The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-06-07
ODD FELLOWS HALL.
An Historical sketch Of tue bnii"'
tnx-I,s Founders and Bull 1ers'

sn~-Iss Rouuders and Bufl lerS.
This building, situated opposite ahe
court house on the corner OF Iweiitn
and Cbapl,ne streets, was erected IN the
wear 1859, by joint stock company
created BY an act of the legislature c'
virginia in 1856. The stock was origi-
nslly taken, for the most part, oy lndi,
vidusl members of the Order, and q small
norton by three of the lodges IN their
collective capacity. 1t was built from
design BY the late h. c. Coen, OF this
CITY. The stone work was done oy
Mr.. John Bennett; the brick WORK
by Mr.. J. Britt, ST., the carpenter WORK
by. Mr.. VIM. Hamilton, the plastering
by Mr.. E. LETTERS and the roof 6y MI
James White. ~,
For many years previously the ODD
Fellows OF Wheeling desired to have
building that would be creditable to taelr
institution, in which to hold their weekly
meetings. But the cost seemed an
1NsURMoUNTABLE BARRIER,
as their members were somposeo
principally OF working men, VINO nave
not a great surplus of wealth. 10 create
a building furd, plan was conceived
by MIR. j. NJ. Todd of this city, for
dividing the capital OF the Association
into $40 shares, payable in monthly In
| ,tsllments of Sc cents. Nearly every
member of the Order took some stock,
and the payments on the whole were
satisfactory. But when all the STOCK
had been paid in, it was found MADE
ouste TO meet the cost of the building by
nearly $4,000. The building had to be
mortgaged to secure the payment OF this
debt, and many isint-hearted stockholders
feared that 1t would be- eventually sold
by the sheriff to satisfy the debts under
the deeds OF trust. At one time shares
| could not find purchaser at 50 per cent.
discount. But Odd Fellows are
NOT PRONE TO DEPENDENCY
IN anything they undertake. AT first the
| income did little more than pay the cur
rent expenses, including the heavy in
terest. By end by one small debt after
another was paid, and then larger ones
we're liquidated. The interest thus be-
coming smaller the payments became
more. rapid, until the building now
stands tree of all debts and demand.
The ASSOCIATION Is managed by nile trus-
tees, elected annually by the steckhold'
ers. Of the original Board of Trustees
five are now dead, viz: John Hamilton,
&. w. Franzheim, Jacob Berger, Jacob
NJ. Bickel and Alfred Caldwell. Two OF
the first Board of Trustees are still active
and useful members OF the same, VIZ:
James NJ. Todd and Alonzo Loring. The
OAR value of each share OF stock Is now $40
Many of the original stockholders sod
their shares to the different lodges aid
encampmeGts il their organized capa-
CITY, so that the latter now own 5O2
shares, and individual members only 81.
| THE LOWER STORY
of the building is rented for business
rooms, four in mum Der. The west por.
ton OF the second story is occupied by
the Wiesel Institute, and the second story
has been converted INTO suite OF offices
forming the finest law offices in the city
The upper story is divided into two large
halls, one being used for meetings OF the
subordinate lodges AID the other by en-.
campments. The last session OF the
Grand Lodge of Virginia, previous to the
disruption OF the state, WAS held In this
building, and four sessions OF the Grand
Lodge of West Virginia have likewise
been held here.