Ohio History Journal

420      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

Birchard to Buckland, Buckland to Hayes, thence to Spiegel

Grove where the following program and exercises were carried

out by the Odd Fellows in dedication of their memorial window

in the Hayes Memorial Library and Museum.

The Noble Grand, G. L. Roach, as chairman, opened the

exercises with prayer by W. D. Pearce, Vice Grand of the lodge,

and he not being present the prayer was read by J. E. Courtney,

Chaplain of the lodge, which is as follows:

Almighty God, we thank Thee that we can come into Thy

presence and call Thee Father and realize the common brother-

hood of men.

We come as representatives of a great order to enter which

every man must acknowledge belief in Thee and we wish to here

publicly acknowledge before the world that the great lessons of

our order are all taken from Thy word.

We as an order are seeking to exemplify in our lives the

teachings of Thy word as to Friendship, Love and Truth.

We thank Thee for the undying influence of a great and true

man such as the famous Odd Fellow, whom we honor today.

We have come to dedicate a window in this Memorial Build-

ing to his memory and we pray that this Memorial, though it be

silent, yet may it speak to generations yet to come of the lessons

of Friendship, Love and Truth, which were exemplified in the

life of our departed brother, Rutherford B. Hayes. And may

our characters taking inspiration from such a life be true to the

principles of our beloved order which are based on Thy word.

This we ask in the name of Thy Son. Amen.

The chairman then introduced M. G. Thraves, Past Grand

of Fremont, who was a personal friend of Rutherford B.

Hayes and was Secretary of the lodge at the time that Gen.

Hayes passed through all the highest offices of the lodge and be-

came a Past Grand. In speaking of Brother Rutherford B.

Hayes, Mr. Thraves eloquently said in part:

 

 

MR. THRAVES' ADDRESS.

Sisters and Brothers of the Odd Fellows and Fellow Citizens:

In behalf of the Odd Fellows of our lodge, the brothers of

the order in Sandusky county, throughout the state, nation and

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Dedication of the Hayes Memorial.        421

 

world, I wish to take this opportunity to show our appreciation

and express our admiration, love and esteem on this rare occasion

for our deceased brother, Rutherford B. Hayes.

This fine Memorial Building, containing Brother Hayes'

library, relics and curios, is a monument to the intelligence, pa-

triotism and the high appreciation of every citizen within the great

state of Ohio.

I know that I am expressing the sentiment of every Odd

Fellow within the sound of my voice, and every member of our

order in the state, when I say that the 2,500,000 Odd Fellows of

the world, appreciate the great sacrifices, the unselfish work of

those through whom it became possible for us to have this beauti-

ful building to be located here, which will always be the pride of

our city and county and state.

With twenty-five years of experience with libraries and li-

brary building, and without fear of successful contradiction, I

am here to say that there is no private library in the state that

measures up in any manner to this library, quantity and quality

considered.

It contains historical data, manuscripts and curios, unable

to be found anywhere. Men of high education, and historical

turn of mind have traveled thousands of miles across both oceans

to delight and revel in this golden mine of research.

All this and more, the efforts, energy and foresight, of a life

time of Brother Hayes, and his children is a free gift to the people

of Ohio and of the nation.

On behalf of the Odd Fellows I wish to express our sincere

thanks to Col. Webb C. Hayes and through him to the rest of the

family, for this magnificent gift. A value in a conservative finan-

cial estimate would reasonably be worth at least a half million

dollars.

There are many other things that might be mentioned in this

connection that are within my own personal knowledge, of which

I would like to speak at this time but will suffice it to say that

Col. Webb C. Hayes is ever alert for the best interests of our

community and never permits an opportunity to pass to put Fre-

mont and the state of Ohio upon the map.

It is a well known fact that he is personally acquainted with

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422       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

more public men, and men that do things in our nation than any

other citizen of the state.

I feel it a privilege, as well as a pleasant duty in behalf of

our order, and citizens to publicly thank Senator T. A. Dean for

his successful efforts in securing the necessary legislation to make

this Memorial Building possible.

I also wish to express our appreciation to ex-Governor Jud-

son Harmon for the interest he manifested in behalf of the

Memorial Building.

As historian of Croghan Lodge No. 77, I. O. O. F., I find the

following facts.

Croghan Lodge No. 77, I. O. O. F. was instituted February 5,

1847, at Lower Sandusky, now Fremont, Ohio.

The charter members of the lodge were N. S. Cook, D. H.

Hershey, W. M. Starks, B. W. Lewis and A. E. Wood.

The first officers of the lodge were elected February 5, 1847.

