This battered image had a hard life before it landed in the Lucas County Historical Society archives. One corner and one group member are missing and its mounting card is broken --- but we're happy to have it despite the flaws.
Among the oddities --- look to the far left and the far right and you'll see "ghosts" --- people not wanted in the image, onlookers no doubt, whose faces have been clumsily scratched out on the negative.
These are members of Chariton's Immanuel Commandery No. 50, Knights Templar, probably taken not long after the organization was chartered during November of 1887. I've no idea what the occasion was, but look at the dirt street in the foreground. Had there been a parade? Lucas Countyans needed little excuse to launch a parade back in the day.
Only five of the men are identified --- Smith H. Mallory in the second row, a charter member, with the number "1" written on his plume; Dr. James Eddington Stanton, the commandery's first eminent commander, farther back (number "2"); Frank Crocker (number "5") in the back row; and two Mannings with the numbers "3" and "4" written on their foreheads.
In Freemasonry, most degrees require only a belief in a supreme being for membership. Only Freemasons who profess a belief in Christianity are eligible for Knights Templar membership, however. Chariton's commandery was formed during May of 1887 by Lucas County residents who had been members of Osceola's Constantine Commandery.
The charter members were Smith H. Mallory, N.B. Hollinger, A.F. Snyder, V.G. Baker, James E. Stanton, William H. Simpson, W.H. Henderson, Jesse Clark Baker, J.N. McClanahan and William H. Ridgway. When chartered during November, there were 31 members.
Which brings me to this week's example of tombstone iconography --- the Knights Templar seal engraved prominently on the red granite tombstone in the Chariton Cemetery of charter member William H. Simpson, who died at age 87 on June 15, 1916. The Latin translates (somewhat imaginatively) as "In this sign thou shalt conquer."
Mr. Simpson, who arrived in Chariton during the 1850s, launched his business career as a peddler, selling merchandise from a wagon driven from pioneer farm to pioneer farm, then opened a general store and, through prudent management, acquired enough property to become one of the the city's more prominent residents. When he died, he was identified as one of three survivors among those who had introduced Freemasonry to Lucas County during 1855.
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