Improved Order of Red Men

The Improved Order of Red Men, a fraternal organization which once was very active in Camden and Camden County, is best remembered in the city of Camden for having built the monument and statue which stood for over 60 years in Pulaski Park, on Haddon Avenue south of Benson Street, the present site of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Camden Campus. The monument, which is topped by a bronze statue of an American Indian Chief, was erected to memorialize South Jersey members of the group who had died while serving with America’s armed forces during World War I. Nicola Berardo, a sculptor who lived in Camden, was commissioned to execute the project.

In 1981 Pulaski Park was demolished to make way for the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Camden Campus. This statue and a statue of General Pulaski were supposedly put in storage, to be re-erected in Camden. This, however, was not the case, as this monument was taken to Route 9 and Center Street in Tuckerton NJ, where it was rededicated on May 21, 1981. The Pulaski Monument was taken to Cooper River Park in Pennsauken NJ.

In 1886 George Reeser Prowell wrote the following account of the Red Men and their female counterparts, the Daughters of the Forest, for his book History of Camden County, New Jersey.

The Red Men also owned and operated a hall at 536 Division Street, the corner of Broadway and Division Street, as early as 1910 and as late as 1929. Beginning in the 1920s and through at least 1928, a building on the southwest corner of North 4th and Arch was utilized. The Labor Temple at Broadway and Royden was leased for a time in the 1920s. In the 1920s and 1930s the Black Hawk Tribe used a hall at 715 North 27th Street. By 1929 the Red Men had moved from North 4th and Arch Street to 415 Pearl Street.

The Red Men were very active in Camden for many years. Thomas J. Francis, a member of Lenni Lenape Tribe No. 2, was elected to the Great Council of the United States, the governing body of the Red Men, in 1866 and was elected to the organization’s highest post, Great Incohonee, in 1888. Mayor Joseph Nowrey was grand marshal for a parade held in the city in 1904.

Other tribes in Camden County included Standing Elk, Gloucester; Mohican, Haddonfield; Comanche, Atco; Tonawanda, Blackwood; Rancocas, Clementon; Wawa, Berlin; Algonquin, Westmont; Wyandotte, Audubon; and Black Horse, Chews Landing.

The 1924 Camden City Directory shows that Camden was the home of the Great Council of New Jersey, at 540 Federal Street, the Daughters of Pocahontas, and of 10 Tribes, as follows:

There was a Saranac Council No. 79 at 440 Stevens Street by 1927 and through 1929. The Ottawa Tribe was still active in 1928, but the 1929 City Directory does not list it. The Directory shows that the Great Council had moved to 7 North 4th Street, and 5 of the Tribes were gone, leaving:

The 1947 Directory shows that only the Wyoming Tribe still maintained a building in Camden, at 417 Pearl Street.

IMPROVED ORDER OF RED MEN.

This order claims its origin as a patriotic association under the title of Society of Red Men, composed of volunteers who were in garrison at Fort Mifflin, on the Delaware River, opposite Red Bank, in 1813. It is a fraternal and benevolent organization, with its ritual based upon the customs of the North American Indians. The officers are known as Sachem, Sagamore and Prophet, and the members as warriors and braves, while the era dates from the landing of Columbus, and their time is divided into grand suns, moons, suns, runs and breaths. The subordinate body is called Tribe, that of the State, Great Council, and of the country, Great Council of the United States. The Great Council of New Jersey was instituted in Trenton, by Great Incohonee Robert Sullivan, there being at the time three tribes in the State — Arreseoh, No. 1; Lenni Lenape, No. 2; and Red Bird, No. 3. These were under its jurisdiction.

IROQUOIS DEGREE COUNCIL, No. 3, was instituted December 18, 1884, the Great Chiefs present being: G.P., Daniel M. Stevens; G.S., Reuben L. Bowen; G.J.S., Samuel L. Durand; G.C. of R., John T. Davies; G.K. of W. Charles G. Zimmerman; D.G.S., Leonard L. Roray. The first Chiefs were: P., David B. Petersen; S., George W. Ewan; S.S., J.C. Mason; J.S., Augustus Barto; C. of R., D.C. Vannote; K. of W., Tobias Altman. The present Chiefs are: P., J.C. Mason; Sachem, Frank Applegate; S.S., Lemuel Pike; J.S., Augustus Barto; C. of R., F.H. Drake; K. of W., Tobias Altman. The number of members is thirty-five. The council meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, at Broadway and Kaighn Avenue.

