Golden Star Society, Nashville, Tennessee

A group that I am just beginning to research (in other words, I know very little about them) is the Golden Star Society of Nashville. According to an article in the Nashville Globe on September 27, 1907, the group was formed by David Davidson in 1885 (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86064259/1907-09-27/ed-1/seq-3/).  A perusal of the Nashville Globe indicates that this was a benevolent society with death benefits.

Nashville Globe, September 27, 1907.

The interesting thing about this article is that it shows us several things.  First, religion and benevolent orders were tied together in many ways.  This article is about the annual sermon of the group, and my research indicates that many benevolent orders had an annual sermon.  It appears that the preaching of this sermon rotated amongst different Christian denominations, perhaps indicating the ecumenical nature of lodges.  Secondly, it shows that lodges of different orders could work together.  This one states, "The celebrated I.O.I. Band furnished appropriate music."  The I.O.I. were the Independent Order of Immaculates, a benevolent order founded in Nashville and apparently well-known for its band (they figure in numerous newspaper accounts during this period).  Thirdly, it shows us that this is not an insignificant group, as eight hundred members, belonging to four societies, turned out for the annual sermon, held at St. Paul Church.  

An article from May 29, 1908 in the Nashville Globe also yields some interesting information (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86064259/1908-05-29/ed-1/seq-1/). This brief blurb describing the election of officers for Golden Star Lodge No. 3 indicates that women were not barred from holding office.  While men were elected as President and Vice President, Sister Medie Roach was elected Treasurer of this lodge.  A woman was also elected as Receiving Teller of the group.  Sister Emma Long was elected the Orator.  This seems to indicate that the Golden Star Society had no restrictions upon women joining or exercising power.  It almost seems ahead of its time in terms of gender relations. I think it shows that more research is needed in the area of gender roles in African American fraternal groups.

Nashville Globe, May 29, 1908

Although this information was nice, I wanted to know where this interesting group met.  I finally hit the jackpot when I read the August 19, 1910 edition of the Nashville Globe.  This told me that the Golden Star Lodge No. 2 dedicated their new lodge on Pearl Street, located between 11th and 12th Avenues.  Looking at the 1914 Sanborn Insurance map for Nashville, I discovered a lodge hall on Pearl Street, between 11th and 12th Avenues, beside St. John's Missionary Baptist Church.  Unfortunately, this structure no longer exists.

1914 Nashville Sanborn Map, Sheet 26

I do not know how long the group survived.  There is a mention of a banquet at the Golden Star Lodge in the September 21, 1917 edition of the Nashville Globe. The 1956 Sanborn map does not indicate a lodge on Pearl Street beside a church. While a church is still present on the 1956 map (now St. James Baptist Church), the building formerly indicated as a lodge is indicated as a dwelling.

1956 Nashville Sanborn Map, Sheet 26A

Sunshine Lodge Knights and Ladies of Honor

What follows is a transcription from the February 7, 1908 Nashville Globe describing a visit by the head of the Knights and Ladies of Honor to Nashville in 1908.  No changes have been made to the spelling or punctuation.

"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)

Clipping from the Nashville Globe, February 7, 1908

 

Warfield Masonic Lodge, Clarksville, Montgomery County

Warfield Masonic Lodge, Clarksville (image by author)

In 1899, the Warfield Masonic Lodge purchased property at the corner of Ninth and Main Streets in Clarksville, Tennessee. They built themselves a lodge which suffered major damage in a 1911 fire.  After remodeling and repairing the building, the Masons moved back in, continuing to meet through the present.

The Warfield Lodge was organized in the 1890s; all the early records and archives of the group was lost in the 1911 fire.  The group is affiliated with the Prince Hall Masons, an African American masonic group dating to the late eighteenth century.  The first Prince Hall Masonic lodges in Tennessee were established in the 1870s.

