FOR this Chapter the author is wholly indebeted to gentlemen of these two Secret Orders, who have, at his request, politely furnished him with the following history of those Societies in the county:

MASONIC INSTITUTIONS.

James Kilbourne, W. M.; Zopher Topping, S. W.; Josiah Topping, J. W.; Ezra Griswold, Sec'y; Israel Case, Treas'r; Stephen Maynard, S. D.; Roswell Wilcox, J. D.; Azariah Pinney, Tyler.

Officers installed the same day the Right Worshipful Thomas Worthington, of Chillicothe, according to letters

for that purpose to him directed by and from the said Grand Lodge of the State of Connecticut.

Present Officers.—Geo. Taylor, W. M.; J. P. Wright, S. W.; H. W. Wright, J. W.; M. S. Wilkinson, Treas'r; J. M. Fuson, Sec'y; Miles Pinney, S. D.; F. F. Tuller, J. D.; Ira Metcalf, Stewart and Tyler.

Columbus Lodge, No. 30, was instituted at Franklinton (as Ohio Lodge, No. 30,) on the 11th of June, 1815. The first officers of the Lodge were: Abner Lord, W. M.; John Kerr, S. W.; Alex. Morrison, J. W.; Lincoln Goodale, Treas'r; Joel Buttles, Sec'y.

Members.—Benj. Gardiner, Horacce Wolcott, Samuel Shannon, Benj. Pike, James Kooken, Caleb Houston, Alex. B. Washburne, Onesimus Whitehead.

The first Master raised in the Lodge, Gustavus Swan.

Present Officers.—William Thrall, W. M.; Joseph Stuart, S. W.; Amasa Jones, J. W.; N. B. Marple, Treas'r; Waldo Fay, Sec'y; Robert A. Emery,, S. D.; P. T. Conrad, J. D.; George Coit, Tyler.

Magnolia Lodge, No. 20. A dispensation was issued by Wm. B. Tharall, Grand Master, June 10th 1847, to Bela Latham, B. F. Martin, Henry A. Field, John W. Milligan, D. T. Woodbury, James T. Donahoo, Natan'l

Merion, Harvey Fletcher, Harvey Bancroft, and William Harrison.

Bela Latham, W. M.; B. F. Martin, S. W.; Henry A. Field, J. W.; first officers.

Organized October 20, 1847. Thir first officers elect were: B. F. Martin, W. M.; Henry A. Field, S. W.; W. M. Savage, J. W.; Peter Decker, Sec'y; Harvey Fletcher, Treas'r; D. T. Woodbury, S. D.; J. G. Canfield, J. D.

Present Officers.—John Stone, W. M.; Thomas Sparrow, S. W.; Orlando Wilson, J. W.; Smith Spencer, S. D.; Wisley Royce, J. D.; Amos McNairy, Treas'r; James F. Park, Sec'y; G. M. Copeland, Tyler.

ROYAL ARCH CHAPTERS.

Horeb Chapter, No. 3, Worthington. This Chapter was organized the 18th day of December, 1815, under a dispensation from the Deputy Grand High Priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the State of Maryland and District of Columbia.

Its first officers were, James Kilbourne, E. H. P.; Chester Griswold, King; Abner Lord, Scribe; Solomon Smith, ec'y; Moses Byxbee, P. S.; H. Hyre, C. of H.; N. Potter, R. A. C.; A. Buttles, V. Shaw, S. Smith, Masters of the Vails.

The present officers are, W. T. Stone, H. P.; Chester

Pinney, King; Moses Maynard, Scribe; Ira Metcalf, C. of H.; F. F. Tuller, R. A. C.; George Taylor, P. S.; J. P. Wright, treas'r; J. M. Fuson, Sec'y; H. W. Wright, Apollos Maynard, George Osborn, Mas. of the Vails.

