Manitowoc County, Wisconsin - Chapter 12: Societies and Organizations, 1904

Chapter 12: Societies and Organizations

In the history of every community the part played by the social, benevolent and fraternal orders is always of the utmost importance and in that reg-ard Manitowoc County presents no exception. There is no doubt that org-anizations of this kind promote a feeling- of interdependence and social cohesion that is very salutary in its effects. Many of the orders in Manitowoc have in the first years of their existence been compelled to underg-o strug-g-les to maintain their life but that fact has made their development in later years all the strong-er.

Fraternal Masonic

Most prominent among fraternal org-anizations are the Masonic orders. On February 16 1856 a dispensation was g-ranted for the formation of Manitowoc Lodg-e No. 65 F. & A. M. The first ofi&cers elected were Rev. Melancthon Hoyt, Worshipful Master; Peleg Glover, Senior Warden; Thomas Windiate, Junior Warden; John L. Lee, Treasurer; D. F. Austin, Secretary and J. H. Roberts, Tyler. The original number of brothers were twenty: - W. H. Glover, Michael Fellows, C. W. Fitch, W. W. Waldo, F. W. Nolan, A. Wittmann. H. Rassel, G. S. Glover, D. H. Van Valkenburg-h, W. J. Potter, Charles Palmer, E. D. Beardsley. S. W. Carpenter, W. Barber, T. C. Shove, P. P. Smith, E. K. Rand, R. B. Musson, M. Backus and P. Reiley. This lodge has continued in existence ever since, with a constantly increasingmembership. In 1875 there were sixty-three members, in 1880 eighty-two, in 1885 the same, in 1890 eighty-four and in 1895 ninety-one. Rev. Hoyt was honored by being chosen grand chaplain of the state in 1856, a position held by another Manitowoc brother, Rev. Engle in 1863 and F. Borcherdt was Grand Pursuivant in 1860.

On June 17 1858 a dispensation was granted to Tracy Lodge No. 107 F. & A. M., composed of twelve German Masons, largely taken from the ranks of the older lodge. While the general committee did not recommend the establishment of a second lodge in so small a place as Manitowoc then was, the Grand Lodge permitted it and the lodge continued to exist for some years, the charter being taken back, however, in April 1868. The first officers were F. Borcherdt, W. M.; D. Gerpheide, S. W.; and August Wittmann J. W. Two Rivers secured a lodge, when a dispensation was granted July 15 1874 for Two Rivers Lodge No. 200 F. & A. M., the officers being Dr. A. J. Patchen, W. M.; A. Hudson, S. W.; E. W. Young, J. W.; J. M. Conine, Treasurer; H. G. Fischbein, Secretary; Evan Evans, Tyler. Among the other members were J E. Hamilton, C. H. Jennison, D. Nottage, D. Van Nostrand, Jr. and Alexander Wood. Grand Master Cottrill installed the lodge and it has increased in membership until it numbered in 1900 about forty.

Manitowoc Chapter No. 16 Royal Arch Masons was founded by a dispensation granted April 4 1857 by the Grand Chapter. About fifteen gentlemen were among the charter members and officers were elected as follows: - Rev. M. Hoyt. High Priest; Ury Blake, King and W. R. Marvin, Scribe. A. W. Bowman, a member of the chapter was chosen Grand Principal Sojourner of the state in 1859. Depletion in the ranks, however, caused the chapter to be dropped in 1863, but it was ag-ain revived with nine members eleven years later. Among- the members who have occupied positions in «Lhe Grand Chapter are Dr. J. F. Pritchard, G. B. Burnett and Clarence Hill. At present its membership numbers about eighty. The Masonic Lodg-e in Manitowoc occupies an eleg-ant suite of rooms in the National Bank building-.

