Porter County, Indiana - Chapter 12: Societies and Fraternities, 1912

KNIGHTS OF THE MACCABEES FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES SPANISHAMERICAN WAR VETERANS KNIGHTS AND LADIES OP HONOR CmC IMrRO\'EMENT ASSOCIATION - MUNICIPAL STUDY ASSOCIATION SOCIAL

Man is a gi-egarious animal, and while that statement is not original, it is true, nevertheless. Created with the social instinct, as civilization advances and becomes more complex, the individual members of societv realize more and more their dependence upon each other. To promol<' mutual interests, societies or associations are formed hy persons engaged in the same line of business; unions are organized hy workmen who follow the same trade or vocation; fraternal orders have been called into -existence for social intercourse, to care for the sick or unfortunate among the members, l)xT^\v thi^ dead, and provide for the wido^v and orphan through the medium of frnlernal insurance.

Probably the first society of au industrial chavai-ler evor organized ill Porter county Avas an agricultural society. On T''e!iriiar-y 14, 1851, tlie governor of Indiana approved an act of the stair ]<'o;ishi1ure. section 1 of which reads as follows :

"Be it enacted by the General Assembly of llic Sl,iir of Luliana, .That whenever thirty or more persons, residents oC any or district embracing two coimties of this state, shall organize Dieinfsulvi-.s into a society for the improvement of agriculture within said coiinly or district, and shall have adopted a constitution and by-laws agncnbly 1o tbr' rules and regulations to be furnished by the Indiana State Board uf Agriculture, aiid shall have appointed the usual and proper nf!ii;ris. aiul -when said society shall have i-aised and paid to their trcasiin r. Ij.v Adluiilary subscription, or by fees imposed upon its members, .'uiy siua of money not less than fifty dollars; and whenever the president, of said society shall certify to the i-espective county auditors the aiiueml thus paid, attested by the oath or aftirmatiou of the treasuj-er bd'or.' a Diagistrate, it shall be the duty of said county auditors embracer] ^--jtl:iu Die district in which said society shall be organized, to draw an urd;i- im tlje 1 r.asurer of his resiieetive county in favor of the president and treiihairer of said society for whatever amount of funds there shall lune liecn received during the previous years for all licenses issued to jinseais exhibiting menageries, circuses, or theatrical performances, or olher shows: I'rovidcd, said order shallnot exceed the amount raised and paid in b.y said society b.y voliintary subscriptions or fees, and it sliall he llie dat.\ of the treasurer of said coTinty to pa.y the same. " ' izatiiiu wjis funiplitod by tJio, election of the following:; board of directors.- William A. IJarnes, Azariah Freeman, 11 .E .Wfrodruff, W. C. Taicott, W. W. Joutb and Aaron Lytic. Mr. ]3arues was elected president of tlio board and Azariali Freeuuiu was chosen treasurer. In November iliese two ofScer.s filed tlie certiticale recjuii'cd by law wilh the county auditor, showing that sixty-one d'lllars had lieen paid in as inembershii) fees, and the society received from the county the sum of twenty-five dollars, the amount collected as license fees as provided in the act. Fairs were held annually by this society until 1862, when, the Civil war Ix^iug at its height, it suspended operations.

After the war was over no attempt Avas made to revive the old agricultural .society, and thus matters stood until the I'all of 1871. On October 4,. 1871, a ncNV "Tortcr County Agricultural Society" was organized by a meeti)ig held at the county auditor's office, A. V. Bartliolome^A' presiding and Reason Bell acting as secretary. S. S. Skinner, C. 'W. Dickover and Engclbert Zimmerman were appointed a eomniittce to draft a constitution and by-laws, and J. C. Barnes, Cyrus Axe and D. P. Jones -were appointed to solicit funds to defray the expenses of holding a county fair on October 19th and 20th following. With only two weeks in which to make all necessary preparations, a fair was held on the days named and it was a success in all respects. From that time forward fairs were held annuallv and thcv were usually well attended. Under the auspices of the old society the fairs were held upon the court-house square until 1859, when a fair ground was secured southwest of town, near the woolen fad ory. The records do not show that this tract was purchased by the society, but old settlers seem to think that a pui'chase Avas made and the deed not recorded. If such was the case, it is probable that no cash payment -was made, and when the society suspended in 18()2 the grand i-evertcd to the foi'iuer owner.

