Norwich bulletin., 1911-02-11
khlohIo oe PYrhlAe.

The ferty.ssvsntA annlvsrsary Of tho founoing uf tho Ordor of the Kht9hts of Pythias VII he obssrved by the srana ioage of cennscticut at the Park Fshfusry 1T. at which tim6 also will be ceiebrnted the fcrty -eecond ami vsrsary of the institution of the Con nscticut grand lodge Itself. The main feature of the ekercisss will be m 4xempl.foasicn of the third rank of contributed by lcdgss. in Hartford county, by teams from St. Elmo lodge, Ne 21, of New Britain ana America lodge. No. .2of Now Haysn. each team comforting the rank hapon one- half of the candidates.
 The whole programme for the oc- casion may be outlined as follows: Afternoon reception of guosts as they arrive at the Hotel Garde, which is to be the headquarters for the day. At 5 P. m., banquet to guests by the grand hetei, up High street to Main. down Main to and around Barnard park, and countermarch to Elm street to tho Casino, where the exercises will be held. In the parade, the Uniform rank. the military auxiliary of the Guard band will furnish the music.
 At the conclusion of the oonferring of the rank at the Casino, a eompeti- tive drill will be held, to be taken part in by fancy drill teams from stock lodge. No. 1s, of Waterbury; St. Elmo lodge, No. 21, of New Brit ain; Apollo lodge, No. 33, of Middle town; America lodge, No. 52, of New Haven. Natehaug lodge, No. 2, of Will limantic,, and Washington l.. Morgan lodge, No. IT. of New Britain. The contest will be for two beautiful low ing cups. offered as first and second prizes by the grand lodge. The judges will probably be military men who are members of the order.
 The principal guest of the occasion is to be Supreme Chancellor George M. Hanson of Calais, Me, who is at present the executive head of over 76o,o00 knights, comprising hetween fifty and sixty grand lodges and over 5000 subordinate lodges.
 The Order of Knights of Pythias. a secret beneficial society, has the pres tige and distinction of being a purely American production--founded in Washington. D. C.. on the 18th of February 1864, during the very dark est days of the Civil war. It is also the only organization of it's kind in- corporated by congress-its act of in- corporation bearing the signature of Grover Cleveland. and 8 subsequent amendment bearing the signature of William Mckinley.
 The order was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who was born in the town of Deerfeld. Oneida county. state of New York, October 29, 1859. His father, Justus Hull Rathbone. was a prominent lawyer, with offices in Uti- ca, N. Y.. to which place Deerfleld was in close proximity, and his mother, Sarah Elizabeth Dwight. was a direct descendant of the famous preacher, Jonathan Edwards, of this vicinity. The son, with a good education, proved to be of a somewhat rowing or adventurous disposition. and, posses sing great musical ability, even to the extent of composing, he left his home in 1857, bent upon seeing more of the world, and went upon tho minstrel stage, touring the west with oon1- pany Becoming stranded in northern Michigan. he took up teaching in a country school at Eagle Harbor in that state until 1881, when the death of his father called him east. after which he was married and settled in Ger mantown, Pa, where he entered the employ of the United States govern ment and finally became a clerk n the office of the second auditor of the treasury, afterwards serving the gov- ernment in different capacities until March 26, 1899, when he resigned, and on Novem Der Is of that year he passed away at Lima. Ohio, and was buried in Utica, N. Y.. by the side of his wife, whose death had occurred two years before
 Washington lodge. No. 1. of the Dis