The Independent Order of Odd FellowsThe following was taken from the Rose History printed in 1911:The Independent Order of Odd Fellows has a strong following in Luverne. Three branches of the order are maintained, the first of which, Myrtle Lodge No. 67, was instituted by Past Grand Master D.A. Morrison on the evening of Nov. 7, 1878. The following officers were installed on that occasion: C. Combs, N.G.; R.M. Click, V.G.; H.J. Cone, R.S.; W.J. Taylor, P.S.; C.W. Held, treasurer; C.C. Drew, R.S. to N.G.; P.F. Kelly, L.S. to N.G.; J. Marvin, warden; D. Stone, conductor; James Crowell, I.G.; Rev. Charles Thayer, chaplain. The lodge has a present membership of 167. Luverne Encampment No. 11 was organized Aug. 27, 1986, the work being conducted by Grand Chief Patriarch W.W. Trafton. The charter members and first officers were Martin Webber, C.P.; L.H. Way, S.W.; Christian Hienz, J.W.; B.S. Dodds, F.S.; E.S. Rogers, R.S.; Henry Hofelmann, H.P.; R.J. Stephen, treasurer; H.P. Blasdell, W.M. Hewett, W.T. Goodhue, E.J. Schmidt, W.A. McDowell. The youngest of the branches in Odd Fellowship is Canton Luverne No. 19, which was instituted Feb. 24, 1910, with 35 charter members. The initial members and the first officers were: J.L. Snook Jr., ensign; E.C. Schwartz, captain; C.N. Philbrick, lieutenant; J.E. Lamm, guard; H.C. Heinz, sentinel; T.A. Faulk, standard bearer; H.H. Hagedorn, clerk; B.S. Dodds, accountant; Sam Foight, picket; John Biss, John Meintz, William L. Stralow, W.A. McDowell, H.W. Matthews, Ferdinand Bendt, J.W. Hawkinson, W.H. White, Martin Webber, J.W. McDowell, John Kiehl, H. Kabler, C.H. Peterson, John W. Tatge, J.N. Grapes, S. Jones, Arther Perman, John Connell, C.J. Zimm, Bert Congers, Cart Stroeh, Henry Rambosky, E.R. Vasey, Charles F. Steffen, G.W. Cottrell, C.E. Nutting. The Odd Fellows own the brick block on Main Street in which are located their lodge rooms. The property was purchased in October 1906, and is valued at $7,000.A strong Rebekah Lodge, auxiliary to the Odd Fellow, is maintained. An attempt to form such an organization was made so early as the summer of 1880, but the plans made at that time were not fulfilled. Jasper Stone Lodge No. 80 became an organized body Dec. 1, 1892. The instituting officers were Grand Secretary A.L. Bolton, J.A. Karney and Mrs. Hammond, grand warden of South Dakota. The charter members and first officers of the order were as follows: Emma Minard. N.G.; Floretta E. Webber V.G.; Mary Blodgett, R.S.V.G.; F.H. Fritz, O.S.G.; M.C. Dietrich, L.S.V.G.; Fred J. Minard, R.S.N.G.: Martin Webber warden; R.J. Stephen, F.A. Larkin, Gus. Wehner, W.H. Andrews, E.G. Blodgett, W.H. Snook, R. Merkle, William Minard, H.H. Welch. Donations to the Rock County Historical Endowment Fund can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.