LENNI LENAPE TRIBE, No. 2, is the oldest existing tribe of the order in the State, and in numbers and wealth the strongest and richest in the United States. It was instituted May 10, 1850, by Great Incohonee William B. Davis, assisted by Francis Fullerton, of Lenni Lenape Tribe, No. 8, of Pennsylvania, and Great Chief of Records of the United States. These were the charter members: Nathaniel Chew, William F. Colbert, John T. Davis, Timothy C. Moore, Sylvester Rainhard, Joseph Shipley, Daniel S. Garwood, William Beckett, George Wood, E.D. Brister, John Wood, Joseph Myers, Albert Robertson, John W. Hoey, James B. Richardson, Robert Maguire, Joseph B. Hawkins, James O. Stillwell and Anthony Joline.

Lenni Lenape has had an eventful career, at times flourishing and at other times so short of funds that a few faithful members paid expenses and benefits out of their private purses, but persistence won at last and a flood tide of prosperity set in, which has continued until the Lenni Lenapes number seven hundred and thirty-two and the wampum belt contains $21,370.89.

Among its members are these Past Great Sachems: George W. Watson, John T. Davis, Charles H. Gordon, Thomas J. Francis and Daniel M. Stevens; and of its Past Sachems these are living: Timothy C. Moore, Henry A. Breyer, Lewis Zeigler, Samuel J. Fenner, Edward J. Steer, William F. Farr, Samuel D. Watson, George Horneff, George A. Cairoli, Thomas J. Rowand, Samuel A. Owens, Benjamin M. Braker, Lambert Banes, George Pfeiffer, William Sheridan, Thomas F. Muckelson, Hope Sutton, James P. Moore, D.D. Worts, Leonard L. Roray, Benjamin J. Price, John A. Hall, B.S.M. Branning, Abraham Davis, Harry B. Garrison, Walter E. Garwood, George A. Rogers, William C. Davis, Frank P. Jackson, H. Frank Pettit, John A. Harbeson, John Quick, Angus B. Cameron, Lewis Z. Noble, George Leathwhite, Conrad F. Austermuhl, John K. Seagrove, Charles L. Vansciver, Harry Hoffman, Harry B. Tyler, James H. Reeve and George W. Davis. The officers are: P., G.W. Davis; S., Edward Francis; S.S., Samuel Baker; J.S., Joseph Watson; C. of R., L.Z. Noble; K. of W., C.F. Austermuhl; Trustees, T.J. Francis, T.F. Muckelson, J.K. Reeve, Leonard L. Roray and H.F. Pettit.

OTTAWA TRIBE, No. 15, was instituted in Washington Hall, in the Wigwam of Lenni Lenape, June 2, 1868, by Great Sachem James A. Parsons. Of the thirty-six Past Sachems, these are still members: Joseph L. Bright, John W. Matlack, John Shelhorn, Thos. J. Sparks, Wm. H. Gill, Henry R. Snyder, George Roth, Edward C. Sparks, Frank H. Tice, Isaac Lippincott, George A. Saunders, Elisha Chew, Ernest D. Chafey, Frederick Wahl, Wm. A. Aikens, Clark Osler, John Fox, Jr., Levi B. Randall, George W. Ewan, Wm. J. Titus. There have been adopted into the Tribe nine hundred and ten pale-faces and the membership numbers four hundred and forty-one. The aggregate income since the institution of the tribe has been $34,120.44, and the expenditures, $27,495.84; balance on hand and invested July 1, 1886, $6,624.62.

The officers are — Prophet, Wm. J. Titus; Sachem, Nelson Lyons; Senior Sagamore, John R. Gordon; Junior Sagamore, Frank H. Randall; Chief of Records, Joseph L. Bright; Keeper of Wampum, Levi B. Randall; Assistant Chief of Records, Harry Sharp. The meetings are now held in Central Hall on Thursday evenings.

WYOMING TRIBE, No. 55, was instituted July 8, 1880. The first Chiefs of the tribe were Prophet, Joseph H. Minnett; Sachem, Alonzo Bicking; Senior Sagamore, Chas. G. Zimmerman; Junior Sagamore, Wm. F. Propert; C. of R., D.C. Vannote; K. of W., Jos. B. Fox. The present Chiefs — P., John A. Dold; S., Henry C. Boddy; S.S., Wm. B. Bignell; J.S., Wm. J. Boddy; C. of R., D.C. Vannote; K. of W., J.B. Fox. The number of members is one hundred and fifty-eight. The lodge meets Wednesday evenings at Third and Market Streets.

