This is the second in a series of posts about African American lodges in some of Tennessee's smaller towns.
South Pittsburg
is a small town located on the Tennessee River in the Sequatchie Valley. It is
part of Marion County, which was established in 1817. The county became a haven
for industry and mining during the late nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries. The creation of a spur railroad line of the N. & C. Railroad
from Bridgeport, Alabama to Jasper, Tennessee, completed in c. 1868, was a
catalyst for the economic development of the area. Coal and iron mines began to
open in the late 1870s, and a company town, Richard City, was created in the early
1900s for the Dixie Portland Cement Company.
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| Close up of Marion County. South Pittsburg is circled in red. From Rand, McNally & Co.'s map of Kentucky, 1892. Image from Library of Congress. |
South Pittsburg,
named for Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in the hopes it would become the same
industrial mecca as its namesake, did become the home of a number of industrial
and manufacturing companies, including the Lodge Cast Iron Company. The Lodge
Cast Iron Company is still in operation today, and attracts a number of visitors
to the area. The population of South Pittsburg grew from 1,479 in 1880 to 2,106
in 1910.
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| Map of South Pittsburg from the South Pittsburg City Company. This company was active in promoting the development of the town in the 1880s. Map dates from 1887. Image from Library of Congress. |
In 1910, Marion
County was home to 2,289 African Americans, which accounted for 12.16% of the
Marion County population. South Pittsburg itself was home to a thriving African
American community, made of up a number of churches, lodges, and a school. Churches
included the Mt. Bethlehem Baptist Church, Randolph Chapel M.E. Church, a First
Baptist Church, an A.M.E. church, and an A.M.E. Zion church. McReynolds High
School was built in 1921, but there had been at least one African American school
in town prior to this. There was at least one predominantly African American
community in the town, located in the area bounded by Cedar Avenue, 2nd
Avenue, and Laurel Street.
1944 Sanborn Insurance Map of South Pittsburg, showing one of the African American communities. You can see McReynolds High School, Mt. Bethlehem Baptist, and Reynolds Chapel. Map from the Tennessee Virtual Archive (https://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15138coll23/id/9990/rec/1)
South Pittsburg has a rich history of fraternal and benevolent African American lodges. In addition to the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, and the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, there was also a lodge of the United Brothers and Sisters of Honor, the United Brothers of Friendship and Sisters of the Mysterious Ten, as well as the intriguingly named Ancient Order United Knights and Daughters of Africa.
The Masons and the Eastern Star (the ladies auxiliary associated with the Masons) were an active presence in South Pittsburg’s African American community in the early 20th century; however, I have not been able to determine if they owned a lodge hall. In 1909, it was noted in the Nashville Globe that the Eastern Star Chamber held a bazaar at the Odd Fellows Hall which was a decided success. The bazaar included a quilt contest, which was won by Miss Janie Lightfoot. In 1912, the Eastern Star Ruth Chapter No. 10 held their anniversary sermon at the A.M.E. Zion church, at which they collected $10.75. In November 1913, the Ruth Chapter of the Eastern Star hosted a series of festivals at the Odd Fellows Hall, and they were “greatly enjoyed by a host of friends, as well as the order itself.”
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| "South Pittsburg Notes," Nashville Globe, December 5, 1913. |
The Odd Fellows were very active in South Pittsburg, and it was noted in 1910 that the group “own a valuable hall at the corner of Cedar avenue and second street.” Also, in 1910, the group held their annual Thanksgiving service in May at Randolph Chapel, collecting $20 at the service. In 1911, seventy persons from South Pittsburg attended the Grand Lodge Session of the G.U.O.O.F. in Chattanooga, suggesting that there must have been quite a number of Odd Fellows in South Pittsburg.
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| Clip from the Nashville Globe, May 11, 1917, describing the Pythian rally. Mr. Luther Cummings is pictured. |
The Knights of Pythias, along with the Courts of Calanthe (the female auxiliary) were also prominent fixtures of the African American community of South Pittsburg. In 1910, W.L. Miller, in his article, “South Pittsburg, The Metropolis of Sequachee Valley” in the Nashville Globe, noted that the Pythians, “own a fine two-storied building of pressed brick and steel right in the heart of town.” In 1911, the group celebrated their anniversary at the Opera House, located in South Pittsburg on Cedar Street, between Second and Third Streets. Mr. Luther Cummings of South Pittsburg was particularly active in the Pythians, even travelling to other towns for lodge business. In 1913, he set up a Pythian lodge in Tullahoma, and also travelled to Dunlap for “secret order work.” In 1917, the Pythians held a large rally in South Pittsburg at Mt. Bethlehem Church. The Knights marched from their hall to the church, where the joined the Courts of Calanthe ladies as well as the Juvenile lodges. There were several readings and speeches, and a charter member of the lodge spoke about “the trials and tribulations encountered during the early days of Pythianism in South Pittsburg.”
