Summary Information
Independent Order of Good Templars. Lodge No. 27 Records
1864-1926
- Independent Order of Good Templars, Lodge No. 27 (Bangor, Wis.)
La Crosse Mss AQ
0.8 cubic feet (2 archives boxes)
UW-La Crosse Murphy Library / La Crosse Area Research Ctr. (Map)
Records of Lodge No. 27 consisting of constitutions, rituals, membership records, minutes, financial records, papers from an 1880 appeal by the Reverend H. M. Pugh who was accused of violating the pledge of abstinence, and reports and other papers. Also included are records from several related Bangor organizations: the Independent Order of Good Templars, Lodge No. 208, 1864-1866; the Good Templars Mutual Benefit Association, 1892-1913; and the Bangor Trust Company, 1887-1890.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-lx00aq ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Lodge No. 27 of Bangor, Wisconsin, founded November 19, 1869, was a subordinate lodge of the Independent Order of Good Templars, an international temperance organization. The I.O. of G.T. was a hierarchical organization founded on May 16, 1855, which included national, guard, district, and subordinate lodges, all members of the International Supreme Lodge, which continued to function until the early twentieth century. The Grand Lodge of Wisconsin, founded May 13, 1856 to “save people from the evils of liquor” called itself the “largest temperance organization in the state.” It had direct jurisdiction over district and subordinate lodges in Wisconsin.
Members of the I.O. of G.T. favored the end of the manufacture, sale and use of intoxicants, absolute prohibition, active dissemination of the “truth” about liquor, and the election of sympathetic representatives to government offices. Each member took a pledge to abstain from “spirituous of malt liquors, wine and cider,” and promised to discourage their manufacture, sale and use. Rituals and secrecy were an integral part of all levels of the I.O. of G.T.
Upon its founding, Bangor Lodge No. 27, adopted the uniform constitution for subordinate lodges which established its structure, procedures and rituals. The officers were a worthy chief templar; worthy vice-chief templar; a secretary, responsible for minutes, written communications, attesting to monies ordered paid at meetings, reports, etc.; a financial secretary, responsible for accounts between the lodge and its members; a treasurer; marshall; guard; sentinel; assistant secretary and deputy marshall. The lodge required members to pay regular dues and could expel members for failure to pay or for breaking the pledge of abstinence. Although the I.O. of G.T. was considered an educational instrument, lodge meetings also served as social events. Lodge No. 27 surrendered its charter on January 20, 1891 when only seven members remained.
Some records of Bangor Lodge No. 208; Star of Province, Juvenile Temple No. 63; the Good Templar Mutual Benefit Association; and the Bangor Trust Company are included with the Records of Bangor Lodge No. 27. Bangor Lodge No. 208 was founded December 2, 1864. Some members left that lodge to found Lodge No. 27. The Good Templars Mutual Benefit Association was an insurance agency for Good Templars, founded in 1885. Members paid a premium based on their age and health. When a member died, each living member contributed to a death benefit fund for the family of the deceased. Members of Lodge No. 27 founded Bangor Trust Co. on March 14, 1887. On April 1, 1887 it received a warranty deed for property valued at 300 dollars from the lodge, which constituted the capital stock of the Trust Company. It also managed funds for the International Order of Odd Fellows.
Scope and Content Note
The records of the Independent Order of Good Templars, Lodge No. 27 are organized in two series: Records of Bangor Lodge No. 27, and Records of Related Organizations. The first series, Records of Bangor Lodge No. 27, is the greater part of the collection. Within this grouping, the folder of communications and certificates from the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin, 1870-1926, contains constitutions, portions of the rituals and two letters. Among the records are two volumes of membership lists, the first of which, 1869-1882, contains the constitution of subordinate lodges as well as a list of members, dates and places of residence. In the second volume, 1881-1884, the names of proposed members, their occupation, references, decisions of an investigative committee, and dates of initiation are cited. Most of the records in this series are minutes and reports. These include three volumes of secretary's minute books, 1869-1887, recording acceptance of new members, charges against members and actions taken, elections of officers and delegates to conventions, and routine business; secretary's reports, 1881-1885 and quarterly reports, 1887-1890, describing membership; financial secretary's reports, 1869-1884, containing entries for each member of the amount of dues paid and records of suspensions, expulsions and withdrawals; two volumes of the financial secretary's account books, 1874-1884, and quarterly reports, 1881-1882; and treasurer's quarterly reports, 1881-1885.
Other records of Bangor Lodge No. 27 include leases, bills and receipts, 1879-1889; and records of the appeal case (1880) of the Rev. H. M. Pugh, who was accused of violating the pledge of abstinence. Miscellaneous papers include a written charge against a member, December 4, 1869; reports concerning the sewing society, the finance committee, ice cream sales, resignations of two officers; and final reports, January 22, 1891, written after the charter was surrendered.
The Records of Related Organizations series is comprised of the secretary's minute book from Bangor Lodge No. 208; two account books of the financial secretary of the Star of Province, Juvenile Temple, containing records of dues and members; records of the Good Templars Mutual Benefit Association, including proceedings from Annual Sessions, 1892, 1894-1896, an application for membership form, and routine correspondence; and records of the Bangor Trust Company consisting of proceedings and a treasurer's account book. Throughout the collection the records within each category are arranged chronologically.
Related Material
See also: Records of the Independent Order of Good Templars - Wisconsin Grand Lodge (Wis Mss JT); and Independent Order of Good Templars, Omro Lodge, No. 48. Twelve books and pamphlets pertaining to the organization and the order of rituals of the I.O. of G.T., Bangor Lodge were sent to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library as L70-28, March 20, 1970.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by the Reverend C. R. Gaylord, River Falls, Wisconsin, March 20, 1970. Accession Number: M70-71
Processed by Margaret Hedstrom and John Fleckner, October 27, 1976.
Contents List
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La Crosse Mss AQ
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Series: Records of Bangor Lodge No. 27
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Communications and certificates from Grand Lodge of Wisconsin, 1870-1887, 1908, 1926
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Membership lists and constitution, 1869-1882, 1881-1884
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Box
1
Folder
3
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Secretary's minute books, 1869-1887 February 5
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Box
1
Folder
4
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Secretary's reports, 1881-1885
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Box
1
Folder
4
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Quarterly reports, 1887-1890
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Box
1
Folder
5
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Financial secretary's records, 1869-1875, 1877-1881, 1881-1884
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Box
2
Folder
6
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Financial secretary's account books, 1874-1884
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Box
2
Folder
6
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Quarterly reports, 1881-1882
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Box
2
Folder
7
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Treasurer's quarterly reports, 1881-1885
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Box
2
Folder
8
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Leases, bills, and receipts, 1879-1889
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Box
2
Folder
9
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The Rev. H. M. Pugh appeal case, 1880
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Box
2
Folder
10
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Miscellaneous papers, 1869-1891
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Series: Records of Related Organizations
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Box
2
Folder
11
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Bangor Lodge No. 208, proceedings, 1864 December 2-1866 December 1
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Box
2
Folder
12
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Star of Providence, Juvenile Temple No. 63, financial secretary's account books, 1887 December 15-1889 April 30; 1887 December 15-1889 January 2
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Box
2
Folder
13
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Good Templars Mutual Benefit Association, records, 1892-1899, 1905, 1913
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Box
2
Folder
14
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Bangor Trust Company, proceedings, 1887-1890
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Box
2
Folder
14
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Treasurer's account book, 1887 April 1-1890 May 15
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