Monroe County, Wisconsin - Yiii Lodges and Societies of Sparta, 1912

Yiii Lodges and Societies of Sparta

It is the intention in tliis chapter to give brief historical accounts of the lodges and societies which came in existence in the city; there have been a number of organizations in the past "which have been disbanded and the records of which are not available, thus preventing any detailed account of their history at this time ; among these orders was a lodge of the Ancient Order of United "Workmen, which was organized in 1876, and also a lodge of Good Templar, which has had rather a fitful existence at different times.

Pearly in 1880 there was organized in the city a civic organization called the "Board of Trade," having for its purpose the advancement of the interests of the village along manufacturing and mercantile lines and promoting in the general prosperity of the municipality; this organization continued for some time, but finally disbanded for lack of interest. No institution of the kind was in existence again until 1908, when the citizens' club was corporated and furnished rooms in the Schram building on AVater street. The object of tliis organization Avas practically the same and for the time it accomplished considerable good in several ways, but, like the Board of Trade, interest in it waned, and it finally dissolved, sold its furniture and fittings, and in 1911 became a thing of the past. The business men of Sparta have now no organization of the character which looks after promoting the general welfare of flic city and there seems to be no disposition among the business men to maintain such an organization.

Valley Lodge, No. 60, Free and Accepted Masons. A dispensation was granted l)y the grand lodge of Wisconsin on August 17, IS")!, and Valley Lodge duly instituted. The first meeting was held in the house of R. S. Kingman, August 26. 1854, when ^lorrison AIc^NIillan was installed as worshipful nmster. The charter Avas granted June 1."). 1855, Mr. McMillan being the first Avorshipful master under the charter; since an hirli time there have been twenty-three Avorshipful masters and eighteen secretaries;

In the year 1891 the Alasonic fraternity purchased lots nine and ten, Tyler's addition, on the northwest corner of AA^ater and Main streets, and a corporation was formed which erected a Masonic Temple ; stock in this institution was held by members of the different Alasonie liodies until 1910, when Valley Lodge, No. 60, having accumulated sufficient funds, took over the building and now owns it absolutely, j)ractically free from indebtedness ; the lodge rooms are handsomely fitted up and are used by the Alasonic bodies, including the Commandery of Knights Templar and by the Order of the Eastern Star.

Sparta Chapter, No. 19, R. A. M. Dispensation was granted by the grand chapter of AA'isconsin January 9, 1859, upon the petition of Alorrison AIclNIillan, Soloman Howe, A. II. Condit, AA^. S. Lane, A. R. McLean, Thomas Beitcher, Robert Langley, E. Sanford Blake, E. F. Clinton, J. AV. Alillour, Israel Graves, Chester AlcClure, E. S. AIcBride, J. D. Condit and R. C. AIcAIann.

The first meeting under this dispensation was held in Jackson hall, on the evening of Alarch 11, 1859, at which time Alorrison AIcAIillan Avas installed as high priest. On the 3rd day of February, 1860, the charter was granted by the grand chapter and the chapter was constituted and the officers installed on the 19th day of April following ; A. H. Condit being the first high priest under the charter.

During the forty-three years of its existence the chapter has had twenty-three high priests; the institution is in a prosperous condition and numbers ninety-five members in good standing.

Sparta Commandery, No. 16, Knights Templar. The charter of this oi-ganizatioii was granted by the grand commandery of the state of "Wisconsin on the 6tli day of September, 1882, and the following were the first officers installed : S. N. Dickenson, eminent commander; N. W. Huntley, generalissimo; J. D. Condit, captain general ; the commandery has always occupied the lodge rooms in tlie IMasonic Temple for its meetings, and there, in connection M'ith these rooms, are a set of cedar lockers which house the uniforms and eciuipments of the order; the jurisdiction of the commandery includes the Royal Arch Chapters at Tomali, Black River Falls, New Lisbon, Necedah and Sparta, and at tiie present time the membership is 100 sir knights.

Its present officers are R. A. Richards, eminent commander; Louis T. Hill, generalissimo ; George Dreyer, captain general ; TV. ]\IcBride, senior warden ; William Forsman, junior warden ; George H. Chaffee, prelate; F. E. BaldAvin, recorder; A. \V. Barney, treasurer ; P. S. Sparling, standard bearer ; John Kemp, sword bearer; E. R. AVilliams, warden, and J. T. Sargent, sentinel.

Sparta Chapter No. 18, Order of the Eastern Star. This order Avas instituted on the 5tli day of May, lb9I, with the following charter member's : A. H. Isham, INIiss INIary Isham, 'Mv. and ]Mrs. James Skillman, ]Mr. and ^Irs. J. Schram. ]\lr. and ]Mrs. S. T. Lewis, Mr. and INIrs. E. A. Clark, Mr. and Mrs. C. N. AVright, Mr. and ]\Irs. L. D. Merrill, Mrs. D. B. Cheuev and :\Irs. Villiam Meyer.

