The Vidette-Messenger Centennial EditionThe 1936 special edition celebrating Porter County's centennial year . . . .
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.
Return to the index of articles from The Vidette-Messenger's Porter County Centennial special edition.
Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso,
Porter County, Indiana; August 18, 1936; Volume 10, Section 2, Page 21.
Valparaiso Council K. of C. 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.
Article transcribed by Steven R. Shook