Odd Fellows

In his report to the Grand Lodg-e of Wisconsin Odd Fellows in 1849 Grand Master Baird said: "In the county of Manitowoc there is as yet no lodg-e of the order but probably application will before long" be made for the formation of one, as I am informed there are several members of the order residing- in the county." As proof of his prediction there came about the application and g-ranting- of a charter to Chickerming- Lodg-e No. 55 in July 1850 and on April 16 1851 the lodg-e was instituted by Deputy Grand Master Adams and Godfrey Stramm of Shebojgan and Mark Brainerd and W. H. Cole of Sheboygan Falls. The membership numbered ten and upon the next day the following- officers were chosen: - Noble Grand, W.W.Waldo; Vice Grand, B. D. Beardsley; Recording- Secretary, J. L. Kyle; Treasurer, P. P. Smith. Said the report of that year, "The prospects of Chickerming- Ivodg-e, I think, are very good. Some of the best men of Manitowoc are members of the lodge." Among these "best men" were W. Bach, E. L. Abbott, G. W. Durgin, A. Baensch, K. K. Jones, Dr. Zeilley, W. Murphy, L. Sherman, O. Torrison, F. Salomon, C. W. Fitch and G. E. Lee. Among the earlier Noble Grands were E. D. Beardsley, J. L. Kyle and M. Fellows and soon the lodge became prominent in the grand lodge of the state, S. W. Smith being Grand Master in 1864, H. F. Hubbard in 1868 and Rev J. M, Craig in 1885, the last two named also being representatives of Wisconsin in the Sovereign or National Grand Lodge. For two years in the later fifties there were few meetings held and during the war it was with difficulty that the lodge survived but since that time it has led a remarkably successful career. In

In 1853 Two Rivers Lodg-e No. 66 was instituted, meeting- Saturdays. W. Aldrich was prominent in the order and in 1857 became the Grand Master of the state. The cornerstone of an Odd Fellow's Hall was laid on February 28 1874 and numerous festive occasions have been g-iven by the Two Rivers lodg-e, to which Manitowoc brothers have been invited. The lodg-e numbered in 1875 59 members, 71 in 1885, 46 in 1895 and 36 in 1900.

Many of the Odd Fellows were Germans and thus in 1871 Manitowoc Lodg-e No. 194 was instituted by them, C. Zander being- chosen Noble Grand and A. Grcve Vice Grand. The lodg-e in 1900 numbered about sixty members. In 1872 Kiel Lodg-e No. 212 was org-anized, being- consolidated with the Manitou Lodg-e of Rhine, Sheboygan County in 1900. There were in 1900 about thirty members. On February 16 1894 Reedsville Lodg-e No. 237 was instituted and the followingofficers chosen:, - W. H. Noble, N. G.; W. G. Hag-enow, V. G. J. F. Sha}', Secretary; J. Dumas, P. S.; W. Mueller, Treasurer. A lodg-e of the Rebecca order was org-anized by the German ladies of Two Rivers in 1871 under the name of Lydia Lodge No. 22, but it was dropped after an existence of seventeen years. Fredonia Lodg-e, Daug-hters of Rebecca No. 58 at Manitowoc, org-anized in 1891 lasted but seven years. Its first officers were Lena Stolze, N. G.; M. E. Reardon, V. G.; Addie Boecher, R. S. and for a time it had about fifty members.

I. o. G. T. Manitowoc county was the scene of much activity on the part of the Independent Or.kr of Good Templars in ear!}- days. The earliest lodg-e to be org-anized was that at Two Rivers, where on July 19 1855 Evening- Star No. 3 beg-an its existence, it being- one of the first in the state. After a life of eig-ht years it surrendered its charter. At Manitowoc PJ^oenix Lodge No, 119 was organized March 12 1859 by IvOt cal Deputy Ramsdell but its existence numbered but four years. On February 9 1861 Good Intent Lodgre was org-anized at Branch by Local Deputy Whelan, among- the members being- Bryan Mason, Jane Eatough, David Greenman, Sarah Linscott, W. Eatough, G. Gibson, J. Mclvor, J. Smith, Elnathan Phelps, Charles McAllister, Sarah Gibson, Caroline Smith and N. Pierce. The lodge discontinued meetings in 1864. Union Lodge No. 257 was organized at Manitowoc in 1862 but had scarcely begun its existence before it was dropped. In 1866 two more short lived lodges were instituted. Oasis No. 364 at Maple Grove and Olive Branch No. 365 at Cato. In the latter village another, Phoenix No. 163 was called into being in 1879, although it, too, soon ceased to have animation. Another attempt in the city of Manitowoc was made in June 1880, when Sprague Lodge No. 231 was instituted, C. F. Smalley being the local deputy but by 1884 it was dropped from the list. Briar Lodge No. 154 at Two Rivers was equally short lived as was Lodge No. 345 in the same city, organized by Professor Marsh in 1889. Two others, Larrabee No. 95 at Larrabee and Crystal Fountain No. 77 at Cato, also failed to remain active. Niles Lodge No. 358, organized in 1894, however, is still in existence. Various juvenile lodges have been in existence in the county also.

