Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-05-02
''I00l."
Origin OF this Ancient and Hon.
cradle Order.

OLYMPIA, Washington Ter, April IS, 1854.
Messrs Crawford & Bro, Publishers Iowa Co.
Democrat Mineral Point Wis, Gents:-Your
esteemed favor of Feb. 10, in which you say that
Inquiry has recently been made in The Madison
Democrat as to the origin of the order of one
thousand and one" and request to furnish
you with "a communication in regard to the
origin plans, purposes and work Of this honorable
order which grew up and fourished in early
days in Mineral Point" was received some time
since, and though have not been able 10 reply
with the promptness the Importance of the sub
ject demands, | now take great pleasure in
answering your inquiries so far as CAN or OUGHT
to do so.
At the time of my initiation into its mysteries.
nearly forty years since, the honorable order of
1901" was considered very ancient.
The first lodge of the order in Wisconsin was
instituted about the year 1916, at Mineral Point
in the saddler's shop of Ripley Kelly, on High
street, opposite the county building or Root
house." as it was then popularity termed The
work which at that time consisted of the sign of
equality, the grip and the pass word, was i'm
parted to me as the first initiate by one Scissor,
journeyman saddler then working for Kelly,
whose first name l have forgotten. Those
present upon the occasion were Ripley Kelly,
his brother Enoch Kelly and said Session,
officiating deacon. The Kellys and Scissor were
from Ohio-their county or town l do not re-
member, whence they brought the work as it
was given to me.
The lodge in Mineral Point increased very
rapidly from the time of its institution and
within the course of year or two added TO its
roll several hundred members including man!
of the most prominent citizens of Iowa county,
as well as others who came from distance to
Join the ORDER the work IN the mean time hay
ing been very extensively elaborated and i'm
proved by the genius of its new members.
think that 1t was during the winter of the
same year, 1916, that instituted a branch lodge
at Madison, upon which occasion most of the ter
territorial officers were initiated into the mysteries
OF the order, greatly to the benefit of the public
service. This lodge also had very rapid gro tn,
and owing TO the abundance of material
fourished and prospered for many years
As for 1.-THE plans and purposes of the order
must refer you to its general declaration Of
principles, which set forth that 1t was founded
upon the broad principles of charity and be-
nevolence, calculated to make men social
and humane and intended to aid in the differ
sion of knowledge, and the spread aud promul-
CATION of art, science, civilization and the prin-
ciples of equality and liberty throughout the
world"
For further Information concerning the work
of the order refer you to any of the old mem
bers. many of whom are still living in Mineral
Point If you have never received ii they will
probably feel their youth renewed IN imparting
1t to you upon the same conditions that it was
given to them-that of secrecy.
Its early history, like that of most old things
is involved in fable and has been the subject of
much learned controversy.
The first stanza of its grall Old iuiIiatory ode
which runs as follows.
"Way down at the foot of Mount Etna.
Not far from the rising of sun,
Our order first Sprang into action,
And was christened one thousand and one
leaves no room to doubt that it was of Oriental
origin, and yet to the time of its birth, its
greatest scholars have never been able 10 deter
mine with certainty whether it first appeared
under the dynasty of Ah-Fook or AhSole.
However upon this point think it may be con-
sidered as settled by the o le above referred to
that it is at least as old as OLD RosIN TIE BEAU.
Trusting that these hastily pennei "reminiscences
may prove of some service to the correspondent
referred to in his historical researches, remain
Yours Truly, FRANCIS HENRY.