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Return to Prayer, Parlor, and Play
Social and Civic Organizations
Mr. and Mrs. O. A. Jenison, Sycamore Street, will entertain the Supper club
this evening.
The degree team of Lansing tent No. 276, K.O.T.M., will meet this evening
for drill.
The regular meeting of Star Council No. 2, Daughters of America, will be
held this evening.
Lansing camp, No. 934, Modern Woodmen of America, will hold a regular
meeting Friday evening.
Lansing State Republican, August 13, 1897
Many organizations combined social activity with more serious purposes. German
immigrants joined the Arbeiters’ Society for its insurance benefits, but they made
the most of opportunities to socialize with their countrymen at events like the unveiling
of the society's new flag. In August, a baseball game raised money for an injured worker
in addition to providing recreation for members of the cigar makers’ and iron
moulders’ unions.
 Middle and upper class women had the necessary
time and education to join literary clubs; working class women did not. The Lansing
Women's Club, organized in 1874 had its own club house at W. 110 Ottawa. The exhibit
includes a portrait of Matilda W. Howard who served as club corresponding secretary in
1895 at age 93.
The 1898 Lansing City Directory provided a list of some of the more prominent
benevolent societies:
Men's organizations included six Masonic lodges:
- Lansing Lodge No. 33
- Capitol Lodge, S. O. No. 66, F. & A. M.
- Capitol Chapter No. 9, R. A. M.
- Lansing Council No. 29
- Lansing Commandery No. 25, K. T.
- Capitol Lodge No. 8, F. & A. M.
All but one of the Masonic Lodges and the women's group, Arbutus Chapter No. 45, Order
Eastern Star, met at the Masonic Hall, 100 S. Washington Ave. The Capitol Lodge No. 8, a
"colored" lodge, met at 107 N. Washington Ave.
The Scottish Rite Hall hosted meetings of the Lansing Grand Lodge of Perfection, 14°;
Lansing Grand Council Princes of Jerusalem, 16°; Lansing Sov. Chapter, Rose Croix, 18°;
and the Lansing Grand Council of Kadosh, 30°.
Odd Fellows met at the headquarters, 121 N. Washington Ave. The lodges included the
Grand Lodge, I. O. O. F.; Grand Encampment, I. O. O. F.; Protection Lodge No. 321, I. O.
O. F.; and two women's groups, the Capital Rebekah Lodge No. 274 and Daughters of Rebekah,
Gleaner's Lodge No. 75, I. O. O. F.
Civil War veterans and their descendants could join the Charles T. Foster Post, No. 42,
of the Grand Army of the Republic which meet every Tuesday evening at the G. A. R.
Hall, 213 N. Washington Ave. The Charles T. Foster Woman's Relief Corps, No. 1, was
the associated women's group.
Other Lansing benevolent societies included the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Ancient
Order of United Workmen (two lodges), Benevolent Protective Order of Elks Lansing Lodge
No. 196, Independent Order of Foresters, Improved Order of Red Men, Knights of Honor,
Knights of Pythias (women's group: Rathbone Sisters), Loyal Guards, Knights of the
Maccabees (women's group: Central Hive No. 162), Modern Woodmen of America, and Royal
Arcanum.
Some other Lansing societies included:
- Arbeiter Society
- Capital Grange No. 40
- Catholic Mutual Benefit Association
- Capital City Council No. 20, Jr. O. U. A. M.
- Central Michigan Poultry, Pigeon and Pet Stock Association
- Daughters of the American Revolution
- Daughters of America
- Einigkeit Lodge, D. O. H., No. 575
- German Workingmen's Aid Society
- Grand River Boat Club
- Humane Society
- Lansing Council Knights and Ladies of Security
- Lansing City Lodge No. 103, National Reserve
- Lansing Liederkranz
- Lansing Industrial Aid Society
- Michigan Knights of the Grip
- N. A. L. C. Mutual Benefit Association, Branch No. 122
- Woodmen of the World, Oakwood Cmp. No. 35
- Women's Hospital Association
- W. C. T. U. [Woman's Christian Temperance Union]
- Lathrop W. C. T. U.
- Young Women's Christian Association
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