Sons Op Hermann

It was on June 19 1856 that twelve German residents of the village of Manitowoc met together and organized Thusnelda Lodge No. 7 of the Order of the Sons of Hermann, one of the earliest to be organized in the state. It was not, however, the very earliest in the county, since Two Rivers Lodge No. 5 antedates' it by some months. Within a few years lodges were also started at Mishicot and Kiel, while a second lodge, Koerner No. 24 was instituted in Manitowoc. This was combined with the older organization in the later nineties, the joint membership being about seventy. The annual state convention of the order was held at Manitowoc in 1899 and John Schreihart, a member of the local lodge, has been once a member of the grand lodge of the state.

Clipper City Lodg-e No. 148 of the American Order of United Workmen was org^anized at Manitowoc November 26 1878, followed by Mozart Lodge No. 23, made up of German residents, on August 21 1879. W. A. Walker was the first district deputy of the county and in 1884 became grand foreman of the state, a year later being promoted to the position of Grand Master Workman. By that time Clipper City Lodge had over seventy members. Interest in the work of the order has been kept up with the passage of the years and the Mozart Lodge is still active.

Miscellaneous

Manitowoc Lodge No. 86 of the Knights of P3^thias was organized on December 4 1890 and has since led a very successful existence. The original membership was less than thirty but it had reached about sixty by 1901.

Royal Iveague No. 42 was organized March 7 1888 with twent3^-nine members and its record has been one of rapid growth, the membership in 1901 'having attained eightyseven. F. Schultz, a member of the local lodge, has been a member of the state advisory council.

The only representative of the order of Royal Arcanum in the county is Lake Shore Council No. 505, instituted in 1881, whose membership has been quite large.

Lakeside Tent No. 65 K. O. T. M. was organized in 1895 with about twenty members. Its numbers greatlj' increased until by 1901 it had in the neighborhood of ninety members. Another lodge of the Maccabees was organized at Two Rivers in July 1901 while a ladies' hive was established at Manitowoc the same year. H. Hallock a member of Lakeside Tent has been honored with the position of State Finance Keeper.

chosen Chief Rang^er. The order g-rew rapidly and it was not long- before a branch was connected with almost every Roman Catholic congregation in the county, as shown in the chapter on church history, the same being- also true of the Catholic Knights of Wisconsin, of which order Henry Mulholland of Manitowoc was one of the founders.

In 1898 a local branch of the Equitable Fraternal Union was established at Manitowoc and the membership in a few years reached over one hundred.

The first lodg-e of Modern Woodmen to be instituted in the county was Minnehaha Camp No. 1285, which was started at Manitowoc in 1890 by Deputies Bull and Lincoln. A few months later a camp was started at Two Rivers and since 1898 camps have also been added at Kiel, Reedsville, Cooperstown, Gibson, Centerville, Mishicot, Cato, Eaton, School Hill and Two Creeks. The first county convention was held in January 1899, Halvor Halvorsen acting- as chairman and the first county picnic occurred at Mishicot on Aug-ust 26 1901.

Young-est, but not least, among- the fraternal orders of Manitowoc rank the Elks, org-anized with g-reat festivity on April 19 1901 with Ernst Wag-ner as Exalted Ruler of the local lodg-e. The membership soon reached a larg-e number.

Among- the various other fraternal organizations, which have in the past filled a place in local life, have been Clipper City Lodge No. 9 of the order of Druids, Hope Lodg-e No. 363 Knights of Honor, Manitowoc Council No. 1150 of the Leg-ion of Honor and the National Fraternal Leag-ue No. 28.

