Evening star., 1915-09-28


of Sons of Veterans. U. S. A, of west
ern Pennsylvania. He had also been
made provisional commander in chief.
II. T. Rowley. provisional commander
in-chief of the Sons of Veterans, U.
s. A, the first annual session of the
commandery-in-chie U. S. A., was held
sessions were held at the headquarters
of Davis Camp, No. 1. and organized by
electing Maj. John A. Wood of Garfield
Camp. No. 3 (McKeesport, Pa.). tenn
porary chairman, and Maj. John H. Sell
forth of Davis Camp. No. / (Pitts-
burgh), temporary secretary.
The representatives at this encamp-
ment were Col. Charles NJ. Morton and
l. B. Stanton of New York: Coils. w. c.
Wykoff and w. r. Byers of Ohio; Col.
Maj. John H. Seiforth and Lieut.. H. w.
Walker of Pennsylvania. A ritual,
signs, grips. etc. were adopted and ex-
emplified by Mr.. Stanton. and these
officers were elected:
chief. Harry T. Rowley,
Pittsburgh. Pa; lieutenant command
er-in-chief, Charles Durfee, Chicago,
ILL.,: vice lieutenant commander-in-
chief. w. c. Wykoff. Columbus. Ohio;
chief of staff, Walter E. Norris. Pitts
burgh, Pa.
chief Rowley appoint
ed:
Adutant general. H. w. Wilker. Pitts
burgh; quartermaster general. F. N.
Arbpgast, Pittsburgh; inspector gen.
eral, l. b. Stanton. Amsterdam. n. Y;
judge advocate general, Charles Cheno-
with, Chicago, ILL.,, and chaplain-in-
chief. M. r. Byers. Columbus, Ohio.
United With Sons Of Veterans.
The Pennsylvania division, under Col.
Closson, at it's next regular encamp-
ment, at Lancaster. Pa. July 4, 1888.
united with the Sons of Veterans. U.
S. A. All the representatives were duly
mustered by Gen. William E. w. Ross
and Mai r. NJ. ]. Reed. given the secret
work and exemplifcation of the ritual,
and. upon their return home. they in
turn conferred the work upon the men,
bers of their camps. Edgar w. Alexan-
der of Reading, Pa. was elected colonel,
and active work was done during the
following year.
Provisional Commander-in-Ch Chic, row
ley issued an order July 29. 1882. as
follows:
II. To still further advance the in
terests of the order. and to provide for
more rapid spread throughout the
country. the same Is hereby divided into
fve grand divisions as follows. to-
First Grand Division-Composed OF
the six New England states.
Second Grand Division-New York,
New Jersey. Pennsylvania. Ohio. West
Virginia. Maryland. District Of Column
bia and Virginia.
Third Grand Observation-Disclosures. In
diana, Michigan. Wisconsin. Minnesota.
Iowa. Kentucky. Missouri, Kansas. Ne
braska and Dakota.
Oregon. Washington. Montana. Wyom-
ing, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Colorado,
Arizona and New Mexico.
Fifth Grand Division-All the remain
South Carolina. Tennessee. Georgia.
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi. Louis
lana. Arkansas. Indian Territory and
Texas"
The commanders of the grand di-
visions were: First. Gen. I. s. Bangs.
Waterville. Me-: second. Gen. William
E. w. Ross. Baltimore. Md: third. w.
]. Maskell. Chicago. Ill. There is no
record showing organisations of the
other grand divisions at this time. Di-
grand divisions to the commander-in-
chief. At the fourth annual encamp-
ment Of the y-in-chief all
grand divisions were abolished and di-
visions were required to report to the
commander-in-chief.
Indorsed by the q "A. b.
At the national encampment of the
Grand Army of the Republic held at
Denver. Col. July 1927, 1888. repre-
sentatives of the -chief
Sons of Veterans. U. S. A., from the
divisions of Maryland. Michigan. Maine.
Connecticut. Colorado. Kansas. Ohio,
New York. Pennsylvania. Wisconsin.
and Rhode Island. appeared in response
to the invitation through general or
ders OF the COMMUNICATIVE chief, Paul
Wander Wort. and laid before a COM
mittee OF that encampment the rules
and regulations. ritual. etc, of the
Sons Of Veterans.
This committee comprised Depart
ment Commander Clark Of Ohio, De-
partment Commander William Warren
of Missouri, Comrades Harper, Penn