After the society M'as reorganized in 1871, the question of obtainiug suitable grounds for holding fairs. On July 13, 1872, the county commissioners ^(fh'Qi] the problem by purchasing a tract of ground described in the deed as follows: "Commencing three chains and forty-

;iioiui(l the grounds, build- was held here in 1872. ) llu- ('air grounds by pur- ' ivt distance north of the iirslnldn road. The fair Jiisi\-c. Owing to threati i!ie standard, and the sor t^l.OOO, \\iiich was paid by Pcircr. president; Alu'a- ' iiiuicw. Ireasurer - all reid an\ fair that year, and . (liatcly liegan making ar- \r\\\hvr.

coimty, September 27th 1o oOtli; Lake county, October 4tli to 7th. Tli<- fairs that year were well attended and in many respects better than tve) before, due to the cooperation of the three counties, wliich created ;i friendly rivalry among exhibitors. The records do not show when the Northwestern Fair Circuit ceased its operations as an organization.

Toward the close of the decade from 1840 to 1850, horse stealing became common occurrence in Porter and adjoining counties, and to protect themselves tlie citizens formed associations for the capture of the thieves. The Morgan Prairie Anti Horse Tliief Association was organized and a constitution adopted on May 11, 1851. By this constitution it was provided that the membership should not be "less Ihan (en nor more than one hundred." A. W. Talbott, of Center township, was elected president; J. N. Thompson, of JMoryan to^s^3sllip. secretary, and James Bnudy, treasurer. Thirty-eight men enrolled their names and paid their dues as members of the association, which was in active existence for about ten year's, when the conditions became so much improved that there was no necessity for its further existence. After the wai', horse thieves again made their appearance in the northern Indiana counties and in 1869 the board of county commissioners approved the articles of association of another ^Vnti Horse Thief Society. Like its l^redecessor, after a few years it was discontinued.

In July, 1909, a horse was stolen from Dorsey Campbell by Geo)ge French, who stopped at the house of a man named Jones in Pleasant townshij) and asked permission to rest himself and the horse for awhile. Jones did not like the appearance of things and communicated witli tlu sberifL' by telephone. A dejjuty went to Jones' place and placed French under arrest. He died shortly afterward in the hospital at Valparaiso. Before his death he stated that it was his intention to return the horse, having borrowed it witliout tlic owno-'s knowledge or pei'iuission, and many people believe such was the ease. Tlie incident, however, created considerable excitement among horse owners, and this excitement was in creased when, on October 25, 1909, a horse and buggy were taken from the Wrn of Peter Hoosline a)ul a horse from tlie barn of Charles Ohlfes[,

The result of the rneetiug' was 1li' Horse Thief Association, which is still i' a rueiabershij-t of about 100, with a b county, whose duty it should be to mn < his toA\aiship upon the notice of a tlicfi a short time the inoiubersliip was in..-: the immediate danger was past many < : to pay their dues, until tlie uiembersl still remains. The officers in 1912 \. dent ; Gustaf K. Bornholt, .secretary ' '

On Hay 2G, 1881, a number of old ^ of George C. Buel, the occasion being Id birth, and some one suggested the fori> : tion. Accordingly Arlillus Y. Bartl! chairman and Firmin Church was cb' sion as to \\'hat constituted an old setlkr, had reached the age of forty-five a>ii! or more in Porter countv should be - in the association. A committee ian old settlers' meeting in Septcm!. :