Literary Orgaismzations

Glover, O. H. Piatt, C. W. Fitch, S. A. Wood, A. Wittmann, E. K. Rand, S. W. Smith and G. W. Glover. The object was the holding" of annual courses of lectures and in this aim the society was successful for a number of j'ears. The first course offered included the following- lectures: - K. K. Jones on "Manitowoc, Its Past History, Present Progress and Future History," Rev. M. Hoyt on "Master Moderate," I. H. Parrish on "Russian War," W. W. Bates on "Manitowoc History and Shipbuilding in All Ages" and A. Ten Eyck on "The Sandwxh Islands." Later courses comprised such speakers as Rev. Camp, of Sheboygan, Col. C. Robinson of Green Bay, Professor Bent of Boston, besides B. R. Anderson, Dr. Kaston and Rev. Engle of Manitowoc. In 1859 the Manitowoc Literary and Scientific Society was formed by Jacob Lueps, S. A. Wood, W. Bach, W. Vette, C. W. Fitch, C. Hottelmann, R. Klingholz, H. Baetz, C. Walker and F. Salomon, the work of the society being interrupted by the war, which so soon broke out.

A peculiar and yet most successful organization was the Burns Society, made up of many of the older Scotch residents of the county, which was formed in January 1S60 to celebrate with story and song- each recurrence of the birthday of the popular poet, Henry Sibree was chosen president, Peter Johnston vice president and G. W. Burnet secretary. For seven or eight 3'ears the association gathered at some congenial spot to do honor to their countryman. Among the members were Robert McGavin, John Robinson, E. K. Rand, J. W. Barnes. T. E. Sullivan, J. Vilas, G. S. Glover, R. Mc- Guire, H. Mulholland, and M. Mahoney, some of whom, it will be observed, turned Scotch for the occasion. Similar to this was the g-athering of old English settlers at the Windiate House in 1872, although the association formed was not kept up. The Nordcn, a Norwegian literary semi-fraternal association has also led many years of prosperous existence. Among the more recent literary societies have been the Friday Night Literary Club, the Newman Club and the Drummond Club. In 1890 the Clio Club, an association of ladies, began its work and has since been the leading organir zation of its kind in the cit}-, having- become affiliated with the State Federation of Women's Clubs. The Two Rivers Historical Association, whose purpose is evident from its name, was formed in February 1898 during- the Wisconsin Semi-Centennial movement. Literary societies have also been org-anized in the two cities and in a larg-e number of the country districts in connection with the public schools.

Musical Organizations

It was only natural that among so many of the Teutonic race music should early be recognized as a bond that makes heart and soul akin. As an evidence of the realization there was formed in Manitowoc in the fall of 1847 a musical society, John Zins being- chosen conductor. The first concert was given on Washing-ton's Birthday of the following- year. The sing-ing society after seven 3"ears' existence was incorporated as the Freier Saengerbund in 1855, among- the promoters be ing W. Rahr, A. M. Richter, A. Richter, J. Roemer, J. Lueps, A. Berner, O. Troemmel, G. Schulz, P. Leubner, Henry Baetz, H. Lohe, J. Scherflus, F. Seeg-er, M. Vollendorf and W. Bach. The g-overnor vetoed the bill incorporating- the society for some reason but it passed over his head in the Senate by a vote of 21 to 8 and in the Assembly by a vote of 62 to 9. In a few years two more societies, Concordia and Harmonia were formed and in Two Rivers still another, Liedertafel was instituted. The Bohemians at Manitowoc also formed a singing society and they secured the state festival of similar org-anizations in 1888. The P^ourth Annual Saeng-erfest of Eastern Wisconsin was held in Manitowoc in June 1897, the event being larg-ely attended, while Kiel, which also has a musical society, entertained the g-athering- in 1901.

Other musical org-anizations have also played an important part in the past. The earliest band org-anized was that of the Schmidt brothers, residents of Newton, succeeded by Prof. Bieling's Band, organized in the sixties, later led by Prof. Urban, the Lutheran Band, the Acme Band, Prof. Weinschenk's numerous orchestras, the North Side Brass Band, org-anized in 1868 and the Polish Band, - all of Manitowoc, - the Two Rivers Cornet Band and various smaller org-anizations throug-hout the county. Among- the miscellaneous musical societies of past and present may be mentioned the Monday Musical Club, organized in 1899, the Glee Club, the Lake Shore Mandolin and Guitar Club in existence during the latter nineties, and the various church choirs and choruses.

