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Myrtle Lodge, of Royal Centre, Celebrates its First Anniversary last Night—The Speeches and Supper. Friday evening at four o'clock, about twenty-five residents of this city boarded the Chicago ward train on the Panhandle road. They were bound for the capital of Boone township, with the view of at tending an I. O. Q O. F. celebration which was to be given there that evening. When the train reached Royal Centre, the party left the cars, and were warmly welcomed by members of Myrtle Lodge and citizens generally. They were then divided into small parties and taken to the homes of different citizens, Col. T. H. Bringhhurst, Dr. Larimore, W. H. Jacks and a Paaros representative were made the guests of Dr. and Mrs. J.J. Barton, and were most enjoyably enter tained until the hour for the beginning of the anniversary proceedings. Mr. eos. G. Barron and wife entertained Mr. Joan Peck and wife, and Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kerlin. The remainder of the Logansport party were: Seth Veisey and Minnie Glines, Hugh Hillhouse and the Misses Van Meter, the Misses Kistler, Dov. Davis, Clarence Jacobs, Ezra Ran nells, Cash Ide, Al. Birch, Hect. Powell and Del Whitmore. At half-past seven the members of Myrtle Lodge and visiting brothers, to gether with a very large number of othe rs, gathered in the M. E. church. The meeting was Called to order by George W. Clinger, Noble Grand, of Myrtle Lodge, who briefly stated the object of the meeting. The opening ode of the order was then sung, and the worthy Chaplain followed with a short prayer. Past Grand John J. Bur ton then gave a short history of Myrtle Lodge. It had been established, he said, amidst many difficulties and in the face of many previous failures. The Lodge had been instituted with eleven members, and it now had twenty-two, exactly doubling its membership in one year. Its future prospects were apparently bright. The speaker extended the thanks of members of his lodge to the brothers in Logansport who had assisted in the institution of the lodge. Bro. John Peck had suggested the name; District Deputy Griggs had done much toward helping along with the work and others in Logansport had done many acts of brotherly kindness in the lodge’s first days. Next came the address of Past Grand Thomas HH. Bringhurst, of this city. He started out by telling of the beginning of Old Fellowship in the United States in 1819, its rudeness at that time, and the great improvement it had since made. He spoke of some of the objections urged against the order, and showed pretty conclusively that they were all without proper foundation. His address was to the point and no doubt will go far towards obliterating any prej udice held against the order in that neighborhood. After Mr. Bringhurst, Dr. Larimore was called upon for an address. He had not, he said, come prepared to speak to the audience, for he supposed that Bro. Job. B. Eldridge, one of the oldest, if not the oldest Qold _ Fellows in the United States, would be present and speak. But he found that Mr. Eldridge was unable to be present, a fact he much regretted. Notwithstanding the Doctor’s claimed inpreparation he made a very interest ing address. The meeting was then dismissed with the information that the presence of every person in the crowd would not be objected to at the new Judge room, where supper was in readiness. But the ma jority of the audience seemed to have a greater desire to trip the light fantastic than to supply the wants of the inner man, and consequently they repaired to a hall conveniently near, where dancing was in order. The hall was much too small for the crowd, but notwithstanding this they danced and danced without ceasing. At a little after ten an adjourns ment was had for twenty minutes, and those who had not previously visited the supper table did go then. After enjoy ing a delectable meal the dancers again went to the hall and the quadrille and the mazy waltz were indulged in by their especial votaries. Although the dance was not under the control of the Lodge, it assisted very materially in making the evening a most enjoyable one, and especially so to the young folks. The whole proceedings— from the exercises in the church to the supper and then the dance—were conducted in a creditable manner. For the first time in the his tory of Royal Centre, the saloons—and there are four or five unlicensed ones— closed doors, at least ostensibly 50. At a little after twelve o’clock the Logansport people took their departure, feeling that the Royal Centrettes are very fine folks after all. Myrtle Lodge is apparently a very healthy organization, composed of some of the best people. The next meeting will be held in the new hall, which is a very neat and well adapted room for the purpose, these he exhibited to us today, being nothing less than the original of the first official document issued by Ameri can authority north of the Ohio river and west of the Alleghenies. The circumstances under which this famous document was issued are these . Col. Clark moved down the Ohio river in the summer of 1778 and proceeded to a point near Fort Massac and then by land to Fort Kaskaskia, a British fort, and captured the same on the night of July 4th, 1778. Here he soon succeeded in winning golden opinions from the French inhabitants, and very easily in duced them to throw off their allegiance to the British and acknowledge the au thority of the State of Virginia After effecting this happy and blood less result, Col. Clark concluded that he would also “take in’ Ft. Vincennes, then one of the most important posts on the western frontier. To this end he sent a delegation of Kaskaskiane to treat with their brethren at Vincennes, and their mission was so successful that the citizens at once declared allegiance to Col. Clark and hoisted the flag of Vir ginia over the British fort, the English commander of the same being on his way to Detroit for reenforcements at the time. They procured an appropriate flag and raised it over the Fort in the name of the State of Virginia, after which they elected Francia Bosseron comman der. The document which Mr. Lasselle laid before on today is the commission issued by Col Clark at Kaskaskia to Francis Bosseron and it is marked “order No. 1,” being the first he issued in the territory of which he took possession. It is written in the French language and Mr. Lasselle translates it for us as follows: By George Rogers Clark, Esq., Colonel Commanding Eastern Illinois and the Dependencies, c., c. In virtue of the power and authority to me given by his Excellency, Patrick Henry, Governor and First Magistrate of Virginia, c. 1 name, appoint and constitute you, by these presents, Captain of a Company of Militia at the Post of Vincennes; in con sequence of which you diligently dis charge your duties in all things pertain ing thereto. Given under my signature and seal at Fort Clark this 10t h of August, 1778. G. R. Clark, [sea] To Mr. Francis Rose RUN, Equire. This century-old document is in a good state of preservation, and of course is highly valued by its possessor.
Newspaper Details
Logansport Pharos
Logansport, Indiana, US
Thu, Feb 12, 1880
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Tara C.
USA 06 Jun 2026
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