were initiated into the order on the night of the institution. The lodge continued to meet in the old attic room for about two years, when they removed to the third story of J. F. Ely's frame building on the corner of Main and East street, where also they remained two years. They then secured the third story of a new brick building on Court street, built by Z. W. Heagler. This was unfinished, but the lodge finished and furnished it and made their home in this place for about sixteen years. In the spring of 1873 they organized the Odd Fellows Building Association, which bought a piece of ground on Court street, southwest from the Vandeman corner, and proceeded to build thereon a fine business building. In the spring of 1874 the lodge removed to their new hall, which was one of the best in the state. In the following October, on the night of the 13th, this handsome building was completely destroyed by fire. A meeting of the lodge was called and held in the Masonic hall on the night after the fire and it was resolved to rebuild the hall. In the winter and spring of 1875 a new building arose in the place of the old. The lodge moved in on November 6, 1875. During the building of the new structure the lodge met in the third story of the First National Bank building. The home of the order for ten years was in the building last named, having been built by the lodge after the fire had destroyed their former rooms. But while in the midst of lodge-room work, on that fateful evening of September 8, 1885, when Washington C. H. was visited by the tornado or cyclone storm, the lodge room and the building in which it was located were totally wrecked and most of the property within destroyed, save the records. After this the court house and Grand Army rooms were used for lodge meeting places, then the Williams building on Court street. After sixteen years there, the Katz building sheltered the lodge. Six years later and it was moved to the county memorial building. The present magnificent hall, on the corner of Fayette and Market streets, was erected in 1910 and its corner stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies on November 29, 1910. The cost of lot and building was fully twenty-two thousand dollars.

In the beginning the lodge was very weak in numbers, but has steadily grown ever since. The first elective officers were: John M. Bell, noble grand; S. N. Yeoman, vice grand; M. Livingston, recording secretary; William H. Lanum, permanent secretary; John Backenstoe, treasurer.

The present membership of the lodge is four hundred and thirty. Its elective officers are: John Madison, noble grand; William Highmiller, vicegrand; Dr. C. V. Lanum, financial secretary; E. C. Hamilton, recording secretary; J. A. Edge, treasurer; C. F. Bonham, Wilson Bachert and S. A. Plyley, trustees.

Fayette Encampment No. 134, at Washington C. H., was instituted on May 17, 1871, in the Odd Fellows hall.on Court street. The charter was delivered to L. C. Karney, S. N. Yeoman, C. L. Getz, O. H. Saxton, M. Blanchard, W. S. Stewart, J. C. King, William Wilts and Charles Duffee. There were eleven persons admitted on the night of institution. Its first elective officers were: L. C. Karney, chief patriarch; M. Blanchard, high priest; William Wilts, senior warden; Dr. O. H. Saxton, junior warden; William Stewart, scribe; J. C. King, treasurer.

KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS LODGES.

This is one of the most recent fraternities in the list of secret orders. It was established about the close of the Civil War and Lodge No. 1, at Washington, District of Columbia, was the first of the order in the world.

The earliest body in Fayette county was Confidence Lodge No. 265, at Washington C. H., instituted December 7, 1887, with twenty-one members. The burning of the hall in 1912 caused the destruction of all records, besides a fine array of relics, books, charts and lodge room fixtures. The lodge held its first meetings in Midland block, then in Odd Fellows hall in the Williams block. Since 1900 they had occupied rooms in Masonic Temple, on the third floor of the building, but that fire of 1911 caused them a great loss. In February, 1912, they moved into their new castle, in the heart of the city, which property they had purchased and rebuilt, making their present hall a desirable one, valued at fifteen thousand dollars. In 1912 there were fully a thousand members in Fayette county belonging to this fraternity. Of this the pioneer lodge in the county of Knights of Pythias, it may be stated that in September, 1909, they had a membership of four hundred. Its elective officers were: Ray Maddox, chancellor commander; John Markley, vice chancellor; Richard Hays, prelate; W. J. Bevans, master of work; Fred Schmid, master of exchequer; L. J. Sherman, master of finance; H. M. Kingsbury, keeper of records and seal; R. A. Hyer, master at arms; Richard Elliott, inside guard; H. A. Highmiller, outer guard.

There are now lodges of this order in Fayette county as follows: At Washington C. H., Madison Mills, Jeffersonville, Bloomingburg, Buena Vista and Yatesville.

At Jeffersonville, Sunflower Lodge, Knights of Pythias, was instituted February 19, 1892, and given the charter number of 541. Its charter members were J. H. Wilt, W. L. Boyer, Frank Carr, C. A. Teeters, Ira McKillip, H. L. Bendel, J. G. Boyer, T. Williams, J. H. Garlough, H. L. Clausing, C.

