Nodaway County, Missouri - Chapter 13: Civic and Benevolent Societies, 1910

Chapter 13: Civic and Benevolent Societies

In every part of the civilized globe there has been, for many centuries, a disposition on the part of many men to associate themselves together as a fraternity, or hand of brothers, working for each other's mutual welfare. Some of these are known as secret orders. There was a time in the United States when such societies were not half so popular and highly prized as at this date. In fact, many churches and other classes of our people derided and bitterly condemned such secret societies, but during the last half century things have wonderfully changed in this respect, and lodges of the secret and semi-secret have become a part of every highly intelligent section of this na¬ tion. Now it has come to be looked upon as honorable for men to band together for fraternal good.

Ancient Free And Accepted Masons

Among the strongest and by far the most ancient of these secret societies may be named the Masons, whose history goes far back into the centuries, even to the time of King Solomon and the building of the temple. This great order stretches out its arms of strength in all climes and sections of the world, even to the isles of the seas.

The first Masonic lodge instituted in Nodaway county was Maryville Lodge, No. 165, in 1856. The charter members were as follows: A. Terhune, George N. Paige. Erastus Downing. Nimrod Wood, Nathan Goslee. J W. Bickett, J. B. Prather, Thomas Woodley and J. H. Saunders.

Unfortunately, the lodge room was destroyed by fire in 1865, and the rec¬ ords of the lodge were burned, hence hut little can be learned by the presentday historian of the county. The lodge flourished and in 1881 had a mem¬ bership of eighty. The past masters are Adam Terhune, S. T. Kennedy, James B. Prather, A. P. Morehouse, C. A. Anthony, S. C. McCluskey, Lyeurgus Miller, James I. George and L. M. Lane, Albert P. Morehouse, James I. George, Frank P. Elliott, Cyrus A. Anthony, J. H. Bunger, A. P. Morehouse,

E. G. Williams, A. M. Campbell, Edmond McMillan, Nathaniel Sisson, Jeff Garrett, James Id. Perry, S. R. Lucas, A. C. Hopkins, Benjamin V. Prather, Jacob Await, Adolph Stanble, A. C. Koch, Charles A. Jensen. Warren Jones, Mathew G. Tate, John L. Ritz.

Nodaway Lodge. No. 470, was formed at Maryville, December 29, 1871. It continued under dispensation until the meeting of the grand lodge, with the following officers: L. A. Bariteau, worshipful master; I. V. McMillan, senior warden; F. W. Marcy, junior warden; William Anderson, treasurer; Thomas

This lodge received a charter October 17, 1873. The charter members were as follows : William Anderson. John Adams, I. N. Albin, L. A. Bariteau, A. W. Bariteau, Thomas H. Brown, A. C. Case, J. W. Dean, T. W. Gaunt, Henry Graves, Lafe Hagan, J. E. Hudson, George Heubach, F. W. Marcy,

Quitman Lodge, No. 196, now has a membership of thirty-five. It ob¬ tained its charter May 30, i860, and the original members were: Samuel F. Kennedy, Thomas J. McOuidy, Samuel Noffsinger and A. B. Moore.

Xenia Lodge, No. 50, worked under a dispensation granted by the grand lodge of Missouri, October, 1865. Its first officers were: N. Goslee, worship¬ ful master; E. Van Buren, senior warden; Washington Downing, junior warden.

The charter for this lodge bears the date "June 2, 1866." This was the third lodge instituted in Nodaway county, and its jurisdiction extended north, east and west about twelve miles. Those composing the lodge were wise in the selection of the best of men for official positions, and the lodge grew and soon became one of unusual interest and strength in this section of Missouri. In May, 1871, it decided to erect a hall of its own, which was finished in June of the same year. It was located at the town of Hopkins and the members living near Xenia were transferred to Hopkins. In looking at the history of this lodge it is observed that in 1881 it had a working membership of sixty Masons. Its present membership is sixty-five.

Graham Lodge, No. 112, was organized in 1867 at Graham and later moved into Holt county, at Maitland, remained until about 1880. and then Lodge No. 289 was instituted at Graham. The original Graham officers were: T. R. Hedgepath, worshipful master: J. M. Brand, senior warden; N. Wood, junior warden; J. R. Welch, secretary; W. Palmer, treasurer. Its present membership is forty-two.

