Until July 1st, 1899.
Terms, $81.00 a Year, in Advance.
Bellefonte, Pa., April 28,1899.
P. GRAY MEEK, - - - EbpiToR.
The Watchman Still to Be Had for $1.00
a Year.
Out of respect for the earnest solicita-
tion of a number of the leading Demo-
crats of Centre county and with the hope
of making the WATCHMAN the family
paper of every household in this section
it has been determined to continue the
present low rate of $1 a year until July
1st, 1899.
The reduction in price made last De-
cember has resulted in an unprecedented
increase of subscribers, but we know
there are still more who will be anxious
to take advantage of this low rate propo-
sition. :
There is one thing, however, that we
desire to impress upon the minds of our
old subscribers. This rate of $1 per year
is POSITIVELY only for those who pay in
advance. All have an equal opportunity
to take advantage of it and if you do not
do it you need not expect to settle at any
other than the rate of $2 per year.
The WATCHMAN has never deviated
from its rule of fair and impartial treat-
ment to all, consequently the paper will
be given to no one for a dollar who does
not settle up all arrearages and pay one
year in advance. Don’t expect to have
a reduction from the old price of $2 made
for you unless you are an advance sub-
scriber, for you will be disappointed if
you do.
oer—
The Meeting of the County Committee.
If an enthusiastic well attended meeting
of political leaders from all over the county
can be taken as a fair index of the interest
that will be shown in the coming campaign
in Centre county then the contest this fall
will certainly be a vigorous one and a
vigorous contest means a glorious victory
for Democracy, for the meeting of the coun-
ty committee held in Democratic head-
quarters, last Monday night, was both en-
thusiastic and well attended.
In response to chairman JOHNSTON’S call
forty-two of the fifty-six precincts in the
county were represented and the delegates
manifested an interest and enthusiasm that
betokens energy on their part.
The special business of the meeting was
to re-apportion the delegate representation
of the precincts in the next county conven-
tion. It was done on the basis of the vote
cast for GEO. A. JENKS, for Governor, at
the last general election and has already
been published in the WATCHMAN. The
vote for JENKS, last fall, having been only
4,241, there can be but 85 delegates in the
convention to be held in June, a decrease
of 4 in the number entitled to seats in the
last convention. Some of the precincts
gain while others lose votes. The North
ward of Bellefonte, State College borough
and Howard township each gain one vote
and Harris township gains one-half a vote.
There will be a loss of one vote in each of
the following precincts: north Benner, west
Boggs, west Gregg, west Haines, Liberty,
south Potter and east Snow Shoe, while
the south ward of Bellefonte loses one-half
a vote.
With the new apportionment settled mis-
cellaneous business was taken up and the
following resolutions, presented by D. F.
FoRTNEY were adopted:
Resolved, by the Democratic committee of Cen-
tre county in regular session met that we endorse
the course of the Hon. William C. Heinle, and the
Hon. J. H. Wetzel and Hon. Robert M. Foster,
Senator from the 34th Senatorial District of Penn-
sylvania, and Representatives from Centre coun-
ty, respectively, in the late General Assembly of
Pennsylvania, and congratulate each of them on
their faithful and efficient service and their re-
turn home with clean records from an Assembly
dominated by the ‘“Boss” and covered with the
stain and slime of corruption.
Resolved, that the Democratic committee of
Centre county in regular session met, present to
the Democratic party of the State the Hon. Calvin
M. Bower as the candidate of the Democracy of
Centre couny for judge of the Supreme court. A
long and faithful service at the bar, engaged in a
varied and extensive practice in very branch of
the law has more than qualified him to grace,
with dignity and honor, a seat in the highest
court of the State. His devotion to pure political
principles, his fealty to the Democratic party, his
onesty and honor, his capacity and courage, his
ability, integrity and faithful labors have merited
and won for him the confidence and united sup-
Dots of the Democracy of the countyand entitles
im to the consideration and support of the entire
party of the State.
