Page 764
SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was
introduced into Davenport 1847, Davenport Lodge, No. 7, being instituted April
23. The charter members of the lodge were James Thorington, S. Schofield,
T. V. Blakemore, S. McCormick and V. M. Firor. The first officers were
James Thorington, N. G.; S. McCormick, V. G.; T. V. Blakemore, R. Sec.; V. M.
Firor, …
Page 765
… Treas. The present officers are John B. Lindsay, N. G.; W. D.
Strike, V. G.; W. F. Baumgartner, Sec.; A. J. Weinheimer, P. Sec.; John B.
Schmidt, Treas.
State Encampment, No. 3, was instituted April 23,
1848, with James Thorington, R. M. Prettyman, J. H. Morton, T. V. Blackmore,
Lewis Hamilton, Marcus Westlake, L. J. Center, Jonathan Crousdale, as charter
members. The camp now numbers 57 members, and meetings are held the second
and fourth Friday in each month. The officers of the present term are
James Cozett, C. P.; Samuel Mitchell, H. P.; John Schenck, S. W.; William B.
Kerns, J. W.; J. T. Temple, T.; T. V. Blackmore, S.
Scott Lodge, No. 37, was instituted Jan. 13, 1852,
by James Thorington, D. G. M., with T. V. Blakemore, Jr., John A. Boyd, William
Howard, William Sims, William H. White, George G. Arndt, B. Roberts, A.
Smallfield and T. V. Blakemore, Sr., as charter members. The lodge now has
a membership of 337. Its officers are Henry Dunker, N. G.; H. G. Parrmann,
V. G.; Fred Schiel, P. S.; H. D. Statmer, Treas.; M. Goldfriedrich, R. Sec.
Herman Encampment is in good condition, with the
following named officers: W. Weidner, C. P.; John C. Branch, H. P.; R.
Lange, S. W.; A. Schutz, J. W.; R. Rusch, Treas.; M. Goldfriedrich, Scribe.
Scott Rebecca Degree Lodge, No. 2, was instituted
Dec. 18, 1868. It has a membership of 66. Its present officers are:
N. Mueller, N. G.; Kathrina Lamp, V. G.; M. Goldfriedrich, Sec.
The Masonic Order was first introduced into
Davenport in 1853, by the institution of Davenport Lodge, No. 37, A. F. & A.
M. This lodge has now had an honorable career of 29 years, and now numbers
157 members. Its present officers are: George B. Swan, W. M.; Ed. T.
Morgan, S. W.; Samuel Porter, J. W.; Chas. W. Decker, Treas.; J. H. Harrison,
Sec.; Geo. M. Barrette, S. D.; John Aunable, Jr., J. D.; John W. Rickey,
S. S.; Wm. L. Dalzell, Jr., J. S.; Moses Hobbs, M. C.; J. W. Jamison T.
Trinity lodge, No. 208, A. F. & A. M., was
chartered June 5, 1867, and incorparated April 11, 1871. It now numbers 88
members, with the following named officers: S. H. Plummer, W. M.; C. N.
Peet, S. W.; W. F. Zimmerman, J. W.; G. P. McClelland, Treas.; J. B. Mason,
Sec.; M. B. Cochran, Chap.; D. F. Power, S. D.; L. C. Steir, J. D.; N. Frey, S.
S.; F. Graham, J. S.; W. F. Birchard, M. of C.; W. G. Jones, T.
Fraternal Lodge, No. 221, A. F. & A. M., was
organized Aug. 27, 1867, under a dispensation granted by the M. W. Grand Master,
Reuben Mickle, dated Aug. 7, 1867. The following were the first officers:
James T. Lane, W. M.; James Thorington, S. W.; Chr. Toerring, J. W.; Frank
H. Miller, Treas.; John M. Lyter, Sec.; Herman Pollock, S. D.; August J. Buck,
J. D.; D. C. Roundy, S. S.; Wm Mark Walter, J. S.; John N. Davis, T. On
June 3, 1868, a charter was granted the lodge form the M. W. …
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… Grand Lodge of
Iowa. The present officers are: Frank W. Angel, W. M.; John C.
Johannsen, S. W.; Hugh Somers, J. W.; F. W. Lerch, Treas.; E. Weingartner, Sec.;
J. H. Somers, S. D.; C. H. Moeller, J. D.; W. H. Bolte, S. S.; C. M. Wittig, J.
S.; W. G. Jones, T.
J. T. Lane served as W. M. from 1867 till 1870, and was
succeeded by Chr. Toerring, who served one year when F. W. Angel was elected and
has served to the present time. J. M. Lyter was the first secretary an
served two years; E. S. Carl was then elected and also served two years. H. C.
F. Jensen came next and served for the same period; E. Weingartner was then
elected in 1873, and has annually been re-elected. The lodge numbers 78
members.
