Winona County, Minnesota - Societies, 1883

Independent Order Of Odd-Fellows

The Independent Order of Odd-Fellows were the first of the secret societies to organize a lodge in this city, and so are justly entitled to head the list of Winona's fraternal associations. Early m the history of the city - during the winter of 1855-6 - the members of the order who had sought a location in the then village began looking one another up and comparing notes, when it was ascertained that there were five members of the I.O.O.F. in the embryo city. The names of the five, since become historic in the annals of the order here, were James M. Cole (a past grand), and scarlet- degree brothers Win. H. Keitli, Daniel L. Miller, John Curtis and Jolm Owens. During the January session of the grand lodge of the order in the State of Minnesota, in the year 1856, formal application was made by the above-mentioned fraters of the order for a lodge charter, which application was favorably considered, and on May 6 following was duly instituted by Grand Master L. A. Babcock. The charter members of the new lodge were the petitioners above mentioned, who were elected and inst-allcd into the various offices as follows : Jas. W. Cole, noble grand ; Wm. H. Keith, vice-grand ; John Owens, secretary ; John Curtis, treasurer ; D. L. Miller, conductor. The place of meeting for the new lodge was in the upper story of the Downer building, at the lower end of the levee, which had been fitted up for lodge purposes ; and here, eight days later, May 14, 1856, the first initiations into the order occurred, the candidates being Thomas Simpson, W. G. Dye and Henry Wickersham. The lodge increased rapidly in numbers, and the following year, their hall proving inadequate to their enlarging demands, they ari-anged to occupy the third story of the newly-erected building on the levee, afterward known as the Kiverside hotel, where they remained until 1859, when they leased the third story of the brick building which Thomas Simpson had just erected on Second street, between Center and Main streets, where Mitchell's block now stands. This location was chosen as afibrding more room and privacy, and as the lodge was then in a very flourishing condition it was fitted up most comfortably, the emblems and jewels of the lodge-room costing nearly $150. Here the lodge worked and grew and prospered until the great fire of 1862 destroyed their beautiful hall, with its regalia, emblems, jewels, and most of its records - the latter an irre])arable loss. During this period Prairie Lodge elected five unaffiliated members from Rochester, instructed them, entertained them, granted them withdrawal cards, and loaned them the regalia and fixtures necessary for the institution of a lodge of the order in Rochester, and donated them the entire work and service above rendei'ed. From this it is evident Prairie Lodge, No. 7, is justly entitled to the honors of putative fatherhood in the case of Rochester Lodge, No. 13, LO.O.F. of Rochester, Minnesota.

building (now Kendall's wholesale drug house), and which they occupied for five years. April 12, 1868, they removed to Simpson's block, corner of Second and Center streets, in the third story of which they had fitted up a commodious lodge-room, with ample reception and preparation rooms. Here they continued work, growing in numbers and influence, until the block was gutted by fire, January 13, 1877. In this fire the order were a second time rendered houseless and homeless, to which disaster was added tlie loss of all their records, so that most pertaining to the early history of the order has been gathered from personal recollections of members, and more specifically from the very interesting paper on the ' ' Early history of Odd-fellowship in Winona," prepared for and presented to the order by W. G. Dye in 1874, and which has survived the general ruin of the records of the fraternity. After a temporary sojourn in Mill's Hall, during which time Simpson's block was being rebuilt, Prairie Lodge returned to their old quarters, which had been elegantly fitted for their reception, on April 15, 1877, where visiting fraters will find them sumptuously lodged in an elegant hall, fully equipped for work and hospitable entertainment.

Nearly ten years prior to this date, however, in 1808, the German-speaking members of Prairie Lodge had so increased that it was deemed wise to organize a second Odd-Fellows' lodge, working in the German language, and this was effected in due form October 6, 1868, the new lodge being known as Humboldt Lodge, JS^o. 24, I.O.O.r. of Minnesota. For work and statistics of Humboldt Lodge, see article following. From the narrative of Past N.G. Dye, above referred to, it seems that up to date of April 27, 1874, 257 members had been connected with Prairie Lodge, and that there were 73 members in reorganized standing at that time. The destruction of the records three years later, 1877, renders it impossible to state the actual figures "as we would were those records extant. But availing ourselves of all possible sources of information, we present the following statistics as substantially accurate. Whole number of members borne on rolls of Prairie Lodge 335 ; present number of members in Prairie Lodge 97 ; adding to this the whole number in Humboldt Lodge 174, and deducting the number demitted from Prairie to Humboldt, we have the total members of the fraternity from the date of the institution of the order in 1856 to the present time 485, and adding the present number in Humboldt Lodge to those already given for Prairie, No. 7, we find 205