White Hall Lodge, No. 301, of Barnard, was organized August 8, 1868, at White Hall school house, near present Barnard. It enjoyed a membership of thirty-six in 1882. Its present membership is fifty-three.

Burlington Lodge, No. 44 2, at Burlington Junction, worked under dis¬ pensation, from April, 1881, to October 13th of that year, when a charter was granted. The first officers were: L. A. Hastness, worshipful master; I. B. Crissinger, senior warden; L. D. Moore, junior warden; Dr. James Evans, treasurer; Frank Carr, secretary; Will R. Gay, senior deacon; Perry J. Perk¬ ins, junior deacon; L. L. Houston, tyler. Today it has a membership of forty-three and owns a good hall.

Pickering Lodge, No. 472, received a charter October 14, 1873. The same was signed by the following: Edwin Van Buren, James H. Johnson, E. M. Groves, W. W. Wallice, M. B. Harman, H. H. Harman, J. W. Harman, William M. Pistole, Dr. A. D. Sargent and A. J. Woods. In 1881 this lodge had increased to a membership of thirty-one. Its present standing is a mem¬ bership of forty-two.

Guilford Lodge, No. 474, was organized in 1874 by the following mem¬ bers: I. Wilson, J. F. Davis, J. W. Brittain, R. Morris, W. H. Pope, S. Broderick, John Lanning, John S. Miller, T. A. Martin, J. B. Wilson. H. H. Snoderly, A. S. McClannahan and Alexander Floyd. Its present member¬ ship is thirty-six.

Later lodges of the Masonic fraternity in Nodaway county are the fol¬ lowing: Clearmont, No. 507. with a membership of forty-one; Kennedy Lodge, No. 329, at Elmo, has fifty-four members; Skidmore Lodge, No. 51 1, has fifty-seven members; Gaynor Lodge. No. 465, has a membership of sixtvtwo; Ravenwood Lodge, No. 201, has fifty-eight members.

The Eastern Star

Kezziah Chapter, No. 95, at Elmo, with fifty-three members; Roseanna, No. 262, at Maryville, with fifty-five members; Golden Rod, No. 281, at Parnell, with forty-five members; Ravenwood, No. 116, with forty-five mem¬ bers.

Royal Arch Masons

Owen Chapter, No. 96, Royal Arch Masons, was instituted under dis¬ pensation January 14, 1882, at Maryville, with twenty-two members, as fol¬ lows: E. A. Bariteau, I. V. McMillan, M. R. Hackedorn, J. B. Morrison. J. B. Newman, George S. Crump, W. W. Newton. J. K. Ruth, J. H. Clark. James B. Prather, Joseph A. Mall, Jacob Everhart, W. V. Smith, W. Kraft, Job Goslee, W. J. Maple, J. J. Armstrong, G. W. Feurt, W. Deusler, Edward P. Sampson, Orrin Miller, and George L. Drennen.

This has always been a strong and prosperous organization, and is one of the one hundred and thirty chapters in Missouri, having in the state a total membership of about eleven thousand. It stands twelfth in the state and now has a membership of one hundred and thirty-six. It has had in all on its rolls over three hundred Masons from one time to another. Its high priests have been : Luther A. Bariteau, 1882 (U. D.) ; Ira V. McMillan, 1882- 83-84; James B. Newman, 1885; W. H. Hudson, 1886-87-88-92-93-95- 1 897-99- 1 900-04 ; W. H. Totterdale, 1889-90-1905; I. S. Bryant, 1891; John Donlin, 1894; George Conrad, 1896; Charles Lippman, 1898; Chas. M. Mc- Neal, 1901-2-3-6; J. C. Allender, 1907; Ed. F. Hamlin, 1908-09; Jesse Miller. 1910.

Knights Templar

Maryville Commanderv, No. 40. Knights Templar, at Maryville, was organized in 1883, on the petition of Sir Knights. At its first conclave it increased its membership to thirty-two and has prospered well and always flourished since, notwithstanding removals and death have caused some losses. It is the faith of these Sir Knights that leads them to believe that a reward awaits the coming of the deceased members in the ''great hereafter."

