

The headquarters of the Catholic Order of Foresters are located in Chicago. This society was organized in that city in 1883, under a charter granted by the state of Illinois, and the membership of the order in the United States and Canada is now over one hundred and fifty thousand.

St. Joseph's Court No. 1191, Catholic Order of Foresters, was organized at West Jefferson on March 11, 1901, by the state organizer, James Farley, charter member, as follow : Rev. M. A. Heintz, William P. Redmond, George Gillivan, Thomas Driscoll, William H. Danyer, Francis J. Ernst, James McCarty, Anton J. Birkenback, John H. Carroll, George W. Nippel and James Holland. The first officers were George Gillivan, vice chief ranger; William Redmond, chief ranger; William Dwyer, recording secre- tary; Frank Ernst, financial secretary; James McCarty, treasurer; John Carroll and John Birkenbach.

The present membership numbers thirty and the present officers are Weldon Miller, recording secretary; William Grassle, financial secretary; William Engelsperger, chief ranger; F. B. Biggert, past chief ranger; Calvin Gillivan, senior conductor; Joseph Keyser, junior conductor.

London Court No. 703, Catholic Order of Foresters, was organized on July 11, 1897, by Maurice Langen, of Columbus, Ohio; charter members, J. A. Morrissey, G. H. Fobbie, William E. Kelly, M. W. Fitzgerald, P. A. Gallagher, John Ryan, P. A. Lanigan, Andrew Canton, James F. Corbett, Thomas A. Conner, George Killeen, P. A. Morrissey, John Maloney, John Drudy, William McDonough, Edward Carlon, William Charters, James Mackin, Edward Buckley. The first officers were J. A. Morrissey, chief ranger; Edward Buckley. vice-chief ranger ; William E. Kelley, recording secretary ; G. H. Fobbie, finan-

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cial secretary; P. A. Morrissey, treasurer; P. A. Gallagher, past chief ranger; James Corbett, John Ryan and Andrew Canton, trustees.

The present officers are Frank Gallagher, chief ranger; J. L. Bardon, vice-chief ranger; William F. Kelley, recording secretary ; Thomas J. Roddy, financial secretary; B. J. Flynn, treasurer ; John A. Gorry, past chief ranger; L. J. Fraher, speaker; John H. Kennedy, William H. Kaveney and Edward Mooney, trustees. The present mem- bership numbers seventy-five.

The benefits consist of insurance and sick benefits of five dollars per week. This chapter has excellent quarters in the Buff block, but does not own any real estate or property. Catholics of all nationalities are eligible to membership. The local organi- zation is in a flourishing condition.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. Contributed.

London Council No. 1786, Knights of Columbus, was organized on May 2, 1915, by State Deputy P. J. McCarthy and staff, of Toledo, with a charter membership of one hundred. Fifty of these were new members and the remaining number were trans- ferred from Springfield, Columbus and Zanesville councils. The first officers of London council were P. J. Kirwin, grand knight; George Killeen, deputy grand knight; T. J. Dwyer, treasurer; E. J. Mooney, financial secretary; W. J. Kelley, recording secretary; John A. Gorry, chancellor; T. A. Connor, lecturer; M. S. Murray, advocate; Alfred Langen, warden; Robert Gallagher, inside guard; W. D. Morrissey, outside guard; E. L. Brennan, Cornelius Ducey,, and M. W. Sullivan, trustees.

The Knights of Columbus is an organization of Catholic men banded together for the threefold purpose of fraternity, devotion to the Catholic church and Catholic interests and patriotism. There is little need to explain the tie of fraternity, familiar ever since the first instances of brotherly love. Examples of the exercise of the frater- nal spirit are found continually. In sickness or in health, in wealth or poverty, in business or pleasure-everywhere is noticeable the spirit of helpfulness and of sym- pathetic interest that holds Knights of Columbus together. Patriotism is a duty for the Catholic, and hence its interest to every Knight of Columbus. Politics are forbid- den to enter the order directly or indirectly, but the members stand for law and order everywhere and at all times.

Devotion to church and Catholic interests is essential to membership in the Knights of Columbus. Some societies seem to boast their acts of charity and kindness, but not so the Knights of Columbus. The personal kindness, the council's aid to sick and distressed, the genial spirit of mutual helpfulness rendered by a Catholic to his fellow man, are deeds of the heart under the inspiration and teachings of the church- hallowed and sacred and never to be advertised or capitalized.

