The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1905-07-27
K. or 7. GRAND LODGE


IANtnpvfAf July ENf~- VI hVtht Nk act
ual service Damon Lodge No. 10, oil
Davenport, which Il 20 entertain The
grand lodge of the Knights OF pygnlas
OF Iowa IN this city on August s. 81
and 10, n the oldest pythian lodge IN
the state Of Iowa. This fact Is looked
upon with pride by the six charter
members who are sim living, aud the
history OF the local lodge shows Tint
not once during It's career has Il taken
q retrograde movement, but It's stand.
ard has been upward and onward from
tho beginning.
Damon Lodge No. 10, was institute.
ed on June f6, 1871, in tho Odd Eel.
lows hall, which has been its meeting
place ever since. There we're Thirteen
charter members in that first institu.
ton, but Notwithstanding the ominous
number which answered roll cali at
the first session, the lodge has con-
tinued to grow at rapid rate up to-
the present day OF the thirteen who
attended on the first night, only six
remain the others having departed
to their last resting place. Those
still living are in the order In which
their names appear on the roll call:
y. w. Jamison, l.. S. Johnson John
Gundaker, John Cameron, John T..
Temple and w. r. McCrellias. All
art active participants In everything
that Is intended for the good OF the
order, and the knights Of Pythias OF
Iowa may well be proud that they
have such men In their midst.
From It's inception, Damon Lodge
No. 10 has made rapid progress. From
the original thirteen, It's membership
has increased until the last report TAX
en- at the last meeting held by this
branch Of the order showed 1T
names Of active members on the
roll call. This gives an idea OF the
development of Damon No. 10, and
shows a valid reason why 1t, and IL
alone, was willing to take up the
task of entertaining the grand lodge
of Iowa In 1905.
Among It's membership II includes
some Of the most prominent X. Of
P.'s in the state of Iowa Foremost
among these is John Cameron, who
bears the proud distinction OF being
the second oldest living past grand
| chancellor In the state OF Iowa.
Harry d. Walker OF Mt. Pleasant Is
the only living past grand chancel-
lor who precedes Mr.. Cameron, hs
| having been elected to this, the
highest Office OF the state order, one
year previous. ..
| Mr.. Cameron was given the high
Honor on January 2S, 1874, at the an
nual session, which was held at OF
tumwa This was pot quite three
years after Damon lodge No. 10 was
| first instituted, and shows the esti-
nation in which Mr.. Cameron was
held by HIS brothers In the order.
When his name was proposed for the
Noffice no others were placed In nom
nation and the grand guide was in.
structed to cast the ballot declaring
him unanimously elected without a
dissenting vote.
In the preceding year Harry ID.
Il WdlhtT WdS tltGlth W INV UNIV VI
grand chancellor. Since 1872 neither
he nor Mr.. Cameron have failed TO
attend one grand lodge meeting, and
| they alone of all the other members
in the state can point to such q dis
tinclon. They are proud Of the fact
as they recall IT, and the minutes
Of the meeting that have been, held
year afer year show that they were
| prominent in the conventions, al
ways standing up Tor what was
right and sacrificing every personal
desire for any movement that meant
the development Of the order they
love 30 well.
This year they hope TO be active
attendants on the grand lodge In
Davenport, and they can be depend
ed upon to follow the usual course.
Mr.. Cameron bears the reputation OF
being the best informed Knight Of
| Pythlas in the state or Iowa, ana
the younger generation looks up to
him as authority In everything that
pertains to the order.
The first grand lodge OF the
Knights Of Pythias of Iowa met at
Cedar Rapids on July 4, 1869. The
proceedings Of that meeting were nSt
momentous, the minutes not requir-
in cover three pages in the official
record. Now single volume iy
necessary TO record the doings OF the
grand lodge, another indication OF
the growth and progress marked by
the order in this state in the past
thirty-fye years.
When Grand Chancellor 8. M.
Good made his report before sne
third annual convention at Des
Moines on February il, 1872, he in.
corporated therein the statement
that Damon lodge No. 10 of Dayen-
port had applied for admission into
the state order. Then 1t was that
the branch OF the order that Is to
entertain this year identified itself
with the state association and ithas
been a prominent factor ever since.