A Fraternal History of Marin County California

Improved Order of Red Men (IORM)

Improved Order of Red Men Membership Certificate

The Red Men were a very popular fraternity in Marin County at the end of the 19th Century and beginning of the 20th Century. Most Tribes of Red Men were then located in San Rafael and were: Genessee Tribe, No. 207 Improved Order of Red Men; Genessee Council, Degree of Pocahontas; Papoose Tribe, No. 207 (?), Improved Order of Red Men; German Red Men, Marin Stamm; German Red Men, Marin Stamm No. 29, Daughters of Pocahontas; German Red Men, Tamalpais Stamm; German Red Men, Tamalpais Stamm No. 287, Daughters of Pocahontas. The papers indicated that in 1924 the Marin Stamm and Tamalpais Stamm IORM held their installations jointly at the Odd Fellows Hall.

There was a short-lived Tribe in Mill Valley. Lamonte Tribe No. 209, IORM, appears to have been instituted in or just prior to 1908 and is not listed as an active Tribe in 1910. For the year 1908, Lamonte Tribe's Chief of Records was C.E. Burtchaell; in 1909 the Chief of Records was C.M. Fisher. the Tribe met on Tuesday nights. (Information supplied by Kenneth R. Reffeitt, PGI, from the Great Council of the United States Proceedings for 1908, 1909, and 1910 listings of Tribes: 1910 was the last year that the GCUS included a list of Tribes in the proceedings.) An early parade and picnic program in the Mill Valley Historical Society files refers to the Tribe of Red Men located in Mill Valley; a program for the September 9, 1909 Sausalito Municipal Water Supply and Admission Day Celebration likewise refers to both "Redmen of Mill Valley" and "Redmen of San Rafael" as having been Grand Parade participants.

Genessee Tribe, No. 207 Improved Order of Red Men, instituted April 1908, met in the Red Men hall in the Cochrane-McNear block of San Rafael (4th Street between C and D Streets, nearly across from the Odd Fellows Hall), which, when completed in May 1908 was the most spacious lodge room in San Rafael. The room was described as being "handsomely carpeted, seated with cane-bottom chairs and three beautiful chandeliers pendant from the ceiling with an abundance of side lights. All of the lights had opalescent shades. The lower walls were painted crimson red, and the top relief was buff with a cream tinted ceiling. The chairs sat on a raised platform all around the room with a double elevation for the Grand Sachem. The hall also had a spacious carpeted and finished ante-room, and closets for regalia and lodge paraphernalia. The contractor for the painting and decorating was George Williams and the lighting contractor was G.W. Fox (a member of the Lodge). The paper described the lodge room as "a credit to San Rafael."

In 1919, it was reported to the Great Council of California that Genessee Tribe No. 207 had been very hard hit by both the call to service in the First World War and the influenza epidemic. (Record... 1919, p. 94.) By February 1920, however, the Tribe had rebounded and it, together with the degree team of Ahwashte Tribe No. 89 of San Francisco, conferred the degrees on thirty "palefaces." (Record... 1920, p. 82.) In April 1920, San Rafael hosted the Past Sachems' Association of the North Coast Counties, at which Mayor Rodden of San Rafael gave the welcoming address. (Record... 1920, p. 16.) San Rafael again played host to the Association's meeting on January 20, 1924. (Record...1924, p. 29.) It was reported in 1924 that Genessee Tribe was "Very much alive, conferring all three degrees and always hard at work." Id. at 97.

In 1929, Genessee Tribe donated $10 toward Florida Flood relief in connection with the Great Okeechobee Flood of September 16, 1928 in Florida. (Record... 1929, p. 46.)

In 1931 the Genessee Tribe sent its degree team to the Great Council session in Monterey to compete against other tribes in conferring the Warriors Degree. Because all other tribes pulled out of the competition, it was called off, but Genessee Tribe was given the sum of $125 to defray its costs in connection with coming to compete. (Record... 1931, p. 99.)

The newspapers make reference to Genessee Tribe installing officers at the "B" Street Hall in 1933.