After the adoption of the resolutions a
number of speeches were made. Col. JACK-
SON L. SPANGLER started with one of his
characteristically encouraging talks on the
situation in the State. He was followed
by Senator HEINLE, who spoke of the
Democratic course at Harrisburg and gave
the people some insight into the crooked
work that Democrats were at least able to
prevent there during the last session of the
Legislature. Hon. J. H. WETZEL was
next introduced and continued the line
taken up by the previous speaker, showing
how the State had gained by the bold stand
taken by the Legislature to prevent the vic-
ious legislation that would certainly have
been imposed upon the people had they ac-
cepted any of the propositions by the stal-
warts or the insurgent Republicans to
combine with them. Col. FORTNEY,
CHARLES R. KURTZ, Capt. HUGH 8. TAY-
LOR and GEO. R. MEEK were the other
speakers before chairman JOHNSTON took
the floor to urge constant work on the part
of his committeemen. He gave them an
idea of the campaign that he hopes to con-
duct and earnestly asked their co-operation
to make it a faithful one.
The committeemen or substitutes who
were present were:
J. L. Spangler, D. F. Fortney, W. H. Walker,
J. G. Dauberman, H. A. Moore, Cyrus Brungart,
Ira B. Howe, Reuben Glenn, a Mechtley,
Henry Heaton, Lewis Aikey, William Hipple, J.
A. Williams, Chas. Ream, Ww. H. Fry, Samuel
Harpster Jr., Geo. F. Weaver, Green Decker,
Geo. Keister, J. H. Griffen, 0. W. Sto-
ver, Henry Hale, J. W. Orr, W. J. Carlin, C. J.
Crouse, Ellis Shafer, Thos. M. Huey, J. F. Garth-
off, G. L. Goodhart, Geo. H. Emerick, Guion Free-
man, John J. Wayne, J. T. Lucas, J. 'W. Hepburn,
Adam Hasel, Bruce Garbrick, jo A Peck, D. M.
Whitman, W. M. Cronister.
A GREAT DAY FOR ODD FELLOWS.
THE EIGHTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORDER IN AMERICA CELEBRA-
TED IN SPLENDID STYLE IN BELLEFONTE.
Even a Hail Storm Couldn’t Spoil It.
Bellefonte Thronged with Thousands of Strangers to Witness the Parade of the
Central Pennsylvania Odd Fellows—Encampments, Lodges and Cantons from
Many Counties Here to Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Order in
America—Bellefonte Never Looked Gayer—A Good Natured, Well
Ordered Crowd and a Grand Parade.
Not since the days of her centennial cel-
ebration in June, 1895, has Bellefonte
looked more gorgeous under the touch of
professional decorators or been visited by
more people than she was on Wednesday.
The Odd Fellows of Central Pennsylvania
district, embracing nineteen counties, were
here to celebrate the 80th anniversary of
the establishment of their order in Ameri-
ca and they did it by such an out pouring
of people and a parade of such splendor as
could not but impress on the minds of
everyone the strength of the society and
the reputable character of its member-
ship. :
Bellefonte had been preparing for weeks
for the event and when the anniversary day
dawned nearly every business block in the
town and all of the public buildings were
replendent in holiday draperies. The
Bush house, the WATCHMAN office, the
Arcade, Odd Fellows hall, the Exchange,
First national bank, the Jackson, Hastings
& Co. bank, the Garman house, the court
house, the Brockerhoff house, Temple
court, the Lyon block and Naginey’s build-
ing had all been dressed by professional
decorators, while nearly all of the other
principal places in the town were effective-
ly draped with buntingand appropriate in-
signia.
Two imposing arches, emblematical of
0dd Fellowship and in imitation of white
marble spanned High street. One at the
intersection of Water and the other just at
the entrance to the Diamond from east
High. By many the decorations were be-
lieved to have been far more elaborate than
they were for the centennial celebration.
THE CROWDED TRAINS ARRIVING.