Ohio Chapter No. 12. By-Laws adopted December 4, 1824, with the following members, viz: Bela Latham, Dan'l Turney, Joel Buttles, Rob't Russell, A. Shaughnessy, A. Benfield, Wm. T. Snow, J. Leiby, T. Reynolds, Wm. Long, John M. Gray, T. L. Hamer, James H. Patterson, John Warner, William John, P. H. Olmsted, Hiram Platt, E. Richman, Caleb Houston, C. Heyl, H. Delano, J. M. Smith, James pearce, John L. Starling, J. C. Brodrick, John Haver, T. Ross, John Zeigler, Chas. C. Beard, R. G. Walling.

Present Officers.—Amasa Jones, H. P.; James F. Park, King; Joseph A. Montgomery, Scribe; Joseph M. Stuart, C. of H.; Orland Wilson, P. S.; James Williams, R. A. C.; John W. Milligan, Treas'r; A. B. Robinson, Sec'y; W. B. Fay, G. M. 3 Vail; E. M. West, G. M. 2 Vail; Thomas Sparrow, G. M. 1 Vail; Geo. M. Copeland, Guard.

Columbus Council, No. 8, Royal and Select Masters. Dispensation granted by W. B. Thrall, T. I. G. P., Dec. 27, 1841, appointing the following officers: Bela

Latham, T. I. G. M.; Leonard Humphrey, D. I. G. M.; John W. Milligan, P. C. of W.

First election of officers March 4th, 1842, as follows:  John A. Bryan, T. I. G. M.; J. W. Copeland, D. I. G. M.; J. W. Milligan, P. C. of W.; Leander Ransom, C. of G.; G. M. Herancourt, Treas'r; Timothy Griffith, Rec.; R. Buckbee, Sentinel.

Present Officers.—A. B. Robinson, T. I. G. M.; Thos. Sparrow. D. I. G. M.; Joseph M. Stuart, P. C. of W.; James F. Park, C. of G.; John W. Milligan, Treas'r; Orlando Wilson, Recorder; G. M. Copeland, Sentinel.

Mt. Vernon Encampment No. 1, of Knights Templars and Appendant Orders, was instituted at Worthington, on the 15th day of March, 1818, by virtue of authority and letter of dispensation, granted for that purpose by Thomas Smith Webb, Esquire, Deputy General Grand Master of the General Grand Encampmnet of the United States. On that occasion there were present Sir Thos. Smith Webb, hailing from the General Grand Encampment of the United States; Sir John Snow, hailing from St. Johns' Encampment , Rhode Island; and Sir Frederick A. Curtis, hailing from ----- Encampment, Ireland. These Sir Knights, having severally interchanged credentials, and established their respective titles, proceeded according to accustomed usage, and

under said dispensation, to form and open a Council of Knights of the Red Cross, and and Encampment of Knights Templars and Appendant Orders.

It was chartered by the General Grand Encampment of the United States, Sept. 16, 1819, M. E. De Witt Clinton then presiding in that body. The first officers of the Encampment, under its charter, were M. E. John Snow, G. Com.; E. Chester Griswold, Gen.; E. James Kilbourne, Capt. Gen; E. Joseph S. Hughs, Prelate.

Present Officers.— Sir W. B. Thrall, G. Com.; Sir Dwight Stone, Gen.; Sir Geo. R. Morton, Capt. Gen.; Sir Z. Connell, Prelate; Sir J. W. Milligan, S. W.; Sir D. T. Woodbury, J. W.; Sir Wm. Richards, Treas'r; Sir A. B. Robinson, Recorder; Sir Jos. A. Montgomery, Stand. Bearer; Sir Daniel Morris, Sword Bearer; Sir Amasa Jones, Warder; Sir Geo. M. Copeland, Sentinel.

This was the first dispensation granted by the General Grand Encampment of the United States, and the first Encampment of the Order organized west of the Allegheny Mountains. On the 24th of February, 1844, by virtue of authority derived from the Grand Encampment of Ohio, the meetings of the Encampment were thenceforward held in the City of Columbus.