The Knights of Columbus have an absolutely safe, sound and scientific system of insurance. Each man pays the cost of his own insurance. No new members are needed to insure the payment of death losses. The rates of the Knights of Columbus were prepared by David Parks Fackler, Esq., of New York City, ex-president of the Actuarial Society of America, and he is advisor of the order in all insurance matters

The Knights of Columbus are active in parochial and diocesan matters; they endowed the chair of American History in the Catholic University at Washington, at a cost of fifty thousand dollars, and the further foundation of five hundred thousand dol- lars, enabling the university to award fifty free scholarships in perpetuity; hospital endowments; founding of free scholarships in Catholic colleges; free employment bureaus; protection of Catholic minor wards of state and city; establishment of free day-nurseries for the children of Catholic mothers; maintenance of lecture courses;

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public profession of faith on all proper occasions all these are necessarily public and outward manifestations of the faith of the members of this order, which quietly and privately by force of decent living is hourly accomplishing in no small way the mission of the apostolate of the laity. Knights of Columbus homes are being erected by local councils throughout the order. It is proposed to make them the centers of Catholic thought and activity. London council has already taken steps to insure a home for itself within the next few years. The ceremonial of the order is secret-but not oath bound.

London council has not added to its membership since its installation because the ceremonial of the order is such that the degree work can only be put on with classes of fifty or more. A new class of at least fifty is now in process of formation and will shortly be admitted to knighthood, which will increase the membership of the local council to one hundred and fifty.

It is the aim of the officers and members to secure the membership of every eligible Catholic man in the county and when this is accomplished the local council will have more than seven hundred members to its credit. The Knights of Columbus have no auxiliary. The local council meets on the second and fourth Tuesday evenings in the C. O. F. hall, its temporary quarters. Visiting members in good standing are always welcome.

SILVER URN LODGE NO. 29.

Silver Urn Lodge No. 29, Free and Accepted Masons, the oldest secret organization among the colored people at Madison county and located at London, Ohio, was granted a charter of dispensation and set up by Right Worshipful John R. Blackburn, grand secretary of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, August 6, 1869, with the following charter mem- bers: James Cain, worshipful master; Edward Mumford, senior warden; George White, junior warden; Robert Cain, treasurer; John L. Cain, secretary; Americus, senior deacon; Andrew J. Smith, junior deacon; Thomas Pleasant, tyler, and Green Roberts, of which only two are living -. James H. and John L. Cain.

The lodge has been very prosperous in that time and owing to the population it had to draw from has made about one hundred and fifty master Masons, while some have moved away, others have passed to the great beyond.

These are the worshipful masters who have helped make the lodge a success since its organization : E. H. Lowery, W. H. Napper, William S. Lowery, John M. Bunch. George M. Phonosdall; Joseph L. Lowery, Daniel Lewis, Charles W. Cain and A. G. Holloway, the present worshipful master.

The lodge has now a membership of twenty-eight and is doing well. It holds its meetings in the hall in the Buff block, corner of High and Main streets.

WOMAN'S BELIEF CORPS. By Mrs. Robert Moore.

The purpose of the Woman's Relief Corps is to render the veterans aid and comfort in sickness or distress; to find employment and homes for their widows and orphans; to cherish and emulate the deeds of our army nurses and of all loyal women who rendered loving service to our country in her hour of peril ;. to encourage loyalty and inculcate lessons of patriotism and love of country in the communities in. which we live; to perpetu- ate the memory of our heroic dead in the sacred observance of Memorial day.

The Woman's Relief Corps is the greatest philanthropic, charitable and patriotic organization of women in the' world. It instituted a patriotic curriculum in its regular work, and began the inculcation of patriotic teaching in the public schools of the country, a work which has been taken up by many other patriotic organizations since then. There are now more than three thousand women whose work as patriotic instructors in corps

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and departments of the Woman's Relief Corps is commanding attention. Space is too limited to tell all that has been accomplished during these past years. The patriotic work of the Woman's Relief Corps of London can scarcely be estimated. Two hundred and more patriotic primers have been placed in the schools of our county and elsewhere; also thirty Declaration of Independence charts; fifty oleographs of history of the stars and stripes; more than three hundred leaflets and fifty fiags. Members are pledged to keep "Old Glory" where it stands today, and on Flag day, June 14, every home (not only the members of the Woman's Relief Corps) should float the flag, and in this way show their loyalty to the principle for which it stands.