Humboldt Lodge, No. 24, 1.O.O.F. (as indicated in the previous sketch of the history of the order in Winona county), was organized by members of Prairie Lodge, No. 7, October 5, 1868. The charter members, ten in number, were : H. C. Fuhrman, Wm. Wedel. J. Harlan, B. Neuman, J. Budwig, C. Houseman, H. Einfeldt, J. Einfeldt, E. Pelzer and W. Wosohoskai. These are all living, five of them still residents of Winona and prominent members of Humboldt Lodge. This lodge was organized for the purpose of working in the German language, and has had a most prosperous existence. The total number of members borne on the rolls since organization has been 174, and the present membership is 108. They share with Prairie Lodge the beautiful hall in Simjison's block and enjoy their share of the honors; D.D.G.M. H. C. Fuhrman being general messenger of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Order in the United States, the first office of the kind ever held by any member of the fraternity in Minnesota.

H. C. Fuhrman, district deputy grand master and general messenger of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the United States, is a native of Germany ; came from there to Wisconsin in 1850, and to Winona in 1867 ; was engaged in business here until 1874, since which time he has been employed in the railway postal service of the United States. He is also a Master Mason, a member of Winona Lodge, No. 18. Mr. Fuhrman is married, has one child attending school in the city, and a son, A. W. Fuhrman, chief engineer of the city fire department.

Winona Encami'Ment, No. 10, I.O.O.F.

The two lodges of the order in this city having grown strong and vigorous, it was determined about ten years since to institute an encampment here. Accordingly, November 29, 1872, Alexander

Wilson, of St. Paul, Minnesota, grand patriarch of the state, assisted by several G. P's from Red Wing, Minnesota, and H. P's W. G. Dye, H. C. Fuhrman, J. M. Cole, B. Kirst, D. A. Briggs, W. Wed el and D. A. Bannister, proceeded to institute an encampment of the I.O.O.F., to be known as Winona Encampment, No. 10, of Winona, Minnesota, which was duly done, and the three principal officers installed were : G. W. Dye, C.P., H. C. Fuhrman, H.P., and J. M. Cole, S.W.

The destiniction of the records leaves no accurate data for determining the number of deaths in the encampment, nor the whole number of members admitted ; the present membership is 54. The three chief chairs of the encampment have been officered as follows since its institution.

Date. Chief Patriarch. High Priest. Senior Warden A. F. And A. M.

All written record of the planting of the masonic order in Winona, and its history during the first five years of its organization, was destroyed in the great fire of 1862, in which so much that was pertinent to the earlier annals of this city and its institutions was irretrievably lost. At that time, it will be remembered, the whole people were turning their anxious faces southward and attempting to forecast the future of the Republic in the issues of civil war. That dosed, otlier matters of business, reconstruction policies, national and personal finance, engrossed the thoughts of people, and so it transpired that for various causes no attempt was made to rehabilitate the masonic records of the city for more than a full decade after their destruction. In 1874, at the close of Worshipful Master I. B. Cumming's tenth term of service as presiding officer of Winona Lodge, No. 18, A. F. and A. M., lie presented the matter in his annual address. This was largely a resume of the work of the lodge during the period he had been stationed in the cast, to which was appended a most interesting narrative of the order here in so far as he had been able to collect the items of its earlier history. This paper lies now before us, and to it and verbal statements from Master Cummings and others we acknowledge our indebtedness for much that is valuable concerning the early days of Masonry in Winona. For matters of later date, the records of the lodge and orders and the courtesy of the secretaries, Bros. J. K. Ferguson and C. H. Porter, have been freely drawn upon.

