Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-04-28
FIRST EXALTED RULER
First Exalted Ruler of First EIks
Lodge Here With Colonel
Pattee's Fiddlers.

their tour of the coast. Colonel Pat
tee plays on the same old fiddle that
was given him by his mother over
fifty years ago. He does not read
music and plays entirely without
notes and is considered the greatest
ear player on the American stage.
The company consists of the follow
ing:
Union soldiers-Colonel J. A. Pat
tee, late of the Twenty-foulth Michi-
gan infantry and light battery B,
Fourth United States artillery, Iron
Brigade" and First Army corps that
opened the first days battle at Get
tysburg, Pa, July 1, 1868. He is 6S
years old. Corporal G. A. w. Ford,
late of the Twenty-seventh Connecti-
cut infantry, is n years OF age, be-
ing the oldest minstrel comedian and
bone player now living. Major Jo-
seph M. Norcross served III the Sec
ond New Jersey infantry. He is the
oldest minstrel bass singer now on
the stage. He is II years young.
Confederates-Cap A. w. Mil
Ter served in the First Virginia cav
airy in Fitz Hugh Lees division from
1868 to the close of the war. Was
also captain Company B, Second Vir-
ginia infantry, in Spanish-American
war He is 6S years of age. Major
c. H. Hammersley served in the Vir-
ginia state militia He is 70 years
young. Combined ages nearly $50
years.
Major Joseph M. Norcross is the
Oldest living past exalted ruler of the
Elks, one of the pioneers OF that or
der and one of the very few men
alive today whose name is going
down in history as an organizer of
the nationwide and mighty B. P. o.
E. army.
Major Norcross was not one of the
original seven minstrel. men who
gathered at the New York boarding
house of Mrs. Geisman, 1873 Elm
street, Sunday evening, November
"a, 1867, and formed the Jolly Corks
for social purposes only. On Febru-
ary 2, 1868, however, the Corks, then
grown to Is, decided to adopt a con-
stitution and bylaws and change the
name, with the result that New York
lodge No 1 of the Elks came into
existence a fortnight later February
, 16, 1868, and Major Norcross, favor
ite minstrel man of the day, known
as Joe Norris, was the seventh man
initiated into the new lodge, and
with one exception, William l.. Bow
ron, is the only one of the seven still
living The third member initiated
was Thomas G. Riggs, the first ex-
alted ruler and the man who sug-
gested the name of Elks. g.
On Monday afternoon, June s
1868, the first annual benefit was
given. 1t was a grand minstrel fes-
tival, and Joe Norris Major Nor
cross) was one of the three bari
tones He is now the oldest minstrel
bass singer on the stage.
When the first charter was OBJ
tanned for New York lodge No. 1
March 10, 1871, Joseph Norris had
his name changed to Norcross on the
records. On March IL he Identified
from New York lodge to become a
charter member of Philadelphia
lodge No. 3, of which he was exalted
ruler.
All of the above information was
taken from the records of the New
York lodge in May, 1908, signed by
S. Andrews, exalted ruler, and F.
Cathell, secretary, under seal of the
lodge. Major Norcross is NO stranger
to the Pacific coast, for he was inter-
locutor with Billy Emerson's min
strels at the old Standard in San
Francisco. 1t was Major Norcross
who organized and instituted the San
Francisco lodge, and to him fell the
privilege of initiating the distin-
guished tragedian, Thomas w
| Keene.
Major Norcross, now of Spring
: field, Mass, was born in New Jersey
: and served through the Civil War
:, with the Second New Jersey infan-
5 try. He is "A years old and has
| been Mason for 35 years as well
as an Elk for more than A.
Colonel Pattee, who is cousin OF
Mrs. H. G. Eastman, stopped over
and visited them, accompanied by
Mrs. Pattee. The troupe, which is
: playing the Orpheum circuit, went on
: to San Francisco, having just ap.
paarad in D0rfIand