The children of the Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home are remembered, the mountain schools of the south, the Old Ladies' Home, the building of monuments, etc., and the flood sufferers of 1913 were generously cared for and, with all this, they do not forget their own suffering poor, nor the old comrades. Their cause should interest all American women alike, for it is purely a labor of love and kindness to the unfortunate and a service to our country. Everyone owes the same debt of gratitude to its defenders.

The Woman's Relief Corps is the largest organization of women in the world under one eligibility clause and one motto. It now numbers one hundred and sixty-seven thousand members, with department organizations in forty-one states, divided among two thousand six hundred and four corps, as the local organizations are known. It was on Wednesday, July 23, 1884, that Mrs. Robert Moore, Mrs. James Peck, Mrs. G. W. Wilson, Mrs. Albert Phifer, Mrs. Theodore Miller, Mrs. Charles Skeeles, Maria Skeeles, Mrs. William Morrow Beach and Mary Beach, met in the Grand Army of the Republic hall in London, Ohio, to consider the question of organizing a subordinate corps of the Woman's Relief Corps, auxiliary to the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic. Mrs. Robert Moore was chosen president pro tem, and Mary Beach, secretary pro tem. After a general interchange of views, the secretary was instructed to correspond with' Mrs. Kate E. Putnam, president of Mitchell corps, Springfield, Ohio, and request her to come to London on the 6th of August, 1884, with reference to organizing and mustering in the officers and members of this corps. Upon motion the meeting adjourned until Wednesday, August 6, 1884, on which day, at three o'clock p. m., a permanent organiza- tion was effected. Sixteen women were present and duly mustered in. Mrs. Putnam, with her assistants, Mrs. Ernest and Mrs. Grant, of Springfield, Ohio, were the mustering officers. The following officers of Lyon Corps No. 52, were elected by acclamation : President, Thowessa Moore; senior vice-president, Maggie Miller; junior vice-president, Laura Kinney ; treasurer, Martha L. Wilson ; secretary, Mary Beach ; conductor, Elizabeth Minshall; chaplain, Vinnie Phifer; guard, Maria Skeeles. These, with the following names, composed the list of charter members: Hannah Underwood, Alice Dooris Thomas, Lucy Beach, Lizzie Skeeles. Rena Stuckey, Mary Durflinger, Virginia Davidson, Clara Pierce, Sarah Dunkin, Ella Haley, Jennie Graham, Minerva Acton, Alice Eastman, Jennie Van Wagener, Kate Dooris Sharp, Cornelia Mitchell, Josephine Lohr, Mary McSaveny, Jennie Huddleson, Victoria Miller, Kate Peck, Victoria Withrow, Josephine Mathers, Kate Hanson.

Some of the members of this corps have moved away, some have withdrawn and thirteen have been lost by death, namely : Lizzie Skeeles, Ellen Allen, Sarah Sprague, Alice Dooris Thomas, Victoria Miller, Harriett Gillette, Maggie Miller, Ella Haley, Harriet Gunsaulus, Philomelia Simpson, Sarah Dunkin, Flora Vent and Frances Smith. There are now forty-six members and the number is gradually increasing. The organiza- tion offers to the American people a cause broad and sublime enough to enlist every sympathy and to engage every faculty.' With this labor of love and duty for the past thirty-one years, in this cause, the local corps would be greatly pleased if it could only see a movement toward the erection of a memorial hall in memory of the loyal men who

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enlisted to save their country's honor. If the resources of Lyon Relief Corps had com- pared with the fraternity, charity and loyalty of this order, Madison county would have had a memorial hall several years ago.

The present officers of Lyon Corps No. 52 are as follow : President, Caroline Emery ; senior vice-president, Phoebe Simpson; junior vice-president, Permelia Arnett; secretary, Thorressa Moore; treasurer, Orpha Morris; chaplain, Jennie Davidson; conductor, Bell Neff; assistant conductor, Clara Pierce; guard, Catharine March; assistant guard, Emma Preston; musician. Fannie Speasmaker; patriotic instructor, Vinnie Phifer; press correspondent, Jennie Davidson; color bearers, Anna McCormack, Alice Eastman, Ida Warner, Grace Lankaster. These, with the following names, constitute the present roll of members: Candace Anderson, Lucy Beach, Mary Bescher, Olive Bacome, Mary Dur- flinger. Ida Fricker, Eva Graham, Allie Gamlin, Margaret Ingrim, Lucy Jones, Belle Linson, Catherine March, Elizabeth Minshall, Cornelia Mitchell, Augusta Kilgore, Katie Peck, Julia Reese, Flora Robey, Kate P. Strain, Cloey Shaffer, Jennie Turner, Jennie Van Wagener, Martha Wilson, Victoria Withrow, Ada Workman, Laura Cannon, Abbie. Haines, Maria Skeeles, Maude B. Bonner, Kate Dooris Sharp.