Genessee Tribe was unrepresented at the 1936 Great Council. (Record... 1936, p. 87.) [This author has not had access to the record of proceedings of 1934, 1935, or 1937 through 1941] In 1942, it was reported that the Great Council was in possession of the set of degree costumes belonging to the already defunct Genessee Tribe No. 207. Its costumes were offered to Hal-Ona Tribe No. 285, Culver City for the sum of $50.

Members of the Genessee Tribe included, R.A. Welch, Ray Andrade, William G. Turney, A. Ratje, H.E. Smith, Walter Gorman, Chas. Edsberg, Dan Foley, Demond G. Griffin, Don E. Eastman, W. Bridgeman, John Nelson, P.H. Cochrane, Henry Martens, Geo. Soldavini, Geo. W. Fox, Patrick McNamara, Edward W. Griffin, A.S. Graham, J.E. Edsberg, Harry F. Sobey, Walter E. Devereaux, Joseph Bertoni, John McCarthy, Thomas Jordan, J.J. Keating, Chas. Pallavicini, Wm. Nusbaum, Henry Day, Louis Leonardi, Thomas Longhetti, Robert Kopperman, R.C.S. Graham, Norman Canziani, Chas. Giudici, Wm. J. Gott, Arthur J. Davis, L. Gamerro, Leonard Nott, P. Brusati, M. Bartoni.

The Red Men returned to Marin in 1944 with the institution of Tamal Tribe No. 288, which met at the Portuguese-American Hall, 820 B Street, San Rafael. In 1946, Tamal Tribe gained 27 new members and member John Canziani was recognized as a "Member Getter". (Record ...1946, p. ii, "Honor Roll," and p. iii, "Diamond Emblem Club.") Canziani was a "Member Getter" again in 1947 and the Lodge made the "Honor Roll" for having a net gain of four members in 1948. (Record ...1947, p. iii; Record ...1948, p. ii.) Tamal Tribe announced its intention of proposing Fred Kuhlken for the office of Great Junior Sagamore at the 83rd Great Council Session. (Record ...1948, p. 68.)

In 1950, Tamal Tribe was praised by the Great Council for its degree team having performed the "All-American Degree" once during the year. (Record ...1950, p. 8) In 1954, the Great Sachem encouraged tribes to beconme involved in civic affairs, including parades, dedications, home-town festivals or other community-wide activities, and pointed to Tamal Tribe as an example for its helping to arrange and put on the San Rafael Festival. (Record...1954, p. 5.) During the 1940's and 1950's, members of Tamal Tribe No. 288 included, August Kientz, Walter P. Mazza, Edward Rodrigues, Chas. Giudici, John Canziani, Reno Bosco, Fred Kuhlken, Albert S. Graham, Michael D. Prior, Glen Clark. Despite being one of the wealthier Tribes in the State of California, Tamal Tribe No. 288's membership eroded away during the 1950's: In 1950, membership was 111 members; by 1951 it was down to 88 members; by 1952, 83 members; 1953, 82 members; 1954, 76 members; 1955, 73, 1956, 66 members. (Record of Great Sun Session, for the years 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, and 1956.) This reflected the decline in membership for the Order throughout California during this period: In July 1949, total California Red Men membership stood at 7,153 members, but by December 1955 it had declined to just 5,138 members statewide. (Id.)

Improved Order of Red Men - Background, History, Ritual and Emblems

The Improved Order of Red Men was founded in Baltimore in 1834 as a fraternal, social, insurance and political society in the United States. The first tribe was Logan Tribe No. 1 in Baltimore, MD. However, the IORM claims, that it is a lineal descendent of earlier patriotic organizations - the Sons of Liberty, Tammany Societies or Columbian Order, and the Society of Red Men.

