The Day the Knights Came to Town
A delegation of Redmen from Port Townsend arrives in Seattle for a ceremonial gathering, greeted by crowds and banquets.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
PORT TOWNSEND, June 26. — The delegation of Redmen from the Independent Order of Red Men arrived at 10 o'clock p.m. last evening aboard the steamer *Hood* here. They were met at the wharf by citizens and a band and escorted up town. The evening was devoted to visiting social dates and partaking of a banquet in the Knights of Pythian hall. At 8 o'clock the following morning the third degree had just been received, and the officers had been elected an hour later.
"Chiefs at Kansas City."
PORT TOWNSEND, June 26. — The delegation included H. H. Manning, S.W.; J. T. Atkinson, sachem; F. V. Trimbick, prophet; A. G. Jennings, senior Sachem; L. T. Lockhart, chief; Malwine N. Walker, sachem; Frank Lane, pow wow; T. Turner, grand sachem; Thos. Hansen, head of the forest; John Gilchrist, first captain; I. C. Hale, second captain; H. Jones, W. F. Carroon, Grand Sachem; T. Mitchell, Thurman, Warrior; R. G. Egan, T. Dixon, D. Rowell, bass drum; J. A. Kahn, D. B. Roberts, Isaac White, John Atterton, crier; C. McIntyre.
They were met at the wharf by citizens and a band and escorted up town. The evening was devoted to visiting social dates and partaking of a banquet in the Knights of Pythian hall.
This brief notice captures a moment when fraternal organizations like the Independent Order of Red Men (a Masonic-style group for men) were central to civic life, often adopting Native American titles and rituals as part of their initiation rites. While today we might view such appropriation with critical eyes, in the early 20th century it was a standard way for communities to bond through ritualized camaraderie and secret societies.
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