The crowds began to arrive early from
the surrounding country, but it was not
until the morning trains came in that the |
guests of honor and the bands were in evi-
dence. The first to arrive was over the
Bellefonte Central, bringing seven coaches
crowded with the Odd Fellows from State
College and Pine Grove and the State Col-
lege band. Nexs came the morning train
over the L. and T., with Lemont, Boals-
burg, Centre Hall, Millheim and Rebers-
burg lodges; five coaches full. Following
it the train east on the B. E. V. brought
six coaches of representatives from Storms-
town, Tyrone, Bellwood and Altoona and
the Bellwood band. Then the train west
arrived soon after with the Blanchard,
Lick Run, Howard, Milesburg and Renovo
lodges. The crowds already arrived had
scarcely been escorted to quarters ere the
first section over the Central R. R. of Pa.
came in. It was two hours late, owing to
a freight wreck that had delayed it at Jer-
sey Shore. It was a special through from
Williamsport of eight coaches carrying the
grand lodge officers and cantons and lodges
from that city, Jersey Shore and Lock
Haven. Ten minutes later the regular
train pulled into the station at the foot of
Lamb street packed with Nittany valley’s
turnout.
A STORM DELAYED PARADE.
The parade had been scheduled for 2
o’clock and had almost been marshalled
into order for movement when a terrific
thunder storm sent the assemblying march-
ers skurrying for shelter. It seemed as
though all the hose in the firmament had
bursted for a few moments and hail-stones
pelted down violently to add to the dis-
comfort of those who couldn’t find cover.
It was scarcely an instant after the storm
broke that High street, previously a sea of
people, became a regular torrent of running
water. The Odd Fellows took it good nat-
uredly and some of them became more odd
than ever by the ducking they got.
The Repasz band that had been escorting
the Williamsport Patriarchs Militant, took
shelter under the awnings at the Bush
house and gave their feelings vent in such
selections as ‘“‘How Dry I Am’’ and ‘‘Wait
Till the Clouds Roll by Jennie.” The
third division, that was resting on north
Water street, climbed into the cars on the
Central sidings and were as dry as punk,
while the first and second divisions took to
the porches on north and south Thomas
streets.
The storm lasted about half an hour,
then it cleared up and looked as though a
bright afternoon was to follow, but grand
marshal Taylor had scarcely called the
men into line again, ere another shower
floated along; this time catching the gayly
uniformed 4th regimentand wetting it con-
siderably before Col. Long decided to send
his men to cover again.
Co. M, 21st Reg. N. G. P., the military
escort of the parade, stuck to its position
’til the last, but as the drops began to get
larger and the clouds blacker Capt. Mullen
double quicked his men into the Pennsyl-
vania passenger station. The streets were
again deserted and remained so for twenty
minutes more, then a streak of sunshine
gleamed forth and before any more clouds
haa a chance to obscure it the parade was
off.
The line moved east on High street in
the following order:
1st Division.
Capt. Hugh S. Maylor, Chief Marshal.
Mounted Aids
J. Sweisfort, Danville; H. K. Hoy, Altoona;
John L. Miller, Sunbury; F. E. Naginey
J. W. Conley, S. D. Gettig, R. A. Beck bugler.
Undine Band, Bellefonte.
Co. M, 21st Reg. N. G. P.
Col. H. E. Long and staff of the 4th Reg.
Patriarchs Militant.
Repasz band, Williamsport.
Fourth Regiment, Patriarchs Militant.
Canton Ridgley, Williamsport; Canton, Altoona;
Canton Renovo; Canton Jersey Shore.
Grand Lodge Officers in carriage.
2ND Division.
Marshal, W. M. Cronister; Aids, H. A. Moore,
Howard; S. 8S. McCormick, Hublersburg.
Coleville Band.
Altoona Encampment.
Renovo Encampment.
Bellwood Band.
Bellwood Lodge, No. 819.
3rp Division.
John G. Dubbs, Marshal.
State College Band.
State College Lodge,
Pine Grove Mills Lodge.
State College Encampment, No. 74.
Centre Hall Lodge.
Lemont Lodge.
Zion Band.
Nittany Valley Lodge.