Dramatic Organizations

To the German residents of the county, also, Manitoveoc owes the development of what has been done in the amateur dramatic art. In an article, appearing in the Nordwesten, A. Wittmann once told in a graphic manner of the first attempt to hold a German play in the village of Manitowoc. It was on Christmas Eve in 1848 that the attempt was made, all the actors being young- men recently arrived from the Fatherland. The play chosen was, "Eckenste, der Nante" and in the cast were A. Bodenstab, C, Malmros, Richard Klingholz, W. Bach and A. Wittmann. A vacant room in the store of Bach and Kling-holz afforded an improvised theater, the dressing room being a side bedroom. The whole village turned out to see the production, - even the "Yankees" - and the affair, which was a g-rand success terminated with "schnaps." Thus passed the first effort at amateur dramatics in Manitovvoc. It was not long before the German Theatrical AssQciation was giving" popular plays. In the sixties the Bohemians also began to give occasional amateur productions in their language, a practice which they have since continued. The Manitowoc Dramatic Association was organized in 1874 and for some years gave dramatic entertainments, while in the latter nineties the Young- Peoples' Dramatic Club led a successful existence.

Athletic Organizations

Physical developments was an end early sought b}^ the German residents of Manitowoc County and the result was the formation of the Gymnastic Association on May 17 1854 at Franklin Hall, the charter members being F. Salomon. Jacob Lueps, Col. W. Lozier, T. Clark and W. W. Waldo. Six years afterwards an association was incorporated as Der

Turnverein, the incorporators being- Charles Frase, F. Ebbert, J. Ho3^er, C. G. Heing-art, W. Hempscheme3^er, J. Deubler, H. Woerfel, G. Schweitzer, H. Schweitzer, H. Eckert and W. Leverenz. In 1865 a hall was built at the corner of South Seventh and Washing-ton streets at a cost of $8000 and in this hall g-ymnastic classes were started in 1872, having- been maintained under the g-uidance of competent instructors till 1900. State Turnfests have been held at Manitowoc in 1867, 1883 and 1895, the last being- attended by three thousand visitors.

In June 1857 a Turnverein was organized at Two Rivers and a larg-e hall was erected by it ten years later. Another similar org-anization was founded at Centerville by the German residents in 1857 and societies have also existed at Kiel and Mishicot. The Bohemians of the city of Manitowoc also took an early interest in gymnastics and in 1864 built a small hall for this and theatrical purposes. Two years later the society known as the Slovanska Lipa was incorporated by Albert Fischer, F. Kostomlatsky, W. Kostomlatsky, J. Janecek, F. Stupecky, V. Stapecky, J. Brandeis, J. Falda, C. Salak, J. Mazena, V. Clement, D. Sternard, S. Skarywarda, M. Wahrhaneck, J. Skarywarda and L. Shimoneck. A new brick hall was erected on North Eighth Street in 1884, being- dedicated on November 1st with formal ceremonies, addresses being delivered by Carl Jonas of Racine and L. J. Nash.

Among" the various athletic sports of the county shootingearly took a prominent place. In February 1870 the leg-islature incorporated the Manitowoc Schuetzen Gesellschaft, composed of Fred Becker, A. Berner, G. Bloquelle, Fred Carus, P. P. Fuessenich, A. Grosstueck, W. H. Hempschemej^er, E. Hollander, R. Kling-holz, P. Leubner, F. Stupecky, C. H. Schmidt, P. Wieboldt and W. Bach. The year preceding the Mishicot Schuetzen Verein had been formed, among- the promoters being- Louis Koehnke, H. Beyer, J. Lindstedt, S. C. Selk, P. Rau, W. Tisch and F. Halberg". The State Schuetzenfest was held at the village in 1876. In 1880 the Manitowoc Shooting" Club was formed, succeeded nine years latsr by the Manitowoc Gun Club, which was active for some years.

Baseball was popular in Wisconsin, from an early time. In 1868 the papers recorded a game between the Manitowoc and Sheboygan Falls teams, in which the score was 104 to 59 in favor of the former, the victors being Clark, Sherman, Smith, Knert, Nelson, Powers, Guyles, Reed and Woodin. In 1874 the Clipper Boy's Club was organized and a year later the Lakeside Baseball Clubw From that time on the national game gained in interest and teams were formed at Two Rivers and other points in the county, interest being particularly high in the early nineties. Football enthusiasm arose in 1895 among the high school students and has since increased, there having been three or four teams in the county each fall. In 1884 the Manitowoc Bicycle Club was organized, succeeded when the ''safety" came into general use by a similar club with a large membership. In 1885 , boating was much in vogue and the Manitowoc Boat .Club was formed, of which G. Burnet was president and Albert Landreth vice president. A tennis club was formed in the nineties, a court on private grounds being utilized, and there have been also various other miscellaneous organizations, such as the Tenpin League, the Skat Club, the Riding and Driving Association, etc.