Davenport Chapter, No. 16, R. A. M., was organized
Nov. 25, 1856, with H. W. Mitchell, H. P.; Austin Corbin, King, and O. S.
McNeil, Scribe. The chapter has always been in good condition and now has
on its roll 108 members.
Its present officers are: George R. Marvin, H. P.; D. B.
Shelley, King; W. J. Birchard, Scribe; W. C. Warriner, Treas.; M. D. Snyder,
Sec.; C. H. Peet, C. H.; A. A. Stearns, P. S.; Fred Lerch, R. A. C.; J. H.
Somers, 3d Veil; W. F. Zimmerman, 2d Veil; E. Weingartner, 1st Veil; W. G.
Jones, Guard.
St. Simon of Cyrene Commandery, No. 9, K. T., was
chartered Sept. 28, 1866, with the following named charter members: C.
Stewart Ells, W. F. Peck, O. H. Watson, J. Lewis Drew, J. J. Dixon, D. S.
Watson, George H. Carpenter, J. E. Dixon, A. R. Dixon, A. C. Dixon, and W. C.
Warriner. Of this number O. H. Watson, J. J. Dixon, J. E. Dixon, A. C.
Dixon have been demitted, and D. S. Watson and George H. Carpenter have died.
W. F. Peck was the first Commander and George F. Carpenter, Generalissimo.
The present officers are Jarvis White, Commander; A. R. Dixon,
Generalissimo; R. W. K. White, Capt. Gen.; S. H. Plummer, Prelate; W. C.
Warriner, Treas.; C. J. Brown, Recorder. The membership is about 60.
TURNER SOCIETY
This society was organized Aug. 5, 1852. Christ Mueller
was the prime mover in its organization. Theodore Guelich was elected it
first President, Charles Witkoff, Secretary; Christ Mueller, Turnwart; Louis
Hansen, Cassenwart. The society started with 13 members. Druing the
late civil war several of its members went into the army and were killed in
battle or died. Since the war it has steadily increased in numbers and
interest until it now has 230 members. About two years after the
organization of the society, a class for boys and youths up to 18 years was
commenced which now numbers 200. About 1871 a class for girls was started,
which now numbers about …
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… 80. A ladies class was established in 1880, which
numbers 20 members. The society own their hall, a two-story building 50 x
75 feet, lower floor of which is used for the gymnasium, and the upper floor for
meetings and library purposes. In the hall may be found all the apparatus
for a complete gymnasium. The library contains about 1,400 volumes. The
society also own the theater building on the same lot, 100 x 150 feet. The
theater proper is 70 x 150, and will seat 1,000 persons. The building is
leased by parties who are bound by their contract to keep a good dramatic troupe
and give performances seven months in the year. The theater is located on
the corner of Third and Scott streets. The property of the society is
estimated at $20,000.
Scott Lodge, No. 2, Legion of Honor, was
organized in March, 1879, with 50 charter members. The business and
objects of this order are to promote fraternity, afford financial aid and
benefit to the widows, orphans, heirs or devisees of deceased members, to assist
a brother when sick or needy, in such services as his necessities may require.
The motto of the Order is "Confidence, Prudence and Honor."
The order has flourished here, and now numbers 166 members. The
present officers are: Jacob Coehring, P.; J. S. Ports, V. P.; C. C.
Campbell, R. Sec.; J. H. Maxwell, F. Sec.; Wm. Thompson, Treas.; George H. Young
and C. H. Schweitzer, U.; W. H. Hender, S.
Stella Collegium, No. 55, V. A. S. Fraternity, was
organized Dec. 1, 1880. Its first officers were: D. B. Shelley, R.;
J. B. Young, V. R.; Ed. J. Cameron, S.; G. E. Maxwell, Q.; John N. Paxton, U.;
Henry Schweitzer, Spec.; George E. Hubbell, George E. Gould and J. B. Young, C.;
C. G. Jones, Q. R. The object and business of this order is to establish
and promote sentiments of fraternity, to afford financial aid and benefit to the
widows, orphans, heirs or devisees of its deceased memers, and to give to sick
and needy brothers such service and assistance a their necessities may require.
The order has been quite prosperous, and now numbers 125 members. The
present officers are D. B. Shelley, Rector; W. T. Kerr, V. R. ; Edwin D.
Cameron, S.; W. L. Marks, Q.; H. Schweitzer, U.; Charles A. Friele, Spec.;
George Gould, W. Gromall, W. M. Harris, C.
The United Brotherhood of Iowa was organized at
Davenport, July 9, 1879, its object being to promote fraternity and to afford
financial aid and benefit to the widows, orphans and heirs, or devisees of
deceased members of the order. D. B. Shelley was the first Grand
President, and C. C. Campbell, Grand Secretary. There are now four lodges
in this city - Grand, Davenport, No. 2; Germania, No. 3; Columbia, No. 4. The
membership of the order in the city is about 300.
