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Any photos not otherwise credited are from the personal collection of Frank Passic, Albion Historian.
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Morning Star, February 20, 2022, pg. 9 In the early 20th century, there were a multitude fraternal organizations, lodges and societies (we won’t use the word "club") that existed here in town. Many of them met in their "halls" located in the 2nd or 3rd stories above first floor downtown merchants. Each had its own name and chapter number as assigned by a national organization. Nearly all of them had a male version, then a women’s version. Some even had special drill performance teams. These organizations peaked in numbers during the 1920s when Prohibition was in effect, then steadily declined during the Great Depression and when Prohibition ended. Following World War II, memberships declined even further and many local lodges were closed. Usually, the lady versions of these lodges lasted longer than the men versions. Some of these organizations still exist nationally however, and are active in providing insurance and other benefits to its members today. In many of the old Albion City Directories are listed various pieces of information about our community, including a listing of the lodge organizations in town. Using the 1926 Directory as an example, I noticed that there were more lodges in Albion than there were churches. Here is the listing for Lodges as printed in the 1926 Albion City Directory: Murat Lodge No. 14, Free & Accepted Masons; Albion Chapter Royal Arch Masons No. 32; Albion Council No. 57, Royal & Select Masons; DeMolay Lodge; Albion Chapter No. 124 of the Order of Eastern Star; Freedom Hive No. 213 Ladies of the Modern Maccabees; Union Hive No. 9 Ladies of the Modern Maccabees; Albion Tent No. 180 Knights of the Maccabees. The International Order of Odd Fellows had several listings. They were: I.O.O.F No. 60; Albion Encampment No. 63; Canton Carver No. 44; Albion Rebekah Lodge No.23, and Degree of Honor. Not far behind them were the Knights of Pythias with these listings: Albion Pythian Lodge No. 57; Apollo Company No. 23 Uniform Rank Knights of Pythias, and Superior Temple No. 87, Pythian Sisters. Continuing, there were the Loyal Order of the Moose, Lodge No. 406; and the Albion Chapter No. 114 Women of Mooseheart Legion. The Eagles were next with the Albion Lodge No. 1265 Fraternal Order of the Eagles. The Modern Woodmen of America No. 1929 are listed, as well as the Royal Neighbors of America No. 3942. A couple of lodges had references to native-American names as listed by the Mingo Tribe No.2 Improved Order of Red Men (by the way, Don Barland is listed as the Keeper of Wampum in that organization); and the Talawanda Council No. 10 Degree of Pocahontas (Mrs. Clyde Schultz is listed as the Keeper of Wampum). In memory of their members, lodges would produce their own memorial flag holders which were placed at the gravesites of their members. Each Memorial Day, members would put flags in these holders. Riverside Cemetery in Albion has numerous such fraternal flag holders. Unfortunately, flags have not been placed on these now-rusted holders for quite some time, because all of the members have died off and the lodges were closed years ago. From our Historical Notebook this week we present a couple of Maccabee flag holders in Riverside Cemetery. The first is the Albion Tent 180 Knights of the Modern Maccabees; the other is the Union Hive No. 9 Ladies of the Modern Maccabees. How many of our readers had ancestors where were members of a lodge or fraternal group?  Albion Tent 180 Knights of the Modern Maccabees Flagholder
 Union Hive No. 9 Ladies of the Modern Maccabees Flagholder
All text copyright, 2024 © all rights reserved Frank Passic
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