Morning journal and courier., 1891-08-20
ITS sEuI-CENTENNIAL.

ITS APPROPRIATENESS |. The Members of Sassacus Encamp- ment No. l Commemorate Their Fif- tieth Anniversary = Distinguished Guests from All Parts of the State
 The History and Steady Progress of Sassacus Accounted.
 The fiftieth anniversary of Sassacus en- No 1, I. o. O. F., was one of the most brilliant fraternity events held in this city for many months. The spacious armory of the canton had been newly re- decorated and refurnished. Invitations had been sent out to the officers of the l Grand encampment of Connecticut and the | Sovereign Grand lodge of the world, and every preparation was made for reunion memorable in social and historical interest. The celebration was a decided success One hundred and fifty regular members and visitors from other eneampments hon. ored the occasion with their presence. The banuuet served by Thalheimer was ex- cellent, and the speeches that followed were of the usual reminiscent character.
 Patriarch James E. Camp of Bridgeport and Grand Treasurer John W. Smith of Waterbury were unavoidably detained away. The other officers of the state en- campment who were detained away were: Grand High Priest John H. Kenny, of Waterbury: Grand Scribe Frederick Bots ford. of New Haven; Grand Senior War den Charles w. Stebbins, of New Haven; Grand Junior Warden Henry O. Wood, of Thomaston; Grand Marshal w. Frank Peckham, of New Haven; grand sentinel, George II. Redway of
 oonfiy1al Rnfna H. Johnson of New Haven; district deputy grand patriarch, D. R. filling of New Ha- ven. Besides these the following grand patriarchs and senior wardens from vari- ous encampments throughout the state: Messrs. Sperry and Mallett of Hartford, Gergenhauser and Redway of Bridgeport, Gregory and Fraser of Seymour, Bunker hoff and Berger of Stamford. Richard and Rankin of Deep River and Camheld and Stanley of Meriden. Other notable faces in the gathering were those of James Bishop of New Ha- ven, Connecticut representative of Sassa- ! Samuel Cleeton of this city, venerable gentleman of seventy eight years, who has | the honor of being the oldest member of l the Odd Fellows and of Sassacus in New Haven, having joined the encampment two years after it's inception; Frank Botsford, | a distinguished looking man, also far ad- vanced in years, member of the encamp- ment since 1847 and acquainted with many l of it's old founders, together with many | other men well known in the circles of | Odd Fellowship.
 I The members and invited guests met in the rooms of Hiram lodge, Masonic Tenn pie, at 8:30 o'clock, and after little over l an hour spent in social converse formed in line, the Grand officers leading the way, 1 and marched down to the Sassacus armory l on the lower floor, where Max Thalheimer's | long tables in horseshoe fashion were set | for the occasion. All persons remained standing while Commanding Patriarch | Frank R. Fisher delivered short address | of welcome. He said he was proud that,
 under his administration, the fftieth an
 niversary of the encampment was celebra- | ted.
 A hearty welcome was extended to all the celebrated Odd Fellows present and the hope expressed that the occasion would
 be the means of drawing all the members | of the Sassacus together in closer bonds ot | affection and sympathy. Patriarch Ford
 of the local encampment then offered pray
 CT, after which the banquetters sat down
 to the tables.
 The after-dinner speech making was cut | short somewhat by the lateness of the
 caterer in serving the dinner, and also the
 enforced early departure of the out-of:
 town visitors to their homes. Grand
 Representative James Bishop after few
 pleasant words to those present read let
 ters of regret from Past Grand Sire James
 P. Saunders of New York and Grand
 Treasurer John w. Smith, who is sum,
 mering in Nantucket.
 In place of Mr. Saunders, Past Grand
 Patriarch WILCOX of this state was called
 upon to speak to the subject of the "Sov-
 ereign Grand Lodge" Grand Patriarch
 James H. Kenny, in absence of MT. Camp,
 spoke on the 'Grand Encampment of Con.
 necticut." The most interesting address
 of the evening was delivered by Past Com
 manding Patriarch w. Frank Peckham on
 sThe history of Sassacus Encampment
 No. l." MT. Peckham presented brief
 but comprehensive resume of the progress
 of the order in the last fifty years, which
 is worth reproducing.
 Sassacus Encampment was instituted
 August 19, 1S41, by dispensation granted
 by the grand lodge of the United States
 through special officers. All these were
 members of Mt. Sinai Encampment No.3, of | New York. The charter members were seven
 in number, as follows: Robinson s. Hin-
 man, W. E. Sanford Samuel Bishop, James
 W. Newell, jr., Eliphat G. Stone, Joseph
 G. Anthony and William J, Thompson.
 The encampment was instituted in what is
 new known as the Adelphi building, at
 the corner of Chapel and Union streets.