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Cedar Lodge, No. 11, A.,F.& A.M.—The records of the early meetings of this Lodge are not now in existence, as they were destroyed by fire, in the year 1870. However, we find the following in Grand Secretary Parvin’s Report of the Grand Lodge of Iowa, for 1846-8.
Cedar Lodge, No. 11, was organized April 7, 1846, under a dispensation of George W. McCleary, Grand Master of the State of Iowa.
At a meeting of the Grand Lodge of the State of Iowa, held in Iowa City, on Tuesday, January 6, 1847, Mr. McCleary said: “I have granted, myself, during the past year, one dispen- . . .
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. . . sation to a Lodge in Tipton, Cedar County, of which the Grand Secretary will more particularly inform you. I have, however, been informed by Brother Hartsack, Deputy Grand Master, that he issued letters of dispensation to several Lodges.”
A charter was issued June 2, 1847, to Cedar Lodge, No. 11. The charter members were: Thomas W. Harrass, W.M.; A. B. Richman, S. W.; G. W. Wilkinson, J.W.; Henry Hardman, Treasurer; Patterson Fleming, Secretary; W. R. Edgar, S. D.; Silas S. Swan, J.D.; A. Shaw, Tyler; Samuel Tarr, Steward. William Hoch, Robert G. Roberts, Henry Murray, Stephen Whicher and S. C. Hastings were members. The membership was fifteen.
The first meetings were held in the Court House. The society then removed to rooms over Willard Hammond’s store, and from there to rooms in the block where the City Drug Store now stands, and occupied these rooms until they were destroyed by fire. The Society now occupies rooms (in the City Hall Block) built expressly for that purpose.
Present officers: J. W. Casad, W.M.; William Dean, S.W.; Alonzo Shaw, J.W.; A. Fleming, Secretary; Frank Adans, Treasurer; George Huber, S.D.; J. C. Reichert, J.D.; D. P. Clapp, Tyler; C. C. Landt and George Beatty, Stewards.
Upon the loss of the charter, by fire, as above stated, a petition was presented to the Grand Lodge by J. W. Kynette, H. H. Maynard and S. V. Landt, asking for a new charter. Accordingly, a new charter, bearing date June 7, 1870, was issued to the society by John Scott, G.W.M. Membership, fifty.
Siloam Chapter, No. 19.—Organized under a dispensation, September 2, 1857, from G. H.P. of Grand Chapter of the State of Iowa.
Charter members: Wells Spicer, James C. Turner, William R. Edgar, John W. Casad, AA. B. Turner, Alonzo Shaw, Thomas W. Harrass, Samuel Daniels, Adam Bair, of whom those italicized are yet members.
First officers: Wells Spicer, H.P.; J. R. Hotsock, K.; W. R. Edgar, Scribe;
John N. Clark, Captain of the Host; A. Brown, P.S.; William Bryant, R.A.C.; A. B. Turner, G.M.3d V.; Alonzo Shaw, G.M. 2d V.; T. M. Harrass, G.M. 1st V.; Samuel Daniels, Guard; J. H. Hartsock, Secretary.
The Chapter was organized under the charter, October 15, 1858.
The present officers are: Alonzo Shaw, H.P.; John H. Dickinson, K.; A. R. Starrett, Scribe; J. W. Casad, C.H.; William Dean, P.S.; S. V. Landt, R.A.C.; H. H. Maynard, Treasurer and G.M. 3d V.; D. P. Clapp, Tyler; R. Pritchard, Secretary.
Membership, twenty-four.
I.O.O.F.—The history of Tipton Odd Fellowship is briefly summarized in the following extract from an address delivered by Hon. William H. Tuthill, at an installation of officers of Manitou Lodge, No. 7, January 7, 1876. The Judge said:
In 1847, there was but one member of the Order residing in Cedar County—an Odd Fellow in fact, as well as in name, and it affords me some pleasure to be enabled to inform you that he is now living, and is at this moment addressing you.
In January, 1848, the number of Odd Fellows in the county had doubled! and these two persons, assisted by several brothers from Muscatine, having received a dispensation from D. D. G. Sire, J. G. Potts, of Galena, Illinois, visited this town on the 9th day of February, 1848, and organized Manitou Lodge, the eighth in number in Iowa.
It is somewhat odd, even in Odd Fellowship, that although Manitou Lodge will have been in existence twenty-eight years on the 29th day of February next (1876), yet that day will be but its seventh recurring birthday.
The Lodge conferred on me the honor of being its first N.G., which station I not only regularly filled, but occasionally supplemented the additional duties of Secretary, Warden, Past . . .
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. . . Grand—for being limited in numbers, it required some management to fill the offices. The members present at the first meeting besides myself, were Robert Long, John S. Tuthill, Samuel P. Higginson, William K. Whittlesey, John C. Culbertson, James H. Leech, Richard Hall, Charles Swetland and Henry R. Coffey.
And a goodly company it was, for it comprised the Sheriff, Recorder, County Judge, Clerk of the Court, Justice of the Peace, etc., giving us nearly all the official dignitaries of the county.
Our place of meeting was a room some fifteen feet square, in the old Court House, which, for the sake of economy, we occupied jointly with the Masons, and we remained there until a new building was erected by Brother Hall and myself, the upper part of which we fitted out and arranged for a lodge room. Although few in numbers, yet we gradually increased, and grew and prospered; and, with the exception of a few years of slumber, have continued to grow and prosper up to the present time.
