USA > Wisconsin > Racine County > Racine > Racine, belle city of the lakes, and Racine County, Wisconsin : a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Vol. I > Part 30
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stock. The officers at the beginning of 1916 were: Jolm S. Blakey, president; JJohn T. Gittings, secretary; H. J. Smith, treasurer.
TEMPERANCE SOCIETIES
Soon after the close of the Civil War in 1865, a wave of "temperance reform" spread over the country and in nearly every village and city temperance societies were organized. The oldest of these were the Sons of Temperance, which was intro- dueed in Racine County by Stephen Crosby, who had joined the order in Western New York before coming to Wisconsin. Through his influence Belle City Division, No. 4, was organized on March 20, 1867, with fifteen charter members, and Dr. Crosby was elected the first worthy patriarch. It was organized in the Odd Fellows' Hall and met there until June 14, 1870, when it moved into a hall of its own. In December of that year the Grand Division of Wisconsin met at Racine. There were then thirteen subdivisions in the state, with a total membership of 548. In 1871 the outlook was far from encouraging, but Mr. Crosby and a few faithful followers held meetings in the session room of the Presbyterian Church. Among those were W. P. Burbeck, John E. Davis, L. H. Miller, M. J. Higgins, William Street and Z. C. Wentworth. Through their energy and persist- once the "Sons" finally made themselves felt, and during the. next three years a number of subdivisions were organized by the members of Belle City.
A division of the Sons of Temperance was organized at Waterford on February 12, 1872, with twenty-eight members and Dr. George F. Newell as the first worthy patriarch. The order reached the zenith of its power about 1878, when there were about six thousand members in the state. Belle City Division then numbered 122 members and the one at Waterford had over thirty. These were the only two divisions in Racine County of which any history can be obtained.
In the early '70s the Independent Order of Good Templars made its appearance as a temperance organization. Owing to its mysticism of a secret work, with signs, grips and passwords, and the showy regalia worn by the officers of the lodges on public occasions, it made rapid growth for a few years, while the Sons of Temperance declined.
The first lodge of Good Templars in Racine County was
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organized at Rochester in January, 1872, with JJ. D. Wright as worthy chief templar and Iney E. Nash as vice-templar. Racine Lodge, No. 106, was organized on November 11, 1874, with L. A. Harrington, worthy chief templar; Lizzie Cape, vice-templar: E. C. Waterhouse, secretary; Mrs. L. R. Harrington, treasurer. The lodge started with sixteen charter members and grew to a membership of over fifty. A lodge of Good Templars was also organized at Union Grove, about the same time, and there were a number of lodges that met in the school houses throughout the county. The growth of the Good Templars was like a mushroom and its existence was of the same character. After a few years the members apparently grew tired of attending the lodge meet- ings, charters were surrendered and the order perished, except in a few localities, where it lingered until about the beginning of the present century.
Almost contemporary with the Good Templars was the order known as the Temple of Honor, which was similar in nature and purpose. On March 28, 1876, Temple of Honor, No. 4, was organized at Burlington and was the first in the county. It started with twenty members and in a short time grew to sixty- five. Among those who were active in promoting its work were: H. A. Sheldon, C. G. Foley, T. M. Martin, G. W. Stone, C. A. Jones, F. H. Nims, J. B. Hall, W. P. Goff and J. G. Wilson. At one time this temple had nearly four hundred dollars in its treasury.
On November 16, 1876, a number of members from Biling- ton went to Rochester and organized a Temple of Honor there with a membership of thirty-one. W. B. Stetson was the first presiding officer and among the members were: J. E. Jackson, E. B. and Robert Adams, JJames Bell, John Gleason, G. II. Blake and Joseph Summers. Two days later the Temple of Honor was organized at Waterford by parties from Burlington and Roches- ter, with seventy-four charter members. Dr. George F. Newell was the first presiding officer and Charles Palmer was secretary, or recorder.
Racine Temple of Honor, No. 76, was organized on November 20, 1876, by Grand Worthy Chief Watrons of Milwaukee. The temple started with thirty-one charter members and W. T. Lewis as the presiding officer. A Temple of Honor was also organized
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at Union Grove in the fall of 1876, but its history can not be ascertained.
All these varions temperance societies have passed into his- tory as "things that were." How much good they accomplished while they were in existence it would be difficult to determine. The members used their influence to induce men to give up the drink habit, numbers signed the pledge under this influence and many of those who signed lived up to their pledge and lived sober lives.
