Early History of the Elks This history appears in Chapter XCII of "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904), pages 534-535 and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Joy Fisher, sdgenweb@yahoo.com. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm CHAPTER XCII BENEVOLENT AND PROTECTIVE ORDER OF ELKS. BY HON. JOHN T. COGAN. This order was instituted in New York City, in 1868. It was composed only of a few gentlemen of the theatrical profession, drawn together for social intercourse, and was then styled, "The Jolly Corks." As the order grew, its name was changed to that of the benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and professional and business men generally were enrolled as members. It has now developed into a widespread and powerful order of benevolence and charity, with lodges in over nine hundred of the principal cities of the United States. The idea became prevalent that none but members of the theatrical profession and its dependencies were eligible to membership in the order. This is erroneous. It is true that many of the reputable male portion of the profession are members ; but on the roll of membership will he found the names of prominent officials, merchants, bankers, journalists, legal and medical men, and the bright lights of the world in art, literature, science and music. The order is a purely charitable organization, seeking to do its charity in silence, that the proud spirit that suffers in secret, fearing more the blush of shame that comes of asking, than the pangs of hunger, may feel that never will its sore need, nor the manner of its alleviation be published to the world, and that the faults, the frailties, the necessities and the help extended will remain as sacred confidences never to he divulged. And this fully explains the reason for the only secret of the organization. Charity, justice, brotherly love and fidelity are the watchwords of this order, and humanity its keynote, and daily and hourly do the prayers of the widow and orphan ascend to the Throne of Grace, craving blessings upon the magnanimous and beneficent order of Elks. Only one lodge of Elks is permitted in any town or city, and the city must contain a population of five thousand. This is done to prevent the rivalry, conflict and jealousy that so often embarrass and injure secret societies, by rivalry among lodges of the same order in the same city. There are 110 ranks, titles or emoluments in the order. All Elks have equal rights under their laws. The order is born of brotherly love, and aiming to promote the brotherhood of man, it is designed to offer its members the certainty of warm hearts and welcome hearths in the various cities to which business or pleasure may summon them. THE ORDER IN SOUTH DAKOTA. Sioux Falls Lodge, No. 262, was the first lodge of Elks organized in South Dakota. The lodge was instituted on May 6, 1893, by District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler Caine, of Minneapolis. The first officers of the lodge were: Exalted ruler, A. B. Kittredge; esteemed leading knight, B. H. Lien; esteemed lecturing knight, S. E. Blanvelt; esteemed loyal knight, J. H. Voorhees; secretary, Henry Schaetzel; treasurer, A. Christopherson: tyler, Frank Kunerth; esquire, Theodore Wuest; chaplain, R. F. Brown; inner guard, J. J. Schumacher: trustees, B. F. Campbell, C. C. Crandall, George E. Wheeler. Huron Lodge, No.444, was organized June 24, 1898, by District Dcputy Grand Exalted Ruler F. S. Emerson, of Sioux Falls. Following were the officers: Exalted ruler, E. H. Aplin; esteemed leading knight, D. B. Jeffries esteemed loyal knight, M. F. Montgomery ; esteemed lecturing knight, Frank A. Morris; secretary, B. E. Beach; treasurer, E. J. Miller esquire, George C. Fullenweider; tyler, William Ritchslag; chaplain, O. A. Ricker; inner guard, C. N. McIlvaine; trustees, F. H. Kent, R. O. Richards, William Waibel. Deadwood Lodge, No. 508, was instituted August 10, 1899, by District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler F. S. Emerson, of Sioux Falls. Its first officers were: Exalted ruler, Sol. Star; esteemed leading knight, W. R. Steele; esteemed loyal knight, Joseph B. Moore; esteemed lecturing knight, W. L. McLaughlin; secretary, W. A. Ickes; treasurer, John Treber; tyler, Paul Rewman; esquire, M. J. Donovan; inner guard, John Gray; chaplain, James Conzett; trustees, D. A. McPherson, N. E. Franklin, James Munn. Lead Lodge, No.747, was instituted January 6, 1902, by District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler H. H. Keith, of Sioux Falls, with the following officers: Exalted ruler, Dr. Newton M. Wade; esteemed leading knight, L. P. Jenkins esteemed loyal knight, James P. Wilson ; esteemed lecturing knight, R. H. Purcell ; secretary, John Walsh, Jr. ; treasurer, James W. Curran; esquire, Walter A. Quimby; tyler, Herman F. Schiek; chaplain, J. Allen Archibald; inner guard, James B. Parker; trustees, Malcom C. Campbell, Walter E. Smead, Peter H. Gushurst. Watertown Lodge, No. 838, was instituted March 12, 1903, by District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler John T. Cogan, of Sioux Falls, with the following officers: Exalted ruler, M. R. Baskerville; esteemed leading knight, F. A. Countryman; esteemed loyal knight, G. A. Abott ; esteemed lecturing knight, A. G. Matter; secretary, F. S. Bramble; treasurer, H. T. Sheldon; tyler, C. E. Fowler; esquire, M. A. Hackman; inner guard, H. D. MacCosham; trustees, J. I. Monks, C. A. Neil, C. C. Whistler. DISTRICT DEPUTIES. United States Senator A. B. Kittredge was the first district deputy grand exalted ruler for South Dakota, serving during the term of 1893-4. F. S. Emerson, of Sioux Falls, was next elected and served as that officer until 1902, when Judge H. H. Keith, of Sioux Falls, was chosen to succeed him. John T. Cogan, of Sioux Falls, was selected as district deputy in 1903.