Early Lodges and Organizations and John Rains

 

 Lodge affiliation was a very important part of the early Deer Lodge/Granite County settlements, with the A.F. & A.M. Flint Creek Lodge chartered October 7, 1867. It was one of five lodges chartered at the Montana Annual Meeting held that year in Virginia City. Only Flint Creek and King Solomon of Helena were still in existence in 1951. The Flint Creek Lodge had twenty four members in 1869, according to Campbell “From the Quarries of Last Chance Gulch (1951). 

The I.O.G.T Band of Hope Lodge No. 20, was organized November 3, 1876 and Cable Lodge No. 9, was the ninth Lodge to be founded. The Order of Red Men was an early organization but I am not certain the date of inception. These male members dressed in garb that resembled Native American wear, according to their photograph history. Charter members of this Lodge arrived in the area prior to 1889. 

The Woodsmen of the World was another active organization that provided insurance to the members and is often referenced in obituaries with sums of $1,000 to $3,000 in payment to the deceased families. 

The Order of Eastern Star and Pocahontas were female organizations, with spouse participation who belonged to the Masonic Lodge. I believe the Pocahantas were the wives of the Red Men organization. 

The Churches had active organizations that provided assistance to families in need during the mining recessions. The Philipsburg Women’s Club was a very active group during WWI and The Red Cross fostered an active county association. The Sons of Herman and The Odd Fellows are other organizations spoken of through out newspaper articles. 

The Philipsburg Pioneer Association was founded in 1880 and included pioneers that had arrived in Montana on or before 1865; California on or before 1849; and Idaho on or before 1860. At the founding meeting there were nine bylaws adopted by the members of which I will quote two:

 “Sixth: we reserve the right to get decently drunk and to recognize a social game of cards, where money is not staked, as a necessary of our daily lives; 

   Ninth: we want no legal advice no long winded set of bylaws, nothing but good fellowship and lasting friendships; and as the flume is all clear, we lift the head-gate and start to work on discovery.” 

These bylaws were signed by the following pioneers: John Merrill-1848 California, John Rains-1849 California, John G. McLean-1850 California, George Plaisted-1850 California, Henry Imkamp-1856 California, M. Kaiser-1852 California, Eli D. Holland-1856 California, D.B. Anderson-1855 California, G.V. Sherman-1858 California, Daniel Session-1848 California, John Kaiser-1857 California, Angus McIntyre-1863 California, Mrs. Louisa Kaiser (I assume her date is the same as John’s), J.H. Monhart-1869 California, Wm. Hammond-1865 Montana, A.A. McDonald-1864 Montana, M.S. Caplice-1864 Montana, C.N. Freeman-1864 Montana, James McDonel-1864 Montana, Herman Kaiser -1865 Montana, David Simmons-1864 Montana, Frank D. Brown-1863 Montana, Joe Stahl-1863 Montana, Geo. E. Tyrriell-1865 Montana, Dan C. Morgan-1851 California, Sim Shively-1850 California, John W. Hall-1863 Montana.  A photograph of the document from the Tex Crowley picture collection below.

One of the above pioneer signatures John Rains, according to his obituary, was married to a sister of A.H. Porter, in 1882. I have been unable to find her first name, although her initials are listed on their children, Minnie and Johnnie’s tombstone as H.E. 

John Rains, born in Norway, died at the age of seventy seven, in Golden. He was vigorous until a few minutes before his death, when he suffered a pain in his side and in a few minutes was dead, on February 20, 1896. John immigrated to the United States in 1849; settled in California, then moved to Philipsburg in 1863 and resided in the area, working in various enterprises in which he made and spent several fortunes. The marriage produced seven children, with six of them and his wife buried in the Philipsburg cemetery, prior to his death. At the time of John’s death his only living daughter aged six was living with the George Brown family, formerly of Philipsburg, in Anaconda. The daughter had lived there since the death of her mother and was expected to inherit the estate.