Milesburg K. G. E. Band.
Milesburg Lodge.
Blanchard Lodge.
Lick Run Lodge, No. 311,
Half Moon Lodge, No. 345.
Renovo Band.
Renovo Lodge.
Exeter Encampment, of Renovo.
Rebersburg Lodge
The parade moved east on High to
Spring, to Curtin, to Armor, to Linn, to
Allegheny, to Bishop, to Ridge and count-
ermarch to Spring, to High to the Diamond,
making a route 24 miles long.
After the line had been
formed it moved in good order, the streets
had dried fairly well and the spectacle was
really imposing. The bright regalia of the
grand lodge officers and the plumed chap-
eaus of the Patriarchs Militant, their guilt
lace ornaments and glittering
brought forth rounds of applause as they
executed all sorts of difficult evolutions
Then the less preten-
tious paraphernalia of the lodges lent a va-
riety to the appearance of the paraders that
added to its interest.
thousand men
while on the march.
There were about a
but there were
nearly as many more on the streets who
had either not intended to join or lost their
places during the storm.
On the whole it was certainly a credita-
ble turn out, the like of which has not
been equalled by any secret society demon-
Bellefonte since the masonic
conclave here years ago.
The parade was dismissed in the Diamond
and an open session was held there imme-
From the speaker’s stand
the visitors were welcomed to Bellefonte,
then addresses on Odd Fellowship and sug-
gestions for the good of the order were
made by Wm. H. Keiss, president of Pa.
Odd Fellows anniversary Asso; Samuel
diately after.
From an historical point of view No. 153
is one of the most interesting of the many
secret fraternal organizatious in Bellefonte.
It was instituted Feb. 23rd, 1846, in the
old building at ‘the corner of High and
Penn streets, once known as the Masonic
temple. The early days of the order here
' were fraught with varied successes and
, vicissitudes. In 1856 the lodge had become
so weakened that the charter was surren-
‘ dered, rather than to keep it alive by initiat-
ing undesirable brothers. The spark of
fidelity, love and truth did not flicker out,
however, and the zealous efforts of those
who remained true to their principles were
rewarded by a reorganization, which was
effected in the hall at the east end of the
old Arcade on the night of August 17th,
1867. The lodge seemed alive with new
life and grew amazingly until more sump-
tuous quarters were needed and the rooms
were moved to the MeClain block, in 1870.
There they remained until January, 1888,
* when they were removed into the present
handsome quarters in I. O. O. F. building,
on the Diamond.
The charter members and a few who
joined soon after were:
Instituted Feb. 23rd, 1846, by Henry
Baker, N. G.; Charles H. Bressler, V. G.;
P. Benner Wilson, Sec.; Wm. A. Baker,
: Ass’t. Sec.; Sam. Welsh, treasurer; Ed-
mund Graham, Geo. W. Tate, Daniel Ley-
den, B. Rush Petriken, James Welsh, Robt.
Durham. Wm. Wallace Hayes, Roland
Curtin, John T. Hoover, A. G. Curtin,
John M. McCoy, John H. Mor-
rison, Bartram Galbraith, Mord. Wad-
dle, John D. Lieb, Daniel McGinley, Dan-
iel Irvin, Wm. S. Tripple, Wm. P. Harris,
D. K. Tate, Jacob Schrom, Henry Twit-
mire, Adam Hoy, J. Smith Barnhart,
Huey Miller, H. H. Benner.
Only two of the foregoing are still mem-
bers of Centre lodge. They are H. H. Ben-
ner, of Atlantic City, and Henry Twitmire,
of Curwensville.
The lodge to-day has a membership of
125 men, representing the town’s very best
types. Their fineappearance in the parade
was an earnest of the character of the men.
Since 1870 they have paid more than $10,-
000 in reliefs, so that you will see that the
benefits of being a secret society man must
amount to something.
those trodden by the lowly Nazarene, from
whose Divine heart was emitted those rays
of civilization and enlightenment which
now illuminate the surface of the world.
