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KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS : 1880s - 1900s ORIGINAL PAIR [2] OF MASSIVE LEDGERS AND JOURNALS HANDWRITTEN BY MISSOURI KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS FILLED WITH RITES, DOCUMENTS AND ANECDOTES

Folio - over 12" - 15" tall. On offer are two [2] fascinating, massive Knights of Pythias ledgers/journals from 1890s and the early 1900s. The ledgers are full of information and many documents pertaining to the Mound City Lodge of the Knights in Missouri. Interestingly these Knights were prolific writers and note takers with a great deal of anecdotal narrative. The older ledger starts in 1890 and the last entry is 1899. This ledger is filled with entries; every page has notations, meeting notes, description of rites, lists of all the members and their rank in the order. There is also description of their occupations, for example (cigar maker) mercantile store owner etc. The 1900s ledger has about 125 pages of writing and includes many documents. Here is an excerpt: 1898 - "I charge that said James Harvey during the year 1898 on the streets of Mound City was in such a state of intoxicated condition - before the public and members of said lodge as to bring disgrace upon himself and the lodge members". There is also a very endearing entry regarding the sudden death of one of the lodge member's brothers. This leads to the Knights pledging to help out the family of the lodge member. There is a quite hilarious entry regarding a Knight who was demoted to squire after misplacing the lodge's swards! A great debate about moving the lodge is also amusing. Other information includes events in town and community notices like an oyster dinner in Missouri and much, much more. There are also lots of documents and notes attached to the pages some include transfer cards letters. BACKGROUND NOTES: One online source provides: The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded at Washington, DC, on 19 February 1864. Knights of Pythias in a parade in Racine, Wisconsin, ca. 1910. The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been inspired by a play by the Irish poet John Banim about the legend of Damon and Pythias. This legend illustrates the ideals of loyalty, honor and friendship that are the center of the order. The order has over two thousand lodges in the United States and around the world, with a total membership of over 50,000 in 2003. Some lodges meet in structures referred to as Pythian Castles. The order's auxiliaries are the Pythian Sisters, the less serious Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan, The Nomads of Avrudaka, and two youth organizations: the Pythian Sunshine Girls and the Junior Order, Knights of Pythias for boys.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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