In 1873 Fredericksburg Royal Arch Chapter, No. 23, was organized. This chapter took the place of Fitzwilson Chapter, that flourished in town some years before the Civil war, although it did not take the old name or number.
In the year 1875 Fredericksburg Commandery, No. 1, of Knights Templar, was instituted, and has continued to flourish to the present. Some years ago the various bodies of the Scottish Rite branch of Masonry to the thirty-second degree, were organized in town of the Cerneau division, but as the question of legitimacy was raised as to that rite these organizations were abandoned. The three Masonic bodies, however, that are now in operation are in a flourishing condition and can confer all the degrees in ancient York Masonry.
On the 22nd of December, 1753, a “Royal Arch Lodge” was held in connection with the Fredericksburg Lodge, Simon Fraser, acting Grand Master. On that occasion the Royal Arch degree was conferred on Daniel Campbell, Robert Halkerson and Alexander Wodrow. The proceedings of this meeting were recorded in the record book of the lodge and are preserved to this day; and, strange as it may appear, the fact is well established and admitted by the Masonic historians of England that this is the oldest record, by nine years, of conferring this degree that has yet been discovered in any country. The next oldest record is found in York, England, which was made in 1762.
ODD FELLOWS LODGE.
The first lodge of Odd Fellows organized in Fredericksburg was in the year 1839, and was known as Rappahannock Lodge, No. 14. It continued a working lodge only about three years. The last report it made to the Grand Lodge showed a membership of thirty-nine. Its suspension seems to have been brought about by some unruly, if not unworthy, members who had brought strife and discord into the lodge. In the year 1847, on the petition of five members of the old lodge—Wm. Baily, Wm. Smith, George Waite, Wm. T. Lowery and A. B. Adams—a charter was granted for instituting Myrtle Lodge, No. 50, and which has continued in active operation to the present. It has a large membership, composed of our best citizens. The charter of this lodge was signed by Major J. Harrison Kelly, who then lived in Charlestown, now West Virginia, and who was Grand Master of the State. In after years he became a citizen of Fredericksburg and ended his days in this town.
The meetings of the lodge were at first held at private houses, and at one time in Haydon’s Hall, on Charlotte street, in rear of Wheeler’s livery stable. After the Civil war the meetings were held in the room immediately under the Masonic lodge-room, and continued there until about 1892, when the Odd Fellows, in connection with the Knights of Pythias, erected the splendid hall on Main street, where they held their meetings for some years, but, believing it to be to their interest to dispose of their stock in the new hall, they did so and moved the lodge to the third story of the Bradford Building.
In 1903 a second Odd Fellows Lodge was organized under a charter from the Grand Lodge, known as Acorn Lodge, No. 261. Although young, this lodge has grown with great rapidity and has a large membership. It was organized in the Masonic lodge-room, and afterward rented the hall under the said Masonic lodge, where it now holds its meetings. Among the membership of these Odd Fellows lodges may be found many of the most substantial and progressive citizens of the town.
THE BENEVOLENT ORDER OF ELKS.
The Order of Elks now stands as the youngest of the three prominent secret orders on this continent, and since it came into existence, in 1868, has shown one of the most phenomenal growths that has ever been recorded for a similar benevolent order. It has for its teaching Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity, and for its motto “The faults of our brothers we write in the sand, and their virtues upon the tablets of love and memory.” Five years ago a few progressive spirits of Fredericksburg, catching the inspiration the order of Elks taught, met and organized a lodge of Elks. A lodge was organized on the 23rd of June, 1903, under the name Fredericksburg Lodge, No. 875, Mr. O. L. Harris being the first presiding officer. The lodge now has ninety members, C. Ernest Layton being the present exalted ruler.
There are also in Fredericksburg a number of other benevolent and charitable fraternities, whose origin is of a more recent date than the Masons, Odd Fellows and Elks, under the various names of Knights of Pythias, Knights of Honor, Royal Arcanum, Senior and Junior Orders of American Mechanics, Laboring Men’s Union, Heptasophs, Maccabees, Sons of Sobriety—a temperance order which originated in Fredericksburg and was first organized as a moderate drinking society—Red Men, Knights of the Golden Horseshoe, Good Samaritans and others, all of which are in a flourishing condition and are doing a good work in dispensing charity, in providing cheap life insurance and endeavoring to elevate their fellowmen.