Tipton County, Indiana - Chapter 15: Lodges and Societies, 1914

Chapter 15: Lodges and Societies

Austin Lodge No. 128, Free and Accepted Masons, at Tipton, was chartered on May 26, 1852. There are in January, 1914, three hundred and fifty-six members. The present hall was constructed and dedicated January 3, 1905, the cost being twenty thousand dollars. The officers of the lodge at present are: Omer Legg, worshipful master; Roy B. Tope, senior warden; Oren Zehner, junior warden ; Anthony Werner, treasurer; Arthur J. Smith, secretary; Samuel D. Groves, senior deacon; Homer A. Kirtley, junior dea¬ con; Herbert O. Walker, senior steward; Will H. Ferguson, junior steward; David M. Kirkwood, tyler; Moses Haas, Abraham Kirtley and Willis B. Huron, trustees.

Tipton Chapter No. 114, Royal Arch Masons, was chartered on Octo¬ ber 22, 1897, and a* present has one hundred and forty-two members. The officers are: Claude C. Cochran, high priest; Marvin W. Surratt, king: John N. Penwell, scribe; Abraham Kirtley, treasurer; Arthur J. Smith, secretary; Samuel D. Groves, captain o*f host; Gavin Mitchell, principal sojourner; Harry Combs, royal arch captain; Herbert O. Walker, master third veil; Howard B. Richardson, master second veil; Oren Zehner, master first veil; David M. Kirkwood, guard.

Tipton Council No. 80, Royal and Select Masters, was chartered Octo¬ ber 17, 1905, and now has a membership of one hundred and ten. The officers for 1914 are: Sidney W. Curtis, thrice illustrious master; Marvin W. Surratt, right illustrious deputy master; Claude C. Cochran, illustrious prin¬ cipal conductor of work; Abraham Kirtley. treasurer; Arthur J. Smith, re¬ corder; Roy B. Tope, captain of guard; Howard B. Richardson, steward: David M. Kirkwood, sentinel.

Tipton Commandery No. 52, Knights Templar, was chartered June 19, 1906. There are now eightv-one members. The officers follow: Horace G. Read, eminent commander: Meade Vestal, generalissimo; Charles W. Ram- say, captain general; Walter V. Overman, senior warden; Elmer E. Ludwig, junior warden; John N. Penwell, prelate; Abraham Kirtley, treasurer; Arthur J. Smith, recorder; Harry Combs, standard bearer; John R. Nash, sword bearer; Gary G. Davis, warder, and David M. Kirkwood, sentinel.

Prairieville Lodge No. 554, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized in the year 1879, with the following charter members: Charles Duncan, Gilbert Van Sickle, Robert Orr, Riley Suite, Abijah Pence, John Carter and R. Wilds. The first elective officers were : Charles Duncan, worshipful master; R. Wilds, senior warden; Gilbert Van Sickle, junior warden.

The first Masonic lodge at Sharpsville received its dispensation De¬ cember 26, 1854, H. C. Lawrence, grand master. The officers and charter members were: Silas Needham, worshipful master; George W. Rose, senior warden; Levi Moorly, junior warden; James A. Dunnigan, senior deacon; Robert McLain, junior deacon; J. A. Franklin, secretary, and N. Spaulding, treasurer. The charter was granted May 31, 1855, with A. C. Downey, grand master, and Silas Needham, worshipful master. In 1863, on account of many members enlisting in the army, the lodge was compelled to surrender its charter. The charter was restored in 1868. The preliminary meetings for the organization of the lodge were held up-stairs in Silas Needham's home. During the dispensation and until 1855 its meetings were held in the Odd Fellows building. The lodge next met in a room over what was later Seiler's blacksmith shop, and continued to meet there until the Masonic build¬ ing was erected. This was Reserve Lodge No. 363, and it is still existent in Sharpsville. There are one hundred and forty members, and the following are the officers: M. J. Helwig, worshipful master; Clifford Suite, senior warden; A. L. Tyner, junior warden; R. C. Spears, secretary; J. L. Romack, treasurer.

Kempton Lodge No. 692, Free and Accepted Masons, was chartered in May, 1913. At present there are thirty-five members, and the officers are: Orgo G. Osborn, worshipful master; Clarence A. Smith, senior warden; Dan J. Harlow, junior warden; James S. Faulkner, treasurer; F. T. Blystone, secretary.