N. S. Cook, Noble Grand.

D. H. Hershey, Vice Grand.

W. M. Starks, Secretary.

R. W. Lewis, Treasurer.

The first brother to present a petition for membership in the

lodge was John Smith, and on Feb. 5, 1847, he was initiated.

The second meeting, Feb. 13, 1847, John Bell. John M.

Smith, A. Coles, J. B. Smith, Charles Fitch and L. B. Otis were

initiated into the order.

The lodge prospered and was busy every night conferring

the degree on new members.

Sept. 15, 1849, the application of Rutherford B. Hayes was

presented and referred to a committee of E. I. Orton, L. S. Foulk

and W. B. Kridler. The lodge then adjourned to meet in special

session Monday evening, Sept. 17, 1849, at which meeting Grand

Master Glen, of Grand Lodge of Ohio initiated Rutherford B.

Hayes into the order and instructed him in all the degrees, brother

Hayes being the forty-third member.

The first office held by Brother R. B. Hayes in the lodge was

on Oct. 6, 1849, when he was appointed right supporter to the

Noble Grand, John L. Greene, Brother C. R. McCulloch acting

in the Vice Grand chair at this time.

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424       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

Nov. 19, 1849, R. B. Hayes was duly installed in this office

which he surrendered on his removal to Cincinnati, the same year.

On his return to Fremont in 1873, he re-joined Croghan Lodge.

Brother C. R. McCulloch who died a few years ago, was the

last surviving member of our lodge that belonged at the time

Brother Hayes was initiated into the order.

He was a brother whose spirit was filled with the milk of

human kindness. His hand was always administering benefac-

tions to his fellow men. In the councils of the lodge he was

wise, prudent and generous. His opinion was sought for and

relied upon in all emergencies. At the time of his death, he was

chairman of the local committee of Odd Fellows, appointed to

secure for Fremont the Odd Fellows' Orphans' Home for the

state of Ohio.

After filling the highest office in the gift of the greatest

people on earth he returned to the rank and file, a true type of the

American citizen, in the broadest and noblest sense, and engaged

in the mission of doing good to humanity.

He visited the sick, relieved the downtrodden and distressed,

and did everything within his power to educate and live up to

the standard of mankind.

General Hayes was ever kind, true and unselfish in all his

dealings; a man of the most exalted character, a soldier of dis-

tinction, a patriot, and a statesman.

His personal history is a part of the history of the Union;

in honoring him we honor ourselves.

During the decade in Cincinnati he was also an active

member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, which he

had joined at Lower Sandusky. He was in frequent requisition

for lectures before various lodges of the Odd Fellows, and the

diary mentions with natural pride the applause and prominence

that came to him therefrom:

"Last evening I rejoined Croghan lodge I. O. O. F. I be-

longed to it when I left Fremont in 1849, almost 33 years ago.

I have long been satisfied that they were in many ways very

useful. Leaving out the beneficial feature, which is certainly

valuable, the social and educational elements are excellent. All

descriptions of reputable people are here brought together and

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Dedication of the Hayes Memorial.       425

 

instructed in the orderly management of public business. All

are on their best behavior, a fraternal friendship is cultivated,

virtuous and temperate habits are encouraged, and the best of

our social instincts are called into play. The festive organiza-

tions, convivial clubs, and the like are not safe places of resort

for all natures. No man can be worse for the associations of Odd

Fellowship and their kindred organizations. Most men will be

made better. With this perhaps too moderate estimate of the

society, I am glad to unite with it again."--(Diary January 1,

1882).

At the conclusion of Mr. Thraves' historical address the

chairman introduced Hon. Ivor Hughes, Past Grand Master of

the Grand Lodge of Ohio, of Columbus, who was a lifelong

warm personal friend of Rutherford B. Hayes.

 

 

ADDRESS OF IVOR HUGHES.

Members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Friends:

I come to your beautiful little city of Fremont from my home

in the capital of our state to join with you in the dedication of

this beautiful edifice erected to the memory of him who was great

in everything that constitutes true greatness, true manhood.

On the 30th day of May in the year 1878, there gathered in

the city of Paris, France, one of the largest assemblages of men

and women that had ever before that time convened for a like

purpose in that or any other city of the civilized world. In that

vast audience were to be found many of the great men and

women not only of France but of many other of the civilized

countries of the globe. They had assembled to pay tribute to the

memory of a distinguished Frenchman of whose death the oc-

casion was the one hundredth anniversary.

The speaker was Victor Hugo, another great man. The

opening words of his address were: "Men and women of

France, one hundred years ago today a man died." Had the

speaker uttered not another word he would in that concise sen-

tence have paid to the memory of the dead the highest compli-

ment that it is possible to express or pay to the living or the

dead. Just pause a moment for thought as to how comprehensive

that expression is, "A man died." Think for a moment how

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