Winona Lodge, No. 18

In November, 1855, H. D. Hufi* as W.M. and John lams and G. R. Tucker as S.W. and J.W. respectively, applied for and were granted a dispensation to open a masonic lodge in Winona. This dispensation issued from the office of the then W.G.M. of this jurisdiction, Moses Sherburne, and the lodge prospective was numbered 8, there being at that time but seven lodges of the order in this masonic jurisdiction. It appears that this dispensation must have expired by limitation or have been recalled, as another dispensation was subsequently granted. There is no record or recollection on the part of any of the old citizens of any masonic work under this dispensation of Grand Master Sherburne, and according to the general masonic belief matters remained in statu quo. The following May, 1856, upon petition of certain Masonic brethren in this city, a dispensation to 0})en a masonic lodge here was granted by the then worshipful grand master, A. T. C. Pierson. In the following January, 1857, the grand lodge approved the dispensation and granted a charter, and on March 3 of that same year P. P. Hubbell (so well known to the masonic fraternity of Minnesota as Father Plubbell), deputizeil to act for the grand master, organized Winona Lodge, No. 18, A. F. and A. M., duly consecrated the same and installed the following officers : W.M., G. R. Tucker; S.W., J. S. Camp- bell; J.W., H. D. Morse; Treas., G. W. Horton; Sec, C. E. Yoiglit. The records of this transaction being lost, it is impossible to say just what names appeared upon the original petition or what officers in addition to those already named were installed ; but from the register of members, which was not burned, being in the lodgeroom at the time, as will afterward appear, it is certain that the roll of charter members included, besides those already given, the names of Bros. H. D. Huff, John lams, C. F. Buck and Geo. W. Curtis. The original lodge-room was in Laird's building, at the lower end of the levee, and here they remained, according to the best information attainable, until the formal institution of the lodge in the spring of 1857, at about which time they removed to the L. D. Smith building on the levee, afterward known as Riverside Hotel, and occupying very nearly the present site of Krundick's elevator. It was during their occupancy of these quarters that the disastrous fire of 1862 occurred, in which as before said, all their records and papers, save members' register, were burned. These records and papers were not in tlie lodge-room at the time the fire occurred, but in the private office of the lodge secretary, John Keyes, whose office, with all it contained, was swept away in common with scores of others. The Riverside Hotel escaped destruction, and the lodge was not called upon to bear the loss of its furniture and regalia, as well as its records - a misfortune which the I.O.O.F. fraternity did not escape. Early in the following year, 1863, arrangements were made for occupying the third story of what is now known as No. 4, Simpson's block, a lease executed for a term of j^ears and possession taken June 3 of that year. These were commodious quarters as compared with those formerly occupied, or with any others in southern Minnesota at that date, and the order were not unreasonably elated at the comfort and convenience of their new hall. Here the formal dedication of the lodge-room occurred June 27, 1863, conducted in due and ancient form by W. G.M. Pierson, who delivered a most interesting oration (public) on that occasion. Here the lod£:e continued its beneficent work under enlarging opportunities for usefulness, and had so increased its membership that at the close of the eighth year of its existence its grand lodge dues aggregated $110.

In ten years the craft had outgrown their accommodations in Simpson's block and new quarters 'became a necessity. Postoffice block, corner of Third and Center streets, then newly erected, was considered the most likely to afford the desired room and privacy.