Agricultural A Sociations

Perhaps no one kind of societies has done so much for the advancement of the county's interests as those, which have, in the past, had charge of the various county fairs. The first meeting of the Manitowoc County Agricultural Association was held on June 23 1857 and in October of that year the first fair was held, the site chosen being Washington Square. For nine successive years fairs were held at this spot and the association thrived, its presidents in crder |of service being Jacob Lueps, C. Esslinger, J. F. Guyles and H. McAllister. In 1869 an attempt was made to reorganize and D. J. Easton was elected president but it met with little success. Five years later the Central Agricultural Society was formed and for a number of years the fairs were held at Clark's Mills. These, however, failed of success and in November 1883 the Manitowoc Industrial Association was formed with the following- officers: - President, F. Schuette; Secretary, W. A. Walker; Treasurer, O. Torrison. A plot of thirty-seven acres was i urchased northwest of the city of Manitowoc for $3150 and building-s erected, the first fair being- held in October of the next year. Governor Rusk honoring- the occasion by his presence. Thereafter the fair became an annual institution and played an important part in the agricultural life.

During- the Grang-e movement in 1874 a number of associations were formed by the farmers including one in Meenie. A County Dairy Association was formed in 1886 with W. Danforth as president and in 1898 the State Dairymen's Association met in the city. Governor Scofield being- present. Since the org-anization of the Farmers Institutes many have been held iti accessible places in the county, proving of much value. In this connection it is interesting- to note that it was a Manitowoc man, C. E. Estabrook, who, when in the leg-islature, first introduced the system of institutes in Wisconsin.

Labor Owganizations

Perhaps the earliest labor movement in the county was the formation of the Mechanics' Association of Manitowoc in September 1859. C. S. Canrig-ht was chosen president, W. Rahr vice president, J. Crowley secretary and E. J. Smalley treasurer. A committee on resolutions was made up of T. F. Hodges, K. S. Auberg", F. Schneider, D. Wallace, J. N. Perry, H. Westphal and J. Hurst and the po'sition of the society on such matters as store pay was stated. As Manitowoc, however, was not a manufacturing- center, such movements did not thrive and many years passed without witnessing- another. In Two Rivers, where there was much manufacturing- from the beginning, labor was unorganized until 1894, In the spring- of that year the Mann Mutual Aid Association was formed, consisting- of three hundred members and in the fall a union of wood workers was org-anized. In

September of the following- 3^ear the first strike was inaug-arated among" the employees of the Two Rivers Manufacturing" Company, one hundred men g^oing-out. The grievances, however, were finally compromised. Another strike took place in April 1897 but the difficulties were soon amicably adjusted. These frictions naturally led to a considerable org-auization of labor in Two Rivers and a similar tendency was noticeable in Manitowoc a year or so later. Among- the laborers org-anized in the latter city were the longshoremen, who instituted two unions, the cig-armakers, masons and their tenders, carpenters, brewers, moulders, barbers, machinists, painters, clerks, typesetters and eng-ineers, both stationary and marine. A central trades council and a branch of the American FederatiCm of Labor were also org-anized during- the summer of 1901. The first observance of Labor Day occurred in the fall of the same year.

Benevolent Societies

BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES. Aside from the various denominational aid societies there have been and still exist several benevolent societies, principally in the city of Manitowoc. In November 1865 the Charitable Association was formed with the following- officers: - President, Mrs. M. Fellows; Vice President, Mrs. H. Rand; Treasurer, Mrs. J. D. Markham and Secretary, Mrs. W. J. Stoutenbergh. The org-anization continued its g-ood work for many years. The South Side Ladies Aid Society was org-anized in 1883 and a similar society among- the north side ladies soon after. The absence of poverty, however, has not made g-reat efforts in this direction ver}' necessary.