In c. 1766, an association of patriots in the United States adopted the name the "Sons of Liberty" following British Member of Parliament Isaac Barre calling the agitators in the colonies by that name. The Son's of Liberty may have formed originally as an association of protesters against the Stamp Act; Its best known exploit was the Boston Tea Party, during which members of the Sons of Liberty (many of whom were Freemasons), disguised as Mohawk Indians, emptied the contents of three hundred and forty-two chests of tea off British ships at Griffin's Wharf on December 16, 1773.

In 1771, the Sons of Liberty at Annapolis, MD had changed their name to the Saint Tamina Society, apparently to ridicule other existing associations that had adopted the patronage of some saint of European extraction, such as the Saint George's Society, Saint Andrew's Society, and Saint David's Society, all of which were loyal to the British Crown." Saint Tamina" was undoubtedly American.

Tamanend was a seventeenth century chief of the Lenni-Lenape tribe of the Delaware. He was credited with being endowed with special abilities to communicate with the Great Spirit. In 1682, Tamanend, sachem ("counselor of the people") and chief, welcomed William Penn to America and signed with him the Treaty of Shakamaxon. The Tammany Society took its name from this celebrated chief who was admired and beloved by both Indians and Colonists. Tamanend acquired the sobriquet, "Saint Tammany".

The Tammany societies were founded in Annapolis (1771) New York, Philadelphia, and other cities. The Tammany Society was founded originally as a philanthropic and patriotic society. After the Revolution it expanded along the lines of a fraternal/charitable order for Revolutionary War veterans who could not join the officers-only Society of Cincinnati. In its early history, Tammany was considered a democratic counter-weight to the Cincinnati.

The Tammany Society, or Columbian Order of New York City, the only Tammany society to have a long life, was formed c.1786 and was incorporated in 1789, a few months after Washington was inaugurated in New York. Divided into 13 tribes, corresponding to the 13 states, it had as its motto "Freedom Our Rock"; its rites and ceremonials were based on pseudo-Native American forms, and the titles of its officials were also pseudo-Native American. Society members met in "wigwams" and Society officers were called "sachems". Although its activities were at first mostly social, ceremonial, and patriotic, the society gradually became the principal upholder of Jeffersonian politics in New York City.

The Tammany Society of New York became increasingly political under the influence of Aaron Burr and by the middle of the 19th century had become a significant force in city government. By the 1860's it was impossible to hold political power in New York City without the support of the Tammany Society: The New York Tammany Society remained a major political force in the City until 1960's. The Tammany Society was so powerful politically in New York that it was said that the City was run from Tammany Hall. (The infamous "Boss" Tweed was the Sachem of the Tammany Society in New York City until his corruption became such an issue that it was expedient for the Society to replace him with Charles Murphy, New York's dock commissioner, who became the new head of the Tammany Society.)

This shift away from being a philanthropic organization occasioned the rise of the Society of Red Men, the direct ancestor of the present Improved Order of Red Men. Apparently members of one or more of the Tammany Societies believed the original purpose had become perverted and desired to reorganize to carry out the original principles of patriotism and benevolence. Thus following the War of 1812, the Society of Red Men was formed at Fort Mifflin (on the Delaware River near Philadelphia, PA) in c.1816.

During this period, the Society of Red Men and a branch of the St. Tammany Society existed together in Philadelphia; the names of several individuals appear on the roll of membership in each of the two organizations at the same time, a fact that has led the IORM to assert that "the organization formed at Fort Mifflin came from knowledge of, and probable membership in, the previous organizations know as St. Tammany Societies that existed from 1771." The Society of Red Men was apparently active during the period from 1816 down to 1834 when the Improved Order of Red Men was instituted. (One branch of the Society of Red Men at Reading, PA continued to exist parallel to the IORM until it was absorbed by the IORM in c. 1854.)

[It is interesting to note that another short-lived society called the Order of the Iroquois was started by Lewis Henry Morgan (author of League of the Ho-de-no-sau-nee or League of the Iroquois) in 1843 at Aurora, New York. Like the then existing Red Men, Morgan's society utilized initiatory rituals purportedly based on the "whole history, customs, exploits, dress, and mythic lore" of the Iroquois. After witnessing real Iroquois ceremonies, Morgan subsequently became disenchanted with his brain-child and left the Order of Iroquois, hastening its demise as a competitor of the Red Men.]