This is an order to which the Avives, daughters, mothers, sisters and children of iMasons are eligible, and is in part of a social nature. It has rendered much assistance in the past to the sick and needy members of the order. It first occupied a hall over tlie ]\Ionroe County bank, but now is installed in the ^Masonic Temple, and meets twice a month ; it occasionally gives social parties, wliich are greatly enjoyed by the members and tlieir friends.

The present officers are Emma Baldwin, Avortliy matron; Dr. J. C. Prill, patron; Genevieve Masters, associate matron; Jennie Horseman, conductress ; ]\Iillie Enckhauseu, secretary ; Jennie

Sparta Lodge No. 94, I. 0. 0. F. The present charter of this organization was granted on the 21st day of January, 1899, with PI. Palmer, R. Langley, L. D. Fisher, D. C. Fuller and S. P. Greenman as charter members. There was a lodge of this order organized in Sparta on or about the year 1858, but it disbanded and the records of it are not available. The present lodge numbers about 150 members, and is in a prosperous condition.

In the year 1887 it acquired the property known as the old Heller block on the corner of South AVater and Oak streets, in which Avas added a business block on the west, so that this order is now the owner of a handsome property with paying business tenants below, and a tine suite of lodge rooms on the second floor, including a large and commodious dining room and kitchen; the property is valued at the present time at $10,000.

Sparta Encampment No. 36, I. 0. 0, F. This is the uniform rank of the order of the Odd Fellows, and was instituted January 19, 1870. Its charter members were A. W. Kemp, S. P. Greenman, G. Simpson, S. B. Hamilton, J. H. Allen, J. N. Tarr and W. F. Cook.

This is an order of a military character, and is handsomely equipped with uniforms, each member carrying a sword ; its membership consists of about forty at the present time, and its meetings are held at the hall of the I. 0. 0. F., and its present officers are F. J. Van Antwerp, chief patriarch ; A. P. Anderson, senior warden ; 0. J. Jackson, scribe ; F. J. Sheldon, junior warden, and J. B. Aimer, high priest.

Mineral Springs Lodge of Rebeccas No. 41. This is an organization for women, connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the charter was granted for its institution by the grand lodge on December 3, 1874, and was organized w^ith the following charter members : A. W. Kemp, G. S. Shaw, Samuel Hoyt, E. E. Olin, L. Green, D. H. Smith, H. A. Streeter, W. P. Meyer, Mrs. A. AV. Kemp, Mrs. G. S. Shaw, Mrs. Samuel Hoyt, Mrs. E. E. Olin, Mrs. L. Green, Mrs. G. H. Smith, Mrs. H. A. Streeter and Airs. AV. P. Aleyer.

This orgaiii/atiun is notewortliy for its charitable deeds, and has been a great help to the nienil)ers of the order, and they frequently give soeial entertainments at the commodious lodge rooms of the Odd Fellows, which are greatly enjoyed by the participants. It numbers 113 members, and its present ofifieers are:

Knights of Pythias, was organized July 9. 1874, with the following charter members: ^1. R. Gage. A. AV. AVilson, C. Blakeslee, AY. H. Nott, J. :\r. Morrow, J. A. Harvey. C. B. :\IcClure, D. C. Beebe, AY. Goodale. J. B. Palmer and N. P. Lee. The lodge had a warrant granted to them under Avhich they worked until July 1, 1875, when their charter was received from the grand lodge. They were authorized by the Avarrant to organize, constitute and establish a lodge of Knights of Pythias at Sparta, county of Monroe, state of AYisconsin, to be known at Sparta Lodge, No. 18, Knights of Pythias.

The lodge has occupied ditferent halls during the time of its existence, and it is now very comfortaldy housed on the second floor of the Grossman building, where they have commodious quarters fitted up and club rooms.

Lodges And Rocieties Of Sparta 311

The order has had a steady and prosperous growth and now has 438 members, among whom are thirty-nine social members, who do not participate in the insurance benefit of the order ; the lodge occupies handsome quarters in what is known as the old Opera block, leasing the entire upper floor of this building, including the dance hall, which it rents for public entertainments at various times and from which considerable revenue is derived.

Its present officers are W. P. Bamber, consul ; M. H. Babcoek, advisor ; C. E. Stevenson, banker ; C. M. Van Antwerp, clerk ; Ed. Arnold, escort; August Keifer, sentry; C. Merrow, watchman ; Sarles, Beebe & Beebe and H. H. Williams, physicians ; D. Hemstock, R. E. Nicol and C. H. Leach, managers ; M. E. Putman, chief forester.

This lodge is a member of the LaCrosse Valley Association of ]\Iodern Woodman, which gives an annual picnic, and on June 5, 1912, the annual picnic was held in the city of Sparta, with an elaborate program and a large attendance.