xt71ns0kst48 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt71ns0kst48/data/mets.xml Gruber, Lynn T. 1897  books b92hs1045s521g78018972009 English The Lodge No. 15, I.O.O.F. : Shelbyville, KY Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Howard Lodge, No. 15 (Shelbyville, Ky.) --History. Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Howard Lodge, No. 15 (Shelbyville, Ky.) --Anniversaries, etc. Slaves --United States. The boy John : story of a white slave text The boy John : story of a white slave 1897 2009 true xt71ns0kst48 section xt71ns0kst48 
  
  
  
  
  
  
T A B L E OF C O N T E N T S .
Dedication Introduction Program   Fiftieth Anniversary of Howard Lodge i No. 15 , .... 13 6 7

Brother L ynn T . Gruber's Address, including the History of the Boy John Brief History of Howard Lodge L ist: giving names and dates of initiation and death of all members of Howard Lodge from organization to 1897 100 15 89

V

  
DEDICATION.
Cast thy bread upon the    waters, for thou shatt find it after many days. To the memory of the officers and members of Howard Lodge No. 15, I . O . O. F . , in and about the years 1845-46-47, who were so active in the worthy cause of H umanity: T o Brother Joseph P. Knott, Chairman, and G. W. Johnson, W illiam T . Knight, Fielding Neel, and George Rowden, the Committee on "The Boy John." To the venerable Brother who wrote the mysterious manuscript, completing the broken link in the chain of this unique history, and To the cause of Odd Fellowship, and its sacred principles, the following strange, but true, recital is respectfully dedicated.
H O W A R D L O D G E No. 15, I . O. O. F . ,

Shelbyville, Kentucky.
L Y N N T. G R U B E R , \ P H I L I P J. B E A R D , V Committee. C A M D E N W. B A L L A R D , J

1897.

  
INTRODUCTION.

T he t ouching story, unembellished and u nadorned, w hich t his l i t t l e b ook presents, goes straight to the heart, and w i l l l ive i n t he affections of every true Odd F e l l o w w ho m ay read the l ines, w hich a re hardly m ore than reports of committees, of g ood, t rue and lovable men, who l ived m ore t han h alf a c entury ago i n the v illage, t hen, of S helbyville, K y . , a nd who counted i t g reat gain to be humble members of a b enevolent order, then i n the twentyseventh year of its history. T hese conscientious Odd F ellows, w hose h earts h ad been quickened by a sense o f d uty i n the cause of humanity; who were t ouched b y the f eeling o f a charity w hich i s k i n d ; w ho were humble instruments i n the h ands of an A l l - W i s e a nd O ver-Ruling P rovidence i n many acts of kindness and

  
8

TJie Boy John.

b rotherly

love   known only w i t h i n

the

s acred walls of the lodge room to o ther m embers of this t r u l y D ivine l ittle k new the far reaching I nstitution, r esults of

t he labors which they were conscientiously t hough silently performing, when they took u pon themselves, at the lodge's direction, t he solving of the then mystery of "the B o y J o h n , " i n the c ause of injured a nd the innocence, r i g h t i n g of a g reat w rong to a

f eeble c reature, b ut a g reat s oul, held i n b ondage a nd in slavery. I t was not i n the province of H o w a r d L odge N o. 1 5,1. O. O. F . , more than the duty of a ny Christian church i n a l l this broad l and   "the l and of the free a nd the home of t he brave?"   to inquire into and t race t he h istory of a w aif o n God's footstool; who w hite and free-born   being lost to p arents w hose i dol, p erhaps, he was, and stolen a way from kindred and holy associations    w as cuffed and b eaten a nd h alf f ed and m iserably clothed; his lot c ast i n w i t h the

  
Introduction.