MASONIC FRATERNITY
Of all the secret fraternal orders Freemasonry stands first in point of seniority. Just when and where the order originated is not definitely known. A Masonic tradition says it was intro- duced in England by Prince Edwin about 926 A. D., but does not make plain where Prince Edwin gained his knowledge of the fraternity. There are Masome documents dated back to 1390, and Mother Kilwinning Lodge of Scotland was organized in 1599. As it has been in continuous existence since that time, it is the oldest known lodge in the world. In June, 1717, the Grand Lodge of England was organized and it is the mother of all Masonic bodies throughout the English-speaking world.
In 1730 Daniel Coxe, of New Jersey, was appointed by the English Grand Lodge " Provincial Grand Master of the Provinces of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in America." About the same time a provincial grand master was appointed for the New England colonies. Before the close of the year 1730 a lodge was organized at Philadelphia and one was established in New Hampshire, each of which claims to have been the first. lodge in America. After the Revolution a different system was adopted in this country. A grand lodge was organized in cach state. Charters were issued to Masons in the new territories from the nearest grand lodge, and when a sufficient number of lodges had been organized that territory or state would form a grand lodge of its own, so that now each state constitutes a grand jurisdiction of its own.
Masonry was introduced into Racine County by the organ- ization of Racine Lodge, No. 18, which was instituted under dispensation on November 22, 1847, with Dr. B. B. Cary, wor- shipful master; Isaac JJ. Ullman, senior warden; J. C. Howell, junior warden; A. C. Barry, secretary; James H. Hall, treasurer;
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H. T. Sanders, senior deacon; O. A. Stafford, junior deacon; J. B. Gates and H. N. Chapman, stewards; N. D. Haskell, tiler. The lodge received a charter from the Wisconsin Grand Lodge on January 15, 1848. This lodge is still in existence, has a strong membership, and holds its regular meetings on the first and third Mondays of each month in the Masonic Temple at 505-511 South Main Street. The officers at the beginning of the year 1916 were: F. L. Norton, worshipful master; Henry M. Thomas, senior warden; A. B. Welty, junior warden; James Mainland, secretary; A. F. Erickson, treasurer. It had 359 members on December 31, 1915.
The next Masonic lodge to be organized was Burlington Lodge, No. 28. It was granted a dispensation on February 7, 1849, and was instituted under a charter dated December 15, 1849. For a time this lodge met in the Odd Fellows' Hall, but later secured a hall of its own. The last report of the Wisconsin Grand Lodge gives the number of members as 117.
Belle City Lodge, No. 92, began its career under a dispensa- tion dated June 11, 1858, and received its charter on June 9, 1858. The first officers under the charter were: Henry Burbeck, wor- shipful master; Richard Cole, senior warden; A. Tyrrell, junior warden: Enoch Strother, secretary; H. Ludington, treasurer; L. W. Faulkner, senior deacon; G. A. Ludington, junior deacon; Elisha Norton and William Copeland, stewards; William Smet- hurst, tiler. The principal officers for 1916 were as follows: A. B. Clifford, worshipful master; Charles C. Nelson, senior warden; Hngo W. Ott, junior warden; Albert C. Mickelson, sec- retary: William H. Bell, treasurer. This is the strongest Masonic lodge in the county, having 421 members, according to the last Grand Lodge report. Regular meetings are held on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month in the Masonic Temple on Main Street.
Temple Lodge, No. 96. Free and Accepted Masons, was or- ganized at Waterford under a dispensation dated April 20, 1856, with Samuel E. Chapman, worshipful master: Hiram D. Morse, senior warden: Nelson H. Palmer, junior warden; George W. Sproat, secretary; Charles Moe, treasurer. The lodge started with eleven members and the first meetings were held in a back room in Mr. Chapman's residence. In 1862 a hall was secured over Palmer & Moe's store. At one time this lodge had over
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fifty members, but the last Grand Lodge report gives the number in 1915 as forty-one.
In 1865 eight Master Masons at Union Grove signed a peti- tion to the Grand Lodge for a dispensation to organize a lodge. The petition was granted and a lodge was organized, with B. R. Clark, worshipful master: T. II. Carlton, senior warden; Garn Hulett, junior warden. A charter was subsequently granted to the lodge, but after a struggling existence of several years the charter was surrendered and the lodge passed out of existence. The present Masonie lodge at Union Grove was organized under a dispensation dated April 4, 1904, and on the 15th of June fol- lowing this lodge was chartered as Union Grove, No. 288. It has about forty members and is in a flourishing condition.