5. R. Bryant, Willia,m Henry, Azai i liain Stoddard, Stuari Ii. Spence)-.. Josephus "Wolf, Nel.son Baruard, Isa< - zard Sheffield. The eommittce met f

he 1 iun-oss the Hue into Luke I ji; .f- r Chicago. A meeting ioi 1 ? a f teruoon of December :\v of Ihe fact that horse sleal- 1 , all horse owners to use :'- .; advantage of organir'-.-'-ii/atiou of another Anti

"2. That our niectiu,L;s may be conilucted with o;'dei' and iu'0j)ncty, will annually elect a President, .Secretary, Trea.surev, and oju- Vice- President from each towjiship, who shall perforju lii' duties usually re- ([uired of such officers for a term of one year, or i;; dl their successors are elected.

"o. The President. Secretary and Treasurer shall be au Executive Committee, Avitli jjower to make such, rules and regu: iions as they may deem necessary and proper, to cairmce.tiujfs and .ircud to such business generally as will promote the objects of the ass(.>i'i;ition.

"4. Our 2ueetings, except wlien otherM'ise diici:', il by the executive comiuittee, to bi; of the piniic order, each member i^; ing such j'efreshments as tlio.>' may deem .suitable for the occasion.

"5. All persojis over forty-five j'ears of age, ajnl . ]io were residents of Porter county twenty-five years or more previous o the 1st of July, 1881, and now citizens of the county, shall, by sigiiin-- 'hese rules, become members of the association during good behavior aii''. with their children, enjiiy all its benefits.

"6. Our first general meeting shall be held on ihe public scpiarc at Valparaiso, the 17th day of September, 1881, at 10 o'clock, A. M., at which time our first board of officers shall be elected

Pursuant to the arrangements of the committee, h iarge number of old settlers met on September 17th aud passed the rue until noon in relating reminiscences of early days. Dinner was tin served upon the public square to more than 500 people. At two o'ck^ri. in the afternoon Azariah Freeman called the }neeting to order, prayer \\:r-: offered by Hev. W. J. Forbes, a)id Mayor Skinner made a short adrli ., welcoming Ihc pioneer men and women and extending to them the ' idtalities of ihe city. This was followed by short speeches bj-- ilark 1. i)e ]\rotte, Jesse Johnston, Kev. G. M. Boyd, William MeCool, Russili iJohoon, George C. Moi-gan, S. P. IJobbins, David Merriman, Nelson ihn - ird, A. V. liartholomew, Kev. W. J. Forbes and others, old-fashioned .-J.uigs being inlm-- sjK'i-sed l)i't vecn llic adrcsses. Next camo tlic elect ion ol' officers. A. V. ];artliolomc->\- was choson in-esideiU; Reason Jiell, seereliii-y; and llie Mlowing viff-presldents wero elected for the sexcriil I'^nsliips : T. C. Boone; William J. Forbes, Center; Xelsnn I'.nrnMrd, Jackson; William tlcniy, Sr., Liberty; Elias Cain, Moreaii; ^;atnnel Ilackctt, Pine; Simeon Withani, Pleasant; William iieCool, Porlaf^e; Ira Cornell, Porter; Isaac Hardesty, Union; Charles R. Luliier, Washington; and George ]\Iorgan, Westchester.

greetings were held by the association annua ll.\- for several years Ijut as the old settlers M'erc cnt off by the nnrelcnlless hand of death interest in the meetings tlecreased and the association, iinally passed into history. ^'An old settlers' association was also drgaiiized at Hebron and a rnimber of interesting meetings were held by Die pioneers of the sontheru ])art of the county. But, like the association at Valparaiso, as the old men and women died off their deseendaids lost interest and the meetings were discontinued.