Business Associations

In July 1885 a number of the business men of Manitowoc g-athered tog-ether and formed the Business Men's Association, electing- E. K. Rand president. After some years the association was revived in 1891 as the Manitowoc Improvement Association with 147 members. T. C. Shove was elected president, G. B. Burnet vice president, Emil Baensch secretary and W. D. Richards treasurer while the board of directors was composed of F. H. Haley, F. C. Buerstatte, F. Schuette, W. I). Richards and Ernst Wag-ner. After the panic and depression caused by the bank failures had been somewhat alleviated the business men of the city formed an Advancement Association, which was quite active in the dredg-ingand other improvements. The Merchants' Association of Manitowoc is an organization of later birth. The Two Rivers Advancement Association was formed in December 1890 with J. E. Hamilton as president, P. Gagnon and Leopold Mann as vice presidents and E. Manseau as secretar}' and treasurer, the org"anization proving" to be of much -benefit to that city. Several associations of a business nature, having- for their object mutual benefits have played an important part in the later development of the county. In the seventies there were founded the Manitowoc Rapids Fire Insurance Company, of whom the chief promoter was Charles Kling-holz and the Mishicot Feuer Versicherung Gesellschaft. In 1870 the leg"- islature incorporated the Manitowoc Fire Insurance Company with a capital of $100,000 the incorporators being- Joseph Vilas, C. H. Walker, J. Mann, F. Schultz, F. Kostomlatsky, C.H.Schmidt, Jacob Halvorsen and A. Piening-. Similar institutions as protection ag-ainst fire were formed in various t jwnships of the county among- the farmers, notably in Newton, where a society has been in existence since the fifties. In 1879 the Mutual Life Insurance Company of Manitowoc was fcfrmed, Carl Gelbke being- chose:i president and G. Dusold vice president. More recent and working- along- somewhat different lines has been the Manitowoc Building- and Loan Association, org-anized in 1890 with a capital of $50,000 which has enabled many to construct homes of their own.

Misceli.Aneous

There have been several classes of org-anizations, deserving- of mention that it would be difficult to classify. Amongthose devoted to conviviality might be mentioned the Heydey Club, organized in Manitowoc in February 1889, which, after an existence of eleven years disbanded, the Calumet Club, an org-anization similar in nature, formed the same year, whose life was still shorter and the various minor dancing- and card clubs. An org-anization, which should have survived, but unfortunately did not was the Manitowoc County Old Settlers

Club, formed on January 16 1879. The meeting- was called by H. H. Smith, the father of Two Rivers, J. D. Markham, W. W. Waldo, W. Bach, and C. Essling-er and P. P. Smith was chosen president and William Bach secretary. A grand banquet was held on February 21st, which was largely attended and it was then decided that there should be a permanent organization, with vice presidents for each township, the list being made up as follows: - Schleswig, J. Barth, F. Krieger; Centerville, P. Werner. E. Rossberg; Newton, F. Schmitz, C. W-ernecke; Meeme, H. Mulholland, J. H. Bohne; Eaton, Patrick O'Shea, Fred Swenson, Maple Grove, W. Zahn, M. Finlan; Franklin, Bryan Lorrigan. G. Betzer; Rapids, R. Donovan, H. Wills, N- Fitz; Kossuth, Casper Ewen, William Robinson; Liberty, J. Stephenson, M. Taugher; Rockland, D. B. Knapp, S. Hagenow; Cato, Ira C'ark, Jacob Grimm; Two Creeks, Fred Pfunder; Cooperstown, Henry Nachtwey; Mishicot, Julius Lindstedt, John Terens; Gibson, Jason Pellett, Manitowoc, J. Fliegler, E. J. Smalley, R. Klingholz, P. P. Smith, W. Burmeister, M. Fellows, G. Pankratz, C. W. White, S. A. Wood; Two Rivers, J. M. Conine, A. D. Farnum, Leopold Mann, Joseph Schwab. With all this complete organization, however, the association did not live beyond its birth, no further meetings being held.

In 1866 during the anti-English movement among the Irish residents of the United States, Manitowoc was the home of a Fenian Circle. The officers were: - Center, Michael Mahoney; Secretary, John Langtry; Treasurer, R. O'Connor; Committee of Safety, E. Sullivan, G. G. Dwyer, Jere Crowley and Emmett Crill and weekl}' meetings were held in Glover's Hall. The circle was revived in 1869 but soon passed out of existence.

In March 1892 the Manitowoc Humane Society was formed, Emil Baensch being chosen president and P. J. Pierce officer, later Richard McGuire occupying the latter position. The society, however, soon ceased to be active. Several organizations among the Bohemians of the county, with fraternal features, have been important features of their social life, notably the C. S. P. S.