HISTORY OF MEADE COUNTY, KANSAS
by Frank S. Sullivan
Copyright, 1916

FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS
Pages 78

Meade County is noted for its Fraternal Societies, and probably, in proportion to its population, has more fraternalists than any other county in Kansas.

The M. W. A. have a camp at Plains, organized in 1904. Plains Lodge No. 367, A. F. & A. M., was organized in February, 1912.

Fowler Lodge No. 519, I. O. O. F., received its charter on Oct. 10th, 1901; Fowler Rebekah Lodge No. 406 was chartered Jan. 21st, 1902; Fowler Camp No. 1768, M. W. A., received its charter on March 3rd, 1898; and Friendship Camp No. 1768, R. N. A., was chartered Dec. 5th, 1908.

The city of Meade is especially distinguished as a fraternal center.

Of the lodges still active, the oldest is Webb Lodge No. 275, A. F. & A. M., its warrant bearing date Feb. 16th, 1887; Webb Chapter No. 304, O. E. S., was chartered on May 14th, 1908; and on Feb. 16th, 1909, the 22nd anniversary of the blue lodge, a warrant was issued for Meade Chapter No. 46, R. A. M.

A charter was issued for Meade Lodge No. 523, I. O. O. F., Oct. 10th, 1901; for the Meade Rebekah Lodge No. 422, on Sept. 19th, 1902; for Meade Encampment No. 138, on Oct. 10th, 1907; and a warrant was issued for the Canton of Patriarchs Militant No. 8, on Nov. 6th, 1907.
Meade Lodge No. 22, K. of P., was organized in November, 1911.

Meade Center Lodge No. 247, A. O. U. W., was granted a charter on Sept. 4th, 1902.

A charter was issued to Meade Camp No. 1738, M. W. A., on Aug. 12th, 1892; and to Middlemarch Camp No. 622, R. N. A., on April 10th, 1902.

Meade Council No. 225, Sons and Daughters of Justice, was organized in February, 1906.

Meade Center Post No. 388, while previously existing, was reorganized in 1909.

Artesian Camp No. 201, W. O. W., was organized in July, 1915.

Meade also has an organization of the A. H. T. A.

Three members of the Meade organizations are at present the heads of three great orders, viz.: R. M. Painter is Department Commander of the G. A. R. of Kansas ; O. R. Stevens is Grand Patriarch of the Grand Encampment, I. O. O. F.; Frank S. Sullivan is Grand Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, Grand Domain of Kansas.