Of till' secret orders, the JMa.souic fraternit}- was the (ii'st to organize a lodge in Porter county. In IMay, 1842, a meelin;; was licld at the house of Adam S. Campbell for the purpose of lormir,:' a lodge. There were present at that meeting Arthur Buel, Adam S. Campbell, William K. Talbott, John E. Harris, James Luther and Jonatlian (Irifiin. Arthur Buel iD-esided and AVilliam K. Talbott acted il^ seerelary. The following resolution^ifjvere adopted :

The iiieBting- tlien adjourned to inecl .'il liie - all of the,\vorj;hipful mast(!j-. On Jujie 6, 1842, the lodge ii,i.l foi' ll;- lirsl-, time nnd<T dispensation and the otiieers were installed by TlMiias T). Lemon, deputy j,a'and master. The by-laws adopted fi>;ed 1he fe'.s at !^10 for the first degree; $2 for the second, $3 for the thitd, aisd fct- admission on dimit from anotlier lodye, $2. E. C. Abbott was ilic lirst representative to the grand lodge, with instructions to apply ior a cljarfci'. The charter granted to this lodge was dated May 24, 1843, and ihc last meeting of which there is any record Avas held in May, 1841.

'Die second j\las()iii<' lodgv in the county was organized at Chesterton, under a., dispensation dalcd ?ilarch 9, 18G8. On May 27, 1868, it received a charier as. Calumet Lodge Xo. 379, with George Eawson, W. M.: Beujaraiu Little, S. W. ; and John A. Harris, J. W. These three otFicers, with F. B. Coffin, John Thomas, Geoi-ge C. Collins, John C. Coulter, John B. Lindberg, L. B. Osborn and Abraham Fuller, constituted the charter members. In 1912 the lodge had eighty-four members, and the oflicers for that year were as follows : Joseph Mead, W. M. ; Cliai-les Pillinan, S. W. ; Charles Babcock, J. W. ; Iloi'ace I. Mannering, trea.surer; Adrian j\. Whitman, secretary; Victor Vandemplas, S. D., and William A. Wood, J. D. The regular meetings of the lodge are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays in each month in the II. F. Carlson Block. The early records of this lodge \\-ere destroyed by fire, hence it is impossible to get a complete history of its career. There was formerly a chapter of Royal Arch Masons .at Cliesterton, but it surrendered its charter in October, 1911, when tlie iiiembersliip Avas Iransfcrred to the chapter at Yaliiaraiso.

Evergreen Lodge, No. 403, F. & A. M., was organized at AYhrelcr on j\Iay 25, 1SG9, with Andrew J. Harrison as Avorshipful master; D. S. Cnrtis as senior warden, and Miller Shinabarger as junior warden. The following year a two story frame building, M'ith a hall on the second floor was purchased and in a short time it was fully paid for.

tress; Josie ]>)-owii, as.soci;ilc condnc'lrcss: Anna Ilagiins, (-haplaiii; Margaret Bnnnuutt. Adah: >vora Kitlrr. FutU; B. Wlntnian, Esther; Lmnie Kruusgrill. ]\Iartha ; Estella Otborn, l^lect-fi; A. A. Whiluian, marshal; liattie Roe, organist.

Odd Fellowship had its origin in T"ii!;ini,d ahoat the beginning- of tlie Nineteenth i-ontury, though the lii;i' ;i'i(l phicc where the fir.st lodge was formed is not definitely ];no\vn. In l.sl:.' di legates from the several lodges around Jlanehester met and roinnid Die "Slanehester Unity of the ludepetuleut Order of Odd Fellows."" Some five or six years before that time a lodge Avas organized in New 'Yorh and another in Brooklyn by Solomon Chambers and his two sons, who had joined the order before leaving England. Both these lodges vien- sliuri dived, and it was not nnfij 1819 that the first lodge was firmly o-siablishod in Ihe Unilod Elates. That, lodge was organized at Baltinv.ire. .Maryhnid, liy Thomas Wildey and another Odd Fellow who eame from IC^ighmd in 181S. On February 1, 1820, the Baltimore lodge received a eljartcr from the ]\lanchester Unity under the name of "Washington I^odge and Grand Lodge of Maryland aijd tlie United Slates of America," ^vhieh is I'ecogni/.cd in the history of the order as Ihe first loihj>' in tlie United' States. Some years later Ameriean Odd FeUowship s.Mird its eonneetion with the Jlanelrester Unity, and in 1879 the gi-^iml lodge adopted the name of "Sovereign Grand Lodge of the IndejH'iidcnt Oidi.'v of Odd Fellows."

