The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-09-01
WAS TWICE BURNED
CHARTER OF MAGNOLIA ENCAMP-
MENT OF ODD FELLOWS THIRD
ISSUED.
THE SIxTIETH ANNIVERSARY
or FOUNDING OF ENGAGEMENT
Celebrated TO-MORRoW.

Magnolia Encampment Marks Be-
ginning of PatriarchaI odd Eel
Ioship in Georgia and All En-
campments started From MagnO-
IIu-HistOry of Encampment Fill
ed with Interest and story of Its
Growth Is One Around which His
tory of other Encampments Clus-
terE.
Magnolia Encampment, No. l, l. o.
O. F. will celebrate the sixtieth an
niversary of its organization, which
also marks the founding of Patriarchal
odd Fellowship in Georgia, tomorrow
night in the Encampment Hall in odd
Fellows building. The committee
which has had the arrangements for
appropriately observing the event in
charge has. prepared rather elaborate
programme of solos, duets and instru-
mental music. Among those who will
assist in the musical programme is
MIR. Fritz Upper. The musical num-
bers will be interspersed with recita-
tions and with short addresses by
will also be a sketch by Mr.. Edward
Everett. At the close of the pro-
gramme refreshments will be served in
the hall and sthe remaining hours will
be devoted to good fellowship and to
anecdotes connected with the history,
not only of Magnolia Encampment, but
of Patriarchal Odd Fellowship in the
state as well.
The First Encnmpment.
The history of Magnolia Encamp-
ment, the first encampment in the
state, is an interesting one, and around
Ii clusters the history of nearly every
other encampment in Georgia. The
charter of Magnolia has been twice
burned, and the one which it now has
in its possession is the third that has
been issued.
The original charter was granted
July rs, 1913 AT that time Mr.. John A.
Kennedy was Grand Sire, the head of
all Odd Fellows in the world The
charter was issude to Alvin N. Miller,
Gilbert Butler. Elijah Parsons, John
oliver, George w. Miller. George Leeds,
James 5. Morel, Henry Bente, E. S,
Rogers and Mr. John r. Johnson.
Nearly a month after the issuing of the
charter Magnolia Encampment was or
gained the ten members named above
being conducted into the rites and mys-
teries of Patriarchal Odd Fellowship
on Aug. 20, 1S43.
ChaEter Twice Burned.
With this small number the Encamp-
ment began it's work and gradually
others We're added. The first disaster
occurred March 2, 1S45 only two years
after the organization of the Encamp-
ment. On that date the Odd Fellows
building burned and with it the origi-
nal charter A new charter was issued
in a short time by the Grand Sire and
the work of the Encampment went on
as before In 1889 the Odd Fellows
building was again visited by fire and
again the charter was destroyed, The
application for new charter was made
at once and after hard work and long
and patient searching of records, the
officials OF the Patriarchal branch at
Baltimore succeeded in finding suffi-
cient records of the establishment and
organization of the Magnolia Encamp-
ment to give them the necessary data
for issuing a new charter and within a
short time the third charter was in the
hands of the local officers and the En-
campment. This third charter Is the
one under which the Encampment is
now working.
The other Encampments.
Shortly after the founding of the
Magnolia Encampment the work of in
creasiug the Patriarchal branches
throughout the state was begun, and
the Macon Encampment was soon or
ganized. Others followed as rapidly as
circumstances would permit and to-
day, besides the two encampments men,
toned above, there are encampmeaJs
at Augusta, Columbus, and the Empire
Encampment at Atlanta. At the pres
ent time Mr.. Chester A. Elliott of
Brunswick is the grand patriarch Of
the state.
From it's humble beginning with ten
members the Magnolia Encampment
has grown steadily. despite the changes
of fortune through which ii has been
obliged to pass, and to-day it's MEM
ber5hip is more than 100. On it's roster
are the names of many of the past
grand patriarchs of the state, as well
as many of the other highest state off,
eials, and the history of all the other
enC1npments of Georgia is interviewer
with the names of those who began
PatrIarchal Odd Fellowship life In the
Magnolia Encampment. No other en-
caMpment in the entire state can show
as many members who have reached
The highest offices in the gift of the
fraternity as the Magnolia.
Patriarchal Odd Fellowship is the
highest branch or degree of the fra
ternity next to the Grand Lodge and
Encampment. The total number en-
rolled in all the encampments in Geor-
gia is about 800 The celebration to-
morrow night of the sixtieth anniver-
sary of the Magnolia Encampment, the
encampment which marks the Begin
ming of the Patriarchal branch in Geor-
gia, is being looked forward to by all
the members.