Elmwood Cemetery

In May, 1870, a group of hardy young settlers met in the Locust Ridge school house to arrange for a place of burial against the time of need. They were building a new community on the wild prairies of southeast Linn County. Elmwood Cemetery, established June 11, 1870, was the outgrowth of that meeting. Erastus Taylor, the grandfather of Don Taylor (who is now the vice-president of the Elmwood Cemetery), donated the land. Other charter members were Walter Bodurtha, Ed Herriman, Jacob Rensimer, Hiram Long, Josiah Phillips, Curtis P. Graves, Christian Braggen, D.P. Beebe, Cephas Kathan, M. Herriman, D.D. Burch, Jacob Minich, and William S. Hayden. Other settlers joined as time passed. Four of these moved from the community. The first burial in Elmwood was that of Chloe Evelyn Long, the little daughter of Hiram Long, October 31, 1873. The Santa Fe Railroad came, almost grazing the corner of Elmwood, and Marceline was founded. Soon there was a city cemetery, and as years passed, the few people directly interested in the Elmwood Cemetery were unable to assume the full care and it fell into a state of utter neglect. In 1950, through the efforts of descendants of the early pioneers, restoration of the cemetery was begun. A trust fund was established which has grown in the intervening years. The income is now sufficient to make Elmwood a place of beauty and a source of pride to the community. Of the children of Charter members who used their lots, only one, Mrs. Cora Stevens, is living in Marceline. She resides at the Florence Rest Home.

G. I. A.

G. I. A.’s, as most sub-ordinate Divisions call them­selves, is so called because they are wives of Locomo­tive Engineers. The proper name is Grand International Auxiliary to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. Strangely enough, while Marceline is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee, so is the Grand International Auxil­iary, which was organized October 16, 1887. On February 3, 1939, a charter was granted to the wives of members of B. L. E. Div. 616, Brookfield, Mo., and B.L.E. Div. 806, Marceline, Mo., for the pur­pose of organizing the subordinate Division known in Marceline as Marce-Brook Div. 314, but was organized in the city of Brookfield by Grand Organizer Inspector Jessie M. Marsh of Ft. Madison, Iowa, who now is reigning Grand Pres, of the G. I. A.’s. The charter members of Marce-Brook Div. from Marceline are as follows: Helen Austin, Lee Olinger, Jessie Dabner, Callie Wambold, Sue Payden, Zita Flynn, Elizabeth Pitts, Lena Dieterich, Lulu Smith, Opal W. Frisby, Emma McKiernan, and Florence Gosmeyer. In December, 1953, Brookfield charter members withdrew from the Div. and applied for a new charter to organize their own Div., now known as the Hawthorne Div. of Brookfield, Mo. Marceline Div. retained the name Marce-Brooke Div. 314. Members meet twice a month in Veterans Hall, Marceline. Hazel Thome is the president. The G.I.A. is dedicated to dispense charity and as­sistance to its widows, orphans, and aged dependent sisters, to promote fraternal love and sociability within the families of its members, as well us mutual pro­tection and interest in the loved ones of the B.L.E.

Silver Spur Riding Club

The Silver Spur riding club was organized in September, 1945 with 20 members. Glen McCandless – who was living in Kansas City at that time – submitted the name of the club. The first president was Bill Stonger. The club has sponsored basket dinners and horse shows each year. We were the first riding club to take the horses and members to the Lake of the Ozarks for a four day outing in September of 1950. We also made another trip to the Ozarks in 1951 and in October, 1952. In October, 1953 a trip was made to the Missouri State Saddle Club horse show at the J-Bar H rodeo arena at Camdenton. A Western round and square dance was held at the Masonic Temple in 1952. The Club sponsored the Rodeo Kids of Independence, Missouri, in 1953 at the Lions field. In 1958 the Club sponsored a trip to the American Royal. In 1961 the Club sponsored a trip to the J-Bar H rodeo. In 1962 the Club members made a trip to Branson, Missouri, and attended the Shepherd of the Hills play. Each year a turkey dinner is held by the group at Christmas time. A ham dinner and membership drive is held each year during March. Regular meeting time is the third Tuesday of each month at the Country Club. George Wiggins is the President of the Club at this time.