The first Odd Fellows lodge in I'ort.T coniiiy ^vas Cheipieuk Lodge, No. i)G, of Valparaiso, wliieh was instiliitrd on December 2, 1848, with Joseph Loraax as noble grand; E. I'dlis C;inij,1wdl, viee grand; John Dunning, secretary; Rol)ert C. Flint, Ireasurer, and William Harrison, inside guard. These men also constituted the charter mendiers of the lodge, having previously lahen the fi\c dc.m-ce.v o!' the ordei- at Lapoite. So far as ean be learned, the lodge fir.-,i im I in i'.yers' old fi'ame building on South AVashingtou street, alimi! h' n lliii-ds nl' thc^ way from ]\lain to Indiana avenue. From there it renmxi'd in Ihc third door of the Salyer Block on West Main street, and later to Ihc ihinl tlooi' of the building on East Main, where Louis TToj-h's biiildii;- now stp.nds. Tlci'c. on August

In ]S-j1 till.' ladies degree was established in councctioj; '-''- Odd' Fellowship. Alembers of this degree were originally kno\\'n . Daughters of Rebekah, but in i-ecent years thej' ha.ve adopted (1: ii.une of "Kebekahs." To this degree the wives, daughters and oth: i^'-uv fcmale relatives of Odd Fellows are eligible, and the Kebekal ''oivn an auxiliary to the lodge in charitable work, etc.

Oil July 3, 1905, .:\Iiriatu il. Kouls with sixty-thr'''C ehartr; 1-cttie Tiir)ier, iiolih' graJid; >Sai ett. financial secretary; Keim 1\larie Pierce, treasui'er. The \\"' Rcbeknh Lodge, of Valparaiso.

on March 15, 1907, with Edith I N-ice grand ; Nellie Sherwood, rc^' financial scci-ctary. In addilii.n charter meud)ers: ^\. 11. Boi-k. < Benson, Lovina Demass, Charl.',- Beatrice Harper, IMyrtle and I'Mgrill, William and :\1.\ lilc Laic ; n Monical, Anna Mimical, (irac i' licglcin, Cora Slc])hens, Mai'lli.i Stei)hciis, Calvin and M,-iggir :- Lulu Seymour. John and Tlin^ ])orted a mcmber.shii) of si.\f.v-.-

Five government oki-ks - Justus II. Katlihciir, ^Yillialll H. Burnett, David L. Burnett, Edward S. Kimball and Robert A. Championmet in a small room in Washington, D. C, Fcliruary,15, 1864, and listened to a ritual wliidi had been prepared by Mr. Ivalhboue as the basis of a new fi-aternal society. This ritual, whicli was adopted by the five )ucn, was founded upon the drama of Damon and Pythias, and it was proposed to eall tlie new order of the Knights of Pyfhias. On the 19th, four days after the first meeting, Washington T^odge, No. 1, Knights of I'ytliias, was instituled. Franldin Lodge, Ko. 2, was organized soon aft(."rward, and on Aj.ril 8, 1801, a grand lodge was established at Wa.shington. ' At that time the eountry M'as in the throes of eivil war and for a time the order did not make nmch headway. On August 1, 186,^), FraJiklin Lodge was the only one iu existence. Then came a, period of prosperity and during the next ten years the new order had found a footin- in nearly every northern and western stale.

