The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-01-07
RED MEN SHOW
. RAPID GROWTH
SINCE FOUNDING
Order Has $1,000 Members
in Indiana, Property
Worth $4,000.

From the first indianapolis tribe
formed with a few members May
2, 1869, the Improved Order of Red
Men has grown to an organiza-
ton of fourteen tribes in Indianap-
oils with $4,000 members and prop
erty valued at $181, 900.
The group in Indianapolis orig
inally was patriotic and political in
nature.
John A. McGaw, cigar stand pro-
prietor of the old Bates House, was
one of the leading members, and
he gathered around him the prom
inent politicians of the day. But
soon after, in the Indiana organiza-
ton. politics was dropped, COM
pletely.
EARNED in State in 1869
No record is available on the date
Of the organization of the first In
diana tribe at Patriot Ind.
The Great Council of Indiana was
organized Dec. 10, 1869, and the first
great sachem was F. A. Jester,
Patriot, Ind.
The national history of the Red
Men order is the outgrowth of
American history making and is
traced by members back to Colony
days in 1850 before the Revolution.
In 1760 when British oppression
OF coloniSts was becoming particu-
larly diStasteful, societies we're or
ganized to resist. These secret
societies were called the Sons of st.
Tamina and the Liberty Boys, and
were known by other names. All
generally were known as Sons of
Liberty. All adopted the Indian
dress.
FOstered in Army
1.-THE Boston Massacre" and 1.-THE
Boston Tea Party were clashes be-
tween Sons Of Liberty and the Eng
fish. After the tea party the name
Red Men" was applied to various
sections of the Sons of Liberty, all
Of which were united by bonds of
patriotism, All wore the Indian
dress
During the revolution, the Sons
OF Liberty or the Red Men, with
freedom as their object, organized
groups within the Continental
Army. The name Sons of ST. Tam
ina" was adopted during the war,
with the motto Of Freedom and
Friendship" Washington, La
fayette and other leaders were
taken in. After peace was estab-
lished little was heard of the Sons
Of st. Tamina.
In 1888, General Steuben called q
meeting OF officers, and, with the
approval of Washington, organized
the Society Of Cincinnati.
Absorbed by Red Men
Membership was limited to officers
and passed on to their oldest sons.
The aristocratic idea back Of the
organization was denounced by the
rank and file of the Army, who
mostly were members of the Sons
of st. Tamina.
The Sons of ST. Tamina was re-
vived and the Tammany Society or
Columbian Order was founded.
While these groups were political,
they had their social features and
paid benefits to sick members as
early as 1874.
Aside from the New York Tam
many societies, most of the others
eventually were absorbed by the I'M
proved Order of Red Men. During
the war of 1912, st. Tamina mem
bers reorganized the order into the
Red Men. In 1885, at a meeting in
Baltimore, politics was eliminated,
with motto of Freedom, Friend
ship and Charity" and the name
Improved Order of Red Men adopt
ed. The old ritual of the Saint Ia
nina societies and the societies of
Red Men was revised. In 1847 the
Great Council of the United States
was formed.
The first council of the Degree Of
Pocahontas was founded in Phila-
delphia Feb. 20, 1887, with the
legend of the Indian princess, Poca-
hontas, and the virtues Of her life
as the basis for the ritualistic cere-
monies, The order now has mem
berShip Of more than 10000.