The Improved Order of Red Men apparently began as a working-class drinking society similar to the Odd Fellows of the time, until it was transformed by a protemperance faction in the 1830's. Despite climbing on the bandwagon of the temperance movement, by 1850 membership had only grown to 3,175 members in forty-five tribes. During the ensuing decade, the Red Men set about improving their ritual, even offering cash prizes to encourage members in the effort: Consequently, new rituals were adopted in 1850, 1852, 1859, 1864, and in 1868 when the very successful Adoption degree was added. Equipped with an improved ritual, by the mid-1870's 10,000 new members were being initiated each year.

In 1850, just sixteen years into the Improved Order's existence, a schism occurred in the IORM. The seeds of dispute were sown when on September 17, 1841 Metamora Tribe No. 4 (German speaking) was instituted in Maryland. (As mentioned above, popularity of the Red Men with Germans may have been fueled by the popular writing of Karl May, b.1842-d.1912, who has been credited with creating, "a longing for the West in the German soul" through his tales of Winnetou.) It worked under the authority of the Grand Council of Maryland until 1850. In that year the Metamora Tribe refused to pay benefits to a member who thereafter appealed to the Grand Council of Maryland which investigated and directed the Tribe to pay; the Tribe appealed to the Great Council of the United States which sustained the Great Council of Maryland. Thereafter Metamora Tribe No. 4 withdrew and after failing to attract German speaking Tribes in Philadelphia to defect, organized the Great Stamm of the Independent Order of Red Men and began chartering new Tribes. It Charted Tribes in twelve states, including California, and at its height had over 12,000 members.

In 1854, authority was given by the Improved Order of Red Men to institute two Tribes in California: No official record exists of this having been accomplished, but a tradition in the Red Men fraternity holds that a Tribe was instituted at Red Dog which soon became extinct. On November 9, 1863, California Tribe No. 1 was instituted in San Francisco, and was soon followed by Manhattan Tribe No. 2, Hiawatha Tribe No. 3 and Manzanita Tribe No. 4; California Tribe No. 1 soon had to be reinstituted and in its second incarnation became a German speaking Tribe. By 1868 six Tribes of the Improved Order had been chartered in California; it is unknown how many had been chartered by the Independent Order.

The first newspaper for the IORM was begun in San Francisco, CA in 1868. It was called Calumet and was published fortnightly. Although the patronage of the whole order was urged, the paper became defunct in 1874. Throughout the years, the IORM of California struggled to produce a state paper. During the 1920's various plans were offered to make the Insignia self sustaining. It was replaced by the Reservation of California News in the late 1930's, and in the 1940's by the California Chieftain.

One of the founders of the original California Tribe No. 1 was Adam Smith, who had been born in Sembach in the Kingdom of Bavaria before immigrating to the United States. Adam Smith became a force for the expansion of the Order in the West, spreading it to California, Oregon, Utah, and Nevada. He became an elected officer in the Great Council of the United States in 1868 and was Great Incohonee (i.e., National President) in 1877-1878; subsequently he was Great Prophet (i.e., National Chaplain) in 1882-1883.

California became a moving force behind reunification of the two Red Men's Organizations. In 1869, the California Grand Council urged the Grand Council of the United States to either seek reunification of the Improved and Independent Orders or change the name of the Improved Order to reduce public confusion (the California delegation also recommended the creation of a women's degree). In 1874, the California delegation again urged the necessity and expediency of uniting the two orders of Red Men in the United States with the result that a committee was appointed to await contact from any similar committee having authority to speak for the Independent Order. In 1878, California again urged reconciliation and the committee was authorized to approach the Independent Order and arrive at a detailed law for reunion, but in 1879 the committee reported that the Grand Stamm of the Independent Order had adjourned its session before it could put the proposition before it. In 1883, the Improved Order resolved that it would welcome all members of outside organizations of Red Men to membership and allow them to hold individually the same relative honors in the Improved Order as earned in the other order.