W. Davis, H. C. Hosier, D. C. Serbine, T. L. Hayes, J. H. Davis, L. O. Fults, L. E. Ellis, Charles Compton, Pope Gregg, C. W. Gray, H. W. Duff, Jasper Roush and C. S. Spengler. The present total membership is one hundred and thirty. They own a well-appointed lodge room, erected in 1906, and the order is now in a flourishing condition. Its officers in October, 1914, are: W. L. Robinson, past chancellor; J. B. Armstrong, chancellor commander; W. W. Rontson, vice chancellor; W. C. Coil, prelate; A. L. French, keeper of records and seal; J. H. Garlough, master of finance; J. W. Howard, master of exchequer; B. D. Smith, master at arms; Howard Haynes, outside guard; S. C. Morrow, inside guard.

At Bloomingburg, Lodge No. 744 was organized December 29, 1905, with forty-one charter members. Its present membership is one hundred and sixteen. It erected a handsome, substantial pressed-brick building in 1912, at a cost, including lot, of about seven thousand five hundred dollars. The Uniform Rank is also here well represented. The elective officers of the lodge here for 1914 are as follows: Chancellor commander, C. W. Larimer; vice chancellor, Grant Leach; prelate, Elmer McCoy; master at arms, Henry Elliott; master of exchequer, Nathaniel Ross; master of finance, L. D Exline; keeper of records and seal, Claude Andrews; inside guard, Robert Pummel; outside guard, Harrison Leach.

CHAPTER XVI.

HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.

Wherever the church spire is seen, in both town and country, there one feels that he is safe. The American-born population predominates very largely in Fayette county, and hence there are none but American denominations, to speak of. Among that rugged band of hardy pioneers who braved the dangers of a wild frontier life, away back a hundred years and more ago, there was a spirit of religion sprinkled in the communities from the first organization of the county, and as the years advanced steps were promptly taken to form churches, though possibly not as rapidly as in some other sections.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.

The Presbyterian church of Washington C. H. was organized October 10, 1813, three years after the county was organized. There were thirteen members and James Clark, William Blair,. Samuel Waddle, Anuences Allen and Col. James Stewart were chosen elders.

The Rev. Mr. Baldridge had charge of the church for a time. After him the pulpit was supplied by several different ministers, till Rev. William Dickey came to be pastor in 1817. The church had no house of worship and meetings could not be held very regularly.

In 1817 part of the church was set off to form a separate congregation at Bloomingburg, and Thomas McGarraugh and Henry Snyder were chosen elders. Mr. Dickey supplied the church at Washington C. H. and also the one at Bloomingburg, which was now the larger. Shortly after he seems to have given all his attention to Bloomingburg and there are no records of the Presbyterian church of Washington C. H. for fifteen years.

In 1834 the church took a new start. Nine of the old members were still on the ground, and seventeen were received. James Pollock, John Wilson, Isaac Templeton and Joseph McLean were chosen elders and S. F. Kerr was made clerk of the session.

About 1835 Rev. John C. Eastman took charge of the church and the society seemed to progress nicely. They undertook, for the first time, to erect a house of worship, and soon it was constructed and dedicated.

In 1840 Mr. Eastman left the church, after six years of faithful and successful labor. The next eight years passed with very irregular ministrations. Rev. James Dunlap and Rev. J. A. I. Lowes preached for a time.

In the winter of 1847-1848 the church was incorporated. About this time J. G. Hopkins came, as a licentiate, to supply its pulpit. James N. Wilson and Eliphas Taylor were chosen and ordained elders. Mr. Hopkins, some time after, was chosen pastor and ordained. A division in the church grew out of this. Robert Robinson and Joseph McLean, two of the elders, and others left the church, among them Col. S. F. Kerr. This was a great loss to the feeble church. Mr. Hopkins soon left, and in the spring of 1851 Rev. S. J. Miller was called to the pastorate, after which church affairs ran along more smoothly. A new church edifice was built about 1856. Rev. Miller continued pastor for fifteen years, leaving the church in 1866 with seventy-five members.

In January, 1867, the Rev. George Carpenter was called to the pastorate. He was succeeded, in order, as follows: 1884 to 1892, Rev. Samuel B. Alderson; 1892 to 1905, Rev. James L. McNair; 1905 to 1910, Rev. David H. Jones; 1910 to 1913, Rev. William I. Campbell; 1913 to present time, Rev. William Boynton Gage.

The membership is now about seven hundred and seventy-five. The present church was erected several years ago and is a modern edifice. The society also has a commodious, modern manse on the lot with the church.

THE CHURCH AT BLOOMINGBURG.

The Bloomingburg Presbyterian church is now ninety-seven years old, having been organized on November 22, 1817, with twenty-six constituent members. Fortunately for the author and reader, there still remains a good record of this old church, as it was carefully compiled during Centennial year by Rev. Edward Cooper, D. D., the third pastor, and from this the writer draws largely for the facts herein contained. At first there were four ruling elders. The first public service was held in a small barn and for some time this building and pioneer residences, which were but rude cabins, were the only places in which to worship. One of the earliest traveling preachers here was Rev. Dyer Burgess, who, in a letter in 1867 written to Rev. Cooper, said: "I distinctly remember my visits to Bloomingburg and the pleasant meetings we had, largely attended, in Colonel Stewart's barn. In January, 1817, they had invited Rev. William Dickey to preach for them, when I was in the habit of making missionary tours to that settlement; and afterwards I