Orient Chapter, No. 12, Royal Arch Masons, of Racine, was organized under dispensation on December 4, 1854, and chartered on February 7, 1855. The first officers under the charter were: James Bullen, high priest; 1. J. Ullman, king: G. Bronson, seribe. The chapter now numbers over two hundred members and holds regular meetings on the first and third Friday evenings of each month at the Masonic Temple. The high priest in 1916 was William F. Kisow, and Leo I. Redmond was secretary.
Racine Commandery, No. 7, Knights Templars, received a dispensation to organize on August 7. 1865, and at the next annual meeting of the Wisconsin Grand Commandery, at Mil- wankee, January 3, 1866, a charter was granted. J. A. Horlick was the first eminent commander: Julius Wooster, the first gen- eralissimo, and E. D. Filer, the first captain-general. This com- mandery now has a strong membership and holds meetings in the Masonic Temple on the first Wednesday evening of each month. The principal officers in 1916 were: Thomas W. Leslie, eminent commander; Lonis Thronson, generalissimo; George A. Platz, captain-general; Milton W. JJones, secretary: Byron B. Northrop, treasurer.
Racine Conneil. No. 5, Royal and Select Masters, meets quarterly in March, JJune, September and December, in the Ma- sonic Temple, and the Masonic Relief Board, which was organized in January, 1875, meets when occasion requires. The board in 1916 was composed of J. W. Hall. JJ. J. Hoernel and E. E. Gittins.
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ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR
The Order of the Eastern Star is a sort of "side degree" to Freemasonry, to which the wives, mothers and daughters of Master Masons are eligible. Local organizations are called chap- ters, of which there are three in Raeine County.
Racine Chapter, No. 45, was organized under a dispensation granted on February 7, 1893, and on the 23rd of the same month received a charter. From a small charter membership the chap- ter has grown until the last report of the Grand Chapter credits it with 487 members. Regular meetings are held in the Masonic Temple on the first and third Thursdays of each month. The leading officers for 1916 were: Stewart W. Chamberlin, worthy patron; Mrs. Caroline Kammerer, worthy matron; Mrs. Lydia Hanson, secretary.
Union Grove Chapter, No. 71, was granted a dispensation on August 6, 1895, and was instituted under a charter dated February 20, 1896. According to the Grand Lodge report for 1915, it then had thirty-four members, with Royal Hilme, worthy patron: Mrs. Mary Scott, worthy matron: Miss Minnie Thomp- son, secretary.
Burlington Chapter, No. 153, was instituted under a charter granted on February 23, 1905, though it had been organized under dispensation on December 28, 1904. In 1915 it reported 140 members, with Theo. Lightfield, worthy patron: Pearl Owen, worthy matron; Gertrude Wood, secretary.
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS
The origin of this order can be traced back to about 1745, when it made its appearance in England under the name of the "Ancient and Most Noble Order of Bucks," in the ceremonies of which were many features found in modern Odd Fellowship. About 1748 Aristarchus Lodge, No. 9, held meetings in the Globe Tavern in London. Such meetings were proscribed by the Eng- lish Government and about 1773 the order declined, though a few of the "Bucks" still met secretly, and about 1778 the words "Odd Fellow" first occur in the ritual. In 1809 a lodge at Manchester declared its independence and held meetings in defiance of the government proscription. Seeing that this lodge was not molested, several others joined with it in 1813 in form- ing the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows. Not long after this
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the order was transplanted to America by the organization of Shakspere Lodge, No. 1, in the City of New York. It soon went down and the first permanent lodge in the United States was organized in 1819 by Thomas HI. Wildey, of Baltimore.
To the Odd Fellows belongs the distinction of having been the first fraternal society to organize a lodge in Racine County. As early as 1843 ten Odd Fellows got together in Burlington and formed a lodge, which was subsequently chartered by the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin. Fred Loven, of Kenosha, was the first noble grand, and James Catton, vice-grand. While the growth of the lodge was not rapid it was permanent, and in a few years it was able to acquire a good hall over Kantz's hard- ware store. Among those who assisted materially in building up this first lodge in the county were James Edmonds. Richard Weygard, Thomas Marsland, J. W. Edmonds and E. S. Voorhees. It is now in a flourishing condition and the members are proud of belonging to the first lodge ever established in the County of Racine.
Racine Lodge, No. 8, was organized by David MeDonald and a few others in the fall of 1845, and was regularly instituted under a charter dated April 30, 1846. In 1858 it surrendered its charter and records to the Grand Lodge, so that its early history cannot be obtained. On July 1, 1859, a new charter was granted to the lodge, giving it the original name and number, and it was reorganized with thirteen charter members and the following officers: Alexander Griswold, noble grand; William H. Jenks, vice-grand; George Foster, secretary; David McDonald, treas- urer. Under the new charter the lodge prospered and in a few years owned property at 417-421 Wisconsin Street valued at $5,000. The present Odd Fellows' Hall occupies the same site, where the lodge meets on Tuesday evening of each week. The officers at the beginning of 1916 were: James Larson, noble grand; Lonis Steele, vice-grand; Chris Pach, recording secretary; L. A. Williams, financial secretary; Andrew Ruger, treasurer.
