"Sunshine Lodge Knights and Ladies of Honor
Dr. E. A. Williams, of Cincinnati, O., Supreme Director and Protector of the Knights of Honor and the Knights and Ladies of Honor of the World, spent two days in the city last week the guest of Miss Emma Joe Cockrill, of 1221 Third avenue, South. Dr. Williams was here for the purpose of looking after the endowment of the Knights and Ladies of Honor in Tennessee, there being four lodges in this State. Sunshine Lodge, No. 843, at Nashville; Woodlawn Lodge, No. 84, at Brownsville; Greenleaf Lodge, No. 805, at Keeling, and Rising Sun Lodge, No. 78, at Decaturville.
Sir W.S. Thompson, Past Protector of Sunshine Lodge, No. 843, has been given power of attorney by Dr. Williams to look after the Endowment and secure the State Charter of Incorporation.
The members of Sunshine Lodge were very enthusiastic over the visit of their Supreme Protector, and never in the fraternal history of Nashville has the head of an organization received the courtesy and attention which was lavished upon Supreme Protector Williams by the subordinate members. Notwithstanding the severe weather they tendered him a banquet at Miss Emma Joe Cockrill's on Saturday evening and the Lodge members and their friends were out in gala dress to do honor to the doctor. Quite an elaborate menu was served and all present enjoyed themselves. One could not realize that Nashville was in the throes of hard times could that one have seen the sumptuous repast which was served by the members of Sunshine Lodge.
Protector Sir A. W. W. Upshaw in a very modest speech informally introduced the Supreme Dictator, Dr. E. A. Williams, who in his eloquent way thanked the Lodge for the honor which had been shown him, and outlined the efforts and purpose of the Order. Past Protector Sir W.S. Thompson responded and thanked the Supreme Protector for the honor which had been shown to Nashville in electing Miss Emma Joe Cockrill Secretary-Treasurer of the Supreme Endowment Board, and assured him that no wiser election from any point of view could have been made. The notification of her election came to Miss Cockrill during the holidays and was quite a surprise. Miss Cockrill was appointed Deputy of the Knights and Ladies of Honor by Dr. Williams while attending the Supreme Conclave Knights of Pythias in Louisville, Ky., September, 1907.
Dr. Williams is Past Supreme Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias and Past Supreme Counsellor of the Courts of Calanthe. He organized the first Court of Calanthe in Tennessee, which was brought about by the famous "Red Letter," which Capt. A.M. Cockrill, then C.C. of Damon Lodge, No. 2, wrote Dr. Williams. Miss Cockrill, then a school girl, took the reins of authority from her brother, being his secretary, and with that modesty and refinement of speech which is characteristic of her, poured oil upon the waters and the result was that the Supreme Chancellor not only restore Damon's rights, but in time gave to Nashville our first Court of Calanthe, which was "Ivy leaf," with Mrs. M.J. Strong as W.C.
Had not Dr. Williams visited Nashville many persons who have been misled would never have known that through Capt. Cockrill and Miss Emma Joe's efforts Nashville got ehr first Court of Calanthe, and that Sir Aaron Dodd was the first Deputy Supreme Commander.
The Knights and Ladies of Honor bid fair to be quite a strong organization in the State of Tennessee as it is in other States, and with such a matchless leader as Dr. Williams it cannot do otherwise than prosper.
We are proud of a leader who is a man, with all the elements of true manhood, and one who will not stoop to the small things which have been a drawback to so many Negro organizations. We are proud of him because he recognizes ability and will compromise with nothing else and, like the gallant Knights of other races, believes in first, last and always pushing to the front the women of his race."
Notes
Miss Emma Joe Cockrill was a teacher at the Knowles School (an African American school) in Nashville (Annual Report of the Public Schools, Nashville, Tenn., 1906, p. 61). She died in 1923 and is buried in Mt. Ararat Cemetery (Davidson County Cemetery Survey Project, http://www.davidsoncocemeterysurvey.com/home/cemeteries-m-o/mt-ararat-new-section-cemetery)
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| Clipping from the Nashville Globe, February 7, 1908 |
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