Negotiations were entered into wliicii resulted in the lease of the third story of the block for a term of ten years. Here on June 27, 1872 (the tenth anniversary of the dedication of the lodge-room in Simpson's block), the new lodge-room was formally set apart in due masonic form for the work of the craft. M.W.G.M. Griswold conducted the ceremonies, a pleasing feature of the occasion being the grand march of the subordinate lodges and the most worshipful grand master, escorted by a detachment of the Knights Templar. The lease of the hall now occupied nearly a decade, expires the ensuing June, but a new lease for ten years has just been executed (April, 1883), and as the fraternity may now be considered as settled until June, 1893, and particularly as they have arranged to expend $1,000 in improving their lodge-room, a description of the finest masonic quarters in the northwest will not be out of place in this connection. Postoffice block is a full three-story and basement brick, with stone foundations and trimmings, fronting on tlie two principal streets of the city, with entrances on both. The building is 52 X 90 feet, and the entire third story is devoted to masonic use. The lodgeroom proper is 28x52 feet with ceilings fifteen feet high, sloping to fourteen feet at the lower end of the hall. Adjoining this, and connected with it by folding doors, is the armory of the commandery, used also as occasion requires for a banquet hall. This room is 20 X 62, elegantly furnished with cabinets for the regalia and arms of the knights, and on the walls of which are displayed the richly emblazoned banners of the commandery. The reception-room is quite commodious, 20x24 feet, as are also the kitchen, examination, preparation and tyler's rooms. The kitchen is well furnished with all the necessary paraphernalia, including table furniture, for maintaining the record of the craft for generous cheer and good fellowship. These rooms are now being renovated, and walls and ceilings finished in the latest style of decorative art. This accomplished, and the new carpets laid and minor arrangements completed, the masonic bodies of Winona will be as sumptuously lodged, and as favorably circumstanced for effective work, as they could possibly desire. To avert the calamity so sensibly felt in the destruction of their records by fire twenty-one years ago, they have furnished their lodge-room with a magnificent tire-proof safe, amply sufficient for the records of blue lodge, chapter and commandery, each body having its separate compartment.

Junior Warden

It is but fitting that some mention should here be made of "Father Hubbell," who consecrated the lodge at its institution and installed its officers, as previously mentioned. ' ' Father Hubbell " is a mason of sixty-three years' standing. His application was made as early as the law allows, on his twenty -first birthday, which occurred

February 1, 1820. His application came before Painted Post Lodge, No. 203 (old number), then holding its sessions in an upper room in the house of the applicant's father at Corning, New York. Father Hubbell was initiated in March of that same year, 1820, passed in April and raised in May. He is doubtless the oldest Mason in the state. Winona Lodge is just closing the twenty-seventh year of its history. During that time four hundred and eleven members have been borne upon its rolls ; of these thirty-three have gone out from the earthly lodge-room to appear before the Supreme Master of the Universe and submit the designs upon their tresselboards. The present number of members is 158.

Winona Chapter No. 5, R.A.M.

No sooner had the members of the blue lodge become firmly established in their then commodious quarters in Simpson's block than they turned their attention to the formation of a chapter, rightly concluding that in a city of Winona's growing importance the craft should maintain labor in the higher as well as lower degrees of the order. Accordingly, on August 11, 1863, a petition was presented to A. E. Ames, G.H.P., of this masonic jurisdiction, asking for dispensation to open a chapter here, to be known as Winona Chapter, No. 5, P.. A.M. The petitioners were : Warren Powers, H.P. ; Philo P. Hubbell, King; H. D. Morse, Scribe ; and companions James Gwynn, James B. Stockton, David Barker, Isaac Benham, A. P. Hoit and R. G. Stevens. September 18, 1863, these companions assembled under direction of A. T. C. Pierson, acting as proxy for the G.H.P., who opened the chapter in due form. At the annual convocation of the grand chapter, held the following month, a record of the proceedings in the case of the formation of Winona Chapter was presented, the work approved and a charter granted, bearing date October 29, 1863. No election of officers was held imtil the close of the following year, the posts being filled as indicated by the petition and the officers therein designated installed. The annual election for chapter officers is held about the close of the civil year, late in December, and the roster of officers hereto appended is given for the year of their service, and not of their election. As in the case of Winona Lodge, No. 18, only the three ranking officers are given to date, but the full list for the current year appears.

The total number of companions that have held membership in Winona Chapter during the almost twenty years of its existence has been 185 ; of these 14 have entered within the vail to return to the earthly host no more, and there now remain 80 regularly borne upon the record.

Cceuk De Lion Commandery, No. 6, K.T.