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| 1907 Sanborn Insurance Map of South Pittsburg, Sheet 3. The Opera House is outlined in red. |
The United Brothers of Friendship and Sisters of the Mysterious Ten were an active presence on the social life of South Pittsburg. The lodge was established in c. 1907, as an article in the Nashville Globe in 1908 indicates the group was to celebrate their first anniversary in July 1908. Miss Janie Lightfoot, a local teacher, was active in the U.B.F. and S.M.T., spending a week in 1910 in Pikeville, Whitwell, and Jasper for the order. She also led a choir of the U.B.F. and S.M.T., which performed at the 3rd anniversary event in 1910, held that year at the A.M.E. Zion Church in South Pittsburg.
Logo of the United Brothers of Friendship. From the Nashville Globe, August 10, 1917.
The United Brothers
and Sisters of Honor established a lodge in South Pittsburg in 1909. By 1910,
when they were celebrating their first anniversary at the First Baptist Church,
they had about 70 members. In August 1912, South Pittsburg hosted the state
Grand Lodge of the organization. The Nashville Globe, in the “South
Pittsburg Notes,” noted the event on August 16, 1912, stating, “The Grand Lodge
of U. Brothers and Sisters of Honor is in session here this week. A large and
representative delegation is present. S. Miller, G.M.; Jas. R. Ballard, G.
Sec.; Ed. Johnson, G. Treas. This is the first Grand Lodge that this state can
boast of the above mentioned order.” I have not studied this group in depth,
but it appears they did offer death benefits, as the Nashville Globe
noted in December 1912 that Mrs. Andrew Alley of South Pittsburg received $100
from the group following the death of her husband a few months prior.
"South Pittsburg Notes," Nashville Globe, July 15, 1910.
The most intriguingly named benevolent group active in South Pittsburg was the Ancient Order United Knights and Daughters of Africa. I have begun to study this group, and a separate blog will soon follow on this group. It was organized in Nashville in the spring of 1888 by Dr. Daniel L. Martin and Dr. Robert F. Boyd. According to the Daily American in 1889, the group was based “upon the principles of race pride and the general elevation of the negro race.” It was a benevolent organization and grew rapidly. By 1900, there were lodges in Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Arkansas, as well as a few lodges in Pennsylvania and New York.
The Knights and
Daughters of Africa lodge in South Pittsburg must have been an early lodge of
the order, as the group in South Pittsburg celebrated their 22nd
anniversary in 1910 at the Second Baptist Church. In 1907, the group held a “baby
show” at the Pythian Hall, offering prizes for the winners. The Nashville Globe
noted in 1917 that, “The Daughters of Africa Lodge in connection with the
Juveniles, held their annual sermon at the A.M.E. church Sunday at 2:30
o’clock. It was an occasion of much interest. The daughters were clad in white
with purple bands. The most excellent queen. Mrs. J.J. McElroy, with the assistance
of the members have made this order one among the best.”
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| Clip from "South Pittsburg Notes," Nashville Globe, February 22, 1907 |
South Pittsburg’s
African American community was home to an active fraternal and benevolent lodge
scene, with several lodge halls, and multiple events hosted in the town. It is
not clear how many of the groups continue to exist in South Pittsburg. Some of
the churches, such as Randolph Chapel and Mt. Bethlehem, are still active.
McReynolds High School burned in the 1960s.
Sources/For More Information:
Patsy B. Beene, “Marion County,” Tennessee Encyclopedia, (https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/marion-county/)
Dennis Lambert, “The Birth of South Pittsburg,” South Pittsburg Historic Preservation Society, Inc., (https://www.historicsouthpittsburgtn.org/SPHistory1.html)
W.L. Miller, “South Pittsburg, The Metropolis of Sequachee Valley,” Nashville Globe, Sept. 2, 1910, pg 3 (https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86064259/1910-09-02/ed-1/seq-3/).
Nashville Globe
Statistics for Tennessee - 1910 census (https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-tn.pdf).
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