9

w icked a nd degraded;

his A nglo-Saxon

face, f eatures and person changed by repeated cruelties k nown o nly t o those who h ave witnessed s imilar scenes i n the great S outhland, a nd War. I t was but the s pirit of the teachings of O dd F ellowship, actively in m iracle. T he m embers of Howard L odge h ad t aken a n o bligation " to v isit t he s ick, b ury t he dead, succor and educate the w idow a nd o rphan," a nd H o w a r d L odge w as strengthened by a membership who did not forget t hat:
Whatsoever you find for your hands to do, If you do it just right, Y ou n othing have lost, Whatever the cost, A s onward you travel this 'wide world through! Whatsoever is good, i t is good to do, If you do it just r ight; When foes assail, Y ou can not fall, Though the wicked w ith money your pathway strew!

performed

by a slave

d ealer, i n the years before the late C i v i l

practice   for

p rofession w ithout performance works no

  
10

The Boy John.
Whatsoever is best, i t is best to do, If you do it just r ight; Y ou naught have to fear If your Conscience be clear: N othing but Heaven is half so true! Whatsoever of labor or toil you knew, If you do it just right, A l l p ain will remove, B y the Master above: The portal of Gtlory will open to Y o u !

I mbued w i t h t he s pirit o f F riendship, L ove, a nd T r u t h ; q uick t o see, and prompt t o execute; this worthy lodge i nitiated, a nd o ur f aithful b rothers c arried successfully t o c ompletion, t he results w hich a re so p lainly set out on the f ollowing p ages. " F r i e n d s h i p l eads to B r o t h e r l y L ove," a nd t he f irst s tep one may take when one c learly p erceives its true meaning, is a desire, b eing strong one's self, to w eak, t he a fflicted, t he distressed. H o w s incere then must a l l Odd F e l l o w s k now o ur professions to be, when we point w i t h l ove, a ffection a nd reverence to those support the a nd s trengthen, succor and relieve

  
Introduction.

11

of o ur O rder who, i n the p ast, d i d so m uch f or t he r elief a nd s upport of   
" One of the least of these.my c hildren!"

I f n o o ther a ct of c harity a nd b enevolence c ould be s hown as a r esult of the l abors of H o w a r d Lodge i n the fifty-four y ears o f i ts history, t he f ollowing s imple story, a nd i ts s equence, w ould be s ufficient t o a mply d emonstrate t he l iving, a ctive principles o f t heir T r i n i t y of G races, which a re w oven i nto a c hain, whose k ey i s : " Gratefulness t o the C reator o f the u niverse; faithfulness t o the c ountry of y our n ativity o r a doption; a nd f raternity towards your fellowmen. W i t h t hese p rinciples, in-wrought i n t he h earts o f t he p eoples of e arth, what might n ot be a ccomplished t owards m en?" H o w a r d L odge N o . 15, I. O. O. P . , p ublishes this l i t t l e work, n ot b ecause of its l iterary m erit, b ut o nly f or the p urpose o f s howing what Odd Fellowship has done and t he u p-building o f the r aces of

  
12

The Boy John.

loill ever do, f or the r elief o f the distressed, a nd w i t h t he hope t h a t t he membership t hroughout this and other lands may be a ble to g ather t herefrom an additional fact, w hich, i f properly used, w i l l f urther the c ause, i n w o r k i n g as a leaven among the m asses o f men who, as yet, may not have e mbraced the principles we h old a nd practice. T he o ccasion w hich b rought to the k nowledge o f the outside w orld t he history of t he B o y John, was the Seventy-seventh A n n i v e r s a r y C elebration of the Independent Order of Odd F ellows, h eld by H o w a r d L odge N o. 1 5,1. O. O. F . , of S helbyville, K y . T he m anner of proceeding is clearly shown i n t he a ddress of B r o t h e r L y n n T . Gruber, w hich f ollows, a nd the exercises, w hich w ere held at L ayson H a l l , A p r i l 27, 1896, a t 8 o'clock p. m.

  
Introduction.
1 819. SEVENTY-SEVENTII ANNIVERSARY
(IF

1:-; 1 896. CELEBRATION,

ODD

FELLOWS BY

H O W A R D L O D G E N O . 1 5, I . O . O . P . , OP 8 H E L B Y V I L L E , K Y . L A Y S O N H A L L , A P R I L 27, '96,

8 P. M . PROGRAMME OF EXERCISES.

PART ONE.

