Civil War era fraternal societies.

[major bill]

Freemasons were popular before the Civil War. So to were Odd Fellows. But what other fraternal orders existed prior to the Civil War? Perhaps the larger fraternal order were the Know Nothings or Native American Party. Should the Know Nothings be considered a fraternal order or a political party? In some ways if functioned much like a fraternal order.

I know the Improved Order of the Red Men predate the Civil War, but do not know if they were huge at the start of the Civil War. There was the Ancient Order of Hibernians. The International Order of Twelve Knights were a anti slavery fraternal order. The Knights of Pythias did not form until 1864.

So what other fraternal orders existed before the Civil War?

 

[Drew]

So what other fraternal orders existed before the Civil War?

The Wide Awakes were the Republican Party's (and Lincoln's) paramilitary force before the war. They could be called a "fraternal order," if you wish.

Otherwise, you've got it pretty well covered, as far as I can see.

 

[Pollaco]

Sons of Hermann were founded in 1840.

 

[Drew]

Sons of Hermann were founded in 1840.

Where and who were they?

 

[Pollaco]

New York City, July 20, 1840 as a mutual aid society for German immigrants. Der Orden Der Hermanns-Soehne.

 

[96PaCoK]

With Silver Dollar in hand, I'd say there are far too many to mention.

Yet what I do Understand is, that those men of good fortune when all is said and done had not nearly as much to do with the outcome of the conflict then those of singular and ritualized beliefs

 

[DixieRifles]

The biography of General Stephen Hurlbut, "the political general", introduced me to the importance of social societies. It mentions many different ones in Charleston, SC. I dont know which ones are fraternities or political or both but here are a few.

• New England Society(NES)
• Independent Order of Odd Fellows
• South Carolina Society(philanthropic)
• American Republican Association(ARA) of Charleston
• Charleston Clay Club(i.e. Henry Clay)
• Two-Bit Club(French-born residents)

 

[major bill]

The Wide Awakes were the Republican Party's (and Lincoln's) paramilitary force before the war. They could be called a "fraternal order," if you wish.

Otherwise, you've got it pretty well covered, as far as I can see.

Douglas had a similar group that march and held rallies. It's name escapes me right now.

 

[DorwinBlack]

It seems the bonds of Freemasonry helped save the lives of a number of confederate and union POWs. I have read a number of accounts in which prisoners that were Masons would show the secret Masonic hand signal to various guards to attempt to locate fellow Masons among their captors. Once a Mason became aware that there was a fellow among his captives he would take various covert measures, often at some personal risk, to help such as providing extra food or blanket, allowing them to keep their coats or boots, etc.

ETA link: https://scottishrite.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/GentlemenWhiteAprons-smaller.pdf

 

[GwilymT]

The Knights of the Golden Circle was a fraternal organization whose main goal was secession and then the foundation of a slave empire.

Knights of the Golden Circle - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Tom Elmore]

I suppose college fraternities qualify as fraternal orders - they established chapters nation-wide and maintained contacts until the war years. Some wore their fraternity pins on the field, leading to instances of fraternity brothers on opposite sides who rendered a degree of assistance to one another.

Brother versus Brother: College Fraternities in the Civil War | Cadets Who Would Go to War

We've discussed friends who fought each other during the rebellion and the role played by Freemasons. What about college fraternities? Many fraternities were established and active: what about their role in the war?

civilwartalk.com

 

[Drew]

It seems the bonds of Freemasonry helped save the lives of a number of confederate and union POWs.

It happened on battlefields as well. A wounded Union or Confederate Mason could cry out for and get help from the other side. It was "does the widow have no son?" Or, "is there no mercy for the widow's son?"

Something like that, but there are many accounts of it.

 

[Drew]

Organized social groups have been a fixture of American society since the beginning of the Republic. Participation has waned over generations and with it influence, but most of them have been social in nature. The VFW, for example, was never very political but it's not what it was 50 years ago.

I really hope no one's going to start a thread on Fred Flinstone's Loyal Order of Water Buffaloes and its contribution to the causes of the Civil War.

 

[19thOhio]

The Masonic bond must have been very strong. Henry Granville Stratton was wounded on the first day of Stones River. His brother, Howard, went south to bring "Gran" home to North Benton, Ohio, to recuperate. Somewhere on the trip to Murfreesboro area Howard was captured by a Confederate. Howard noticed that his captor wore a Masonic ring. When Howard gave him "the grip" he was released.

 

[Pollaco]

The Masonic bond must have been very strong. Henry Granville Stratton was wounded on the first day of Stones River. His brother, Howard, went south to bring "Gran" home to North Benton, Ohio, to recuperate. Somewhere on the trip to Murfreesboro area Howard was captured by a Confederate. Howard noticed that his captor wore a Masonic ring. When Howard gave him "the grip" he was released.

I read somewhere that's one of the reasons Sam Houston went as easy as he did on Santa Anna after San Jacinto. Besides silk underwear Santa Anna was wearing a Masonic Ring.

 

[GwilymT]

I read somewhere that's one of the reasons Sam Houston went as easy as he did on Santa Anna after San Jacinto. Besides silk underwear Santa Anna was wearing a Masonic Ring.

It's a story oft told in Masonic circles.

 

[Pollaco]

It's a story oft told in Masonic circles.

So there is some truth to it?

 

[Drew]

Freemasonry in the 19th century was a powerful bond and should not be underestimated.

Politics be damned, those guys stood up for one another.

 

[JonnyReb_In_MI]

How bout the Society of the Cincinnati? The Aztec Club of 1847?

 

[major bill]

How bout the Society of the Cincinnati? The Aztec Club of 1847?

I do not know enough about them to render an opinion about if they were a fraternal order or not. I am not really sure how far the term "fraternal order" can be expanded. Even today we have many clubs, but are all them considered "fraternal orders"? I am a member of AARP, so am I in a AARP fraternity? Are people on Facebook in a Facebook fraternity? Can cub scouts, boy scouts, girl scouts, and etc. could be classified as fraternities, if so, could book clubs and garden clubs count as well? The same could be said about any pre Civil War club.

I guess a general rule for what constitutes a fraternity should be addressed. So can any forum member put forth some basic criteria that separates clubs from fraternities?