METAMORA TRIBE, No. 71, was instituted June 4, 1884. The first Chiefs were — P., Edgar Hardcastle; S., Richard T. Bender; S.S., Joseph Rubicon; J.S., Wm. B. Reeves; C. of R., Robert King, Jr.; K. of W., John H. Daniels. The present Chiefs are — P., Jos. C. Jeffries; S., Geo. Walters; S.S., Wm. H. Stone; J.S., Geo. W. James; C. of R., Robt. King, Jr.; K. of W., John H. Daniels. The number of members is one hundred and thirty-one. Meetings are held Friday evenings at Broadway and Kaighn Avenue.

SIOUX TRIBE, No. 25, was instituted in Wildey Hall, March 28, 1871, by Great Sachem John E. Cheeseman. The Past Sachems are Silas Letchford, James Broughton, Aaron Hand, William T. Mears, William F. Mason, Samuel H. Deal, Sr., John H. Mason, W.E. Campbell, Charles H. Hagelman, Henry F. Snyder, George A. Fenner, Isaac King, Theodore L. Parker, David B. Peterson, John B. Wright, William Hagelman, James Barton, Edward B. Chew, George W. Kleaver, J.P.R. Carney, James C. Mason, Edward A. Martin and John Barrett. The tribe has a membership of two hundred and ninety-three, and a reserve fund of $455.76.

DAUGHTERS OF THE FOREST.

GRAND COUNCIL IMPROVED DAUGHTERS OF THE FOREST. — The First Council Fire was on the Ninth Sun of the Traveling Moon, October, 1874. The officers for 1886 are: G.V.P., Mrs. Kate Tyler; G.N.I., Mrs. Mary A.F. Ward; G.W.I., Mrs. Mary M. Davis; G.G.W., Mrs. Mary Cline; G.C. of R., Mrs. Cornelia Cox; G.K. of W., Mrs. Hannah G. Ivins; G.G. of T., Mrs. Stratton; G. of F., Mrs. Mary E. Corcoran. Number of Grand Council members, one hundred and thirty. The Grand Council meets four times yearly at Wildey Hall. The number of subordinate tents is ten: Cherokee Tent, No. 1; Lenni Lenape, No. 2; Morning Light, No. 3; Sioux, No. 4; Ottawa, No. 8; Manumuskin, No. 11; Wyoming, No. 12; Delaware, No. 13; Tippecanoe, No. 14; Osceola, No. 15. The total number of subordinate tent members is one thousand four hundred and twenty-four.

CHEROKEE TENT, No. 1, was organized January 18, 1858, at Fourth and Spruce Streets. Meetings are held Tuesday evenings, at the northeast corner of Third and Federal Streets. The members number eighty-two.

LENNI LENAPE TENT, No. 2, was organized as Chippewa Tent, No. 3, February 21, 1868. In September, 1868, the name was changed to Lenni Lenape Tent, No. 2. The tent has sixty-two past officers, three Past Grand Officers, and is working under the Great Council of New Jersey. The membership numbers eighty, and since 1869 one thousand eight hundred and ninety-six dollars has been paid for sickness, and five hundred and ninety-five dollars for funeral benefits. The officers are: W.P., Roselina E. Smith; N.I., Emma A. Pierson; W.I., Keturah Tenner; G.W., Susan Sweeten; C. of R., Rebecca M. Thompson; W.S., Cordelia Matlack; W. K. of W., Margaret W. Boyd; K. of T., Leonora Flowers; K. of F., Rachel B. Stone.

SIOUX TENT, No. 4, was organized at Wildey Hall, the Twelfth Sun of Plant Moon, (April,) 1872. Meetings are held every Tuesday evening at Mechanics’ Hall, southwest corner of Fourth and Spruce Streets. The number of members is seventy-three.

OTTAWA TENT, No. 8, was organized January 12, 1874, in Yeager’s Hall. The tent has prospered and has a membership of one hundred and forty-five, with twelve hundred dollars in the treasury or invested.

WYOMING TENT, No. 12, was instituted the 28th Sun of Flower Moon (May), 1880. The number of members at present is fifty-five. Meetings are held every Wednesday evening at Mechanics’ Hall.

TIPPECANOE TENT, No. 14, was instituted 9th Sun, Plant Moon (April), 1886. Charter members: Jane Madison, M.E.D. Morris, Kate Hunt. The tent meets every Friday evening at Wright’s Hall, in Wrightsville. The number of members is thirty-two.

The Fraternity was founded in 1765 and was originally known as the Sons of Liberty. These patriots concealed their identities and worked “underground” to help establish freedom and liberty in the Early Colonies. They patterned themselves after the great Iroquois Indian nation and its democratic governing body.