Opening Ode.
Tune   " G n E E K V i L L E . " (The audience is requested to join in the singing of this ode.) B R E T H R E N of our friendly order, H O N O R here asserts her sway, A l l w ithin our secret border M ust her high commands obey; J oin, Odd F ellowship of B ROTHERS, I n the song of T R U T H and L O V E ; Leave dispute and strife to others, We i n H A R M O N Y m ust move. H ONOR to her court invites us, W orthy subjects let us p rove; Strong the c hain that here unites us, L inked w ith F R I E N D S H I P , T R U T H and L O V E ; I n our hearts enshrined and cherished, M ay these feelings ever b l o o m Failing not when life has perished, L iving s till beyond the tomb.

  
14
Opening Prayer Music

The Boy John.
by Rev. W. E. Bryce by the Mandolin Club by Rev. B. F. Hungerford

Introductory Address

" THE BOY JOHN," or Truth is Stranger than Fiction.
PART TWO.

Sketch Music

The Old Odd Fellow at Work, with Songs by the Mandolin Club Closing Ode.
T une   "AMERICA."

( The audience is requested to join in singing this ode and Doxology.) Brothers, we t hank y ou all, F or t his y our f riendly c all, Our hearts to cheer; May Peace her Influence shed, A nd heav'n its wings outspread, To guard each brother's head F rom p ain a nd fear. G ood-night! and as you go, Bear hence, and f ully show Stamp'd on y our breast, The seal of F R I E N D S H I P pure, A nd L O V E thro' life t' endure, A nd T R U T H , w hich s till secure W ith H onor rest.

Closing Prayer Benediction

by Rev. Dr. W. T. Poynier hong Meter Doxology. by Rev. J. R. Savage

Mrs. J. F. Bailey, Organist.

  
Or Truth in Stranger than Fiction. 15

ADDRESS
" O F'     .  

BROTHER L YNN T . GRUBER,
DELIVERED AT

Layson Hall, Shelbyville, Ky., April 27, 1896.

L adies a nd Gentlemen, Officers a nd B rothers:
"Trttitt is S tnmgzr than F tcti  n."

I h ave no doubt t hat a lready t here i s a f eeling of disappointment passing through t he minds of this audience, as you probably e xpected some learned and eloquent orator t o be introduced to you for the purpose of f urnishing a n hour's entertaining and instructive discourse on the beauties of the p rinciples of Odd F ellowship, o r on some k indred s ubject. b lunt B u t i n place of such a pretens peaker, you have before you o nly a p lain, f ellow-townsman, without sion t o any of the graces of oratory, but one w ho h opes t hat y ou w i l l o verlook his short-

  
if,

The Boy John,

c omings as such, and make proper a llowances for his lack of experience as a public s peaker, and CQmpliment h i m by becoming d eeply i nterested i n the subject w hich h e i s a bout to present i n the cause of humanity f or your consideration. T hree years ago, w h i l e s earching the old r ecords of H o w a r d L odge N o. 15, I. O. O. F . (of t his place), for the materials required i n t he collaboration of an article g iving t he h istory of this lodge, to be read on its 50th a nniversary celebration (which was held i n t his room), he found a mass of matter i n a case t hat a t once attracted his attention, a nd caused him to feel and manifest a g reat i nterest i n the subject t here p resented. Since t hat t ime, he has never permitted t he subject to p ass e ntirely f rom h is m ind, b ut has devoted many leisure moments i n examining t hese r ecords, and trying, i n his feeble way, to straighten out some of the tangled strands i n the skein. I t was a labor of considerable magnitude,

  
Or Trutli is Stranger ilian Fiction.