Thirty-four men assembled in a hall at Chesterton on Jlonday evening, May 25, 1896, and were -organized into a lodge of the Knights of Pythias, known as Cliesterton Lodge, No. 442. At that meeting the following officers were installed: A. J. Hazelton, C. C. ; C. L. Burgess, V. C; A. E. Greene, Prel.; C. W. Powers, M. of W.;.E. W. Hawes, K. of R. and S. ; P. A. Johnson, M. of E. ; C. L. Ilaslett, M. of P. ; T. J. Johnson, M. at A.; George E. Doke, I. G. ; Arthur 0. Peterson, 0. G.; Besides these officers the following were enrolled as charter members: H. C. Weston, Charles E. Ilillstrom, J. P. Thompson, I^mil Zimmerman, Walter J. Soper, A. J. Brooker, B. J. Callahan, Edward Gustafson, R.

A. B. Wade Post, No. 208, was organized at Chesterto)i on Jidy 14, 1883. John T. Taylor was the first commander; John C. Ceidt i-, seuioivice commander; Harrison TI. AVilliams, junior vice commander- Gliarles Jackson, adjutant, and Martin Young, quartermaster. The eliarier members, in addition' to the above named officers, were: Frank Dei'gstrom. Robert Lansing. John Williams, John B. Fuller, 11. Green, Tlar\ey Alb ii. Jacob Beck, Solomon Replogle and Hiram Knapp. IJegidn meetings are held on the first and third Saturdays of each moiilh in l'^)icsters' hall. Wade Post at one time had a large member.ship foi- a i'^, n the si/e of Cliesterton, but death and removals had reduced it to lunriee,, in.'mhers in good standing in 1912. when Robert S .Greer was coiM!,.:ti;dei inid acting (juartermaster; Clinton AVillianis, senior viee connaai, l-r ; II. 11. Williams, junior vice commander; and G. A. Jlarciuarl. jidjnlant. In the cemetery at Ghesterton there are ninety-six graves oi' d-i'^iri' d cciurades for this lilfh' remnant of the post to decorate on Jleii."ri::! d:r< each year. In 1912 the memorial services were conducted b\ !!k Son.s of Veterans.

The Sons of Veterans, as (ii ' name indicates, is an ov^. i^ization of the sons ol' th<isc who fought on ihe side of llic Xorth in tljc ( 'i\ i! war. Its objects are. to i^erpetuate the recollection oi.' I lie gallant dc Is of their fathers, instill lessons of patT'inlisui in the rising generation, collect and preserve war relics and historK ,,' documents, and care for llir needy and distressed. The local organizati' ;is are called camps.

A year or so afler the close of the Civil war a few "goo = f iu (he ci1>- of New Yori: formed 1he habit oT siiending 11- '^ ^ togctUev "singing songs, swapping yarns, and in olbev way:, p.. time pleasantly." A pi/rmaneut club of fifleeu members w;.s :'- 1807 and the name of "The Jolly Corks" was adopted. The . year Charles S. Vivian, a young Englishman, suggested the i-.

Other secret and benevolent orders rrjiresented in the counl. Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights of the Maccabees, 11 Arcanum, the Fraternal Order of Ea-los, and the Independ. :.' Hr.iri Foresters of America.

The :Modern Woodmen have camps, or lodges, at Valparaiso Clir-lcr ton, Hebron and Kouts. Valparaiso Camp, No. 4654, holds it-, v,<rn]in meetings on the first and third Fridays of each month in Wood-, is. h:;!! Chesterton Camp, No. 5244, meets iu the Odd Fellows hall on l! and fourth Fridays of each month. Hebron camp. No. 7488, the Knights of Pythias hall on the second and fourth Wedu; each month, and Kouts Camp, No. 4572, holds its meetings on I and fourth Tuesdays in O'Brien's hall.

