History of the Order and Its Growth Within the City of Altoona.
THREE LODGES WITH MEMBERSHIP OF 1,318
The nearness of the third anniversary of the dedication of the magnificent new temple of the Knights of Pythias, Eighth avenue near Eleventh street, makes a history of that order and its growth in Altoona and elsewhere a matter of timely interest. With a membership in Altoona of 1,318, the Knights of Pythias exert a great influence in this community. The order can proudly proclaim that it has in its membership some of the very best material of which Altoona is made. There are many beautiful lodge homes in the city, but none is cosier and more home-like than the temple of the Knights of Pythias. There is an air of elegance about it, yet a restful simplicity is the most marked attribute of the home.
The Knights of Pythias have three lodges here - Logan No. 79, being the oldest. This lodge was organized in 1868, when the order was still young. R. H. Graham and other prominent men of the city were mainly responsible for the lodge's inception, and the new branch was formally instituted on May 19, 1868, by Grand Chancellor Frederic Coppis, head of the order in this state at that time. Ninety-seven members joined the lodge when it started, and this number has now grown to 542 in Logan lodge alone.
The large number of members in the first class of the order in this city shows the excellent impression made on Mountain City residents by the Knights of Pythias. The same prosperity that attended the organization of that first lodge has followed the order all through its career.
The second lodge to be organized here, White Cross, No. 354, was instituted on May 4, 1872, with forty members. Grand Vice Chancellor D. M. Blackburn instituted the lodge, which had been organized by W. J. D. Graham and others. The present membership of the lodge is 540.
Blair lodge is the baby lodge of Altoona and was organized on November 27, 1888, by Grand Chancellor Samuel Hilliard, with a membership of forty-five persons. It will be seen that each of the three lodges started with an exceptionally large membership. It is not often that an order is able to show the same record in a city. There was another lodge of the Knights of Pythias, Alto No. 295, but on March 31, 1889, it was consolidated with Blair lodge by Deputy Grand Chancellor R. A. Isenberg, adding thirty-three members to that lodge. Blair lodge has 236 members.
Several years ago the three lodges got together and instituted a building boom, with the result that a handsome new temple that is a credit to the whole corner now stands on Eighth avenue. The building is unique. It is Pythian from the roof to the cellar. It has the reputation of being one of the few distinctly Pythian temples. The home itself is under the jurisdiction of the Temple association composed of members of all lodges.
Socially the Knights of Pythias have one of the most wide-awake orders in the city. Every winter they have a schedule of social affairs, consisting of dances and other events, given under the auspices of the amusement committee of the Temple association. The order in fortunate in having an amusement committee that knows how to work up events just a little out of the ordinary. In addition to the many informal dances held each season, there are a number of unique costume dances, such as ghost hops, etc. The members of this amusement committee are A. E. Akers, I. O. Keagy, J. A. Lyons and Mont Burley.
The writer of this article in the course of his rounds over the city a frequently visits the Pythian temple. He can truthfully assert that he never saw a sad-looking person in the building. Everybody's happy in the land of Pythianism, it seems. While the order generally is great on arranging enjoyable social functions, a sub-organization of Logan lodge, also knows under what stones joy lies: The Phun Phinders were organized a couple of years ago, "to make life one grand scream." King Wise, head of the "degree," has titles ranging from High Muckety Muck to Chief Potential Phinder of Phun. The Phun Phinders have succeeded in their efforts to make this life easier to bear.
Altoona also has an active company of the Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias. This company was formally instituted on June 11, 1890, under a special order of Major General James R. Carnahan, and was formed from division composed of members of Logan and White Cross lodges.
The Knights of Pythias have a thriving ladies' auxiliary in this city and this auxiliary has the honor of having as its members the head of the ladies' branch of Pythianism in the state of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Nellie Shuff, of 1514 Fourth avenue, at the recent state convention of the order in Erie, was honored by being given the high office of grand chief. Several Altoonans have held this high office. Mountain City temple, No. 49, of the Pythian Sisters, the local branch of the order, has the distinction of being the biggest branch in the state composed exclusively of ladies. In some towns the Sisters take the men in as honorary members, but the Altoona temple is composed exclusively of ladies. Mrs. Mary J. Field, of Altoona, also was honored at the recent state convention, being made an alternate delegate to the national body of the order.