17

as the entire records of the lodge for a number of years were i nvolved; b ut, at a time l east hoped for, help came f rom a n unexpected source. I must detail to you this c ircumstance, and t hus a cquaint you w i t h a v ery remarkable coincidence, and one w hich as yet we have been unable to satisfactorily e xplain. A s hort time ago, your speaker, w i t h o nly f our o ther brothers of this lodge, were s eated i n our lodge room. I n an i nformal w ay t he matter of the celebration of this, o ur anniversary, day was being discussed. S everal p lans were suggested to make an i nteresting and instructive entertainment, b ut none seemed to entirely meet the w ishes of a l l present, u ntil, b y chance, it o ccurred t o the m i n d of your speaker to p ropose the subject w h i c h w i l l be brought o ut i n the course of the evening. H e turned t o the record book, and read to t hese b rothers some complete reports t hat a re t herein recorded. 2 A l l became at once in-

  
18

The Boy John,

t erested i n the case, and i t was discussed a t some length; and much r egret w as expressed by a l l at the l ack of a few l i n k s n eeded to complete the chain. d ays after this i nformal O nly a f ew m eeting, t here

w as received through the m a i l a p ackage, a ddressed to the officers and members of H o w a r d L odge No. 15, I. O. O. P., Shelbyville, K y . U p o n o pening it, what was our s urprise John." at f inding t he communication h eaded, " W h a t I k n o w about the B o y I t was a manuscript of f orty-five p ages, g iving i n a complete and narrative f orm t he connected history, w hich, i n our r ecords of the case, was i n a r ather d isconnected order. The work had evidently b een w r i t t e n a number of years ago, as the i nk s howed the signs of age. I t was enclosed i n a home-made envelope, t he glue p l a i n l y s howing t hat t he package h ad b een sealed for years. a nd p ostmarked f rom It was dated a l ittle t own i n

W estern N ebraska, but had no marks upon

  
Or Truth is Stranger than Fiction.

19

i t w hich e nabled us to f orm a ny idea who h ad s ent it. A n d we do not now know f rom w hom it came, but it is our o pinion t hat i t was found i n the effects of an old O dd F e l l o w w i t h d irections to forward it t o H o w a r d L odge after his death. The w riter, w hoever he was, must have been a f ormer m ember of this lodge, and have had access to our records, as t here i s a great d eal of matter i n the narrative w h i c h c ould o nly h ave been obtained f rom o ur records. I k now t hat t here a re several persons present to-night, and several more i n this c ommunity, t o whom much of this story w i l l be f amiliar, a nd who w i l l be able to c onvince t he most skeptical person t hat t his i s a t rue history of the B o y J o h n as far as t hey know t hat h istory. U n t i l t o-night t hey never had an opportunity to hear what w as the final o utcome of the affair, w hich h ad b een undoubtedly common talk i n this c ommunity fifty y ears ago. The d ates i n t he manuscript were left blank, but a note

  
2(1

The Boy John,

s tated w here we could find t he w i t h t hose d ates.

correct

d ates, a nd we have filled a l l of the blanks I w i l l n ow read a t rue a nd a ccurate c opy o f t he manuscript received; the r eports o f s pecial a nd standing committees to the l odge, and other m atter p ertaining to the case, m a k i n g this preliminary s tatement: T hat this is not a story founded on facts a mplified a nd colored to suit the t aste of a m orbid public curiosity, but it is a perfectly t rue a ccount of what really occurred w ithout embellishment, and is abundantly s ubstantiated by our records.
THE MYSTERIOUS MANUSCRIPT.

" A t a m eeting of H o w a r d Lodge N o . 15, I . O . O. F . , located at S helbyville, K y . , h eld d uring t he early p art of the winter of 1846, w e had the lodge room filled t o its utmost c apacity. f ound. Indeed, so crowded was the be r oom t hat a n empty s eat c ould not

T his lodge was at t hat e arly d ate

  
Or Truth is Stranger than Fiction.

21

a v ery strong one i n its membership,

and

c ounted on its r o l l a l ong l i s t of bright and z ealous b rothers, w ho prided themselves in b eing always p resent a t its meetings; consequently, at every gathering of the Order t he room was w e l l f illed. B u t on this p articular e vening it was unusually crowded, i t b eing the night for the election of officers, c hairs. with many willing a nd anxious various b rothers as c andidates f or the

O h ! how the

faces o f t hose o ld

b rothers, b eaming w i t h the cardinal v irtues o f our order   'Friendship, Love and T ruth'   present themselves to my memory as I write t hese l ines. M a n y of them h ave c losed t he l ife o f ' F a i t h , Hope and Charity,' a nd h ave p assed f rom time, to t ake t heir a bove. well-earned places i n the Lodge old I believe t hat one o ther b rother,

w ho is s till a u seful member of the t hose w ho had congregated

l odge, and myself are a l l t hat a re left of i n the lodge At the r oom on the night mentioned.