The next Odd Fellows' lodge to be organized in the county was at Rochester. In April, 1849, Jesse Stetson and a few other citizens of Rochester held meetings in the school house to de- nounce secret orders in general and the Odd Fellows in partic- ular. Now, it so happened that there were a small number of Odd Fellows living in the vicinity, among whom were C. J. True
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and Henry Cady. The action of Mr. Stetson and his associates brought a vigorous protest from the Odd Fellows, and on July 18, 1849, a lodge of about sixty members was formed. Hiland Hurlburt was the first noble grand: Wallace Hurlburt, vice- grand, and Doctor Boyce, secretary.
Germania Lodge, No. 70, was organized on July 15, 1853, and was composed exclusively of Germans. Joseph Lackner was the first noble grand; Ferdinand Ellinger, vice-grand; Simon Wile, secretary: Christopher Wustum, treasurer. In 1863, owing to the fact that so many members had enlisted in the army, Germania was consolidated with Racine Lodge, No. 8. On January 19. 1872, a new charter was obtained and Germania was reorganized and eight years later had nearly two thousand dollars' worth of property. It continued for some years longer, when it finally disbanded, the members uniting with the other lodges in the city.
McDonald Lodge, No. 137, in the City of Racine, was organ- ized under a charter dated December 27. 1867, with the following officers: L. W. Botsford, noble grand; Frank J. Gibson, vice- grand: M. P. Barry, recording secretary: S. P. Gilbert, financial secretary: C. B. Tieknor, treasurer. This lodge has had a steady and substantial growth from the beginning and now holds meet- ings regularly in Winters' Hall, at 412-416 West Sixth Street, on Thursday evening of each week. The officers at the begin- ning of the year 1916 were: Oscar Peterson, noble grand: Clyde B. Willeson, vice-grand; Charles Cook, recording secretary; J. J. Wiertz, financial secretary; Arthur Johnson, treasurer.
Star Encampment, No. 4, Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, was organized in the fall of 1855 and received a charter dated January 18, 1856. The records of the encampment have been twice destroyed by fire, hence the early history cannot be learned. The encampment now meets on the second and fourth Friday evenings of each month in the Odd Fellows' Hall. At the opening of the year 1916 Ole H. Anderson was chief patri- arch; F. A. Botsford, high priest; R. W. Hansen, senior warden; O. C. Nielsen, junior warden; George A. Hartman, scribe; I. Buresh, treasurer.
DAUGHTERS OF REBEKAH
Connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows is a ladies' degree called the Daughters of Rebekah, the members
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of which are generally spoken of as "Rebekahs." The first lodge of this degree in Raeine County was organized in connec- tion with Germania Lodge on December 3, 1874, under the name of Thusnelda Lodge, No. 39. When Germania Lodge was finally disbanded, the members of this Rebekah lodge found a home in the Lily of the West Lodge, No. 33, which now meets on the first and third Wednesday evenings of each month in the Odd Fel- lows' Hall on Wisconsin Street. The officers of this lodge at the commencement of 1916 were: Mrs. Cassie Ketehingman, noble grand; Mrs. U. Hansen, vice-grand; Mrs. Kate Jones, recording secretary: Mrs. B. Buresh, financial secretary: Mrs. Jennie Campbell, treasurer.
Success Rebekah Lodge, No. 216, meets on the first and third Wednesday evenings of each month in Winters' Hall, on West Sixth Street, the meeting place of MeDonald Lodge. This lodge was organized on February 29, 1912, with Mrs. Margaret Pierce, noble grand; Mrs. Margaret McNaughton, vice-grand; Mrs. Mary Chambers, recording secretary: Mrs. Helen Peterson, financial secretary: Mrs. Nellie Winters, treasurer, and eighty charter members. At the beginning of 1916 the principal officers were: Clara Koch, noble grand: Mamie Myers, vice-grand: Margaret Pierce, secretary: Nellie Winters, treasurer.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS
On February 15. 1864, five members of the Arion Glee Club of Washington, D. C., met and listened to the recital of a ritna! of a new secret order. They were Justus II. Rathbone, Dr. Sulli- van Kimball, Robert A. Champion, William IL. and David L. Burnett. The ritual, which is founded upon the story of the friendship of Damon and Pythias, was written by Mr. Rathbone, who is regarded as the founder of the order. Four days after these five men adopted the ritual and decided upon the name "Knights of Pythias, " Washington Lodge, No. 1, was organized. The Civil War was then in progress and for the first few years the growth of the order was slow. About 1869 a member of new lodges were formed and within a few years from that time Pyth- ianism spread to all parts of the Union.