Band Boosters 1963

Band Boosters is an organization to co-operate with the Board of Education and Band director to further the interest of instrumental music in the Public Schools of Marceline, Missouri. The first regular meeting of Band Boosters was held at the high school on Thursday night, December 8, 1938. The meeting was called to order by the president, Mr. Clair Bond. The other officers were Mrs. Harry Foster, vice-president; Mrs. Vergie Stephens, secretary; Mrs. Iva Cantwell, treasurer. The three representatives at large with the elected officers to form the Executive Board were Rev. Novak, Dr. Adamson, and Mr. Ross Wooten. The regular meeting time for the Band Boosters, at the present time, is the first Monday in the month while school is in session. While the band uniforms have been the primary ob¬jective of the organization, we have helped the school to buy several instruments, the type of which the individual student doesn’t care to own. The organization replaces emblems, cords and other needed parts of the uniforms and have the uniforms cleaned and stored at the end of the school term. Band Boosters have paid rental for bus trips to Band Day at Columbia and to contests at Kirks¬ville. Drapes were made for the band room by Band Booster members in 1961. The organization sponsored a band member to All State Band in 1961. One of the outstanding characteristics of Band Boosters since its beginning is its interest in ways and means for making money. And the tninutes tell the story. We have done about everything from frying hamburgers at football games to performing in Minstrels and Home Talent Shows, sponsoring the Blackburn Brothers, pop¬ping corn and making candy, serving dinners, having rummage sales, selling home-made mincemeat, selling cookbooks and not forgetting Tag Day and selling pen¬nants at Homecoming. The first 41 uniforms were purchased in 1938 at $21.95 each. On April 1956, 65 uniforms were ordered at $58.75 each. Fourteen new uniforms, drum majors uniform and plumes for majorettes were ordered in 1962 amounting to $1050.00. Shakos for all twirlers were purchased in 1954. Plumes were purchased in 1959 for $95.00. At least $6000.00 has been spent to uniform the band since 1938. With the help of merchants and organizations the Band Boosters have made this possible. The instrumental music program in the Marceline Public Schools consists of a fifth grade beginning band, a sixth grade intermediate band, a seventh and eighth grade junior high band, and ninth through twelfth grade senior high band. In the fall the senior high marching band performs at all the home football games and marches in several parades. At Christmas time all of the bands perform at a special Christmas concert. This program is followed by the winter and spring concerts presented by all the bands. Then in the spring there are the district and state music contests where many soloists and ensembles take part.

Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge

The Grand Aerie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles was organized February 6, 1898, at Seattle, Washington, and has 2000 subordinate units or aeries with 1,250,000 members. Marceline Aerie #726 Fraternal Order of Eagles was chartered May 25, 1904, and held their meetings in the rooms above the Marceline State Bank building for some time. In 1913 they built a new building on East Gracia Street. In 1918 the lodge sold the building to the Catholic Church for a school. They then met at several different places until they bought the building at 109 North Kansas Avenue. On March 31, 1962, the building burned down and the present plans are to rebuild at the same location.

I.O.O.F. Lodge

The luxurious Odd Fellows Lodge building was dedicated September 20, 1915. The lodge had previously occupied the old miners’ hall which was located at the corner of Kansas Avenue at Gracia Street. At that time the lodge was moved from the miners’ hall to its present building. The I. O. O. F. building here is one of the few in Missouri that houses all the orders and degrees in the Odd Fellows Lodge. The lodges here are Magnolia Lodge 112 Encampment No. 17, Patriarchs Militant Canton Loar No. 18, and the Quality Rebekah Lodge No. 475. The present officers are Allen Slater, Noble Grand; John Wylie, Vice Grand; W.C. Twitchel, Recording Secretary; C.B. McAllister, Financial Secretary; S.P. Campbell, Treasurer; Don Santus, Warden; Edwin Carlson, Chaplain. Images

