The following article has been transcribed from the
August 18, 1936, issue of The Vidette-Messenger, published in Valparaiso,
Indiana. This particular special edition focuses on Porter County's centennial
celebration and contains a 94-page compendium of Porter County history up to
that time.
Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso,
Porter County, Indiana; August 18, 1936; Volume 10, Section 2, Page
21.
Valparaiso Council KofC Owes Its Founding To Labor Of 6 Men;
Chartered In '03
The Knights of Columbus, of which Valparaiso
Council, No. 738, is a part, was organized in Connecticut in March, 1882, and
the Valparaiso council was chartered on March 22, 1903, with a list of
twenty-nine members. Its principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism
are practiced for the advancement of Catholicity and the development of a better
social condition. The society has an insurance feature which is optional with
the member and at the present time the members are insured for more than
$300,000,000.
Besides establishment of endowments and scholarships
throughout the Catholic schools and universities of the United States and Canada
perhaps the most notable achievement of the order came during the world war at
which time more than $44,000,000 was expended. Approximately $8,600,000 was used
in an educational program for ex-service men, including evening schools in more
than 100 cities with a total enrollment of 313,916. Scholarships were granted to
403 ex-service men. A correspondence school is maintained for members and their
families with instruction in 100 subjects and with an enrollment to date of
31,000.
Valparaiso council was organized largely through the efforts and
influence of six men, who, constituting themselves as missionaries, in spreading
the gospel of promotion, expounded the desirability of membership in the new
organization as a means of consolidating Catholic manhood into a social force.
These men, all members of other councils, but residents of the city, were: P. W.
Clifford, Rev. W. S. Hogan, Edward P. Clifford, John J. Murray, Thomas F.
Hartford and Thomas Howard.
The initiatory ceremonies were held at
Knights of Pythias hall on March 22, 1903. Professor John G. Ewing of Notre
Dame, state deputy, was in charge. The Fort Wayne council put on the first
degree, the South Bend council the second degree, and Professor Ewing and his
assistants, the third degree.
The program and banquet were given in
Armory hall in the evening, with Rev. Louis A. Moench, of Mishawaka, Ind.,
former pastor of St. Paul's church, as toastmaster. William F. Spooner, then
mayor, and one of the charter members of the local lodge, made the address of
welcome. Vocal solos were rendered by P. W. Clifford and Dr. E. J. Ball, of
Valparaiso, Daniel E. Kelly of Valparaiso, spoke on Valparaiso; W. A. McInery,
South Ben, spoke on "The Papacy", T. J. McLaughlin of Fort Wayne, on "Our
Order," and Honorable Patrick O'Keefe, of Kentland, Ind., on "Catholics in the
History of the United States."
The charter list as made up of the
following: William S. Hogan, Louis A. Moench, Edmund J. Ball, P. W. Clifford,
Frank W. Gallagher, Louis J. Gast, Thomas C. Howard, Lewis T. Jaeger, John J.
Murray, James H. Stack, John E. Walsh, John A. Bahr, Lewis J. Horn, William F.
Spooner, Edward Trudell, Andrew Beyer, Daniel E. Kelly, Jacob Edelman, Anthony
J. Gast, Thomas H. Hartford, Joseph W. Murphy, Louis Sprenell, Fred W. Wager,
Joseph A. Welsh, Edward F. Clifford, Peter J. Horn, Thomas Stack, Daniel C. Daly
and Cornelius Daly.
The first officers installed following the initiatory
ceremonies were: P. W. Clifford, grand knight; Thomas Howard, deputy grand
knight; Frank Gallagher, recording secretary; Fred Wager, financial secretary;
Joseph Murphy, treasurer; Daniel E. Kelly, advocate; Rev. W. S. Hogan,
chaplain.
During the early years of the council a number of new members
were added through initiations. However, the growth was of a slow and steady
order. Like other orders of the day the local council had its ups and downs. No
attempt was made at promotional campaigns or artificial stimuli. In the ---?---
it was a struggle on the part of the council officials, who labored unselfishly
and unceasingly during their terms of office to keep the organization
intact.
The old saying that a lull precedes a storm is well illustrated
in the history of the local council, for the period immediately prior to the
world war was a time of decided inactivity. Efforts toward the revival of the
council were underway when the world war broke out. The efforts were, of course,
speeded up when the Knights of Columbus entered their war activities. Many
members of the local council joined the forces of Uncle Sam, and thousands of
soldiers were sent to Valparaiso university for military training.
These
events served to inspire the members of the local council. Perhaps the fact that
two members of Valparaiso council, John C. Manion and T. P. Galvin, had become
secretaries in charge of the Knights of Columbus war activities at Camp Greene,
Charlotte, N. C., was instrumental in aiding the awakening. Both these men
subsequently entered the service and the great tragedy of the war for Valparaiso
council was the death of Brother Manion, which occurred at Camp Mills, New York,
during the influenza epidemic of 1918.