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CHAPTER XXVII. CLUBS AND FRATERNITIES.

LONDON FEDERATION OF WOMEN'S CLUBS.

By Mrs. A. J. Strain.

The London Federation of Women's Clubs was perfected on April 17, 1913, when the three literary clubs of London, realizing that much better work might be accomplished and more activities taken care of by co-operation, decided to join forces. The East High Street Club, the oldest literary organization in London, took the initiative and invited the Woman's Club and the Twentieth Century Club to meet with them in a mass meeting at the court house. Mrs. A. P. Morris and Mrs. Cussins, members of the Altrurian Club of Columbus, were present on that occasion, and both spoke of the work accomplished by the Federation of Columbus. The first officers of the London Federation were: President, Mrs. Clinton Morse; recording secretary, Mrs. Charles E. Gain; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Ralph Coons; treasurer, Mrs. Peyton Emery; auditor, Mrs. Sherman Simpson. The vice-presidents were the presidents of the three literary clubs, Mrs. Frank Noland, of the East High Street Club; Mrs. John Parker, of the Woman's Club, and Mrs. B. F. Linson, of the Twentieth Century.

Since the early organization other clubs have joined the federation, so that eight organizations, numbering about two hundred women, are now banded together for social and welfare work, civic improvement and club fellowship.

The London federation, in its short existence, has proven a powerful good in the community. The first great achievement of which the members feel justly proud was the beautifying of the grounds around the high school. Under the efficient chairmanship of Mrs. Lee Williams, the entire federation worked as a unit, until the last payment of the one thousand thirty-five dollars, the contract price, was paid.

A community Christmas tree in 1913, for the benefit of all the children in London. another splendid one in 1914, and a Christmas dinner consisting of all the delicacies that constitute a real Yuletide feast, was given under the auspices of this organization, with Mrs. Clint Morse and Mrs. John Tanner chairmen, thereby proving that members are interested in the social and moral uplift of the community.

The recent enjoyable home talent entertainment of "Fi-Fi," given under the leader- ship of Mrs. Gideon Clark, chairman of ways and means committee, was staged for the purpose of helping a new and worthy organization in our midst, and the entire proceeds were given to the Madison County Health and Welfare League.

It became necessary a few months ago to make the federation an incorporated body in order that it might be a beneficiary under the will of the late Miss Bertha Coover. That grand, noble, kind, self-sacrificing woman bequeathed to the federation the sum of seven thousand dollars for the purchase or erection of a club house. The following board of trustees were elected : Mrs. Peyton Emery, Miss Sallie Dooris, Mrs. Rosser Atchison, Mrs. William Chandler, Mrs. Clinton Morse, Mrs. Robert Moore, Mrs. A. J. Strain, Mrs. Martel Bryan, Mrs. Charles Gain, Mrs. Frank Noland and Mrs. Ogan Stroupe. The officers were as follow : President, Mrs. Sallie K. Robison; recording secretary, Mrs. Ida White; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Frank Noland; treasurer, Mrs. Martel Bryan.

The beautiful Dixon home on North Main street was purchased by the federation

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in the early summer of 1915 and henceforth will be the club home, not only of this organization, but of the societies and clubs of which the federation is formed, as well as two or three organizations not included in its membership.

The London Federation is a power for good in this community, and while so much has been accomplished in the short period of its existence, greater, nobler, grander achievements are being hoped for by the members in the years that are to follow.

THE LONDON CLUB.

The London Club was organized on February 11, 1901, with eighty-seven charter members. The first officers were as follow : Charles Butler, president; H. S. Mitchell. secretary-treasurer. It is purely a social organization and seeks to provide wholesome amusement for its members. Strangers in the town are always welcome to its rooms and the members make the wayfarer feel that the club is a real factor in the life of the city. The present membership includes one hundred and twenty-five of the leading men of the city. Albert G. Cartzdafner is president and Charles Lohr, secretary-treas- urer. The club has quarters in the Winchester block.

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History of Madison County Ohio: Its People, Industries and Institutions, Part 48

Author: Chester E. Bryan Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1207

Author: Chester E. Bryan
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1207