Quality Rebekah Lodge

In the Miners’ Hall on June 27, 1907, Sister Ruby Kathan, Dist. Deputy President of Bucklin, assisted by Deputy Grand Lodge officers, instituted Quality Rebekah Lodge No. 475. The following were charter members: Della Beckman, N.G.; Stephen Wallar, Cora Wallar, Rebekah Wallar, Valentine Maddox, May Gehne, Sallie Roe, Lucille Locke (McAllister), Sue Locke (Payden), Ann Hier, Vina Dail, Lou Davis, Bird Posey, Addie Crumley, Grace Blakesley, Hortie Ellis, Grace Hutchinson, Ethna Smedley, Ida Kinnear, Sue Kinnear, Nellie Moore, Iva Haney, John McCartney, J.D. Bush, and Laura Thurston Wainscott, our only charter member who has kept her membership through all these years and now lives at the IOOF Home at Liberty. In January, 1909, all regalia and furniture belonging to Rebekah Lodge No. 57 left in care of Magnolia Lodge was given to us. In 1912, our Lodge furnished a room at the IOOF Home at Liberty at a cost of $75. On April 28, 1915, this lodge and Magnolia Lodge laid the cornerstone for the new high school building. In 1916 the IOOF Hall was dedicated. In January 1926 the Rebekah Lodge at Westville consolidated with Quality Lodge. In 1948 Evergreen Rebekah Lodge of Bucklin consolidated with Quality Lodge. Evergreen Lodge had the honor of having two presidents of the Rebekah State Assembly, Sisters Ruby Kathan and Mae Hughes. Both were faithful workers serving on the Home board and many important state committees.

Marceline Lodge #544

On September 18, 1928, a group of ladies were called together for the purpose of organizing a Ladies Society of The Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen. We met in the K.P. Hall over Zurcher’s store. Mrs. Grace Hatfield was our Grand Lodge Instructor. The Brothers of Lodge #486 expressed their interest by buying the Charter. The following ladies were present and are our charter members: Edith Bealmear, Arabelle Beebe, Mary Ada Bowen, Eva Bruner, Maude Burch, Elva Fisher, Anna Fisher, Mennazola Fuller, Loy Gray, Viola Gucker, Edith Hainds, Olive McNeal, Malyss McCrary, Emma McKiernen, Iona McCauslin, Fern Myers, Zelma Swink, Effie Swink, Beulah Petska, Norma Turner, Hazel Thome, Hattie Wilson. All through the 35 years of our organization we have met regularly, increased our membership, attended state and international conventions and in every way tried to carry out the* purpose of our Order which is to render assistance to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, to extend the hand of Charity, to help each other in time of need, and to elevate our social and intellectual standing. It is also our aim to cultivate a friendly feeling among the families of the Order.