Manitou Lodge, No. 8, I.I.O.F., was organized 29th of February, 1848, regarding which the following is taken from the Secretary’s books:
This day Manitou Lodge, No. 8, in the town of Tipton and State of Iowa, was duly instituted a Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, by Past Grand E. H. Alby, of Muscatine Lodge, No. 5, specially deputized for that purpose by the D.D.G. Sire John G. Potts, assisted by P. G. N.T. and P.G. John T. B. Martin of Muscatine Lodge, No. 5, in pursuance of a dispensation from the R. W. Grand Lodge of the United States, bearing date December 16, 1847.
Charter members, P.G.E.H. Alby, especially deputized; Wm. H. Tuthill, Robert M. Long, Joseph Bridgman, Richard Cadle, James Borland.
First officers, Wm. H. Tuthill, N.G.; Robert M. Long, V.G.; Joseph Bridgeman, Secretary; James Borland, Treasurer; Chas. Swetland, Conductor; John S. Tuthill, Warden; Richard Hall, I.G.; James H. Leech, R.S.S.; Henry R. Coffey, L.S.S.; Samuel Higginson, R.S.; John Culbertson, L.S.
The following persons were initiated at the first meeting: William K. Whittelsey, Samuel P. Higginson, John S. Tuthill, John Culbertson, Richard Hall, James H. Leech, Charles Swetland and Henry R. Coffey.
P.G.’s of Manitou Lodge: Wm. H. Tuthill, John S. Tuthill, A. R. Starrett, W. T. Hepner, John Wisener, W. D. Clapp, Amos Wisener, Jesse James, E. Snyder, P. D. Humphrey, L. D. Ingman, J. H. Ripley, Hiram Hammond, Jerome Swinehart, W. H. Hammond, G. W. Geller, Samuel Garber, S.P. Foy, Peter Wallace, S. W. Cripliver, A. C. Hartson, A. P. Fleming. Representative to the Grand Lodge, Jerome Swinehart. Membership sixty-eight.
The first meetings were held in the Court House, as above stated, after which the society moved into lodge rooms over Hall & Tuthill’s drug store, which they occupied for some time, when they removed to the second story of Casad & Gilmore’s store, where they remained until the completion of their present quarters over the City Hall. The dedication of these rooms, both for the I.O.O.F. and A., & F.A.M., took place October 22, 1873, the address on the occasion being delivered by Dr. J. Ward Ellis, of Chicago.
Tipton Encampment, No. 46.--Charter issued October 19, 1870.
Charter members: N. J. Hawley, H. Hammond, James H. Ripley, Jesse James, Amos Wisener, W. H. Hammond, L. D. Ingman, John Wisener, E. Snyder, John S. Tuthill, Samuel Wampler, S. T. Smith, Samuel Wirick and Wm. H. Tuthill.
The Charter was issued by H. D. Walker, S.D.; William Garrett, G. S.
Present officers, G. W. Geller, C.P.; J. S. Tuthill, H.P.; J. D. Shearer, S. W.; Peter Wallace, J. W.; William H. Tuthill, Treasurer; J. Wisener, Scribe. Membership, fourteen.
Ancient Order of United Workmen.—As this is comparatively a new order, a brief account of its origin and growth may be appropriate.
On the 5th day of November, 1868, fourteen men assembled at Meadville, Penn., and organized the first Lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. . . .
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. . . The motive that prompted them was a pure and unselfish one, and their plan of operations is the very best to carry out the purpose for which the Order is intended—that of “Charity, Hope and Protection.” From the date of organization, the order grew slowly until July 4, 1870, when the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania was instituted at Meadville, Penn. The Order continued to grow slowly, reaching into Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and, in 1871, the first lodge of the A.O.U.W. in Iowa was instituted at Washington.
In 1874, there were but five lodges in the State. From this time the growth has been rapid, and there are now more than 150 subordinate lodges, with an aggregate membership of over 6,000, in the State of Iowa.
It is a benevolent Order, not unlike the I.O.O.F., helping the widow and orphan, and caring for the sick. A distinguishing feature is the payment of $2,000 to the heirs of a deceased member. The money is raised by an assessment on the members, and life insurance is provided at actual cost.
Triumph Lodge, No. 12, A.O.U.W., was organized January 14, 1875, with the following charter members: R. Pritchard, J. H. Fox, John R. Wampler, E. M. Kennedy, Ed. McCurdy, John R. Figely, Edmund Bedell, Perrien Dean, Wm. H. Burns, Silas Hoon, J. T. Taylor.
The institution took place in Odd Fellows’ Hall. The first officers were J. R. Figely, P.M.W.; R. Pritchard, M.W.; John R. Wampler, G. F.; E. M. Kennedy, Rcdr.; E. Bedell, Revr.; W. H. Burns, W.; Silas Hoon, G.
One death has occurred since the organization of the Lodge, that of Ed. McCurdy. The Lodge has recently taken charge of the Public Library, which had lain lifeless for several years. A number of new volumes have been added, and bid fair to make it a success. Over 200 volumes are in the library, and additions will be made as the patronage, which is increasing, will justify.
The Order, in this enterprise, shows itself worthy to be recognized as one of the beneficial institutions of the community.
The present membership is forty.
The present officers are A. C. Ross, P.M.W.; M. Carroll, M.W.; J. B. Gould, G.F.; L. M. Mulford, O.; C. W. Hawley, Redr. Alex. McCormack, I.W.; Wm. Powers, O.W.; G. S. Fleming, G.
Representative to the Grand Lodge, Moreau Carroll.
The Lodge meetings are held every Tuesday evening, in Perrien Dean’s hall.