Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-27
How Pythianism Originated in This
City in 1864.
A HARD STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE
Franklin Lodge, No. |, the Pioneer
of Them All.
HOW THE OTHERS GREW

work Of the order Of the Knights Of Pythias
was first read, took place at a private resi-
dence on F street. 1t was at a meeting of
the Arion Glee Club, and the following were
present: Justus H. Rathbone, r. A. Cham
pion. q. s. Kimball B. L. Burnett, w. H.
Burnett, Mr.. Roberts and Mr.. Driver. Each
of these gentlemen was obligated, as the
saying is in Pythian phrase, by Mr. Rath-
bone. They afterward resolved themselves
into Individual committees for the purpose
Of obtaining the names Of eligible persons
for the formation of the first lodge. This
meeting took place on Monday evening.
February Is, 1854, and on the morning of
Wednesday. February IL, Mr.. Rathbone no
tified j. I. X. Plant of the results and
solicited him to join the order. Mr.. Rath-
bone had. however. read the ritual to Mr..
r. A. Champion previously. The ritual was
written by MIR. j. II. Rathbone IN the town
of Eagle Harbor, Houghton NOW Keewe-
Of 1850 and 1851. The first lodge organized
was Washington, No. 1, and the first recorl
appearing on the books Of this lodge is as
follows:
The First Record.
Washington. d. c.. February 10. 1854.
AT Temperance Hall.
Friday Evening.
upon agreement a number Of gentlemen
met, and after some conversation upon the
subject, they were called to order, and upon
motion of Mr.. j. H. Rathbone a chairman
of the meeting was proposed, and Mr.. ]. 2.
X. Plant was unanimously called to the
chair, and d. L. Burnett nominated as Sec
rotary. After organizing as above, the OBJ
tect of the citing was stated by MIR. Rath-
bone to be the Organization or foundation Of
q society, its business and operations to be
of secret character. having for its ulti-
mate object friendship, benevolence and
charity. Before proceeding lrther, tho
present were requested to subscribe to
oath laid down afterward in the initiatt
All present having signified their willii.
ness to do SO, the same was administered A.
them, by reading the same, by j. II. Rath-
bone. After the taking Of the oath, on mo-
ton, it was resolved that this order be
styled the Knights Of Pythias."
1t was resolved to appoint committee
for the preparation Of q ritual of the open
ing and the closing of the lodge and of in
itiation. j. H. Rathbone was assigned to
this duty, and the result of his labor, on
being read, was approved. Following the
adoption of the ritual the election of off,
GERS was held, with this result: J. H. Rath-
bone. w. c.; Joel r. Woodruff. V. c.; J. T.
Plant, V. P; d. l.. Burnett, w. s.; A. Van
Der Neer, B.; r. A. Champion, A. B.;
pointIve officers were named at the instance
of the worthy chancellor: N. II. Van Der
Veer. worthy guide; A. Roderigue. inside
steward, and Messrs. Kimball. Roberts. d.
L. Burnett and w. H. Burnett, choral
knights. A committee for the preparation
Of a ritual for the first degree was appoint
ed as follows: Kimball Champion, Plant
Rathbone and w. H. Burnett. The first
degree Is now the second degree. This COM
mittee also prepared the signs, etc Com
mittees were then appointed to procure re-
gala and appliances. A committee was sp-
pointed to procure a seal, and at the next
meeting various applications for member
ship We're received. At a subsequent meet
ing the lodge elected officers, and in addi-
ton. Messrs. Woodruff, Van Der Veer AMI
Rodrigue were elected as representatives
to the Grand Lodge. which was organized
on April s, 1854. by the members of this
pioneer lodge.
The First Grand Lodge.
The Grand Lodge thus organized had for
its grand chancellor, j. 7. K. Plant, aud
for it's grand scribe, A. Van Der veer.
These gentlemen set about forming lodges
elsewhere, and. as Pythian history records
II, ''provdientially succeeded in organizing
on the Navy Yard, Franklin Lodge, No. 2"
This ledge was duly instituted on April u,
the officers of the Grand Lodge. The engine
house still stands. The charter members Of
Franklin Lodge, No. 2, were Robert 1. Mid
dleton, venerable patriarch: Daniel Carri-
chancellor; Clarence NJ. Barton, scribe;
James Gill, banker; Nicholas Wayson
guide; Joseph H. Lawrence, inner steward:
Hudson Petit, outer steward; Edmari
George Norton and ]. H. Wheeler. To
quote an official Pythian publication, the
history of Franklin Lodge is the history Of
the order. which it saved from destruction
after her sister lodges had ceased to exist
Its members from the first were determin-
ed that Franklin Lodge should become the
excelsior lodge of the order. For eight
months 1t struggled alone; its members met
with rebuffs and sarcasms, and worse than
this, the sting of ingratitude from the hands
of one who had solemnly sworn at the altar
Of his order to maintain. defend and battle
for the perpetuation Of its principles. ON
May 10, 1864, the Grand Lodge Organized
Columbia Lodge, No. 3, which was located
In temperance Hall, now Marinrs Hall; on
June 2, Potomac Lodge, No. T. was organ
lied at Temperance Hail. and afterweri To-
Gated at Island Hall, in South Washington:
on February /, 1865, Alexandria Lodge. No
j, of Virginia. was organized through The
enorts OF John II. King of Franklin Lodge
who was then engaged in the United States
naval service near Alexandra, and who in
acknowledgment of services rendered. was
appointed deputy grand chancellor of the
state of Virginia.
A Dark Period.
This was the dark age of the order. The
last session Of the Grand Lodge was held
on June ID. 1865 Washington Lodge ceas.
cd its meetings in the following month and
sent petition to Franklin Lodge asking
that such of it's members as were in good
standing might be received into the latter
lodge. The petition was granted. Frank
lin Lodge, No. q upon the list of August
1865, was the only lodge in the order, the
Grand Lodge having become defunct
Franklin Lodge continued to flourish, and
at the close Of 1865 had a membership of
sixty, and treasury balance of 500
They had sustained a loss during the year
Of s255.55 through an irregularity Of their
banker. When the year of 1906 opened
efforts were made to revive the old lodges
and at the regular meeting in April a COM
mittee. consisting of Messrs. Hamilton
Lawson, Cook, King and Schlief was APP
pointed to canvass Washington for the
purpose Of organizing a new lodge, and on
the 18th Of April a charter was granted to
Mt. Vernon Lodge, No. 5.
The Grand Lodge ReorEnnixed.
In May, 1866, Past Chancellors Rathbone,
Barton. Dunn. King, Cook and Beech of
Franklin Lodge. and Downs and Strom-
berger of Mt. Vernon Lodge, pursuant to
an agreement, met for the purpose of effect
ing a reorganization of the Grand Lodge
which had lain either dormant or in utter
suspension since June, 1865. The offices of
grand marshal, herald. prelate and inner
and outer guardians were dispensed with,
and officers were elected as follows: j. H
Rathbone. grand chancellor; Edward Dunn,
vice grand chancellor: Clarence NJ. Barton,
grand recording scribe; John I. Downs.
grand financial scribe; John H. King, grand
banker; Thomas w. Cook, grand guide;
Levi Beech, grand inner steward; John w.
Cross, grand outer steward.
The quarterly report Of Philadelphia