After the American Revolution the name was changed to The Order of Red Men. They kept the customs and terminology of the Indians as a basic part of the Fraternity. On December 16, 1773, a group of men, all members of the Sons of Liberty, met in Boston to protest the tax on tea imposed by England. When their protest went unheeded, they disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians, proceeded to Boston harbor and dumped overboard 342 chests of English tea.

In 1813, at historic Fort Mifflin, near Philadelphia, several of these groups came together and formed one organization known as the Society of Red Men. At Baltimore, Maryland, in 1847, the various local tribes came together and formed a national organization called the Grand Council of the United States. Within 30 years there were State Great Councils in 21 states with a membership of over 150,000. By 1920, tribes in 46 states totaled membership over one half million.

A local group of Red Men is called a Tribe, and its Lodge is called a Wigwam. The supreme head of the order is called the Great Incohonee. The officers of a Tribe are: Sachem (chief); Prophet (chaplain); Senior Sagamore (lesser chief); Junior Sagamore (lesser chief); Chief of Records (secretary); Collector of Wampum (financial secretary); Keeper of Wampum (treasurer).

The Red Men degrees are called Adoption, Hunter, Warrior, and Chief. The IORM’s stated goal is: “to perpetuate the beautiful legends and traditions of a vanishing race and to keep alive its customs, ceremonies and philosophies.” The Degree of Pocahontas was created for women on January 15, 1887.

Prominent Americans said to have been members include George Washington, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, John Hancock, Richard M. Nixon, Thomas Paine, Paul Revere, Theodore Roosevelt, Warren G. Harding, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

I am confident that in the final analysis we shall find that the stability of our government depends not so much on our armies and navies, though they may be vastly important, but rather, we must depend upon the Brotherhood of Humanity as represented by great force of fraternity. The fraternal societies are one of the greatest powers for good government and the protection of the home that we have in this country. The government will endure just as long as we protect the great interests represented by our fraternal societies.

— Theodore Roosevelt

Delegations from thirteen Camden county tribes of the Improved Order of Red Men, will attend a rally in the interest of the statewide membership campaign at a meeting of Black Hawk Tribe No. 78, at 715 North Twenty-Seventh Street, tomorrow night.

J. Milton Burdge, of this city, past great state sachem, will be the principal speaker. He will speak on “Fraternity.”

Tribes which will attend the rally will be Ottawa, Wyoming, Eyota, Saranac, all of Camden; Standing Elk, Gloucester; Mohican, Haddonfield; Comanche, Atco; Tonawanda, Blackwood; Rancocas, Clementon; Wawa, Berlin; Algonquin, Westmont; Wyandotte, Audubon; and Black Horse, Chews Landing.

The Tenth Ward Organization Republican Club will hold a rally Thursday night in Wyoming Tribe Hall, Fourth and Pearl streets.

A parade will be held tomorrow night to advertise the event. Headed by a band the club members will form in front of the club house at Fifth and Pearl streets and march through the ward.

Members of Wyoming Tribe, Improved Order of Red Men, will elect officers tonight at a meeting in the wigwam, 415 Pearl Street.

Jesse P. Mathews and Ralph C. Sparks are candidates for chief of records. Harry Harrold and Edward Altone are candidates for trustees.

Members of Tribes in District Will Hold Annual Event on Sunday

Members of the Improved Order of Red Men Tribes in District 19 of the Reservation of New Jersey will hold an outing at Riverview Beach on Sunday.

They will go there by boat, leaving the Chestnut street pier, Philadelphia, at 8.30 a.m.

At the beach a varied program of entertainment will be presented, including a ball game between picked players of the Philadelphia and the Camden tribes, as well as swimming races for men and women.

It will be an “old-fashioned basket picnic” with other forms of contests for men, women and children.

The Wyoming Tribe No. 55, Ottawa Tribe No. 15, Eyota Tribe No. 105, Black Hawk Tribe No. 78, Algonquin Tribe No. 245 and the Councils of the Degree of Pocahontas will participate.

Frank C. Englehart is chairman of the outing committee, whose members include Lawrence Cook, Harry Harrold, Edward Altone, Theodore Haines, Harry Rowan, James Coyle, Thomas Symington, William Rothwell and John O’Neil.

Many of the 116,000 aliens receiving relief in New Jersey are “biting the hand that is feeding them,” Mayor Frederick Von Nieda said in addressing the Craftsmen’s Protective Association of the New York Shipbuilding Corporation.

The mayor addressed more than 1000 craftsmen and their friends at a dance and vaudeville entertainment in Red Men’s Hall, Fourth and Pearl streets.

Von Nieda charged many of these aliens on relief are radicals and have no place in this country.

“When you go over to Communism, either pink or red, I am no longer your friend,” von Nieda declared.