Ben Hur Lodge of Dodge County, Nebraska

This modern beneficiary order was organized in Crawfordsville, Indiana, in the eighties and its name was taken from Gen. Lew Wallace's celebrated novel of the Orient called "Ben Hur" who was the leading character of the wonderful literary production. Dodge County at this date has only one such Lodge or Court as it is called, and this one is at Fremont. It was organized January 14, 1895 and now has a membership of thirty-nine, but at one time had a large following. It may be of interest as the years slip away to know who were charter members in this lodge, as herein is found the names of many of the city's best known business and professional men

The 1920 elective officers are: past chief, J. A. Murrell; chief, H. L. Himes; scribe, C. C. Pollard; judge, S. S. Sidner

Order of Maccabees

There are only two of such insurance orders in Dodge County at the present time, the one in Fremont and one at Hooper. The one at Fremont is known as Forest City Lodge No. 50, was organized October 15, 1882, and now has but thirteen members.

The first officers were: D. R. Franklin, I. D. Bell, H. Horner, F. O. McGinnis, E. N. Ellerbrock, August Wonderling. The elective officers in the summer of 1920 are: I. Donahue, E. N. Ellerbrock, E. W. Martin, F. A. McGinnis, A. B. Miller, B. R. Peters.

The Danish Brotherhood

This fraternal insurance lodge was organized at Fremont, as Lodge 26, on October 26, 1895, and now has a membership of 168. They meet at the Morse Hall the first and third Thursday of each month.

When first organized the elective officers were as follows:

President, L. P. Hansen
Vice president, C. T. C. Lollich
Secretary, C. H. Christensen
Treasurer, Soren Jensen
Conductor, Michael Steen
Inside Guard, F. H. Hansen
Outside Guard, N. P. Holm
Trustees-S. P. Christensen, Hans C. Hansen and Jach Christensen.

The officers in 1920 are: Christ J. Jensen, president; E. B. Bertelsen, vice president; C. H. Christensen, secretary; S. P. Christensen, treasurer; C. H. Jensen, conductor; Niels Nielsen, inside guard; Jens Weiser, outside guard ; physician, J. S. Devries ; trustees, Fred Jacobsen, Ole Johnson and T. C. Willumsen.

Danish Sisterhood

This is an auxiliary to the Danish Brotherhood and is also of the mutual beneficiary life insurance nature. Lodge No. 37 was organized in Morse Hall December 10, 1896, with charter members as follows: Mrs. C. H. Christensen, North Main Street ; Mrs. A. F. Anderson, North Irving Street; Mrs. Japanne Jackson, R. F. D. route No. 1 ; Mrs. L. Larson, Union Avenue, Mrs. D. Petersen, 738 North Broad Street.

There are now sixty-seven members in this lodge. Its present officers are: President, Mrs. H. Seymonsberger; vice president, Mrs. E. Bertelsen; secretary, Mrs. H. Henninger; treasurer, Mrs. Otto Petersen.

Fraternal Order of Eagles

Among the flourishing fraternal, mutual orders for life assurance is the Order of Eagles of which Fremont Lodge No. 200 was organized in the City of Fremont in February, 1902, with a large charter membership, too lengthy to insert in this work, the number being about eighty. The first meeting was held in what was then styled the Budweiser Building. For many years they have occupied the upper story of the J. Rex Henry Building, between the Y. M. C. A. and First National Bank Building. The present total membership is 338.

First Elective Officers

The only other point within Dodge County where there is another lodge of this order is at North Bend.

1920 Officers

Yeoman Lodge

The only lodge of Yeomanry in Dodge County is the one at Fremont, styled Ivanhoe No. 775, organized August 31, 1901, with charter members as follows:

The present membership is 342.

The first elective officers were: M. A. Mark, foreman; O. P. Overgard, correspondent; A. S. Bay, master accounts.

The present officers (1920) are as follows: S. C. Sillick, foreman; B. B. Miller, correspondent ; W. A. Edwards, master of ceremonies E. Colaran, master of accounts.

Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

The only lodge of Elks in Dodge County is No. 514 at Fremont. This was organized December 16, 1902. It now enjoys the exceptional large total membership of 360. The popularity of this order in Fremont may be seen by glancing at the list of charter members:

First Elective Officers

1920 Officers

The Highlanders Order

At the Town of Scribner is located a lodge of Highlanders known as Kilsyth, No. 376, which was formed August 14, 1903, with charter members as follows:

The present total membership of this order here is sixty-seven. They occupy a leased hall belonging to G. Koplin, on east side of Main Street.

The first and present set of elective officers are as follows:

  Dodge County | Nebraska AHGP

Source: History of Dodge and Washington Counties, Nebraska, Rev. William H. Buss and Thomas T. Osterman, Volume 1, The American Historical Society, Chicago, 1921.

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