While the Improved Order's Official History (1893) reported that dissatisfaction among the Stamms within the Gross Stamm led many as Tribes and Individuals to return to the parent organization, as late as 1890, the two organizations were maintaining separate buildings in San Francisco. The Independent Order of Red Men (under the Gross (Grand) Stamm of the United States had its building at 510 Bush Street, San Francisco; the parent organization, the Improved Order of Red Men, had its building in San Francisco at 320 Post Street. Based on materials now available, it is unclear whether some of the Tribes in Marin County were Chartered by the Improved or Independent Order, and if by the later, if those Tribes ever transferred allegiance to the parent. At some point before 1946, the IORM's offices had been relocated from 320 Post Street to the Red Men's Building, 240 Golden Gate Avenue. (Record...1946, p. 10.) In 1947, the Red Men's Hall Association sold the building at 240 Golden Gate Avenue and dissolved the building corporation. (Record...1947, p. 49.) As all of the San Francisco Red Men's Tribes met at the Red Men's Hall, its sale may have been responsible for reports in 1948 that "the Tribes in San Francisco, with the exception of a few, have been very inactive." (Record ...1948, p. 9.) After sale of the Red Men's Hall, the Great Council's offices were moved to the Rathskeller ("California Hall") at 625 Polk Street, San Francisco, where it languished without signage on the street until August 1948. (Record ...1948, p. 48.) Proceeds from the sale of Red Men's Hall ($4,828.93 due shareholders) had to be held in trust until June 9, 1951. (Record ...1948, p. 50.)

On a State level, the California Red Men practiced volunteerism and became involved organizationally in civic affairs. On May 20, 1918, California Redmen donated an ambulance purchased and equipped by California Redmen to the Base Hospital at Camp Louis, Washington. (Record... 1918, p. 19.) In December 1918, the Great Council of the United States, acting through the Great Council of California, presented another ambulance to Letterman Hospital in San Francisco. (Record...1919, p. 21) A third ambulance was donated by Red Men to the Great Lakes Station. (Record... 1943, p. 45.) There were 2,215 Red Men of California in the Armed Services. (Record... 1918, p. 141) In 1929, California Red Men donated $417.50 to the San Francisco chapter of the American Red Cross for Florida relief. (Record... 1929, pp. 46-47.) On September 16, 1928, Florida had been hit by a devastating hurricane with winds over 150 mph and a minimum barometer reading of 27.43 inches (just short of a new record low for the United States) and a large tidal surge that resulted in the Great Okeechobee Flood which killed between 1,836 and 3,500 people.

Civic commitment continued even through the Great Depression which by 1931, had impacted certain localities in California more severely, especially in the two big interior valleys of California, the Sacramento and San Joaquin. (Record... 1931, p. 19.) [The Great Depression led the Red Men's leadership to debate adopting a plan similar to the Native Sons of the Golden West whereby the Order would contract the services of "a good man for a period of one year," to work with certain identified tribes to secure ten to twelve members each, train them as officers and committeemen. Id. at 44.] Nevertheless programs adopted on the eve of the Great Depression continued. In August 1929, the Great Council of California Red Men adopted a resolution to erect a monument in honor of Chief Solano. (Record... 1929, p. 114.) The bronze statue was initially erected on the State Highway near Fairfield. (Record... 1931, p. 49.) Prominent Red Men politicians (Congressman Harry L. Englebright, P.G.S., State Treasurer Chas. G. Johnson, and former San Francisco Mayor and then Governor James "Sunny Jim" Rolph, Jr. [Rolph was also a member of the IOOF]) helped the Order secure $5,000 in State funds toward the project. Id. Because its location in an isolated section of the County resulted in its being badly mutilated by hunters and children using it for target practice, the Solano Tribe No. 114, Benicia, petitioned for removal of the statue to the historical town of Benicia to be located at the corner of the new State Highway on 5th and J. Streets on a site donated by St. Dominic's Priory. (Record... 1936, pp. 79-80.) In 1931, California Red Men and Daughters of Pocahontas collected the sum of $281.57 for the relief of Native Americans in Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties who were suffering from cold and starvation. (Record... 1931, p. 11-12.) As a result of this beneficence, twenty-seven palefaces in Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties joined the Order. Id. The IORM became active in support of American Indian Development programs designed to aid in education and health of native American children. In 1933, the Red Men utilized $100 towards sponsorship of a float in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses (then Pasadena Floral) Parade. (Record... 1933, p. 36.)

