Bristol County, Massachusetts - Chapter 17: Lodges and Fraternal Societies, 1924

LODGES AND FRATERNAL SOCIETIES The most ancient of all secret societies or lodges in the world is supposed to be the Masonic Order. This was first represented in New Bedford, by Star of the East Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, chartered December 10, 1823, with Timothy I. Dyre the first Worshipful Master.

Eureka Lodge was chartered May 8, 1857, Timothy Ingraham its first master. Both of these Masonic lodges are still in a prosperous condition.

Capitular Masonry is represented by Adoniram Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, chartered October 4, 1816, at Attleboro, Massachusetts; was moved to Taunton, and the first convocation held July 5, 1825, and on November 23, 1845, New Bedford became its permanent home.

New Bedford Council, Royal and Select Masons, and Sutton Commandery, Knights Templar, chartered May 4, 1864, John B. Baylies. This commandery was named in honor of William Sutton, sir knight of Salem, Massachusetts, who presented his namesake with a beautiful templar banner. ,

The Order of Eastern Star, the Women's auxiliary to Masonry, was first represented in New Bedford by Chapter No. 49, November. 20, 1895, and later by Dartmouth Chapter No. 106, constituted April 24, 1907.

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is represented by Acushnet Lodge, No. 41, instituted April 11, 1844, with William H. Taylor as noble grand; and by Vesta Lodge, No. 166, instituted February 23, 1874, Charles B. Hillman, noble grand. Anawan Encampment, No. 8, was instituted May 23, 1845, and Canton New Bedford, No. 43, Patriarchs Militant, April 7, 1886. Other degrees of Odd Fellowship are here represented, including the Daughters of Rebekah, who have two lodges, Stella, No. 46, instituted Anpril 1, 1885; and Usher, No. 114.

New Bedford being a live American manufacturing center, naturally has numerous Unions and labor organizations, admitting all sorts of tradesmen, and every nationality under the shining sun seems to be well represented in labor and mutual insurance orders, most of which are prosperous at this time. Then there are clubs galore - men's and women's, in and out of the city.

Of the military orders, one finds the Grand Army of the Republic; William Logan Rodman Post No. 1, organized October 4, 1886; R. A. Pierce Post, No. 190, organized May 28, 1888. The half century since the Civil War has depleted the ranks of the boys who wore the blue from '6l to 65. At one time the two posts in New Bedford mustered about seven hundred Civil War veterans belonging to the Grand Army of the Republic, but today there are less than two hundred left in the two posts. One of © the posts lost 216 men by death. A recent history of New Bedford gives the subjoined on the Grand Army Posts of the city:

The "boys in blue' and "the boys in khaki" are words very true, when we use them with reference to those who have fought in their country's wars. It is really true that for the most part it is boys who fight in their country's battles. This is strikingly illustrated by the men who went out with the Third Massachusetts Infantry. The average age of the men in the regimeng was only nineteen years, and at its head was Colonel Silas P. Richmond, only thirty years of age. It was this regiment that included a New Bedford drummer-boy who went. out in 1862 at the age of thirteen years, and that boy is now Charles G. Allen, of this city, a member of Post No. 190, the youngest veteran in the post, the youngest in Massachusetts, and possibly the youngest veteran now living in New England. Mr. Allen is now (1917) sixty-eight years old, and he can drum today almost as well as he could in 1862. Ever since the days of the Civil War, Mr. Allen has been well known for his ability with the drum, and on many occasions the rat-tat-tat of his drum has been the music for the marching feet of the members of the post, as they have made their way through New Bedford streets. For years after the Civil War, he played in band organizations upon his drum in this city, but gave this up some time ago. Before the war, when Mr. Allen was a "little shaver," he tapped on the cellar door with chair legs. His inclination towards drumming resulted in his receiving instructions from Israel Smith, the old band leader. Mr. Allen, as the youngest veteran of Post 190, has had a very close competitor for the honor of being the youngest veteran living here, in Nahum F. Nickelson, the youngest veteran of Post No. 1. Mr. Nickelson, now Junior Vice-commander of Post 1, went out as a drummer-boy at the age of sixteen years, and he is now sixty-nine years of age.