The formal establishment of the chapter consummated, and its permanency assured, the organization of a commandery soon followed as a matter oi necessity - there being at this time no asylum of the order in southern Minnesota. May 13, 1864, a petition to open and hold a commandery in Winona was presented M.E. Sir Knight B.B. French, at that time grand master of K. T. of U. S. The following month the dispensation issued, and was committed to M.E. Sir Knight A. T. C. Pierson, G.C.G. of K. T. of U. S. and E.G. of Damascus Commandery of St. Paul, who, as deputy for the grand master, proceeded to Winona bearing the dispensation. This dis-

* Companion Thomas Richardson's throne, as king of Winona Chapter was vacated by the summons of the pale horseman February 14, 1883 At tlie Sneof his death Mr. Richardson was a member of the state legislature irom Ws representative district; a bright Mason, and recogmzed ^vervwhere as one of the best workmen of the craft for his years which only numbered 2, when he was culled to the grand convocation above.

pensation, of date June 18, 1864, empowered Sir Knights Warren Powers, Rob. Urquliart, G. D. Bj-istol, M. AVheeler Sargent, H. L. Freeman, C. D. Sherwood, E. F. Dodge, Charles Benson and James M. Cole to open and hold a eoramandery of K. T. and Council of the Order of Knights ot the Red Cross, to be designated by the name C(eur de Lion Commander j, of Winona, Minnesota, which was done as commanded, witli Sir Knight Warren Powers, E.C., Rob Urquliart, G., and (Jr. V. Bristol, C.G. There being at this time no grand commandery of Minnesota, the Winona Knights continued to work under dispensation from the grand master ot K. T. of U. S. until the meeting of the grand oncamj)ment at Columbus, Ohio, September 7, 1865. The by-laws, records and work of Cceur de Lion Commandery were approved, after examination by the grand encampment, and a charter issued, bearing date September 13, 1865, fully habilitating Cceur de Lion Commandery with authority to elect officers, confer orders, and do all other things pertaining to the rights and powers of a loyal commandery of K.T. On October 19, 1865, a dispensation issued from H. L. Palmer, G.M. of K. T. of U. S., authorizing the organization of a grand commandery for the State of Minnesota. This work was prosecuted by the grand master in person, and on October 23, 1865, the Grand Commandery of Minnesota was created, Coeur de Lion Commandery transferred from the jurisdiction of the grand encampment to that of the Grand Commandery of Minnesota, and enrolled as Cceur de Lion Commandery, No. 3, of Winona. Sir Knights Powers, Urquhart and Bristol held the offices to which they had been elected at the organization of the comtnandery until the annual reports were returned to the grand master of K. T. of U. S., when another election was held, resulting in the choice of Sir Knight Rob. Urquliart, E.C., J. M. Cole, G., and D. A. Coe, C.G., who held office until the commandery obtained its charter, when a new election was ordered. This statement explains the apparent paradox of two elections having been held in 1865, as appears from the accompanying table, which shows the successive results of the annual elections of the commandery, so far as the three highest offices are concerned :

The whole number of knights that have been enrolled in Coeur de Lion Commandery since its organization in 1864 has been 144. Of these, 61 still remain upon thtj rolls, 40 of whom are residents of this city. Of the 83 whose names no longer appear, eight have died as members of this commandery, leaving the courts of the earthly temple to enter through the more glorious gates of the upper, the sanctuary not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. The remaining 75 have scattered far and wide ; no doubt many of them have joined the bannered host ot the grand encampment above.

There are many items of interest that might be recorded concerning Coeur de Lion Commandery and the sir knights who compose it. We mention only a few.

March 17, 1865, Sir Knight P. P. Hubbell (Father Hubbell) was made an honorary member of the commandery, a distinction conferred upon no other during the nineteen years of its existence.

With the granting of the charter the name of the commandery was changed from the French form of the name, which it bore at its institution, to the English form of the words, ''Cojur de Lion," as it now is. At the triennial conclave, held in Chicago in 1 880, Coeur de Lion received general commendation for its arms and banner - its beautifully-emblazoned standard eliciting universal praise as one of the most beautiful ensigns in that immense liost. This commandery has fm-ni-^lied three grand commanders for the state : Sir Knights

James M. Cole, B. F. Langley and B.. L. McCormick, who are exofficio members of the grand encampment. Of these James M. Cole was grand master of the grand commander y in 1868-0, and G. Warder of the grand encampment in Irom 1868 to 1871. B. F. Langley was eminent commander of C(Bur de Lion Commandery for seven terms, grand commander of the state in 1874-5 and grand senior warden of the grand encampment from 1874 to 1877. R. L. McCormick was grand conductor on the state commandery in 1881. Father Ilubbell was appointed to the grand prelacy of the Grand Commandery of Minnesota in 1874, the office being vacated by the death of V.P. Sir Knight A. E. Ames, and has held the office by successive election ever since - the action of the commandery being so unanimous in every instance as to approve the judgment of numy that he will liold the office he so honors until called up higher by the Supreme Commander of the Universe. I. B. Cummings, the present prelate of Goeur de Lion, lias held that office for thirteen consecutive terms, and magnihes it.