Paternalistic treatment of Native Americans marked the Red Men's overall tradition of nativism, the manifestation of which in California sometimes boardered on xenophobia (particularly towards Asians) and sometimes was progressive. California Red Men defeated a resolution proposed by Red Men Past Sachems and former Volunteers of the Spanish War who saw active service (L.F. Guedet, R.G. Wahle, J.P. Manier) that would have permitted admission of non-citizens provided they had declared their intention to become citizens and permitting the summary expulsion should their citizenship be denied. (Record... 1922, pp. 100-101.) The same year, California resolved to support the Near Eastern Relief effort aimed at rescuing girls of Christian and Jewish parentage who had escaped from Turkish and Arabian harems. (Record... 1922, p. 111.) Addressing the so-called "Yellow Menace," California Red Men resolved to support adoption of a law by the United States Congress excluding from the United States all people who because of their color or race are ineligible to become citizens and for the deportation of those already in the country. (Record... 1922, p. 123.) In August 1943, between discussing the downward turn in membership and membership sponsor prizes, the Great Council of California adopted a resolution whereby the Red Men of California "hereby go on record to exclude the re-entrance of Japanese to civil life within the commonwealth of California; the they be kept under strict Military Law for the duration of the present struggle…We further resolve that, with the successful conclusion of this world's struggle, measures be taken for the deportation of proven undesirable Japanese who have pledged themselves to American principles but have by other acts of misconduct proven themselves unworthy of American principles or citizenship." (Record... 1943, p. 60.) Yet to the Red Men's lasting credit, citing their opposition "to anything which would in any manner tend to detract from the honor and glory of the Flag of our Country, they adopted a resolution condemning as "un-American" the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and kindred organizations. (Record... 1922, pp. 136-137.)

California Redmen demonstrated their progressive nature through the 1950's by proposing legislation to the Grand Council of the United States that would have changed membership restrictions to permit Native Americans to join the organization. (Record of the Eighty-Sixth Great Sun Session, p. 33.) As the resolution stated: "There now exists the un-explainable condition of our Order being based upon these people's habits, traditions and history, with no plausible reason for prohibiting the Adoption of persons of American Indian descent." (Id.) California recognized that: "The descendents of our Aboriginal Prototypes have distinguished themselves and their race in defense of our Country, both at home and overseas, and ...a grateful National Government now affords the American Indian the privilege of citizenship, and ... many public figures, both politically and ecclesiastically, have contributed greatly to our national culture, religion and progress throughout our history...." (Id.) Two of the sponsors of this resolution, F.W. Kuhlken and Reno Bosco, were members of Tamal Tribe No. 288 in San Rafael. The California proposal was defeated by the other States delegations to the Grand Council, and American Indians remained ineligible for membership. (Record of the Eighty-Seventh Great Sun Session, p. 59.) It should be noted that had it been adopted, the California proposal would still have restricted membership to "a white person or of American Indian descent." (Record of the Eighty-Sixth Great Sun Session, p. 33.) Nevertheless California was belatedly exerting leadership among Redmen in the emerging Civil Rights movement of the 1950's. However despite California's progressive leadership, the Red Men would remain closed to non-whites until 1974 when its 106th session of the Great Council eliminated the racial requirement making Native Americans eligible for membership for the first time in the IORM's history.