John M. Fabing was elected grand
knight of the local council during the war period, and he, together with Fred
Hartig and others, were instrumental in bringing about a splendid increase in
membership. T. P. Galvin returned from the war in 1919, and was elected grand
knight of the council at the fall election of that year. The impetus which had
been given the council by the war activities and the splendid work of Grand
Knight Fabing and others, made the success of the council that year
assured.
Grand Knight Galvin was ably assisted by the lecturer, Fred
Hartig, who staged a number of memorable social events. It was during this year
that Valparaiso council came in for favorable mention at the state convention
due to the fact that the council had shown the largest increase in membership
during the year. Recognition of these activities was given to the council in
that Grand Knight Galvin was elected as a delegate to the supreme convention
held in New York City in August, 1920. This honor that was paid the Valparaiso
council in the annual report of the retiring state deputy, the late Stephan
Callahan.
When Joseph M. Nurre became state deputy in 1920, he conferred
further honors on Valparaiso council by appointing T. P. Galvin as district
deputy. The new district deputy organized the famous Valparaiso third degree
team which spread the fame of the council throughout the middle
west.
When Brother Galvin became district deputy he was succeeded by
Edward O'Meara as grand knight, and the success of the local council continued
under his administration without interruption. The third degree team during the
years 1920, 1921, 1922 and 1923, exemplified the third degree for the councils
at Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, South Ben, Mishawaka, Notre Dame, Elkhart,
Plymouth, Peru, Hammond, Lafayette and Michigan City.
Among those who
served on the degree team at different times were: Rev. E. J. Mungovan, Joseph
Carey, Edward O'Meara, Joseph Wilseam, Charles Reagan, August Kinder, Fred
Hartig, Leonard Gannon, Frank Cincoski, C. P. Daly, Lawrence Comeford, George
Griffin, Frank Reibly and Peter Bentley.
The work of the degree team and
the council were further recognized when District Deputy Galvin was elected to
attend the supreme convention held at San Francisco in 1921 and at Montreal in
1923, as a delegate from the Indiana jurisdiction, and in his election as state
deputy of the order for the jurisdiction of Indiana at the conventions held in
1925, 1926 and 1927.
Edward O'Meara was re-elected for three terms as
grand knight, and finally terminated his service in the fall of 1924, when
Lawrence Comeford was elected to succeed him. Brother Comeford served two terms
as grand knight and was succeeded in the fall of 1926 by Frank Fabing, who had
served the council as financial secretary for many years. Brother Fabing was in
turn succeeded by Charles Reagan.
During Brother Reagan's regime the
council took on new life; meetings were well attended, and new members added.
Much of the credit for the success of the council was due to Rev. Edward J.
Mungovan, whose loyal support and enthusiasm was a constant inspiration to the
members.
The administration of Brother Reagan was marked by the silver
anniversary celebration of the council. Upwards of 500 knights attended the
ceremonies held by the council. Three outside councils, Plymouth, LaPorte and
Michigan City, participated in the program, which was ushered in with mass at 8
a. m., at St. Paul's church. In the afternoon the three degrees were exemplified
upon fifty candidates from Valparaiso, Michigan City, LaPorte and Plymouth at
Community hall on Indiana avenue. At 6:30 o'clock a banquet was held at the
Elks' temple. Talks were made by T. P. Galvin, P. W. Clifford, Edward J.
Fogarty, warden of the Cook county jail in Chicago; Daniel E. Kelly and Rev.
Joseph Seimetz. Attorney Edward J. Ryan, advocate of the Valparaiso council,
acted as toastmaster.
L. F. Beckwith succeeded Grand Knight Reagan in
1928 and was re-elected in 1929. He was followed by Joseph Reibly, who served
three terms, in 1930, 1931 and 1932. Francis X. Gast was elected in 1933, and
James Scott in 1934 and 1935. James Comeford is the present grand knight, having
been elected this year.
Others who have served as grand knight are Daniel
E. Kelly, Thomas C. Howard, Edward H. Heilstedt, Thomas B. Clifford, Daniel
Kane, John F. Griffin, Cornelius P. Daly, Ralph McGillicuddy and Dr. E. J.
Balt.
Valparaiso council has occupied a number of homes since its
institution back in 1903. The lodge quarters were first in the Ross and
Bannister building on the present site of the Valparaiso postoffice building.
Then they were located in the Gast building, 58 Lincolnway, now owned by the
Farmers' bank; over the present VIDETTE-MESSENGER building; Community hall on
Indiana avenue; over the old Beach jewelry store; the Morris store, and now they
are back to 58 Lincolnway, where they were housed twenty years ago.
Since
its founding the lodge has always celebrated Columbus day and held stag parties
on New Year's eve. The latter even was discontinues last year. At the present
time the council has 125 members. In P. W. Clifford the local council has the
oldest member in the state, he having joined Chicago Council, No. 183, on July
10, 1896.