The Druids are divided into three separate organizations, namely : Winona Grove (German), Scandinavian Lund and Oak Grove (English). We will first take up the Winona Grove, No. 6. This branch was organized in September, 1871, the charter being granted the same year. The officers were : Christian Heintz, president ; Conrad Sherer, vice-president ; Henry Stelter, secretary ; Fred. Martin, treasurer. There were at first but twelve members. The object of the society, like other oi-ganizations of its kind, is benevolent. There are three degrees. Members having acquired all the degrees are called Druids, and when unable to work receive from the society $5 per week. The second degree is given after the member has been in the association six months ; these members receive $3 when unable to work. The first degree is received upon initiation. Such members, during sickness, receive but $2 per week. On the death of a member the widow receives from the entire association throughout the state a sum of money varying as to the entire membership at the time. An assessment is made of $1 upon every member in the state; this is given to the widow ; but if the sum exceeds $2,- 000, the excess over this falls to the widows' fund in the treasury. The society receives into its ranks only men of respectability and temperance. The members are liable at any time to be suspended or expelled for misconduct. The Winona Grove have in their treasury at present $750 in cash, besides ])roperty of various kinds valued at $1,420. The officers are : Claus Nottelmann, president ; Henry Kluver, vice-president ; Hugo Enderlein, secretary ; B. Howe, assistant secretary ; Fred. Meyer, treasurer.

Oah Grove was organized and had the charter granted August 10, 1877, with a membership of forty-four. The officers were : N. A., R B. Basford ; Y.A., G. K. Adams; secretary, H. W. Posz ; treasurer, H. P. Wedel. At present there are fifty-three members. The officers are : N.A., G. K. Adams ; Y.A., J. Seicht ; secretary, H. W. Posz ; treasurer, W. C. Pletke.

Winona Lodge., No. W., was organized August 3, 1877, with thirteen charter members, and in the less than six years of its existence has grown to a flourishing beneficiary with 110 members and half a sc(jre of petitions for membership to be acted upon. Among the objects proposed to be accomplished by this organization, one of the leading features is the payment of $2,000 at the death of a member to his family. This is effected through the grand lodge organization of the state. The financial standing of the lodge is most excellent, and under the management of its efficient officers is rapidly increasing in influence and members. The present board of officers is as follows : P.M.W., J. J. Hofl'man ; M.W., W. C. Pierce ; F., P. W. Leach ; O., George Paris ; recorder, W. O. Kennedy ; rec, J. M. Sheardown ; fin., J. C. Parchyues ; guide, Wm. Ehler ; LW. Wm. Ehmke ; O.W., Wm. Petersen. The annual dues as estab-

Knights Of Honor Temple Of Honor

This society was organized and the charter granted November 15, 1882. The number of members in the beginning was thirty-nine ; at present the number has increased to fifty. Although in existence but a short space of time the society is in a ]irosperous condition, the officers are: L. R. Stevens, W.C.T.; A. Thomas, P. W.C.T.; Mrs. E. Halbert, W.Y.T.; Rev. F. W. Flint, W.Oiap.; L. D. Schoonmaker, W.Sec. ; Miss Lizzie Gage, W.A.Sec. ; Fred. Wait, W.F.Sec; C. A. Bierce, W.T.; G. E. Tount, W.M.; Miss Ella

Womans' Temperance Union

This society was organized in 1 875. The olficers were : Mrs. Hollowell, president ; Mrs. Bierce, secretary ; Mrs. M. K. Drew, treasurer. The organization at first numbered but twelve members ; at present the membership has increased to sixty. The officers at present are : Mrs. J. Swart, president ; Mrs. Tliompson, vice-president ; Mrs. M. K. Drew, secretary ; Mrs. Cosgrove, treasurer. The society is said to be in a prosperous condition.