  
22

Tlw Boy John,

u sual s tage of proceedings for such business, t he Noble G r a n d a rose i n his place, a nd i n a low, sad voice, read: u nbecoming an Odd F ellow. 'I charge conduct B rother George M c D a v i t t w i t h

S pecifica-

t i o n : T hat the accused Brother George McD a v i t t h as taken into his custody on the o rder of M r . George, and sold into slavery, a c ertain boy called John, which boy is supposed to be the son of white p arents, b orn free, and without the t aints of negro b lood.' O n the reading of the charge, the astonishment. on every face.

b rothers w ere struck w i t h I ncredulity was depicted a c rime? Impossible!

W h y ! B rother M c D a v i t t a ccused of such Brother M c D a v i t t w as almost the i dol of the lodge; one of the m ost beloved, useful and popular of its m embers, and deservedly so; for he was a b ig-hearted, i mplies. " E a c h h eart i n t hat r oom responded generous, noble man, and a g ood O dd F e l l o w , w i t h a l l t hat that n ame

  
Or Truth is Stranger than Fiction.

23

' not g uilty,' t o the accusation, and every one felt t hat B rother M c D a v i t t c ould n ot be g uilty of so black a crime. W a s a brother s ick, a t his bedside B r o t h e r M c D a v i t t w as s ure to be found; his presence was greeted w i t h a h appy smile by the a fflicted b rother; h is fingers were softest to the fevered b r o w ; h is s ympathizing face c ould b est a way the aches and pains of disease. a b rother i n distress? w hisper h is wants to B r o t h e r c hase Was

If so, he had o nly t o McDavitt,

a nd the brother's b i g h eart s welled w i t h b enevolence, and was anxious to relieve h im. A n d often had he stood by the last r esting place and assisted the brothers of t he lodge to consign a departed brother, or b rother's w ife, t o the grave   'Ashes to T his c harge c ould A shes, D u s t to Dust.' n ot be true.

B r o t h e r M c D a v i t t w as too Oh, no! the

g ood a m an, too t rue a n Odd F ellow, t o be g uilty o f such an outrage. " O n t he reading of this charge and specification, t he N oble G r a n d appointed

  
24

The Boy John,

u sual

c ommittee

of

investigation, who accused Brother M iss.,

g ave the requisite notice to the h earing the evidence i n the case.

b rother, and appointed a time and place for M c D a v i t t w as then i n V i c k s b u r g ,

a nd, at his r equest, t he court of investigation w as adjourned f rom w eek to week, unt i l h is return home, for the brother was a t rader, a nd took charge of stock, such as h orses, mules, and sometimes negroes, s ell o n commission i n the southern kets. to mar-

T his f act was an evidence of his h i g h A t last, early i n the spring of

s tanding i n his native place for t r u t h and h onesty. 1847, a l l parties being ready for t r i a l , t he c ommittee proceeded to the c ollection of t he evidence. The first witness c alled t o place He t he stand was B r o t h e r J o h n C leminson ( who operated a rope w a l k o n the d eposed as f ollows: n ow o ccupied by M r . J . C. Beckham). o f a m anufacturer of rope and

' M y business is t hat bagging.

I k now a boy c alled J o h n ; I suppose h i m to

  
Or Truth is Stranger than Fiction.

