The Knights of the Golden Eagle was founded in 1872 in Baltimore, Maryland, as a fraternal society (males only, 18 years and older) with rituals based on legends of the Crusades and “struggles of the Christian warrior.” Local groups were referred to as “castles.” From the beginning, the Knights were racially restrictive (members had to be white) and religiously restrictive (members had to be Christian). Also, members couldn’t have any physical or mental disabilities and had to demonstrate they were of sound moral character.
On 1 July 1910, the Lykens Valley Castle #493 was instituted at the I.O.O.F. Building in Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Fortunately, a list of the first officers was kept as well as a list of those who joined and were considered members as of 8 July 1910.
Officers Installed, 1 July 1910:
- William O. Rogers, S.P.G.
- W. E. Lebo, N.C.
- George W. Wise, V.C.
- Charles Evitts, H.P.
- Lloyd Deibert, Ven Hermit
- Daniel Koppenhaver, M. of R.
- Irvin M. Buffington, K of Ex
- Darius J. Wiest, C of Ex
- Irvin Bowman, Sir Herald
- Harry Zerfing, W. B.
- Harry Smith, W. Ch.
- H. C. Lewis, Ensign
- Otto Enders, Esq.
- L. C. Havice, 1st G.
- Lewis Reed, 2nd G.
- H. O. Umholtz, Trustee (18 months)
- Jacob Hartman, Trustee (12 months)
- Joseph H. Laudenslager, Trustee (6 months)
Membership as of 8 July 1910:
- Harry A. Umholtz
- Charles E. Daniel
- Harry Smith
- George Harper
- George Gise
- Jonathan E. Crabb
- Elias Schade
- Harry S. Stroub
- W. E. Lebo
- Harry Zerfing
- Jacob Hartman
- J. K. Bertsfield
- Ira Erdman
- George A. Bonawitz
- William H. Heckert
- Otto Enders
- Irvin E. Bowman
- Monroe C. Snyder
- D. Frank Buffington
- Clarence Willier
- John E. Troxell
- H. M. Spotts
- William A. Kessler
- Harvey Fidler
- Charles Evitts
- I. K. Romberger
- Joel O. Klinger
- Harry A. Klinger
- S. Francis Deibert
- Charles C. Deibler
- Samuel C. Schade
- Walter E. Hoover
- Charles Hawk
- Moses Williard
- Darvin Sitlinger
- Daniel A. Coleman
- Edwin Kerstetter
- Walter Davis
- Richard Leitzel
- B. L. Matter
- Jonathan H. Forney
- Charles Michael
- Wellie Buffington
- Jonathan Deibert
- James A. Kessler
- Wellington Miller
- J. C. Stroup
- Harry Romberger
- Edward J. Deibler
- Harvey C. Salada
- Robert Koppenheffer
- William Lubold
- Jerome Matter
It is not known how long the Lykens Valley Castle lasted. Other organizations with similar restrictive membership requirements (such as the Ku Klux Klan) came into prominence in the Lykens Valley area in the 1920s. Nationally, by the 1930s, membership drastically declined, but by the mid-1960s, there were only about 15,000 members, mostly in Pennsylvania, and by 1970 was the organization was probably extinct.
______________________________________
Emblem from KookScience web site.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
I have one of the member handbooks does anyone know is there a historical place that could display it