The first Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in Franklin County, was instituted in the city of Columbus, on the fourth day of July, 1839. There were five petitioners for the Charter, namely: Nathan B. Kelly, James B. Thomas, William Flintham, David Bryden, and Charles A. Howle. It met for some time in the third story of Mr. Walcutt's brick building, on High street, near Town, where it was first organized. The membership increased rapidly, and prominent among them were Alfred P. Sonte, John Brough, Clark Runyan, John Greenleaf, Lucian Buttles, John S. Hall, and others of the first class of citizens. A hall was fitted up in the Buckeye Block, which was occupied for a few years, and afterwards, when the City Bank Building was erected, the third story was fitted up expressly for an Odd Fellows' Hall, which was occupied for a number of years.

The Hall is now in Mr. Platt's building, on State street, near High.

Columbus Lodge, No. 9, numbers at this time, about one hundred and forty members. It has a large surplus fund, and is able at all times to meet any and all demands upon it, which arise from sickness or accident to its. members.

Central Lodge, No. 23, was instituted in Columbus, on the second day of December, 1843. The original members were Thomas Stitt, Thomas Bown, David Overdier, Alex. E. Glenn, James Aston, William K. Carr, Moses Altman and Francis LaChapellee, most of whom withdrew from Columbus Lodge to organize this new branch. It met in the same Hall, and increased rapidly in membership, and at present numbers about two hundred and sixty members.

Evening Star Lodge, No. 104, was instituted at Dublin, on the second day of March, 1848. Among its original members were Zenas Hutchinson, Alexander Thompson, E. M. Pinney, Holmes Sells, Jas. K. Thomas and Miles Pinney. The Lodge has been exceedingly prosperous, and at least three Lodges have grown out of it.

Excelsior Lodge, No. 145, was the next in the county, and was organized in the city of Columbus, on the twenty-second day of February, 1850. F. K. Hullburd, George G. Comstock, James B. Stockton, Ira M. Gorton, and Nathan B. Marple were among the first members, and it has been very prosperous, numbering at present about one hundred and fifty members. The three Lodges in Columbus occupy the same Hall, being joint tenants,

and owners in common of the Hall, furniture and fixtures; and all working together in harmony and peace.

Gordian Lodge, No. 205, was instituted at Groveport, on the eleventh of February, 1853. The petitioners for this Lodge were George McCormick, Edmund Gares, J. K. Low, George P. Champ, and G. S. Smith. It soon added to its numbers some of the best citizens of the village and neighborhood, and has increased to a respectable membership—has a neat Hall, and about forty members.

Ark Lodge, No. 270, was instituted in the village of Worthington, on the sixteenth of April, 1855. The petitioners for the Charter were James M. Fuson, Isaac Thompson, Isaac N. Case, Anson Mattoon, Wm. H. Skeels, and A. S. Wood; and it has since added many of the best citizens of Sharon township, and is in all respects what may be termed a good Lodge. It has at present about fifty members.

Rainbow Lodge, No. 270, was instituted in the village of Westerville, on the 7th of August, 1857. The petitioners were C. A. Vananda, J. W. Jameson, A. G. Stephenson, David Zeik, and Theophilus Jones.. This is a new Lodge, but has increased in numbers until it now has about twenty-five members.

In addition to the Lodges, there are two Encampments of Odd Fellows, located at Columbus and Dublin.

Capitol Encampment, No. 6, was instituted in December, 1843, and has about one hundred and fifty members.

Johanan Encampment, No. 57, at Dublin, was instituted in August, 1853, and has about thirty members.

The Lodges and Encampments have a regular system of relief for sick and distressed member — not only of their own, but of other Lodges, and expend annually a large sum in relief of their members, and of widows and orphans. Of the latter class, there is now quite a number in the county that are well provided for by the Lodges.