Windfall Lodge No. 334, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized in 1876 with a good membership. In 1878 the lodge obtained a hall. At present there are one hundred and thirty-nine members in the lodge, and th$ financial condition is excellent. Elmer McNew is worshipful master; Oscar

Independent Order Of Odd Fellows

Tipton Lodge Xo. 220, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was insti¬ tuted in 1857, when Tipton had a population of three hundred people. The charter members were: A. J. Applegate, George W. Boyer, William Scott, A. G. Ferguson, G. F. Wainwright, John Fisher and I. C. Lohe. The first elective officers were: A. J. Applegate, noble grand; George W. Bover, vice¬ grand; B. Geltner, secretary, and W illiam Dickson, treasurer. Xot a single charter member is alive today, George W. Boyer being the last surviving member.

After the Civil war, lodge meetings were held in the old Masonic hall. This growing too small, in 1872 S. P. Martindale erected a business block on West Jefferson street and the order secured one of its rooms. This frame building was recently condemned by the state fire chief and the building was razed and a new brick block takes its place. The second lodge rooms were in the third story of a new brick block then constructed. The last site, on the corner of Jefferson and Independence streets, was purchased, and a building erected, and dedicated on October 27, 1910. The cost was sixteen thousand dollars.

Cicero Encampment was organized in the early seventies, but, after an existence of a few years, it was suspended. In 1891 it was reorganized and now has a membership of more than one hundred. There are two Rel>ekah lodges.

The membership of the lodge at present is two hundred and twentyseven, and the officers are: Henry Luttrell, noble grand; Robert Luttrell, vice-grand; James O. Winton, recording secretary; Dr. I. H. Woodruff, financial secretary; J. M. Singleton, treasurer; James R. Simmonds, James G. Cloud and Elisha Cox, trustees.

Hobbs Lodge Xo. 777, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was insti¬ tuted in 1901, and the charter members were John H. Morris, William H. Huston, Stephen Warne and Thomas Buchanon. The first officers were: John H. Morris, noble grand; William H. Huston, vice-grand; Charles W. Warne, recording secretary, and Jerry Ressler, treasurer. At present there are sixtv-three members active, and the principal officers are: Peter Durr, noble grand; Vem Parker, vice-grand; Walter Jordan, recording secretary;

Windfall Lodge No. 438, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organ¬ ized on April 22, 1873. The charter members were F. S. Zeek, George Dunn, William Booher, W. S. Armstrong, Joel Reese, S. G. Young and Henry Findling. After the lodge was instituted, the following were the first officers elected: John H. Zehner, noble grand; John Thorn, vice-grand; F. S. Zeek, secretary and treasurer. The Odd Fellows of Windfall have experi¬ enced misfortune in the past. At one time their lodge hall was destroyed by fire. The present hall cost ten thousand dollars and was constructed in 1904. There are two hundred and twenty members, and the following are the officers : K. L. Kennedy, noble grand ; W. G. Butler, vice-grand ; R. A. Cardwell, recording secretary; J. M. Crouch, financial secretary; W. F. Butner, treasurer; F. H. Null, H. E. Barrett and Frank H. Bishop, trustees.

Windfall Encampment No. 190 has ninety-five members now. Elmer McNew is chief patriarch; Culver Prasing, high priest, and H. Couch, junior warden. They also have a Rebekah lodge.

Sharpsville Lodge No. 347, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted on May 18, 1870, with the following charter members: Simon Marcena, M. E. Clark, J. E. Rumsey, W. J. Franklin, George W. Boyer, George V. Haynes, D. E. Gilbert and W. S. Armstrong. The lodge was instituted June 2, 1870, and the first officers were: Simon Marcena, noble grand ; William Dixon, vice-grand ; M. E. Clark, secretary, and D. E. Gilbert, treasurer. There are now one hundred and eighteen members and the lodge is in an excellent condition. They own their own hall. A. R. Chase is noble grand; John Keith is vice-grand; Howard Land is recording secretary; Shir¬ ley C. Tyner is financial secretary, and H. D. Wooldridge is treasurer. They have a Rebekah lodge.

