Evening star., 1931-06-14

abraham d. Fan Derveer, past chan.
celIOr and an original member of the
order.
Michigan pineries, but such was not the case.
It was in the middle of 1853 that Brother Rath-
bone conceived the idea of forming. as he said
to some associates, an order based ON some
'brotherly love story and he was especially
anxious that the name should have the prefix
knights He kept constantly harping on this,
until by pure accident, q stray remark made
by passing acquaintance, on Monday morn
ing early in the Fan OF 1863. caused him to
turn around to his chum in the Office Of the
Surgeon General (wllere both were employed)
and say, Ed, have It'll call it the Knights
Of Pythias.' Shortly after, while spending the
evening with some fellow members of dra-
matte association, copy Of Banirn's play Da-
mon and PythiaS' was received, and then and
there, Brother Rathbone decided to take it as
the foundation for the ritual Of the order"
NUTTE appropriately, the first lodge insti-
~ tuted was called Washington. No. 1, and
1tS first officers were: JustuS H. Rathbone.
worthy chancellor; Joel R. Woodruff, worthy
vice chancellor; Joseph T. K. Plant. venerable
patriarch; d. L. Burnett, worthy scribe, and A.
D. Van Derveer. worthy banker. Those sp-
pointed to positions by the worthy chancellor,
included: George r. Covert, assistant scribe;
=. "A.
H. Van Derveer, worthy guide, and A. Rode
rique, inside steward. E. S. Kimbal. Charles
II. Roberts, D. L. Burnett and w. H. Burnett
were appointed choral knights.
Franklin Lodge No. 2, was instituted here
on April IL, 1864, and Columbia No. 3. on
May 10, and Potomac No f. on June Of
that year. Mount Vernon No. S, Liberty No.
6, and Webster No. Z. came into existence in
1866. Friendship No. and Decatur No 9,
in 1857; SyracusianS No. 10, Caianthie No. IL,
AI1 Sw~
Excelsior No. IA and Germania No. is, in 1869;
Reliance No. 16. Equal No. II, Occasia No.
-1e. Golden Rule No. 10, Anacostia No 20. Har-
mony No. 81 and Union No. ~, in 1871, and
since that date there have been added: Anacos-
tia No. %, Capital No. a. Myrtle No. IS,
Columbia No. Is Superior No. 10, Amaranthe
NO. 20. Justus H. Rathbone No. - and Century
No 90, the last lodge having been chartered
IN 1901. since which date Home No. 81, has
been added.
As before stated, the first few years Of the
knights Of PythiaS there was rough shedding;
but experience Is an indispensable though at
time q very expensive road to success, and
by whatever mode of transportation We may
be travelling, almost insurmountable obstacles
are at times likely to loom up In our path
way. Hence, in little over year after the
formation of the order, we find Potomac Lodge
No. 4, consolidating with washington No. 1,
and five months later even Lodge No. ! sur
rendered its charter and its members joined
lodge was the sole representative, as it Is said,
Of "Pythian Knighthood." Franklin No.
was Navy Yard lodge, and those whose names
were signed to the request for the dispense
ton include: Robert J. Middleton Hudson
Petit, Edward Fox, Nicholas Wayson, James
E. Gill, Edward Dunn, Clarence M. Barton,
Daniel Carrigan George Norton, Joseph II.
Lawrence, John w. Kelly, Francis Lagley and
James II. Wheeler.
q fV1fo fe 10 1anrn kfHA
! ] Clarence M. Barton, at one time one Of
was not native Washingtonian, for he was
evidently came here at an early date, and
soon afterward drifted into newspaper work.
Many win recall his narrow escape from death
on February ., 1882, when he was attacked in
his Office by the Soteldo brothers, who had a
appeared In the National Republican, Of which
paper Barton was managing editor.
It seems that Antonio Maria Soteldo, Q
Venezuelan by birth, was also . journalist and
had been the managing editor Of the National
Republican from 1876 to 1877, when that paper
was owned by w. J. Murtagh, but had been
replaced when that paper changed hands dur
ing the latter year. On January -, 1882 so
IN account at the time states, the Republican
printed an item regarding fracas said to have
taken place between A. NJ 9oteldo and James
Francis Keegan. Both Soteldo and Keegan, 50
the story goes swore out warrants In the Police
Court against each other, but neither appeared
% prosecute his case when later called in court.