The present membership is ninety-nine. The eminent commanders have been as follows: Joseph B. Morrison, 1883-1887-88; Lester A. Bariteau, 1883- 84; George S. Crump, 1884-85; John T. Welch, 1885-86; Ira V. McMillan,

Independent Order Of Odd Fellows

Next in rank of importance, in many respects, among the civic fratern¬ ities to the Masonic order, is that of the Odd Fellows. In Nodaway county, as well as in almost every known place in the country, this order built on the three principles of friendship, love and truth - the three links, which encircle the earth with their three cardinal virtues. The oldest of these local lodges within Nodaway county is White Cloud Lodge, No. 92, organized on the 19th day of March, 1856, at Maryville, by Deputy Grand Master C. F. Holly. The date of the charter of this lodge is May 21, 1856, and the names of the char¬ ter members are John G. Allen, I. N. Costillo, C. N. Burns, B. G. Ford, W. O. Howard, John Terhune, C. C. Somerville, B. F. Torrance, Solomon West, H. F. Walker, Richard Saunders.

From June 30, i860, to February 19, 1867, the lodge rested in a dormant state, that being during the great Civil war period. The lodge has grown in numbers and influence since its revival after the war closed. It now has a membership of two hundred and twenty-one, according to the last annual report.

The second Odd Fellows lodge organized in this county was Hesperian Lodge, No. 189, which was organized in 1868, at the village of Graham, by the following charter membership: J. R. Bradford, Joseph Ensor, S. G. B. Kavenaugh, R. C. Bohart, Jacob A. Cardell and J. W. Morgan. Prosperity has attended the workings of this lodge and the membership as far back as 1882 was forty. Its present number is seventy-seven. It has been the means of doing much good in way of benevolence and fraternal operations in the community in which it is located.

Comet Lodge, No. 284, of Quitman, was granted its charter June 10, 1873. Tlie following were charter members: H. M. McKinzie, H. H. Nash, W. H. Smith, J. C. Smith, John J. Ware, Jr., and James Parshall. In 1882 it had a membership of thirty. At present the lodge has thirty -three mem¬ bers.

Hopkins Lodge, No. 333, of Hopkins, obtained a charter May 20, 1875. The charter members of this lodge were as follows : J. L. Anderson, G. W.

Nodaway Lodge, No. 347, at Pickering, obtained a charter that was dated May 19, 1876, signed by the following members: Edwin Van Buren, Charles M. Whipple, Phillip Sellers, Newton Wray and O. H. Mitchell. There were eighty-nine members in this lodge on January 1, 1909.

Burlington Junction Lodge, No. 404, was organized February 24, 1881, and chartered May 19th, the same year. Its charter members were as fol¬ lows: Fred R. Nourser, I. B. Crissinger, James Evans, Frank Hubbell, C. C. Neighbors, George Hungate, J. H. Ware, Jr., William Chambers, and J. F. Gregory. In 1882 the lodge had a membership of forty-eight. At the pres¬ ent date it has a membership of eighty-five and is in a flourishing condition.

Ravenwood Lodge, No. 464, was organized June 24, 1892. The order has flourished well here and today has a membership of one hundred and seventeen, owns its own hall property, two business lots besides and a building on same that is rented ; it also has a bank account of one thousand five hundred dollars. It now enjoys a membership of one hundred and twelve.

Patriarchs Militant

1 he first encampment of Patriarchs Militant of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Nodaway county was instituted at Maryville May 21, 1870, and is known as No. 50. Its charter members were Joseph A. Mall, Thomas P. Torrance, W. H. Hudson, James A. Forrest. Joseph Jackson, E. J. De- Liew, John S. Wood, Thomas H. Brown.

Nodaway Valley Encampment, No. 48, at Barnard, received its organiza¬ tion in the month of July, 1876, and its charter members were as follows: V. Korrell, J. E. Follett, G. E. Smith, S. Hartsell, Henry Cady, James A. Forrest, Sr., John Montgomery and David Wilson.