Liberty Lodge No. 710, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organ¬ ized at Kempton in 1895, twenty years after the first lodge was instituted. The charter members were R. W. Biggs, G. W. Turner, D. D. Dunn, William H. Booher, W. L. Holmes, J. A. Dunham, J. C. McMullen, J. D. Galbreath, J. A. Graham, W. W. Conner, M. N. Forkner, William Stratford, Cook Finley, John W. Mott, George H. Stephenson, Alonzo Barnett, Samuel Still¬ well, Samuel Barrow, O. W. Heaton, and J. M. Wood. D. D. Dunn was the first noble grand of this lodge.

H. L. Stillings, J. L. Thomas, O. H. Endicott, J. D. Phillips, Cary DeVaney, Emery Lee and Merritt S. Johnson. The latter was the first noble grand. They have a Rebekah lodge.

Kempton Lodge No. 482, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized March 31, 1874, and worked under dispensation until May 20th, at which time a charter was granted. The charter members were William H. Goodknight. A. B. Seward, J. J. Campbell, G. W. Robbins, Jacob Ream, W. R. Watson, David Goodknight and F. M. Mozingo. The fit st officers were: William Goodknight, noble grand; Jacob Ream, vice-grand*; John Kemp, recording secretary; N. B. Matthews, permanent secretary, and F. M. Mozingo, treasurer. ' The present membership is about two hundred. They have a strong encampment and a Rebekah lodge.

Tetersburg Lodge No. 324, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized May 7, 1869, with the following charter members: S. M. Patton, Samuel Deal, James B. Woods, George W. Lowley and Dr. A. M. Vickrey. The first officers were: Samuel Deal, noble grand: J. V. Hoss, vice-grand; Aaron Ward, secretary; James B. Wood, treasurer; S. M. Patton, warden and also conductor. Meetings were held in a hall over Phares* store until 1879, when the lodge was transferred to the village of Goldsmith.

The Rebekah lodges in the county are: Charity Lodge No. 148, at Goldsmith: Eden Lodge No. 270, at Windfall; Tipton Lodge No. 303; Maze Lodge No. 229, at Sharpsville; Kempton Lodge No. 387; Bee Hive Lodge No. 502, at Tipton; Ekin Lodge No. 629, and Laurel Lodge No. 626, at Hobbs.

Benevolent And Protective Order Of Elks

No community can justly boast of finer and more prosperous fraternal organizations than Tipton county. One of the very best of these organiza¬ tions is Tipton's lodge of Elks. Tipton Lodge No. 1012, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, was instituted February 1, 1906, with a charter membership of one hundred and thirteen. Upon the first anniversary, or when it was one year of age, it dedicated a magnificent home located upon the south side of the public square, which is beautifully furnished and with the lot, having a frontage of eighty-two and one-half feet, cost twenty thousand dol¬ lars. The lodge now has a membership of about two hundred.

The membership in this order is composed of the leading men of the city and county and its activities in benevolent and social affairs have been noteworthy. Much distress has been relieved in the quiet manner character¬ istic of Elkdom's benevolence. The doors of the home are thrown open without charge to various meetings of a public character and the Chamber of Commerce and Chautauqua Association use it for regular meeting place.

Improved Order Of Red Men

One of the strongest and most popular fraternities in Tipton county at the present time is the Improved Order of Red Men. The order is largely beneficial, particular attention being paid to the sick. The social life of the order is of high standard, and the membership is progressive and with good lodge spirit. The principal lodge is Samoset Tribe No. 98, of Tipton, with a membership of two hundred and seventy-five men. Windfall has about one hundred members; Hobbs, nearly fifty; Goldsmith, one hundred and twentyfive; Atlanta, one hundred; Curtisville, sixty-five; Pickard's Mill, fifty; Sharpsville, one hundred ; Kempton is small, and interest has somewhat abated here. The Tipton tribe owns its own hall on West Jefferson street, and are at the present time engaged in making improvements. Plans are made for a festival to be held the week beginning May 25, 1914, the money from which will go to build up the equipment of the order.

Knights Of Pythias

One of the most dignified and substantial lodges which ever existed in Tipton county is the Knights of Pythias. At one time they were unusually strong here, chapters being in almost every community. With the progress of time, however, there is but one left, that of Tipton, and strenuous efforts are being made to keep the spark of life in this one. The Knights of Pythias is a young man's order, and on this account there is almost an assurance that the lodge will in time develop to the former strength.