Cornerstone of Warfield Lodge (image by author)

In 1907, the Nashville Globe wrote about the Emancipation Celebration planned by the Warfield Lodge. The paper reported

                          The 8th of August opened up in this beautiful section of Tennessee with the 

                          members of the Warfield Lodge Masonic rites, expecting the biggest and 

                          liveliest crowd known in the history of the Emancipation celebration.  Up 

                          until 2 o'clock the day was an ideal one, but it seems that the promoters failed 

                          to tip the weather man and consequently that august and mighty one gave 

                          Paducah, Ky., the sunshine and Clarksville one of the wettest days in the history

                          of the celebration.  With little or no shelter at the park, most of the celebrators 

                          were drenched to the skin, and dresses and hats of brilliant colors lost all their luster.  

                          The officers of the Masonic fraternity of this place have had the rainy heart ever 

                          since. ("Clarksville Notes," Nashville Globe, August 16, 1907).

I visited the Warfield Lodge in February 2013.  The building is brick and in moderate to good condition. It is a three story brick building with a flat roof (condition unknown).  A metal shed roof porch with a concrete floor and metal poles is located at the front elevation.  The side elevation (facing Ninth Street) has the cornerstone and lodge sign.

Image by author

Clipping about the Warfield Lodge from the Nashville Globe, August 16, 1907

Benevolent Lodge #79 Cemetery, Madison, Davidson County, Tennessee

Benevolent Lodge #79 Cemetery (Image by author)

Tucked away on Briarville Road in Madison, near Due West Avenue, Gallatin Pike, and Briley Parkway, sits a small cemetery with fewer than 40 marked graves. This is the Benevolent Lodge #79 Cemetery. The Benevolent Society, also known as the Colored Benevolent Society, was one of the first benevolent groups organized in Tennessee. A group of African-American men in Nashville started the group in 1865, and it was incorporated on May 22, 1866. In 1868 the group's charter was revised to allow them to start branches of the organization throughout the state (Alrutheus Ambush Taylor, The Negro in Tennessee, 1865-1889, 156). By the end of the nineteenth century, branches had been established throughout the state, in towns such as Memphis, Cross Bridges (Maury County), Port Royal (Montgomery County), Fayetteville and Brownsville. Many of the lodges built their own lodge buildings, and several, including the groups in Edgefield, Antioch, Port Royal, and Agnew, established cemeteries for their members.

From the 1888 Sanborn Insurance Map of Nashville, Sheet 6b, volume 1 (Image courtesy Digital Sanborn Collection, Walker Library, MTSU)

According to the Davidson County Register of Deeds office, the Benevolent Society No. 79 acquired the property for their cemetery in 1919. The Briarsville branch (also spelled Briersville), is mentioned before that date in several different Nashville Globe issues. On March 27, 1908, the Nashville Globe reported that the group held its annual election of officers on March 14th of that year. G.R. Love was elected president, Alex. Pettus was elected vice president, Mrs. Arminta Shute was elected secretary, Edd Yateman was elected treasurer, George Pettis was elected marshal, John Woods was elected chaplain, Narval Vinson was the men's chairman of sick committee, and Mrs. Francis Yateman was elected ladies' marshal. As this article highlights, both men and women were members of the Benevolent Society. Additionally, the group allowed for the election of female officers, as the election of Mrs. Shute to secretary shows.

 

Article from the Nashville Globe, March 27, 1908, detailing the annual election of officers for Benevolent Society #79.

I visited the cemetery in February 2012 and I found that it is well-maintained. There is no signage denoting the name of the cemetery. It is sandwiched in a residential neighborhood, and houses surround the cemetery. A stacked stone fence is located to the front of the property. A transcription of the tombstones for the cemetery can be found here.

Tombstone at the Benevolent Society #79 Cemetery (image by author)

Stacked stone wall at the front of the property (image by author)

1919 Deed to the cemetery.  Davidson County Deed Book 523 Pages 341-342.

Independent Order of Immaculates - Supreme Grand Lodge, 1907

Below is a clipping taken from the Nashville Globe, an African-American newspaper, dated August 16, 1907. This article describes the biennial meeting of the Order of Immaculates, taking place in Montgomery, Alabama, that year. I have transcribed the article as well. From time to time I will post clippings and transcriptions I have found that detail the operations and rituals of benevolent and fraternal groups.