The IROM's stated aim is "to perpetuate the beautiful legends and traditions of a vanishing race and to keep alive its customs, ceremonies and philosophies." However, the Red Men's rituals and ceremonies are based on white perceptions of some northeastern Native American tribes, especially those of the Algonquian linguistic group.

After 1868, the Red Men worked four degrees. The IROM's degrees are called Adoption, Hunter, Warrior, and Chief. In the Adoption Degree, a paleface is naturalized into the Tribe. The Hunter's Degree, which is a prelude to the Warrior Degree, illustrated the manners and customs governing the chase, by which the hunters provided sustenance for the tribe. The Warrior's Degree illustrated the manner of enlistment for war. The Chief's Degree illustrated the religious forms and ceremonies of the Indians. The Degrees utilize such emblems as the bow and arrow, tomahawk, war club, wampum belt, peace pipe, and skeleton. In 1929 the Great Council of the United States sought comment on plans to introduce an abbreviated method of admitting Red Men by dispensing with the traditional Three Degrees in favor of a brief historical and patriotic thesis of the Order. It was believed that many business and professional men might join the Order through this means who might otherwise not have time to spend several hours going through degrees. (Record... 1929, p. 65) A one degree ritual was demonstrated to some forty tribes in California between May and August of 1931: Since as few as seven men could confer the degree, it was especially welcome to smaller tribes. (Record... 1931, p. 45.) This "All-American Degree" abbreviated the workings of the four degree system into a single degree. Additionally, the Great Council of the United States promulgated a special short form adoption for the admission of United States Presidents and State Governors. (Record... 1936, pp. 12-13.) In 1936, California Governor Frank F. Merriam became a Red Man in a short form adoption ceremony in the Capitol Building at Sacramento, becoming a member of Multnomah Tribe No. 280 at Long Beach: Merriam was reportedly the twentieth Governor to join the Red Men. Id.

The Degree of Pocahontas was instituted for women on January 15, 1887, drawing on the legend of its namesake and the virtues of her life; Councils of the Degree of Pocahontas were instituted in California by 1888. On January 1, 1887 a uniform degree called the Chief's League was instituted. Members wore uniforms of the Continental Soldier. The Chief's League was detached from the authority of the Great Council of the United States in 1890 and a National Chieftains League established to administer this auxiliary order. The first Second Vice Chieftain was Californian Paola Salsbury. By 1893, Chieftains Leagues were instituted in California.

In November 1878, the Improved Order of Red Men organized the National Haymakers' Association which was its "fun" or "friendship" branch that in all likelihood was formed in response to the success of the Masonic Shrine (A.A.O.N.M.S.) which had been founded eight years earlier in 1870; The Haymakers were reorganized in January 1893. The organization met in a body styled a Haymakers' Hayloft. The officers of a Hayloft were the Past Chief Haymaker, Chief Haymaker, Assistant Chief Haymaker, Overseer, Collector of Straws, Keeper of Bundles, Horn Blower, Boss Driver, Guard of Hayloft, Guard of Barndoor, and trustees served as Stewards. Candidates were styled "Tramps." Haymakers tools were the scythe, pitch fork, and rake. Their motto was fun and good fellowship. While its ritual impressed many maxims of morality upon Tramps, it also concluded with enjoinder that, "You are allowed among the Craft to smoke, we being more liberal than most societies, and if you have any spare cigars, you will please pass them around," implying that fun and good fellowship were the chief aims of the society. Haylofts of haymakers existed in California. In 1948, White Eagle Tribe No. 72 in San Francisco was reported to be "taking up the revival of their old Hay Makers Team." (Record...1948, p. 9.) A haymakers party was held by Wahoo Tribe No. 194, in Concord California. (Record of the Eighty-Seventh Great Sun Session, p. 49.) In 1980 the NHA had 10,000 members and was headquarted in New Eagle, Pennsylvania.