Daughters Of Rebekah

The first lodge of this order of which we find any record in Nodaway county was Olive Lodge. No. 24, at Barnard. It was organized August 15, 1876. The charter members were: S. Phillips and wife, J. A. Forrest and wife, V. Korell and wife, J. E. Follett and wife, J. B. Thompson and wife, W. J. Thompson and wife, R. S. Hartsell and wife, J. A. Forrest, Sr., and wife, John D. Montgomery, G. E. Smith and wife, David Wilson and wife, Henry Dorst and .wife. In 1882 this lodge numbered thirty-seven, and was a fine auxiliary to the Odd Fellows order.

There are now within this county the following Rebekah societies : Alert. No. 209, at Maryville: Elkhorn, No. 506, at Graham; Mt. Olive, No. 25. at Barnard; Myrtle, No. 145, at Ravenwood ; Patience, No. 11, at Burlington Junction; Queen, No. 27, at Elmo; Ouitman, No. 258, at Quitman; Skidmore No. 487, at Skidmore; Union, No. 75, at Pickering; Vesta, No. 214, at Par¬ nell.

Knights Of Pythias

Among the more modern civic orders in this county is the Knights of Pythias. This has come to be one of the strong orders in the United States and has among its membership a larger per cent of young and middle aged men than perhaps any other fraternity in existence. The first attempt at instituting a lodge of this fraternity in Nodaway county was instituted October 17, 1883, when the following charter members organized what is still known as Tancred Lodge, No. 84: H. E. Robinson, J. L. Ritze, W. A. Daggett, J. M. Howendobler, Charles Lippman, J. C. Hayes, John T. Daniel, B. M. Rad-

At first they had their lodge room in the old Ancient Order of United Workmen hall, over the Ream drug store, but when the Masons vacated the third story of the building in which the Maryville National Bank is situated, about 1891, the Knights of Pythias leased that room and this has been their home ever since.

With the passing of years, and some dissatisfaction in the lodge, another lodge was instituted in Maryville, known as Vesta Lodge, and they use the hall now used by the Woodmen of the World, hut only existed as a separate lodge for about two years, when they sought a home with the original lodge, of which they are still members.

At one time there was organized and conducted quite successfully a lodge of the Uniform Rank, of this order, which made good headway, but as time passed, and many died or removed, or had other lodges calling for support, this feature was abandoned.

Aside from the Maryville lodge, there is no other in Nodaway county at this time except the lodge at Barnard, which was originally organized at Bolckow, in the adjoining county south, but recently removed to Barnard. It was organized as Lodge No. 196, and called Bolckow, but will soon be changed in name to Barnard. They own their own hall and have a working membership of about thirty.

The lodge at Maryville has had a checkered career and while at one date it had a membership of about one hundred and eighty, its present mem¬ bership does not exceed seventy, but the order here is now in a flourishing con¬ dition.

Benevolent And Protective Order Of Elks

The only lodge of Elks in Nodaway county is that of Maryville Lodge. No. 760, instituted March 1, 1902, by District Deputy Exalted Ruler C. H. Fitzgerald, of Kansas City. The institution took place in the Masonic lodge room and there were then initiated into the order fifty charter members. The fee for entering the lodge was fixed at fifteen dollars, while the dues were made twelve dollars per year. Temporary quarters were secured in the Michau building and a five-year lease taken for the hall fitted up especially for this order in the Tribune building, on West Fourth street.

In the autumn of 1902 an Elks' street fair proved a great social and financial success. The first person interested in the organization of such a lodge at Maryville was F. G. Shoemaker, Sr., and on January 15, 1902, a dispensation was granted by the grand lodge officers to Franklin D. Smith, W. D. Ketcham and Albert Enright, of St. Joseph Lodge, No. 40, to proceed with the organization.

January 2, 1907, lots 3 and 4, in block 9, original town of Maryville, were secured, on South Main street, and the old Alexander homestead prop¬ erty, which it constituted, was at once remodeled. In October, the same year, Avery Hall was leased for one year for lodge room purposes. January 4, 1908, a proposition was set on foot and the motion carried to build a perma¬ nent home for the order. The committee appointed for such object was C. D. Hooker, G. W. Fink, Paul Sisson, L. E. Forsyth and H. E. Hudson. The Club House (permanent Elks' building) was erected on the lots already men¬ tioned and it was dedicated in September, 1909. It is in most ways the finest building in Maryville. The first session of No. 760 held in the new building was on the night of September 7th of the year last named. The first class initiated in this building was September 14, 1907.