The question was asked during Hissojourn
on this earth: ‘‘Can any good come out of
Nazareth?” The reply was; ‘‘Come and
see.” And to-day the nations not only see
the marvelous effects of His example and
teachings, but they revel in the enjoyment
of the fruits of the seeds of eternal life
which he sowed broadcast indiscriminately
for the salvation of friend and foe.
An analogous question might have been
propounded when Wildey and his four
compeers were laboring to construct a plan
for the hetternient of man’s temporal con-
dition. Can a secret fraternal organization
accomplish any good for suffering human-
ity? The answer rolls up from every city,
town, hamlet, bill, valley, plain and
mountain-top on this broad continent and
re-echoes over the islands and the seas and
through foreign lands: Come and see! and
it will be observed that there are now
11,000 Odd Fellows’ Lodges, with 850,000
brothers, and 4,000 Rebekah Lodges, with
130,000 sisters, devoted to the work begun
in the City of Baltimore, Md., on the
twenty-sixth day of April, 1819. The
fruits of the work, in which this great
army is engaged, are reaped and enjoyed
by the widowed, the fatherless, the aged
and indigent, tenderly cared for in the
homes and asylums erected by and main-
tained under the auspices of tke Independ-
ent Order of Odd Fellows. Besides mak-
ing ample provision for those, the duty of
caring for whom is imposed by the laws of
the Order in commanding the brethren to
visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury
the dead and educate the orphan, this great
fraternity has never failed ic-respond with
unstinted liberality to every appeal for the
relief of communities when they were suf-
fering from the devastating effects of fire
and flood, or when afflicted with famine or
plague.
The title, ‘Odd Fellow,’’ is now in use
by various organizations in many different
countries of the world. Where and when
it originated is not known. The most au-
thentic records indicate that it was used in
England some time in the early part of the
eighteenth century. Certain it is that
THE PARADE MOVING OFF
master of the grand
lodge; Esau Loomis. deputy grand master;
C. H. Coon, grand chaplain; James S.
Montgomery, grand marshal; major gen-
eral. Ed. C. Deans, grand representative
to the sovereign grand lodge; John L. Mil-
ler, president of the orphans’ home at Sun-
the public exercises and
the crowds scattered to all parts of the
town to see and do as they pleased.
MEETING OF THE ANNIVERSARY ASSOCIA-
This concluded
In the evening the anniversary associa-
tion met in the hall of No. 153 for the reg-
ular annual business X h
been postponed from the morning, owing
to the late arrival of the Central train car-
All that they would
make public was that Wi. Keiss, of Wil-
liamsport, was re-elected president of the
association; Jos. H. Mackey, of Williams-
president; and H. C. Kramer. of
It was decided
meeting that had
rying the officers.
Williamsport, treasurer.
to meet at Renovo next year.
After the meeting of the anniversary as-
sociation there was a special session of the
grand lodge with a school of instruction for
With this concluded the
most of the visitors left on the night trains
en route for their homes.
All were impressed with the effort that
Bellefonte had made to receive and enter-
tain them in a fitting manner and spoke
enthusiastically of their enjoyment of the
Odd Fellows.
The local organization did itself proud
by the manner in which so large an event
was handled and the generally successful
result of the day. The following are the
committees that arranged all but those
inopportune showers:
John G. Dubbs,
Finance:—A. C. Mingle, chairman; John Ole-
wine, J. C. Meyer.
Decoration:—J W. Conley, chairman; W.
Derstine, W. H. Miller, W. H. Kochler, C. K.
Entertainment:—J. C. Meyer, chairman; H. B,
Pontius, C. T. Gerberich, Harry Eberhart.
Reception:—W. B. Rankin, chairman; Geo. L.
VanTries, J. H. Eberhart, J. 8. Carson. D. O. Et-
ters, James Schofield, J. P. Smith, J. F. Harrison,
H. Shaffer, W. H. Kochler, J.
M. Keichline, Thomas W. Moore, John I. Ole-
wine, Jas, D. Seibert, J.
