CENTER LODGE, NO. 76, I. 0. 0. F. This body dates from July 19, 1855, when it was constituted by J. C. Dunn, of Bloomfield. The first officers were: Amos Harris, N. G.; J. G. Brown, V. G.; J. L. Armstrong, secretary; P. Allen, treasurer. The other charter members were: E. H. Robley and J. Lankford. On the evening of the organization H. Tannehill, William Clark, John K. Allen and Joseph McGowan were initiated. The first meetings were held at the old schoolhouse and later on in Judge Harvey Tannehill's office. A room was then secured over Wittenmeyer's store where it remained until 1860 and then a two-story brick building at the northeast. corner of the square was purchased and the upper story of this was used until 1876. In this year the Odd Fellows joined with the First National Bank in erecting a building, the third story being apportioned to the lodge, which it owns, and where beautiful lodge rooms and other apartments are used by the members, of which there are now about 200. The present officers are: G. C. Kinion, N. G.; F. M. Hamilton, V. G.; G. A. Ellis, F. S.; Jacob Martin, I. S.; E. S. Stites, treasurer; G. S. Dotson, C. E. Campbell and Harry Simmons, trustees. CENTERVILLE LODGE, NO. 64, KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS was organized October 26, 1882, by H. D. Walker, with the following charter members: John Henderson, A. C. Baker, W. F. Dickey, T. G. Manson, C. J. Brown, G. D. Barnthouse, E. C. Haynes, S. A. Pennington, D. Spaulding, A. H. Eells, J. T. Trigg, H. C. Simms, L. Roth, Joseph Payton, W. H. Lee, Joe Gray, H. Loude, Levi Clemens, J. L. Harvey, D. C. Bradley, E. Savage, J. Larimer, C. Barlow, W. E. Selby, Crail Wiley, W. H. Boggs, G. B. Shinogle, E. Parkerson, Sam Gates and G. W. Needels. The membership of the lodge is 35. Meetings are held the second and fourth Wednesday evenings in the Odd Fellows hall. The present officers are: C. C., John Morris; V. C., D. C. O'Neil; prelate, L. Patterson; M. of W., E. C. Haynes; K. of R. S., H. C. Haynes; M. of F., George Duckworth; M. of E., W. M. Evans; M. of A., John Painter; I. G., G. B. Shinogle. BENEVOLENT PROTECTIVE ORDER OF ELKS The Elks lodge of Centerville, bearing the number 940, was organized December 29, 1904, by several men of the order, whose homes were at Centerville and members in other lodges, nearly all of them belonging to Lodge No. 347. The charter members were: Alexander Weller, J. B. Gaylor, W. R. C. Kendrick, S. M. Brown, Robert A. McKee, E. D. Heaton, C. C. Stephenson, R. L. Robertson, Henry S. Moore, W. L. Halden, H. V. Brown, T. H. Dillon, M. H. Beer, H. C. Adams, J. L. Mechem, C. J. Lane, J. C. Huggins, E. E. Heaton, W. S. Hays, J. Q. Adams, T. G. Fee. The first officials were: Exalted ruler, G. C. Haynes; esteemed leading knight, Robert A. McKee; esteemed loyal knight, D. C. Bradley; esteemed lecturing knight, F. B. McCreary; secretary, J. Q. Adams; treasurer, J. A. Bradley; tyler, Claude A. Baker; trustees, C. P. Bowen, E. E. Bamford, Alexander Weller. Vol. I-22 The present officers are: H. C. Haynes, exalted ruler; W. M. Evans, leadingknight; Pierce Wilson, loyal knight; J. Q. Adams, lecturing knight; F. C. Morgan, secretary; D. Boyd Brann, librarian; C. Ward Howell, tyler; A. W. Barlow, J. C. Huggins, J. L. Mechem, trustees. There have been 295 members taken into the lodge by initiation and at this time (1912) the membership numbers 248. In March, 1905, the lodge purchased the C. W. Lewis home, on South Main street, which it used as a club house. On March 16, 1909, the present club house, on East State street, was dedicated. The cost of this building was $22,000. The lodge room is on the second floor. On the first floor is a billiard room, reception room, ladies' parlor, one large general room. The basement is divided into a dining room, kitchen, swimming pool, 20 x 50 feet, shower and tub baths, furnace, coal and storage rooms. LOCAL UNION 553, UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA This society was organized November 15, 1898, with thirteen charter members, as follows: A. W. Faris, A. W. Halden, O. P. Barton, S. J. Crase, John Garrison, Peter Sibert, T. T. Prough, James E. Blake, E. Larsen, John F. Murphy, C. J. Bowers and W. O. Hurst. The first president was A. W. Faris and the first secretary, S. J. Crase. The present membership is 1,200, and this society is the second largest order in the state. The present officials are: President, Roy Hardman; vice