Some years ago a number of Foresters seceded from the of that name and organized the Foreslers of America. Valj^ ; i--^ became the headquarters of the new order, and courts have been !.;';:enized

On Jujie fi, 1906, a lodge of the Kjii-'lilinstituted in Valparaiso . This order admi':- tween the ages of eighteen and lifty-.fivi; in sums of $250, $500, $1,000 and $2,000 !'; lodge installed at the time of the orgaiiizal: past protector ; Dr. E. II. Powell, ijroleeloi , lector; Miss Lottie Molcr, secretary; Willi;. Fisher, chaplain; J. C. MoOre, guide; }h Dr. E. IT. Powell, medical examiner; Mr.-. Latour, trustees.

Numci'ous societies, clubs and associali. have been organized in Valparaiso at di!'!'>" tory. Among these may be mentioned Hi which numbers about 200 members, incli; !i and society women of the city. It is divi. literature, art, music and home economics- i ber or committee of tlio club. Late i)i IDm the acijuisilion of a club house, in iv'iicli 1!' manent quarters, but the moveiri ?!t (inali quently the rlub meetings are held ;;t the church parloi's, and on special occasions in >

At a meeting held in the the mayor's ofliec in -. Wy of Valparaiso on the evening of July 6, 1905, the Municipal Stii<i. Association was formed. W. E. Pinney was elected president; S. ',' i.:i';!igs, vice president; Mark L. Dickovei", secretary, and F. A. Turi;ve , . : ia;-:urer. The objects of the association Avere declared to be 'Mo slnd;.' ninMicipal problems and endeavor to ajiply the results of the invcsligM 'o!is Tor the good of the city." Some of the subjects to be studied wnr drsignaled as taxation, improvements of streets, building of sidewalks, reduction of the bonded debt, etc. The second meeting of (he association was held on July 1.3th, when the name was changed to the Men's Civic Study Association, in order to prevent it from being confused with the Civic Improvemejit Association of the women. At thi.s iiKi'1iii^>- a series of bylaws, or rules, were adopted, in which the pui'fioses >\. re staled as being "the study and better understanding of the scinuf uD'.crnnient, and the promotion of economical and efficient aumini,-,! r.diwn of county, township and city government." It was also (tfchu'!! ilial. the association should be non-partisan in character, llir ii)(li\i i: ,,l hu'inbers exercising the right of sutfi-age according to theii' npifiJ!. l-'uf a time the association wielded considerable influeu('e towaid t\u iiii]ii'o\'ement of the streets, etc., but, like most oi'ganizatious of llii.v .i.irler, it finally perished for lack of interest in the work it had shuh d unl lo do.

One of the most nniqne soeiiil organizations cvn- lii!:ii>'(i in the county is the "Thirteen Chib." It had its origin in tlh- r,ill of iMid, wheji thirteen young men met, partly by eliance and par!l.\ b.^ nndia-- standing, in the oifice of Dr. A. J. ITomfield, and joined in eaiini;- a "jiig dinner" in a I'oom in the rear of the doctor's office. Tin- llulii-n \-e)-e: Dr. A. J. Homfield, L. G. Benney, Ernie Pinney, Leon \\'lii'l> i , ljr>Ii(> R. Skinner, Roy "Wheeler, Gus Jones, Frank B. Winsbi,., i.. 11. rjetrc, E. G. Osborne, Charles G. Poster, P. G. Ketehum and Dr. C. U. Kudrrling. All were at the time unmarried. It was agreed to In: im |i(.| inanent organization, M'ith the understanding that as the memKri I'l,^ niarried, they were to entertain the other members at their homes. For tillct,)! years the arrangement has been sacredly observed, and om-c a year thi' members of the club assemble to partake of a dinner piii\jd(<l by (mo of their number. The dinner for 1!)11 was provided liy Lcslir IC. Skinin'r. If thirteen is an unlucky number, its ill luck seems to iia\e failed in the ease of fiiis club, for of the original members all are li\iii;; rxcriit Dr. A. J. Homfield, and when they meet at their annual fi sli\al if is ;'cnerally remarked that Fate has Ijeen kind to them, as most ol ihem rnjoy good health and are well-to-do in a financial way .