Many Local Prominent Citizens Of By-Gone Days Were Active Members Of The Order – Records Of All Meetings Preserved Except First
From the 1938 centennial edition of The Times-Register
Salem Lodge No. 100, Independent Order of Odd Fellows was established in 1851 as Roanoke Lodge N. 100, and on April 21, 1891 the name was changed to Salem Lodge No. 100.
So well have the records of this organization been kept that the minutes of every meeting held by the lodge with one exception are available. The one session for which the minutes are missing was the first meeting held on January 21, 1851. In some manner of other the page containing the minutes of this first meeting was torn out of the book.
Minutes of the second meeting of this lodge are available in this record book, and these minutes show that Abram Hupp was appointed on one of the committees at that meeting.
Minutes of the second meeting help by the local lodge are as follows:
2nd Meeting
“January 28, 1851.
Hall of Roanoke Lodge, No. 100 of I. O. O. F.
The Noble Grand in the upper chair and all the other officers present except Vice-Grand and Warden. Bro. Minnix was called to the chair of V. G. and Br. Magee appointed warden pro tem.
Opened in due form. Prayer by Bro. Thompson. Roll called and examined; the minutes of the preceding meeting read approved.
Under the head of proposals for membership the following names were proposed, viz., Wm. Burns and Philip Unrue. Whereupon the following brothers were appointed as a committee to inquire into the eligibility of same: Brothers Thompson, Magee and Fitzgerald.
After which Brother Minnix presents the accounts assumed at the William C. Williams hotel, being the whole expense of institution of officers at that place, which was ordered paid.
Then a motion was made by Brother Fitzgerald that we should change the time of meeting from Tuesday night to Friday night which was carried by a two-thirds vote.
Brother Thompson then moved that a committee of three be appointed to select a design for a seal which was carried. Whereupon said committee was appointed, Viz., Brothers Thompson, McGee and A. Hupp.
On motion of Brother Minnix a certificate was granted Bro. Effinger for the first and second degrees. There being no further business the lodge was closed and opened in the first or White degree. Whereupon Bro. Effinger was elected a member of said degree and being properly instructed in the same was proclaimed advanced and entitled to the privilege of same.
And there being no further business the lodge was closed and opened in the second or Covenant degree and the following brother was elected, viz., W. F. Effinger, who being properly instructed was proclaimed advanced and entitled to the privileges of said degree.
There being no further business the lodge was closed F. L. T. N. Nagel, Sec.”
220 Members
At the present time the local lodge has 220 members in good standing and this lodge has ever been one of the most active in the stated. It pays a weekly sick benefit and also a death benefit to either the husband or wife. The greatest blessing of Odd Fellowship is its obligation to visit the sick, relive the distressed, bury the dead and educate the orphans.
Since the local lodge was organized, there have been 162 Noble Grands of the lodge elected as two are chosen each year. During the Civil War the lodge did not meet. Among the past noble Grands were Circuit Judges Henry E. Blair, Wm. M. Barnitz and J. W. Palmer. Judge Barnitz later became State Grand Master.
Present officers of the lodge are as follows: J. Walter Wertz, Noble Grand; W. B. Persinger, Recording Secretary; C. H. Kesler, Treasurer; Chas. Wilson, Chaplain; B. A. Reed, Vice Grand; C. F. Saunders, Financial Secretary; H. C. S. Wright, Past Grand; Patriarch of the Lodge is Albin H. Magee, Historian.
According to Mr. Magee, the original Town Hall, corner of Clay and College Avenue, was built in the year 1853. The first floor was used as a theater, where such famous actors as Maude Adams, the Berger family, Sol Smith Russell the Wildman Thorn Troopes and many others appeared. The first Hall was destroyed by fire about sixty years ago, and after some delay the present Town Hall was built.
Records show that the lodge met in the Jury Room of the courthouse, while the building was being constructed. At the present time there is the rather unique situation of the East Hall on the second floor being owned by the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias, while West Hall on the same floor is owned by the Masons, and the lower floor belongs to the Town of Salem.
– Prepared by Lingjie Gu