president, Richard Good; recording secretary, John Bailey; financial secretary, George Duckworth; treasurer, Frank Herbert; trustees, C. F. Myers, F. W. Easton and Alexander Hoag. MINERS' HALL The members of Centerville Union purchased the new Lewis business building on North Thirteenth street about the year 1903, paying in full $4,200. The second story was at once remodeled, to suit the needs and convenience of the fraternity, which cost an additional outlay of money. The lodge hall is very commodious and the decorations meet the approval of those having an eye to beauty and the harmony of colors. In a room facing the street the secretary has an office and an outer, or lounging room for the members. MISCELLANEOUS SOCIETIES Anna Rebekah Lodge, No. 95. Loyalty Lodge, No. 246, Ancient Order of United Workmen. Court Appanoose, No. 15, Foresters of America. Troy Lodge, No. 246, Iowa Legion of Honor. Tent No. 60, Knights of the Maccabees. Hive No. 39, Ladies of the Maccabees. Centerville Lodge, No. 15 (colored) Knights of Pythias. Centerville Council, No. 1238, Knights and Ladies of Security. Centerville Nest, No. 1275, Order of Owls. Appanoose Camp, No. 3553, Modern Woodmen of America. Centerville Commercial Club. Merchants Association. UNIONS Barbers Local, No. 369. Bricklayers International, No. 15. Centerville Plasterers, No. 445. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Stablemen and Helpers Local No. 321. Centerville Local, No. 597, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. Keokuk Division, No. 56, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Patrick Walsh Lodge, No. 531, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers. J. W. Phillips Lodge, No. 104, Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen. CHAPTER XXII CENTERVILLE A CITY OF CHURCHES-THE METHODIST THE FIRST TO BE ORGANIZEDMANY HANDSOME CHURCH EDIFICES-HISTORY OF THE MOST PROMINENT. FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH The First Methodist Episcopal church was organized by the Rev. Hugh Gibson at the home of William S. Manson, about a mile and a half south of Centerville, in the year 1846. It consisted of six members, as follows: William S. Manson, Isabel Manson, Jesse Wood, Mrs. Wood, Mrs. Rebecca Hopkins and Mrs. Caughran. This was the first religious society organized in Appanoose county. At that time the town of Centerville was just platted but no buildings were erected until in 1847. William S. Manson preached the first sermon in the town. of Centerville, It is said that he used the head of a whiskey barrel for a pulpit. The society grew in numbers and strength so that in the year 1852 a lot was purchased on the corner of Washington and Jefferson streets and a church 30x40 feet was built at a cost of about $800. Previous to this time meetings were held in private houses and at a log schoolhouse in the southeast part of town. After moving into the new church, a Sunday school was organized, with Frank Spooner as superintendent. In these early times society was in a very crude state; the people were poor and lived in primitive style; the church was lighted by candles around the walls; no carpet was on any part of the floor or pulpit; there was but one heating stove and it was placed in the center of the room and a wagon load of coal would be piled around it. There were but few clocks among the people, so they guessed at the church time. The congregation was very irregular in gathering. It was the custom of those coming early to gather in groups in the church and talk loudly about their crops, cattle, etc. In the warm weather the men came to church without coats, and the women wore sunbonnets which they would remove from their heads and use as fans. The church was the best audience room in the town. Political meetings and other public gatherings were held there. At one time court was held in the church. About the year 1858 William S. Manson was elected justice of the peace and had his office in the church. From the organization of the church up to 1868 the society belonged to the Centerville circuit, which at that time comprised most of Appanoose county which lies west of the Chariton river. The pastors who served the circuit from the beginning up to 1855, as nearly as can be ascertained, were: Thompson, Rowley, Winings, Darrah, Gibson, Dennis, Prather and Dixon. In the fall of 1855 R. B. Allender came on the circuit and remained two years. While he was here |