Walker, W. G. Runkle, George H. Knisely, John
A. Lukenbach, B.
R. Cole, W. Harrison
ic:—H. B. Pontius, chairman; A. Luken-
Printing:—J. M. Keichline, chairman, W. Har-
A PROUD DAY FOR CENTRE LODGE.
Centre lodge No. 153, I. O. O. F. has
reason to felicitate itself over the exception-
al success of its big undertaking. The lo-
«al order has a membership that includes
many of our most representative business
men and, in consequence, it is not to be
wondered at that their plans were so
thoroughly laid and every detail so faith-
fully executed when the eventful day
Officers of Grand Lodge and Visitors in Carriages.
ON WEST HIGH STREET.
From a Photograph for the Warcumax by Mallory & Taylor
NOTES OF THE DAY.
Chief bugler R. A. Beck made a fine ap-
pearance on his admirably trained horse.
Col. Long, of the 4th Reg. Patriarchs
Militant, would have taken the prize had
there been one for the handsomest looking
man in line, but sheriff W. M. Cronister
only needed the regalia of a Patriarch to
have made him a sharer in the distinetion.
Marshal John G. Dubbs, of the 3rd Div.
sat on his horse as if he had heen part of it
and reigned supreme at the head of a fine
hody of men.
Chief marshal Taylor has received many
compliments on the appearance of himself
and staff and the prompt manner in which
he got the parade in line.
All the bands that were here played in
fine style and there was no dearth of music
during the afternoon. In the evening the
Bellwood and Renovo bands consolidated,
the State College band and the Repasz
band gave concerts in the various parts of
the town.
The Repasz band, under director Woods,
played on the stand in the Diamond from
7:30 until 9:30 and a great crowd of people
enjoyed the concert.
The town was exceptionally orderly.
There were very few disturbances and it
was not necessary to make a single arrest.
The Origin and Progress of the Order.
The early history of the Order of Odd
Fellows, recounting the difficulties which
environed its humble architects in their
persistent labors to secure a firm founda-
tion on American soil, upon which to base
the column that was designed to symbolize
their great works for God and humanity,
is pregnant with incidents profoundly in-
teresting to every member of the great
brotherhood, as well as to all others in-
spired with a spirit of pure philanthropy.
The founders of the Order were working-
men, mechanics and artisans of humble
birth, who iu their youthful days were de-
nied the opportunities of acquiring even a
knowledge of the elementary principles of
learning; hence the surprise that they
should have been instrumental in inaugu-
rating a system for the promotion of the
happiness and the welfare of a common hu-
manity, which in less than three quarters
of a century should extend all over free
America, penetrate every civilized commu-
nity in both hemispheres and excite the
wonder and admiration and enlist the ap-
probation of men and women, uninfluenced
by bigotry or fanaticism, all around the
globe. The secret of their successful enter-
prise, if it can be attributed to any partic-
ular merit, more than to any other
possessed by them, was owing to the fact
that, though they may have been men of a
rough, unseemly exterior, they had good
true hearts within, The walks of life in
which they plodded were as humble as
there was an Order of Odd Fellows in Eng-
, land as far back as the year 1745, because
the Odd Fellows’ Lodge is mentioned in
the Gentlemen’s Magazine for that year as
‘‘a place where very pleasant recreative
evenings are spent.’’ :
It is also certain that these Odd Fellows’
Lodges were first instituted for social pur-
poses, and aiding the brethren when out of
work and assisting them to obtain employ-
ment, and that the first Order of Odd Fel-
lows was composed of workingmen. These
men had been in the habit of assembling
together at public houses for social enjoy-
ment periodically, and tbe organization-——
originally chaotic in character—gradually
drifted into form and substance and then
lodges were organized, which, in turn,
banded themselves together, and so came
to form various societies.
The first of these of which any record re-
mains was known as ‘‘The Ancient Order
of Odd Fellows,’”’ and another was formed
soon after called ‘‘The Union Order of Odd
Fellows.”” These two branches came to-
gether in the early part of the present cen-
tary aud organized ‘‘The Manchester
Unity,’’ which soon became in a flourish-
ing condition in Great Britain, and which
still continues to exist at the present day,
with a membership of about 750,000 and a
well-filled treasury,
Thomas Wildey, the father of the I. O.
