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Quakers vs. Odd Fellows—flatter Win.During the last week in December, 1871, Matthew Hitchcock, an old and respected citizen of Washington county, and a member of New Philadelphia Lodge No. 312, also of the Odd Fellows Mutual Aid Association of this city, died at his residence in that county and requested to be buried according to the usages and customs of the Order, Accordingly, as we learn frgm the Austin News, the brethren of his Lodge and of Little York Lodge, No. 241, assembled to perform the last sad duty which Odd Fellowship enjoins, for the departed, to-wit: “Bury the dead.” They moved from the residence of the mourning widow in funeral procession, to a burial ground about 2£ miles from Salem, at the church of the Society of Friends. When about half a mile from the place prepared to receive all that remained upon earth of the dear departed the procession was met by one William Penn Trueblood, a leading member of the Society of Friends, accompanied by some fifteen or twenty of his followers, who informed the marshal that the corpse could not be buried in their burying ground, unless it was done by them and according to their customs, giving as a reason that “they had never known any good of secret societies, such as Odd Fellows or Masons,” and even forbade them performing the ceremony in the public highway.We understand this burying ground was donated to the Society of Friends by the late Thomas Hitchcock, father of deceased, he reserving 20 feet across the west end thereof as a place of burial for himself and family— consequently this polite request of the Quakers was not complied with. Moving on, the procession arrived at the gate of the cemeteiy, which the “Friends” had secured with chains and padlock. During considerable excitement an opening was effected, and the last sad ceremony was solemnly performed and many silent prayers were offered by the surviving brethren.When the funeral cortege was brought to a halt by the Quakers, the aged widow of the deceased was nearly overcome with emotion at this insult offered to the memory of her departed companion. It is rumored that the “Friend” have instituted suit for trespass against those Odd Fellows who assisted in the burying. If this is. true, they will doubtless discover that “Jordan is a hard road to travel.”w — —— ^ A il ■■ ■ l — TLajilalAM
Newspaper Details
New Albany Weekly Ledger
New Albany, Indiana, US
Wed, Jan 17, 1872
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Veronica O.
USA 27 Jul 2024
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