"Order of Immaculates in Session
Montgomery Ala., Aug. 8.
Special to the Globe:

The Supreme Grand Lodge and Supreme Convention Independent Order of Immaculates have been in biennial session in this city since Tuesday morning, August 6. Next to Tennessee, Alabama is second in strength in the Order and so far as endowment obtains, Alabama leads all other the states.

Delegates are present representing, besides Tennessee and Alabama: Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, Kansas, Arkansas, Texas, and Ohio.

Among the Tennessee representatives are Dr. R.F. Boyd, A.A. Fisher, A.B. Bradford, W.S. Thompson, R. A. Pellow, B.J. Merritt, Chas. Vaughn, Summerfield Brown; Mesdames Mamie Vaughn, Hattie Bender, Irene Dowell, Susie Carter, Cassie Greer, A. Lofton and Miss M.L. Lawrence of Nashville; G.T. Bradford, J.H. Slaten, J.H. Watkins, Mrs. Flora Perkins, Mrs. J.S. Gilmore, Mrs. Alice Joyce of Columbia; Mrs. T.P. Turner of Pulaski; Mr. Samuel Moody and R.A. Moore, of Memphis; Mrs. S.E. Jones and M.E. Shaw, of Tullahoma; R.A. Vaugh, Mr. P. Dixon of Chattanooga, and many others.

The entire delegation numbers 116. Interesting reception exercises were held Tuesday morning, the State Grand Master of Alabama being Master of Ceremonies. C.E. Millier, Supreme Grand Master, delivered an encouraging report of the two years' labor, and this report received the unanimous endorsement of the Supreme Convention.

The election of officers for the next two years was as follows: C.E. Millier, Decatur, Ala., Supreme Grand Master; R.F. Boyd, M.D., Nashville, Tenn., Supreme Deputy Grand Master; A.A. Fisher, Nashville, Tenn., Supreme Grand Permanent Scribe; W.S. Thompson, Nashville, Tenn., Supreme Grand Treasurer; Summerfield Brown, Nashville, Tenn., Supreme Grand Recording Scribe.

The Endowment Report of the jurisdictions of Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, and Arkansas were read and received with hearty approvals.

Many resolutions seeking improvement in the laws of the Order were favorably considered. Consideration of insurance laws to improve the same occupied the entire day Thursday. The Convention adjourns Friday.

The highest degree department meets Friday afternoon and night and the entire delegation will adjourn from one of the busiest sessions it has ever held.

The next Supreme Grand Convention and Grand Lodge will likely meet in either Chattanooga or Nashville."

Independent Order of Immaculates

The Independent Order of Immaculates (or IOI) started in Nashville in 1872 as a successor to the Young Men’s Immaculate Association which had organized in 1868. The Immaculates allowed both men and women to join their lodges. Like other benevolent groups, the Immaculates offered sickness, accident and disability benefits to its members. Unlike other groups that began in Tennessee, the Independent Order of Immaculates grew to become a national organization. By 1907, there were lodges of the Independent Order of Immaculates in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, Kansas, Arkansas, Texas, and Ohio.

(Clipping from the Globe-Republican (Dodge City, Kansas), August 26, 1891. Taken from the Library of Congress Historic American Newspaper Collection, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84029853/1891-08-26/ed-1/seq-2/)

While there were numerous branches of the Immaculates throughout the state of Tennessee, I have not yet found an extant building associated with the group. Lodges were established in Memphis in 1872, and by 1908, that city had three lodges of Immaculates with a total membership of five hundred. G.P. Hamilton stated in 1908 that the group in Memphis “numbers among its members some of the best and most progressive people in Memphis. It has done much good in the past and its prospects for the future were never brighter than now." (G.P. Hamilton, The Bright Side of Memphis (1908), 207).

While it is unknown when the Independent Order of Immaculates ceased to exist, it appears that they survived World War I. The 1924 Nashville City Directory lists the office for the group as being located at 1100 1st Avenue South and that there were ten lodges in Nashville at that time (1924 Nashville City Directory, 30).

(Clipping from the Nashville Globe, November 8, 1907. Found in the Newspapers Microfilm Collection, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee).

I hope in the course of this research to find out more about the Immaculates and hopefully to locate lodges associated with the order.