The Winona Equitable Aid Union

This society was organized and charter granted June 22, 1880, with a membership of thirty-one. The following were the first officers elected : Prof. W. F. Phelps, president ; W. W. Slocumb, vice-president ; D. E. Vance, chancellor ; John J. Myres, advocate ; C. G. Maybury, treasurer; J. N. Maybury, secretary.

The officers are elected semi-annually. There has been in this society some withdrawals and suspensions, but it is at writing in a prosperous condition. There is a membership at present of 43. Tlie officers for 1882 are : Thomas H. Shaw, president ; John C. Brown, vice-president; C. G. Maybury, treasurer; L. A. West, secretary.

The operations of this union are, by virtue of a charter granted in conformity to the laws and regulations of the founders of the order, called the Supreme Equitable Aid Union. This was incorporated March 22, 1879, in compliance with a statute of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, under date of April 29, 1874. The incorporators were D. A. Dewey, R. N. Seaver, W. B. Howard, H. S. Ayer and W. H. Muzzy, all citizens of Columbus, Pennsylvania.

Objects of the order : 1. To unite fraternally all white persons, socially and physically acceptable, between sixteen and sixty-five years of age. 2. To give equal benefits to both sexes, striving to improve the social and moral bearing of each. 3. To give woman all the rights that social equality can bestow, and to grant her all the benefits secured to man by secret organizations. 4. To give all moral and material aid in its power to members of the order by assisting each other in l)usiness, in obtaining employment and in sickness. 5. To establish a benefit fund, from which a sum not to exceed $3,000 shall be paid at the death of a member to whom the member shall designate, or to his heirs. 6. To see that in sickness * fraternal care is at all times given, and to advance the social friendship of the member in every manner possible. Besides the principal union, over 400 subordinate orders are in existence, with an entire membership of 15,000. In the last three and a half years 105 deaths have occurred, and $196,331.45 has been paid out in insurance.

was incorporated April 11, 1866, with a membership of fifteen. The first officers were : G. Lautenoshlaeger, president ; F. Kroeger, vice-president ; N. F. Hibbert, secretary ; R. Radke, treasurer ; C. F. Schroth, Wm. Wedel, E. A. Gerdtzen, trustees. The charter members were as follows : Gr. Lautenoshlaeger, A. Putsoh, R. Radke, M. Rose, C. F. Schroth, E. A. Gerdtzen, F. Kroeger, W. F. Hibbert, Wm. Wedel, W. R. Schmidt, Jacob Scherffins, G. Erdmann, Peter Scherffins, F. Steinhagen, F. C. Kopp. At the present writing there are in all 115 members. The officers are : Eugene Gerstenhauer, president ; David Fakler, vice-president ; Jacob Girtler, secretary ; F. Moebus, financial secretary ; C. W. Anding, treasurer ; G. Anger. E. W. Rebstork, J. Scherffins, trustees ; Arthur Beyersteds, steward.

Germania Band

The Germania band was organized in 1857 by Herman Rohweder. The members were as follows : H. Rohweder, leader ; Charles Ebert, Wm. Stark, Philip Simmer, (Tottleib Bughorlz, C Hill, G. S. Story, Henry Leor, Geo. Hazen, Wm. Ross. In 1879 the organization was enlarged ; it now consists of a brass-band and an orchestra of stringed instruments. The members at present are Herman Rohweder, Henry Bentz, Jr., Henry Bentz, Sr., Fritz Bentz, Conrad Wolpers, Frank Yotruba, Christ Clausen, Henry Clausen, August G. Miller, W. F. Becker, Wm. Becker, Fritz Ulrich, Julius Miller.

The charter was granted and the society organized in April, 1875. The organizers were N. Schneider, M. Smith, G. Schork and J. Smith. There were nineteen members at first. The names of

The society has two objects. The first is benevolence. Members physically unable to work receive from the society $3 per week until recovery. This is secured by an assessment on each member of twenty-five cents per month. The second object of the society is mutual benefit and pleasure. The officers at present are : J. Hoffarth, president ; J. Smith, vice-president ; J. Semmer, secretary ; F. Winkels, assistant secretary ; A. Wirth, treasurer. The number of members at present is thirty-five.