California Red Men showed early enthusiasm for the creation of a youth movement. The Past Sachems' Association of San Francisco initiated a movement to establish and foster a unit of Junior Red Men in the City of San Francisco in 1929. (Record... 1929, p. 88.) The purpose was to instill "in the minds of boys ranging from twelve to eighteen years of age, the principles, objects and precepts of our Order and thereby prepare them for future membership." Id. In 1932, a resolution (ruled out of order and received as a communication) was made to recognize Centinela Tribe No. 273 and Centinela Council No. 211 as the institutors and first National Headquarters of the Junior Red Men of America and Junior Pocahontas of America, and to call on the Great Council of the United States to adopt the rituals and books and promulgate them nationally with Centinela Tribe and Council remaining as Headquarters. (Record... 1932, pp. 70, 88.) It would take twenty-years before the Great Council of the United States adopted a youth organization.

Since the Great Council of the United States adopted the Junior Council Program in 1952, the Red Men have sponsored two national youth groups, the Degree of Hiawatha for boys and the Degree of Anona for girls. It was reported at the time that "the plan, if carried to fulfillment in every Reservation [e.g. State], would provide an unlimited number of youths as potential members of the Order." (Record of the Eighty-Seventh Great Sun Session, pp. 35-36.) On September 22, 1955, Degree of Hiawatha No. 1 was instituted in the Wigwam of Iroquois Tribe No. 35, at Stockton, making it the first such body in the State. (Record of the Eighty-Ninth Great Sun Session, p. 37.) The Degree of Hiawatha is a Junior Tribe of Red Men composed of boys 8 years and older, which has as its aim the development of each boy so that he may appreciate the virtues of unity, freedom, strength, peace, charity, loyalty, education, hope, love, courage, friendship, patriotism and tolerance. The Degree of Anona is a junior organization composed of girls from 8 years to 15 years six months of age, which has as its main purpose inspiring American girls with love of country, and good citizenship while advancing the idea of responsibility and acceptance. The Degree of Anona operates under the auspices of the Degree of Pocahontas.

A lodge of Red Men is called a Tribe, and its meeting hall is called a Wigwam. The officers of the Tribe are Sachem (chief), Prophet (chaplain), Senior Sagamore (lesser chief), Junior Sagamore (lesser chief), Chief of Records (secretary), Collector of Wampum (financial secretary), Keeper of Wampum (treasurer). The supreme head of the order is called the Great Inchonee.

Regalia initially consisted of aprons and collars. The collars for the three degrees were color-coded: The initiatory degree collar was pink (subsequently changed to orange); the second degree collar was blue; and the third degree was scarlet. The aprons were scarlet, trimmed with the color of the degree of the wearer. Aprons were abolished as part of the regalia in 1869.

In 1935, there were apparently well over half a million Improved Red Men and Pocahontases (the female auxiliary). Yet, from 1925 to 1940, the Order lost over 300,000 members. By 1965, membership had declined to less than 85,000. In 1995 the organization reported further declines to less than 38,000 members nationwide. The Red Men count among their membership former United States Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Warren G. Harding, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Richard M. Nixon (who created Volunteer Week as a national celebration of volunteering by Executive Order in 1974; Volunteer Week has been augmented by National Join Hands Day under the sponsorship of the National Fraternal Congress.). Curiously Marion, Ohio resident President Warren G. Harding was a member of Yosemite Tribe No. 103 in San Francisco. [Harding belonged to many fraternal orders: In addition to the Red Men, he was a Freemason, and belonged to the Knights of Pythias, Grange, and Elks.] When Harding died suddenly of a heart attack on August 2, 1923 during a campaign visit to San Francisco, California Red Men mourned his passing and eulogized their distinguished brother in a resolution. (Record..., 1923, pp. 167-169.) An engrossed copy of that memorial resolution was to be presented to the President's widow by United States Senator and Red Man Samuel M. Shortridge; Senator Shortridge was requested to invite Senator Hiram Johnson, and Congressmen Julius Kahn, Clarence F. Lea, and Harry E. Barbour, all members of the Red Men, to act with him as a committee from the Great Council of California. (Record... 1924, p. 27.)

Was your town or city the site of a Red Men's "Hunting Ground"? Red Men Appendix