25

be the same boy mentioned i n the charge a gainst Brother M c D a v i t t . I h ired t he boy I had h i m f rom M r . G eorge by the month.

i n m y factory for two or t hree m onths. The b oy w as a very bright mulatto; I w ould s uppose f rom h is c omplexion t hat h e had some negro b lood i n his veins. H i s hair d id n ot indicate the taints of the negro, n either did his features nor the expression of h is face. H e was a w e l l f ormed and I w ould s uppose and fourfinely d eveloped b oy, w i t h m anners superior t o those of a negro. h im to be between teen years old. twelve

I have heard my hands

s ay t hat t he boy c laimed t o be white, b ut I never heard h i m allege such a c laim. I d elivered the boy to M r . G eorge M c D a v i t t o n t he presentation of an order f rom M r . G eorge, t he boy's master.' (The order was h ere presented and w i t h t he consent of the w itness m ade part of the evidence.) " A f ew other witnesses were c alled t o p rove t he identity of the boy, his general

  
26

The Boy John,

a ppearance, a nd o ther m inor facts.

The

l ast witness introduced on the p art of the p rosecution was a n egro m an   a slave to t he boy's master   who was, a fter m uch persuasion, induced to come to town l ate o n a S aturday dence. night, i n order to give his e vi' Could H e g ave h is n ame as 'Ike.'

n ot t ell h is age; was raised by Massa G eorge; Massa George owned his mother. He k nowed Massa George's boy John; M assa h ad raised the boy J o h n ever since h e was t hree o r four y ears o ld, maybe five o r six.' " Question. 'Do you know how your 'Yes, sah.' ' W e l l , s ah, one m aster c ame t o own the boy?' ' W e l l , t e l l u s a l l a bout i t.'

e vening Massa George, he w a r setting out o n de porch, and he say, "Ike, what smoke i s d at down dar i n the woods?" m over's smoke." So I say, " I he d unno, Massa George; s peks d at he some Then Massa George s ay, " B r i n g r ound de pony, and I go see." I b r i n g round de pony, and Massa

  
Or Truth is Stranger than Fiction.

27

G eorge he get on de pony, and go t hro de w ood, an I f ollow h im to see, too, but you b et dat old Massa he d on't k now dat I f ollow h im. W h e n I got m ost d own to de s moke, I seed a t olerable old man, and an o ld w oman, w i t h t hree o r four children, a s etting b y de fire; an de m ost b roken down w agon, an de p oorest o ld h oss, d at I e bber d id see; and old Massa he was standing by de fire, t a l k i n g to de old man. Den I s quat d own behind some o ld logs, and I h eared o ld M assa ax de old man w h a r he c ome f rom. A n de old man he say, " F r o m N o r t h C a r o l i n a ; a nd we is mighty poor, we i s ; an' w e are a gwine to Indiana, if we e ver c an get dar." "Yes." o ne? Then old Massa he say, " Y o u s e D e old man say, O l d Massa say, " I w ant a n ice boy I ' l l m ake a m an out of h i m . " De old g ot some fine boys h ere."

t o run a bout de h ouse; s 'posin' you s ell m e m an, he say " N o . " Den old Massa, he say, D en

" I gib you dis nice pony and t wenty d ollars for dis boy, dat you calls J o h n . "
t

  
28

The Boy John,

de old man he talk to de old woman, and a fter a good long time, de old man, he say d at he was w i l l i n g t o s ell de boy, if old M assa p romised to make a man outen of h im. t hat?' D en I went home to de cabin.' happened after ' W e l l , M assa, I goes t o de cabin, an A n I say " Coming, " ' W e l l , t ell u s what

a fter a good while I h ear M assa George h oller o ut, "Ike!" M assa G eorge." W h e n I go up to de house,

M assa G eorge say, "Ike, dem movers down d ar in de woods, dey am mighty poor white f olks, a n d are o ld h oss a nt almost dead; I s peck dat I must gib dem my pony." t o gib de pony away am you?" "Yes." I say " L a w , m e, Massa George, you ain't gwine H e say, T hen he told me to t ake de saddle Well, I

a nd bridle off en de pony, and t ake t hem de p ony, and say I gibs dem de pony. t aked de pony, and went to de camp to de o ld m an, and I say to him, " O l d Massa say h e gives you dis pony." De old man he I t ook de pony, but n e b b    - s aid nothing.

  
Or Truth is Stranger than Fiction.

