The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-03
MUSIC AND BANQUET
MARKED SIXTEENTH ANNIVER-
SARY OF MAGNOLIA ENCAMP-
MENT l. o. O. T..
SMOKER AND SOCIAL SESSION
FOLLOWED THE SERVING OF RE
FRESHMENTS.

short Addresses by Prominent odd
Fellows and Many Incidents OF
the Encampment's History Were
Related Social Sessions VIII
Probably he Held MOnthIy-Mag-
nOIia the Parent Encampment in
the state.
The siXtieth anniversary of the
founding of Magnolia Encampment
No. l, of Patriarchal Odd Fellows. was
appropriately celebrated last night at
Encampment hall. There was large
gathering of Odd Fellows, and a most
enjoyable evening was spent by all
and while the fIaternal ties and feel
ing of good fellowship were immeasur-
ably strengthened.
The master of ceremonies was Mr..
Leander Butler. chief patriarch of the
encampment. He was assisted by Mr..
]. s. Tyson grand secretary. The
entertainment was of an informal ma
ture. and this fact aided greatly in
increasing the enthusiasm, and making
the occasion an enjoyable one. After the
address of welcome by the master of
ceremonies the encampment was en-
tertained with a musical trio, on BAN
10, mandolin, and guitar. The trio
was under the leadership of Mr.. Sickles.
The next number was some catchy
music by Mr.. Preston Everett and Mr..
Reginald Hutch. Following the sing
ing the two gave an exhibition of
clog dancing and of buck and wing
dancing
Following the dancing speciality came
another musical trio after which the
master of ceremonies called upon some
of the prominent Odd Fellows pres
ent for addresses. Among those who
respond with short talks were Mr.
c. H Dorsett grand representative
and Mr.. J. S. Tyson. grand secretary.
Mr.. Dorsett is one of the Georgia rep
resentatives to the Sovereign Grand
Lodge which holds its session in Bal
timore during this month. Several
other members of the encampment who
were present were called upon and re-
sponded with fitting remarks.
After the addresses, refreshments
We're served. When the luncheon had
been enjoyed, cigars were passed, and
the meeting became a social session
and smoker and the reign of good fell
lowship, and the relation of anecdotes
connected with the history of the en-
Campment continued
The anniversary celebration was a
success and all agreed that the frater-
nal ties had been knit closer by the
gathering and that more enthusiasm
had been put into the workings of the
order through the session. Much of
the success of the evening is due to
the work of the committee which had
the arrangements in charge. The COM
mittee was composed of Mr.. Leander
Butler, chairman, and Messrs. II. NJ.
Ward H. Nj. Reeves, and r. G. Burn
ham. 1t was stated by the chief pa
triarch that it is the intention to make
a monthly social gathering one of the
features of the work, and that ses-
sions similar to the one held last night
would be programmed. at frequent in
tervals
The history of Patriarchal Odd Eel
lowship in Georgia springs from the or
ganization of the Magnolia Encamp-
ment Aug. 20. 1S4S. The charter was
issued on July 2S of the same year, but
it was nearly a month later that the
eacampment was formed. The grand
sire of the l. o. o. F., at the time of
the issuing of the charter, was John A
Kennedy of Baltimore. and the Mag
nolia Encampment was formed with
ten charter members.
Two years after the formation of the
encampment the Odd Fellows build
ing was destroyed by fire, and with 1t
was burned the original charter with
the exception of small fragment
which the members were enabled to
save and forward to Baltimore A new
charter was at once issued, and tne
work of the encamoment went on as
before. In 1898 the Odd Fellows build
ing was again burned, and again the
charter of the Magnolias was destroyed,
and the issuing of third was necessi-
tated. 1t is under this third charter
that the order is now working
From its humble start with ten mem
bers the encampment has grown and
prospered until its roster contains more
than 100 names. Magnolia is the oldest
encampment in the state. and one of
the Oldest in the United States Its
members have organized encampments
at Macon, Augusta, Atlanta, and other
Georgia cities, and in fact the names of
members of Magnolia No. / are min
gled with the history of PatriarchaI
odd Fellowship throughout the South
The number of state officers and high
ofilcials of the fraternity who were
chosen FROM the membership of the
Magnolias is unequalled by any other
encampment, and the members in Sa-
vannah have good reason for the pride
which thew take in their history and
their lodge.