Since the organization of the order several new features have been added. The lodge represents the fraternal; the Uni- form Rank, the military; the Endowment Rank, the protective,
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and the Dramatic Order, Knights of Khorassan, the social side of life. There is also a ladies' auxiliary known as the Pythian Sisters.
The only Knights of Pythias lodge in Racine County is Racine Lodge, No. 32, which has over five hundred members. The lodge has recently purchased the old Young Men's Chris- tian Association Building, on the northeast corner of Sixth Street and College Avenue, which is being remodeled for a Castle Hall, when the Knights of Pythias will remove from their old quarters in the Baker Block to a home of their own. The officers of the lodge for 1916 were as follows: George A. Cary, chancellor commander; Guy A. Benson, vice-commander; H. F. Edmunds, keeper of the records and seal; Joseph J. Patrick, master of finance: George N. Fratt, master of the exchequer.
In 1878 the Uniform Rank was formed. Racine Company, No. 1. meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Of this company F. L. Wright was captain in the spring of 1916; T. J. Pryce, first lieutenant: F. W. Kever, second lieutenant. W. H. Armstrong, of Racine, is colonel of the First Wisconsin Regiment, Uniform Rank, which meets on call, and J. G. Eager is adjutant. In the Spanish-American War the Uniform Rank furnished to the Goverment over eight thousand enlisted men, 700 captains. 44 majors, 28 colonels, and 4 brigadier-generals.
The Endowment Rank is not an integral part of the order and it is optional with the members whether they carry insur- ance in it or not. It has about one hundred million dollars of insurance in force and pays out about one and a half millions annually in death claims. Joseph Schroeder was president of the Racine Endowment Rank in 1916, and John G. Eager was secretary. Ammal meetings are held in December.
Aden Temple, No. 159, Knights of Khorassan, was organ- ized on December 2, 1911, with 100 charter members. It now numbers over five hundred, who hail from about fifty cities of the state.
Belle City Temple, No. 29, Pythian Sisters, holds meetings on the first and third Friday evenings in each month. The offi- cers at the beginning of 1916 were: Mrs. Cornelia Foster, M. E. C .: Mrs. Aha Nelson, E. S .: Mrs. Ella Hanson, E. J .; Mrs. Charlotte Bartell, M. of R. and S .; Miss Mamie Hyde, M. of F.
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THE ELKS
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is the out- growth of a club of "good fellows," which was organized in the City of New York in 1868. At first the meetings were informal, the time being passed in singing songs, "swapping yarns," etc., but after a little while a permanent club was formed under the name of the "Jolly Corks." The principal aim was to have a good time and the meetings were more of a social than a busi- ness character. Some months later, when it was proposed to found a secret order, the name "Jolly Corks" was objected to as not being sufficiently dignified. A committee was therefore appointed to select and report a new name. The committee happened to visit Barnum's Museum, where they saw an elk and learned something of that animal's habits. They then suggested the name of "Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks," which was adopted. The initials B. P. O. E. are sometimes interpreted as meaning "Best People on Earth." The motto of the Elks is: "The faults of our brethren we write upon the sands; their vir- tues upon the tablets of love and memory." In 1915 there were over twelve hundred lodges in the United States.
Racine Lodge, No. 252, was organized on January 6, 1893, with E. C. Dean as the first exalted ruler. Meetings were at first held in the Knights of Pythias Hall. In 1912 the spacious and magnificent club house on the lake shore at the foot of Sixth Street was erected. It is one of the best appointed in the com)- try and presents all the features of the finest club houses of the larger cities. B. E. Nelson was the exalted ruler in the early part of 1916, and J. S. Adrion was secretary. The lodge now numbers considerably over five hundred members, and has a strong marching elub that attends Elks' conventions and never fails to attract its share of attention.
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
This order was founded at Decatur, Illinois, April 6, 1866, by Dr. B. F. Stephenson and W. J. Rutledge, who had served as surgeon and chaplain of the Fourteenth Illinois Infantry during the Civil War. Its membership is composed of the sol- diers, sailors and marines who fought on the side of the Union. The objeets are "To maintain and strengthen the fraternal feel- ings which bind together the soldiers, sailors and marines who
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