29

seed de old woman a sitting by de fire, a n she was a c r y i n ; a n den I went back to de c abin.' " Question. ' Now, Ike, t e l l u s when you ' W e l l , n ext day, I go s aw the boy next?'

o ver to de old place to plow de corn, an I w ork d ar most two weeks; when I come b ack to de new place, I seed de little boy r unning o ut i n de yard, an I knowed h i m w as de s ame l ittle boy dat I seed dat night d own w i t h de movers.' Question. 'How 'Well, i n de d id y our m aster t reat t he boy?' o ld M assa, he make de boy go out

s un, and de rain, most a l l de time without no hat, an nothing on he back cepting an o ld s hirt what was mighty ragged, a l l de s ummer an de f all, c lear up t i l l m ost h oliday t i m e     a l l de time dat I knowed h i m . ' Q uestion. ' H o w long was t hat, I ke?' 'A l ong t ime, five o r six, maybe seben J o h n C leminson, an dat d at I ever seed J o h n . ' am de last years. time

L ast y ear, Massa he hired J o h n to Massa

  
30

The Boy John,

" Brother M c D a v i t t t estified i n his own b ehalf, 'That he had taken a boy to s ell o n c ommission f rom M r . George. That M r . J o h n Cleminson had delivered the boy to h im o n the order of M r . George; t hat t he b oy was named J o h n . H e was a very and of s prightly boy; a very bright colored boy, w e l l g rown and finely developed, r aised as a slave. m ore than ordinary intelligence for a boy B u t he had no reason to s uppose h im to be white, and had no suspicions t hat t he boy was the son of white p arents. H a d understood from M r . George H e had never H a d sold two t hat h e had raised the boy.

seen t he boy u n t i l M r . Cleminson delivered h im o n the order of M r . George. t he boy to a M r . M c N e i l l , r esiding in one of t he back counties of M ississippi, f or h undred and fifty d ollars.' " A n d t hus t he investigation closed, and t he evidence was reported back to the lodge b y t he committee, w i t h a resolution acquitt i n g t he accused. On the final t r i a l of

  
Or Truth is Stranger than Fiction.

31

B rother M c D a v i t t b y the lodge, a fter

a

l engthy discussion, and a careful examination o f the evidence, the resolution offered b y t he committee was adopted, and of the Brother the b rother d eclared s hortly a fter innocent crime a w ithSouth, The the

c harged a gainst h im.

McDavitt

h is t r i a l o btained to the

drawal card and removed a cquittal of the accused t he boy J o h n . flicted

w here he died a s hort t ime a fter t his. b rother l eft

l odge profoundly interested in the f ate of It was very evident t hat a That the boy man g reat c ruelty and injustice had b een i no n a f ellow b eing. w as the s ame one purchased by the I ke, was undoubted. w ere rife through This was

G eorge, as testified to by the colored man, further s ubstantiated b y the n umerous r umors t hat the e ntire c ommunity. clothing for years, T hat the boy had b een e xposed to the sun a nd w eather w ithout w as f ully p roven, and t hat t his exposure

w as for the p urpose of bronzing h i m into

  
32

The Boy John,

t he appearance of a mulatto was the just i nference. W e a l l knew the sordid n ature o f t he man George, and many believed t hat, f or g old, he w ould b arter away his own s oul. W h a t was the lodge to do? Indeed, w hat c ould i t do? U n d e r the head of ' H a s

a ny brother anything to offer for the good o f t he order?' the question came before the l odge, a nd, after l ong d ebate, t he brothers d etermined to investigate the case as far as p racticable, a nd a committee of five w ere a ppointed on the case, and c alled C ommittee o n the B o y J o h n . ' In ' The those

e arly d ays of Odd F ellowship, t he secretary o f t he lodge kept what was designated a c ommittee book, in w h i c h w as recorded the v arious c ommittees of the lodge, under t heir appropriate heads. When reports f rom c ommittees were c alled f or, the secretary w ould t u r n to this book, and c all t he v arious c ommittees, w i t h t he name of their c hairman. N i g h t a fter night, week after the w eek, u n t i l i t almost became a jest,

  
Or Truth is Stranger than Fiction.

