The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-03-01
IS LEADER IN Big ORDER
Has Held Many Offices in Grand and
Subordinate Lodges and Was Active
In ReYiving Work of the Order at
Many Places In Wisconsin.

A signal honor was conferred upon
John M. Kehlor on Thursday night,
when he was unanimously elected to
honorary membership in the Kenosha
Lodge of the Benevolent and Protec
tive Order of Elks and he has the hon
Or of being the first member of the
Kenosha lodge to receive this recogni-
ION from his fellow Elks. The action
of the lodge came as a great surprise
to the FFather of Wisconsin Elks. !"
He was at his post as usual and when
the matter was taken up he was called
from the room and when the unanimous
ballot had been spread he was recalled
and Prof. Otis l.. Trenary, Past Elk
allied Ruler, in a pretty speech, con-
ferred upon him the high honor voted
by his fellow Elks. Mr.. Kehlor re-
sponded with ringing speech in which
he declared that his interest in Elkdom
had been a heart interest and that the
action of the lodge in voting him
q life membership came as the most
distinguished honor he had ever
received.
No Elk in Wisconsin is better known
than John M. Kehlor. There are men
who believe that he has always been
member of the order and some of
them thing that when the Jolly Corks
were first organized down in Philadel-
phia way back in 1869, that they sent
for baby John Kehlor and conferred
upon him his first Elk tooth While
this is not literally true, it can be said
that, Kehlor has been an Elk ever since
the time that. he was permitted by the
rules Gf the iorderNto sign an applica-
tion. ale was so anxious to Join the
order that he went from Kenosha to
Chicago and was one of the pioneer
members Of the Chicago No. 4. He
organized the Kenosha lodge in 1901
and was its first Exalted Ruler, serv-
ing in that capacity for two terms.
He was one Of the first men in the
order to insist on the ritualistic work
of the order being followed to the let
ter and he preached this doctrine all
over Elkdom and much of the splen-
did ritualistic work now done in
Elks lodges was the result of his work
along these lines.
He gained his membership in the
Grand Lodge in 1902 and since that
time he has been one of the most active
members Of the Grand Lodge. He has
served in the capacity of District
Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler for the
eastern district of Wisconsin and as
such he had the pleasure Of organizing
several of the strongest lodges in the
jurisdiction. He went to Milwaukee
and revived Milwaukee lodge and aid
cd in making it one of the strongest
organizations in the order. H, served
as a member of many importA AGrand
Lodge committees and fatherH the
movement which became national, to
provide for the protection of the Elk
in the United States. He served on
this committee for several years. He
was member Of the auditing commit
tee of the Grand Lodge and for years
had been a prominent figure in Grand
Lodge sessions. AS leader of the
members of the smaller lodges of the
order he won veneration from Elks
all over the United States. His heart
interest has always been with Keno
sha lodge and he has attended nearly
every meeting held by the lodge since
it was established.
Within few days he plans to leave
fnr Ca1ifornio FOR on avtandad vie;+
and he win carry with him to the Ear
west the best wishes of the men of
Kenosha lodge.
Kenosha lodge has always declined
TO vote honorary life memberships and
the fact that the vote for a life mem
hership for "Father John Kehlor'
was unanimous is testimonial to the
high regard in which he is held by the
members Of the Kenosha lodge.