The two Posts also run a close race for the honor of having the oldest living veteran. Post 1 takes this honor through having as a member, Henry J. Purrington, the oldest man in Mattapoisett, now ninety-two years of age. Mr. Purrington is often an attendant at post meetings. The oldest member of Post No. 190 is Edwin J. McEmons, who is ninety-one years of age. He is able to be about, but not to be at post meetings.

Thomas W. Cook, past commander of Post No. 1, had the honor of having served as past commander longer than any other man in Massachusetts and possibly the longest of any post commander in New England. He was commander twenty-one years. Major Cushman, of the Fortyseventh Massachusetts Infantry, who founded Post 1, on October 4, 1866, was also the first department commander of Massachusetts in 1866-67.

The man who enjoys the distinction of having served the longest in any one office in the post (No. 190) was Adjutant George P. Macomber, who first served in this office in 1897, under Commander Henry W. Mason.

During the late World War both Grand Army Posts here showed a willingness to-do whatever their strength and age would permit, and so expressing themselves as members and as a body to the President, 'Governor, and Mayor.

The two New Bedford Posts bear names of distinguished New Bedford men who fell for the flag of their country. Colonel William Logan Rodman, for whom Post No. 1 was named, was killed at Port Hudson, when he exposed himself above the parapet. Richard A. Peirce, for whom Post No. 190 was named, went from New Bedford to Fortress Monroe with three months men, and he was afterward designated by Governor Andrew to superintend the transportation of Massachusetts troops to the front. He became a major-general in the service. The post treasures among its mementoes of the war the equipment of General Peirce. Another memento which Post No. 190 prides itself upon is the possession of a drum captured from the British at Bunker Hill by an ancestor of the late Israel Smith, who, when he became a member of the post, presented the drum to the same.

Men who held high rank in the Union army have been members of one or the other of these posts at New Bedford. The late Philip H. King, of Post 190, stood guard at the door of the McLean house at Appomattox when the terms of surrender were arranged by Grant and Lee. Henry W. Mason was major of the Ninth New York Cavalry, among the first Union troops to be engaged at Gettysburg. Mr. Mason and the late Nicholas E. Howland were present at Ford's Theatre on the night Lincoln was assassinated. The late William P. Randall was on board the "Cumberland" when she was sunk by the "Merrimac." He fired the last shot from the sinking ship. Joseph M. Simms was a captain in the navy. William W. Barry was paymaster in the navy, Dr. George W. Winslow was a surgeon in the navy, and was later retired as a rear-admiral. Samuel C. Hart became colonel of the Twenty-third Massachusetts Regiment. John A. P. Allen was colonel of a Massachusetts artillery regiment, James F.

hipman was a major. James W. Hervey was captain of Company A, Third Massachusetts Cavalry. Thomas R. Rodman was captain, of Company H, Thirty-eighth Massachusetts Regiment. Joseph Austin was a captain; Charles F. Shaw was a major; Rev. Isaac H. Coe was a chaplain; William G. Davis was a lieutenant; Thomas J. Gifford and Frederick §. Gifford were first lieutenants.

Post No. 1 had among its members the late Colonel Silas P. Richmond, who went out at the head of the Third Massachusetts ae Major Austin §. Cushman, of the Forty-seventh Infantry. James Barton was a lieutenant-colonel. Thomas W. Cook was first lieutenant in Massachusetts Artillery. Patrick Cannavan was first lieutenant in Company B, Fourth Massachusetts Cavalry. Jonathan k. Cowan was captain of an unattached troop of Massachusetts cavalry. Albert Braley was a second lieutenant; William A. Allen was first lieutenant; James L. Wilber was first lieutenant of Company E, Third Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. Thomas H. Nolan, of Fairhaven, was first lieutenant in various branches of the cavalry service.

The history of Grand Army of the Republic posts at New Bedford is not complete without reference to the now defunct Robert Gould Shaw Pest, No. 146, which included the colored veterans of the Civil War. They maintained their organization as long as there were enough veterans alive to keep the charter, and now the few who are left are in the other posts.

The Woman's Relief Corps is represented by William Logan Rodman Post 53, auxiliary to Post No. 1, instituted September 11, 1875, and R. A. Peirce Corps No. 95, auxiliary to Post No. 190, instituted January 13, 1891. There are two camps of Sons of Veterans - jJohn A. Hawes Camp, No. 35, and John H. Clifford Camp. There is also a Ladies' Auxiliary to the John A. Hawes Camp. '