33

s ecretary w o u l d c a l l o ut, 'Committee on B oy J o h n ; P a s t G r a n d K n o t t , chairman.' T he brother a sk for w ould r eport progress, time, w hich w ould and be further

g ranted, but against the wishes of some of t he brothers, who were opposed to the investigation o n the grounds t hat i t was outside of the duties of the order, and who w ished t he committee discharged. Without much a pparent s uccess, the committee w ere s t i l l b usily at work, and t hat w i t h g reat z eal. On the night of their appointment, the chairman had, by resolution, a sked for the power to employ an a gent' t o i nvestigate, examine and hunt up evidence, w hich r equest w as promptly granted t he lodge. by On the first meeting of the

c ommittee, after due consultation, and acti n g u nder the advice of an eminent a ttorney, Past G r a n d G . W . Johnson, who was o ne of Grand
3

the

committee of the

(and s tate

afterward of Kent hat

M aster

tucky i n 1851) it was determined

  
34

Tlie Boy John,

t he b est

c ourse to pursue

was to try-

to find t he p arents of the boy, or, f ailing i n t his a ttempt, t o trace them back to where t hey came f rom, a nd t hus p ossibly ascertain t heir names, and their present dence. resiTo effect this, Past G r a n d W i l l i a m

T . K n i g h t offered his services to the c ommittee, free of cost to the lodge; his offer w as gladly accepted. After o btaining f rom t he colored man, Ike, as accurate a description o f the party of movers as he c ould g ive a nd also their outfit, he determined to a ttempt t o trace them back to their o rigi n a l s tarting place i n N o r t h C arolina, a nd t hus p robably be able to discover f rom t heir former acquaintances their names and t heir place of residence i n Indiana. So p roviding h imself w i t h a g ood roadster, he w ent back on the usual route of i mmigrants f rom t hat s tate b ound for Indiana, a d istance w hich h e considered as a f air d ay's journey for such a company. He t hen halted and commenced his search for

  
Or Truth is Stranger ilian Fiction.

35

i nformation of them.

A f t e r s everal days

s pent i n fruitless efforts, he at last found a g entleman residing at the mouth of ' S i x M i l e C reek,' a s mall s tream entering the K e n t u c k y r iver about twenty miles below F rankfort, w ho thought t hat he recollected s uch a p arty having camped on his grounds f or t wo or t hree d ays, being detained on a ccount of the illness of some one of the f amily. H e thought t hat i t was about six years t he The w ife o f the gentleman o r s even years since, or about the 1839 or 1840.

d istinctly r emembered having v isited

s ick f amily, a nd her description of them c orresponded very nearly w i t h t hat of the n egro man, Ike. T his c lue, although very f aint, e ncouraged h i m i n his search, and w i t h g reat d ifficult}' he was able to f ollow u p the t r a i l , a lmost to the borders of the s tate. B u t in the mountainous portions of R e t u r n i n g home, K e n t u c k y , n ear C umberland Gap, he finally l ost a l l t race o f them. he reported to the committee a l l of the

  
36

The Boy John,

i tems and information t hat he had

been

a ble to obtain regarding the f amily o f immigrants, and manifested a disposition to a bandon the seach; but on the e arnest solicitation o f the committee, he consented t o a ttempt t o t race t he f amily o f movers t o their place of residence i n Indiana, presuming t hat t hey had gone to t hat s tate, as the old man had said t hat w as his destination. S o, starting out, he again succeeded i n f alling o n their track, w hich h e f ollowed u n t i l he arrived at the O hio r iver, n ear W est Port, Oldham county, K e n t u c k y , a t w hich p oint he lost a l l t race of . t hem, a nd discontinued his search i n t hat d irection. O n his return f rom t his t r i p he reported to the committee this second failure of h is mission of l ove, a nd they were on the p oint o f m a k i n g a f inal r eport to the lodge, a nd ask to be discharged. " A n d n ow let us drop a t ear t o the memory of Past G r a n d Joseph P . K n o t t , z ealous chairman of this committee. t he He

  
Or Truth is Stranger than Fiction.

37

w as a man of commanding excellences; he p ossessed the respect, the esteem and the l ove o f a l l who knew h i m ; he comprehended t he f ull m eaning of the