0. F., was born in London on the fifteenth
day of Jannary, 1782, and on attaining his
majority was iniated into an Odd Fellows’
Lodge. At that time all the various lodges
had united in any one organization, and
the lodge to which Wildey belonged, ex-
isted and worked according to the early
mode of self-institution—that is to say, the
lodge had been organized by Odd Fellows
who had withdrawn from some other lodge
solely upon their own motion and without
the authority of any previously formed
body or organization.
Shortly after, Wildey, with others, start-
ed a new lodge, known as ‘‘Morningstar
Lodge, No. 38,” located in London, and in
this and in other ways continued to work
actively for the interests of Odd Fellowship,
until the year 1817, when influenced by
the reports received by him from his fel-
low countrymen who had come to the
United States, he decided to seek his fort-
une here. On arriving in this country, he
located in the City of Baltimore, and nat-
urally sought to make the acquaintance of
his fellow countrymen who had preceded
him to that city. Thus he met and be-
came acquainted with John Welch, an
Odd Fellow, and their acquaintanceship
grew and they spent much time in each
others company. Naturally, they missed
the pleasant associations which had sur-
rounded them while attending the lodges
in England, and a desire grew upon them
to institute something of the kind here.
The result was that they took measures to
establish a lodge of Odd Fellows. Aeccord-
ing to the traditions, five members were
necessary in order to institute a lodge.
Themselves making two of the number, it
become necessary to find the other three,
and for that purpose they advertised in the
Baltimore American. In the issue of that
paper of the 27th of March, 1819, appeared
the following: —
“Notice to Odd Fellows—A few mem-
bers of the society of Odd Fellows will be
glad to meet their brethren for the purpose
of forming a lodge on Friday evening, 7th
of April, at the ‘Seven Stars,” Second
street, at hour of 7 p. m.”’
It was natural that they should select an
inn for their place of meeting, because it
had in the main been the place where they
had held their meetings in England. The
result of this advertising was that they be-
came acquainted with Richard Rushworth,
John Duncan and John Cheatham, all Odd
Fellows, thus completing the necessary
number of five. All had been iniated in
the Order in Euogland, and so far their
qualifications were correct, and. therefore,
in accordance with ancient custom, they
self-instituted themselves into a lodge,
which they named ‘‘Washington Lodge of
Odd Fellows,”’ on the twenty-sixth day of
April, 1819. This date has come to be
recognized as the birthday of the Independ-
ent Order of Odd Fellows, and the ‘‘Wash-
ington Lodge of Odd Fellows’ to be the
first-born member of that fraternity. This
‘““Washington Lodge’’ was solemnly insti-
tuted with all the forms of which the five
men possessed any knowledge. Thomas
Wildey was installed noble grand and
John Welch as vice grand.
About the time Wildey came to America
the different lodges in Great Britain had
organized themselves into one society, viz. :
‘‘The Manchester Union,”’ as above men-
tioned, and this organization was engaged
in evolving order out of chaos and in con-
structing a suitable ritual and a code of
laws for its own regulation. But Wildey
and his brethren were unaware of this fact,
and as a consequence the work begun by
them was not in harmony with that of the
‘‘Unity,’’ as they learned from a member
who arrived in Baltimore shortly after the
institution of the Washington Lodge. This
member was a Henry M. Jackson, who had
come to the United States with the object
of introducing Odd Fellowship. He did
not know that the Order already existed
here, but finding Washington Lodge at the
‘‘Seven Stars’’ he gave the brethren such
instructions as were necessary to set them
aright, and placed them in possession of all
the information which he had.