There are two lodges of the order of Knights of Pythias in this
city. Damon Lodge, No. 10, was instituted June 16, 1871,
with the following named charter members: - John Haley, E. B. Baldwin, F.
Billips, C. F. W. Meyer, J. W. Jamison, C. E. Moore, L. S. …
Page 768
… Johnson, W. G. Jones,
J. A. Reid, R. Woodmansee, P. J. Purcell, John Gundaker, J. S. Drake, John
Cameron, C. H. Eldridge, C. P. McGee, J. T. Temple, L. A. Worth, W. R.
McCrellias, Adam Miller, W. H. Lamphere, J. Malchau, G. Schnitger. Its
first officers were: - John Haley, W. C.; John Gundaker, V. C.; L. S. Johnson,
F. S.; W. R. McCrellias, G.; J. W. Jamison, V. P.; R. Woodmansee, R. S.; C. H.
Eldridge, B.; J. T. Temple, I. S.; C. F. W. Meyer, O. S. The present
officers are: - T. A. Kerr, P. C.; J. A. Andrews, C. C.; G. W. Strong, V.
C.; John Gundaker, K. of K. & S.; John T. Temple, M. of E.; John Cameron, M.
of F.; George Metzger, P.; B. F. Taylor, M. of A.; Ben Raphell, I. G.; Andrew
Lyman, O. G. Davenport Lodge, No. 50, was instituted Jan. 29, 1880. It is
in a flourishing condition and numbers 81 members. The following named
comprised the officers in the spring of 1882; P. C., Henry Wichelmann; C. C.,
Theo. Rath; V. C., August Sebelin; Prelate, John Luetze; M. of F., Fred Sieh; I.
G., Jacob Freimann; O. G. William Ramm; K. of K. & S., Theo. Martens; M. of
E., Christ. Timm; M. of F., Gust. von Dohren.
The United Order of Ancient Templars was
instituted May 8, 1877, and has met with good success, now numbering 78 members.
U. A. O. OF DRUIDS
Teutonia Grove, No. 9, organized May 26, 1878. First
officers: Ferdinand Stoteran, P. A.; Jacob Rolfs, N. A.; Crist Jaeger, V.
A.; Leopold Wichelmann, Sec.; Charlie Jentch, F. Sec.; Ernst Ruge, Treas.;
August Pott, A. G. Present officers: John J. Peters, P. A.; Leopold
Wichelmann, N. A.; Henry Hass, V. A.; Rudolph Hebbeln, Sec.; John Hehnke, F.
Sec.; August Pott, Treas.; Detlef Hansen, I. G.; John Brand, O. G.; William
Ehlers, Con. Forty members meet every Friday evening at Washington Park
Hall, corner Marquette and Leonard streets.
The Davenport Druid Circle, No. 1, was organized in March,
1881. The officers are: John Speetzen, P. A. D.; John Peters, A. D.;
Miss Minna Speetzen, 1st Bard; Charlie Bebensee, 2d Bard; Miss Theresa Langtimm,
Sec.; Miss Johanna Bebensee, Treas.; Miss Minna Pott, I. G.; Miss Flora Levsen,
O. G.; Lui Levsen, Conductor; and Cristine Meyer, Conducterin. The lodge
numbers about 30 members. They meet the last Saturday evening in each
month at Washington Park Hall, corner of Marquette and Leonard streets.
THE DAVENPORT HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI SOCIETY
was organized in 1872, the first meeting for that purpose being
held in the old High School building, corner of Maine and Sixth streets. James
De Armond was elected president of the society for one year, the number of
graduates at that time being about 50. The first reunion and banquet of
the society was held at the "Newcomb …
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… House" on Thursday evening, June
26, 1873. It was one of the most successful and pleasant gatherings ever
assembled in this city. There appeared to be, and was evident to all, a
feeling of great cordiality among all who were present, and such a unity of
thought and a degree of genuine pleasure at the reunion of persons who had been
old schoolmates in years gone by, and who now are among the most respected
residents of this and other cities, that the occasion could not but be an
agreeable one. The society has since that time maintained its annual
reunions and festivals except in 1881, and now numbers some 350 members. The
following is a list of the presidents of the society from 1872 to the present
time. List of presidents D. H. S. A.: 1872, James M. Dearmond; 1873,
Frank S. Balch; 1874, Wm. M. Middleton, M. D.; 1875, Edwin G. Sawyer; 1876,
Jacob J. Nagle; 1877, James M. Dearmond; 1878, Charles C. Leslie; 1879, Charles
Davison; 1880, Alfred D. Churchill; 1881, John M. Dearmond.
Transcribed by: Laura H. Rathmann