Eastern Star

Twilight Chapter #66, Order of Eastern Star, was organized in 1897. Marceline was about twelve years old, primitive to say the least. Board walks, heavy lumber was laid for street crossings. There were just dirt streets and much mud when winter came. It was not uncommon for the grocery wagon to bog down and the driver would finally deliver on foot. Such was the setting when Bro. I. Jeff Buster, a dedicated Master Mason, began quietly to promote the idea of an Eastern Star, auxiliary to the Masonic Fraternity. This was a rather novel idea, a lodge for women, and not easy to promote. After some weeks of interviewing those eligible for membership, he had sufficient names on the petition to ask the Grand Chapter for a Charter which was granted in August, 1896. For some reason long forgotten, there was no organization of any kind attempted until 1897. All arrangements having been made, the petitioners were called for the organization meeting February 25. By this time so many had become interested and signified a desire to become members that Brother Buster, as he was called, gave his place to another and he waited for the next meeting to be initiated. He became our first Sentinel and later Worthy Patron. He held an important place in the chapter and in the hearts of its members for 25 years. His council and advice were sought. He was most highly regarded. Deputy Kelley, Past Grand Patron of Moberly, was present to supervise generally. Sister Laura Greenhalgh, D. D. G. M. of the 11th and 12th Districts, and Laclede Chapter were present and exemplified the Ritual. The following officers were elected and installed: CHARTER MEMBERS 1896 Minnie Maupin, Worthy Matron; George W. Rogers, Worthy Patron; May N. Johnson, Associate Matron; Rose Tuttle, Secretary; Ada Pendleton, Treasurer; Luella M. Fairchild, Conductress; Carrie A. Smith, Associate Conductress; Rebecca J. Wallar, Chap¬lain; Rose Haas, Adah; Elizabeth Wallar, Ruth; Sadie Fuller, Esther; Flora Haas, Martha; Eunice Hayden, Electa; Lola E. Morrison, Warder. Ella Grubbs, Emma Payne, Lena A. Foster, Daisy D. Rogers, Minnie A. Nickell, Catherina A. Tayler, Francis E. Roots, Martha E. Lyda, Sophia Shook, Flora M. Sloey, Edna G. Roots. Following the meeting, the Masonic Fraternity banqueted and entertained the entire membership and visiting brothers and sisters at the Alhambra Hotel. At our first meeting a name was chosen, Twilight Chapter. Nine candidates were initiated. These had asked to be on the charter list so special arrangements had been made to admit them. The new chapter moved slowly and interest lagged. In 1900 a disastrous fire destroyed the Masonic Hall and all O.E.S. equipment except the record books were lost. The next day the Worthy Matron rallied her officers and they purchased new equipment. They met in the Odd Fellows Hall until the Masons acquired a new hall. Growth of the Chapter was steady and by 1912 there were 171 members on the roll. A new and greater responsibility came to the chapter in 1923-24 when the new temple was dedicated. The chapter furnished the dining room and kitchen, and in the depression years, was a stalwart support to the Masons. By 1924 there were 300 members. In 1904 they helped organize the Rothville chapter which subsequently surrendered its charter but reorganized in 1915. Twilight Chapter assisted them. In 1905, Twilight Chapter assisted in organizing a chapter in Westville. As the town prospered, so did Twilight Chapter. As of June, 1946, 800 candidates had been admitted to membership. In 1947, the first 50-year pins were awarded to Sister Catherine Taylor and Sister Elizabeth Hardaway, both charter members. In sequence came Mary Spencer, 1947; Carrie White, 1948; C.U. Murray, 1948; Maude Murray, 1949; Florence Buchanan, 1949; Hannah George, 1952; Ethna Smedley, 1957; Dora Jordon, 1958; Ida Lyle, 1962; Lucile Lancaster, 1962; Corabel Couch, 1962; Alta Hainds, 1962; and Lena Blair, 1962. In 1912 Sister Jessie Taylor was appointed Grand Esther. Eight District Deputy Grand Matrons have served from this Chapter. They are as follows: Flora May Sloey, Jessie Taylor, Mary Lancaster, Edith Bealmear, Frances Mercer, Jo Gambill, and Helen McDonald. A Past Matrons Club flourished through the years, sustaining a social interest. Sister Maude Jewell wrote, arranged, and published the Eastern Star music which was widely used. Thus has the Order of the Eastern Star lived and prospered in this, our town of Marceline, which this year is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

Masonic Lodge

Free Masonry in Marceline dates from October 17, 1889, when the Grand Lodge of the State of Missouri granted a Charter to Marceline Lodge Number 481 authorizing them to meet and work with Milton Helwig, Worshipful Master; I. Jeff Buster, Senior Warden; and John F. Eyler, Junior Warden. The former Masonic Building was located where the present Masonic Temple now stands. The present lodge was completed and dedicated in 1923. Marceline Chapter No. 118 Royal Arch Masons was chartered April 26, 1900. Havre De Grace Commandery No. 63 was chartered May 29, 1909. Following are the names of the Past Masters of Marceline Lodge No. 481 and the years in which they served. 1889-1890, M. Helwig I. Jeff Buster M. Helwig W. E. Taylor D. L. Batterton 1895-1898, George T. Lyda T. B. Sloey George T. Lyda T. B. Sloey M. H. Washburn Geo. T. Lyda 1904-1905, M. Helwig B. B. Putman O. G. Jordon 1908-1909, E.W. Taylor C. R. Lodge E. H. Banner L. A. Mearman C.U.Murray A. L. Crabb B. A. Anderson G. W. Early F. L. Snider W. E. Parks E.W. Taylor 1919-1920, Chas. Neason A. S. Bunch H. L. Miller P. L. Patrick C. M. Hill -F. W. McVay M.H. Karns H.D. Foster E.W. Taylor H. R. Mason R. B. Murray F. L. Haddock R. W. Wall C. W. Rogers F. H. Schutte H. E. Mason H. D. Foster J. D. Rusk E. K. Taylor W. R. Stonger A. D. Bunch A. F. O’Neil F. C. Houser F. H. Schutte J. J. Cheesman J.C. Dieterich C. A. McAfee C.R.Machen A.M. Willian H.V.Boddy C. A. McAfee F.C. Earl A.T. Akers W. H. Tucker R.W. Stauffer E.C. Carlson E.D.Walsworth Earl Doss W. H. Zink Earl Doss Max Snider 1961-1962, W. H. Riley