In September, 1819, the Lodge number-
ed nineteen members. They felt a desire
to have more formal connection with the
Manchester Unity, and this desire was
strengthened by the visit to Baltimore of
P. G. Crowder, of Preston, England. They
laid their wishes before Brother Crowder,
and he promised that on his return he
would present to the proper authorities
their petition for a charter and for future
feHowship, which he did, with the result
that ‘Duke of York Lodge,”’ held at Pres-
ton, England, granted to ‘‘Washington
Lodge’’ a charter, which was received on
the 23rd of October, 1819, when it was ac-
cepted, and the lodge was then considered
to be legally established.
Under this charter Washington Lodge
claimed the sole right and authority to au-
thorize the formation oflodges of the Or-
der of Odd Fellows in any state of the
Union.
Apparently, Thomas Wildey and his
confreres were far-sighted. Whether or
not they looked far enough into the future
to see the possibilities which have since
come to be established facts, it is impossi-
ble now to say, but certain it is that they
immediately commenced to carry to com-
pletion a plan of organization which has
remained a solid foundation sufficient to
uphold to this present time the entire fab-
ric of American Odd Fellowship, immense
as its proportions have grown to be.
To illustrate this, these men, in 1820, in
about a year after Washington Lodge had
been originally organized, and before they
had any others to act with them, formed a
“Committee of Past Grands,”” which, in
February 1821, constituted themselves in-
to a Grand Lodge known as ‘‘The Grand
Lodge of Maryland and the United States,’
and Washington Lodge surrendered to said
Grand Lodge the charter which it had re-
ceived from the Duke of York Lodge, and
thus surrendered to said Grand Lodge all
the powers which Washington Lodge had
received under it, and in return the newly
organized Grand Lodge presented a charter
issued by itself to said Washington Lodge.
While all this had been going on, and
even prior to the 26th of April, 1819, other
0dd Fellows’ lodges had been organized in
some of the other States.
As far back as the year 1806 a lodge
known as ‘‘Shakespeare Lodge of Odd Fel-
lows’? had been organized in the city of
New York. It ceased active work in the
year 1813, but was revived and reinstitu-
ted on the 23rd of December 1818. Among
the members of this Lodge was the poet
George P. Morris.
On the 27th of January, 1821, another
lodge known as ‘‘Frauklin Lodge, No. 2,”
was instituted.
As in the Baltimore case, a Committee of
Past Grands was organized, who took upon
themselves the powers of a Grand Lodge.
To them application was made to organize
a lodge to be known as ‘‘Washington
Lodge, No. 3.”
Later on, on a similar application, a dis-
pensation was issued for ‘‘Columbia Lodge,
No. 4’ which was instituted in the city of
Brooklyn on the 3rd of January, 1822.
This Lodge, apparently not satisfied
with the authority of the body which had
given it its dispensation, applied to and re-
ceived from an English lodge known as the
“Loyal Beneficent Duke of Sussex Lodge’’
a charter. Under this, Columbia Lodge
claimed superiority over the other lodges
in New York, with the result that dissen-
sions which had before that existed on
other subjects were revived and strength-
ened.
In Massachusetts the first lodge was or-
ganized on the self-institution principle on
the 23th of March, 1820, and was known as
‘Massachusetts Lodge No. 1.” It contin-
ued to work under the impression that it
was the only lodge in America, until in
February, 1822, when it learned of the ex-
istence of the organization in Baltimore.
Massachusetts Lodge immediately made
application to the Grand Lodge of
Maryland and the United States, acknowl-
edging it to be the supreme authority, and
asking for a charter for a Grand Lodge,
with authority to control all the lodges in
Massachusetts. This request was com-
plied with and the Grand Lodge of Massa-
chusetts was instituted on the 11th of
June, 1823.
The first information we have of a lodge
forming in Pennsylvania was in December
21st, 1821. A few individuals, who had
heen members of the Order in England, as-
sembled at the house of John Upton, No. 66,
Dock street. in Philadelphia, then a promi-
nent hotel in the busy centre of business,
and formed themselves into a Lodge.
John B. Robinson, them a member of
Franklin Lodge No. 2 of New York, being
in the city on business, in company with
John Upton, invited a meeting of Odd Fel-
ae