The Pythian Sisters were instituted here on April 10, 1907, by Grand Chief Ella Brown, of Corry, with 120 members. The membership is now approaching the 300 mark. Altoona temple can claim the distinction of having contributed about as much as any temple in the state to the success of the state association. The Sisters frequently hold social affairs and have an order that cannot help but attract favorable mention on all sides.
Following are the present officers of Logan lodge: Chancellor commander, Harry A. Hamilton; vice chancellor, George E. Rhine; master of the work, James D. Fluke; prelate, John T. McDonald; keeper of records and seal, C. G. Crumbaker: master of exchequer, I. N. Atherton; master of finances, Thomas C. Lower; master at arms, James T. Berry: inner guard, James L. Tobin; outer guard, Vincent McFarlin; trustees, Prescott N. Neff, Harry C. Walter, Elmer E. Webb; representative to the grand lodge, C. G. Crumbaker. Since the organization of Logan lodge the princely sum of $117,000 has been paid out in relief.
Following are the officers of White Cross lodge: Chancellor commander, J. M. Richardson; vice chancellor, R. F. Myers; prelate, George W. Booth: master of work. George Schandelmeir; keeper of records and seal, R. A. Isenberg: master of finance, Richard Roelofs: master of exchequer, A. H. Stump; master at arms, P. O. Wilhelm; inner guard, Robert Douglass; outer guard, E. V. Little: trustees, J. C. Lonsdale, W. H. Rickabaugh and F. F. Green; representative to grand lodge, Charles Schandelmeir. White Cross lodge has the distinction of having among its members two gentlemen who hold high offices. J. C. Lonsdale is a member of the grand tribunal of the order, and A. H. Stump is district deputy grand chancellor.
Following are the officers of Blair lodge: Chancellor commander, C. J. Pross; vice chancellor, J. A. Dell; master of the work, C. W. Dillon; prelate, D. S. McLaughlin; keeper of records and seal, B. C. Rickel; master of exchequer, David K. Howe; master of finance, James Geiser; master of work, A. Lehman; inner guard, Milton Gantz; outer guard, N. I. Winsky; trustees, A. E. Akers. H. H. Strunk and Ira O. Keagy; representative to the grand lodge, Chas. Hawkins.
Following are the officers of the local Uniform Rank: Captain, Samuel Roberts; first lieutenant, A. K. Wise; second lieutenant, George M. Ott; first sergeant, A. E. Breinert; second sergeant, R. A. Snow; sergeant recorder, Thomas C. Lower; sergeant treasurer, J. T. McDonald; trustees, P. H. Neff, Mont Burley and J. A. Lyons. Dr. A. S. Stayer, of this city, is assistant surgeon general of the Pennsylvania brigade.
Following are the officers of Mountain City temple, Pythian Sisters: Past chief, Mrs. Emma Nicodemus; most excellent chief, Mrs. Annie Ehrhart; excellent senior, Mrs. Ira Freidley; excellent junior, Mrs. Irene Hoar; manager of the temple, Mrs. Cora Rhodes; mistress of records and correspondence, Mrs. Mary J. Fields; mistress of the finance, Mrs. Mary A. Weston; protector of the temple, Mrs. Kathryn England; guardian of the outer temple, Mrs. Tillie Brimmer; pianist, Mrs. Lyle Hammel.
The Knights of Pythias was organized in this city not long after the order was originally started. The founder of the great society, Justus Henry Rathbone, was inspired to found the order by the great play, "Damon and Pythias." The order was first organized in the city of Washington on February 15, 1865, and at first was confined to the clerks employed in the government departments. Friendship, charity and benevolence formed the object of the new order. From this little lodge has grown a fraternal organization that ranks among the greatest and best in the world.
Altoona Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Wednesday, October 11, 1911, page 5