Colorado Springs, Colo., Aug. 3rd, 1901

Pikes Peak Lodge No. 38 I.O.O.F. was instituted at Colorado Springs Colo. November 3rd. 1880 by C.D. Cobb, Grand-Master of Colorado. The following being Charter Members, W.R. Roby, A.J. Downing, Harry Iles, J.G. Warner, A.N. Wheeler, H.M. Ward, P.J. Williams, G.M. Young, W.D. Gaby, J.T. Fitch and J.M. Somerville.

The first Officers were W.R. Roby, N.G. A.J. Downing, V.G. Harry Iles, Sect. A.N. Wheeler, Treas.

E.W. Frost, for a number of years supt. of water works, was the first one to be initiated.

The lodge has been in a flourishing condition since it was instituted, especially the last term, under the management of W.V. Weare as Noble Grand, Twenty-Seven new members having been enrolled.

The lodge now has a membership of Two Hundred and Nine Members in Good Standing. The lodge owns property on Kiowa St. worth at the present time Twelve Thousand Dollars, and intends to erect a fine Odd Fellows Hall.

During the last few years several Lodges having sprung from Pikes Peak Lodge, Namely: Manitou Lodge No. 71, Colo. City Lodge, No. 77, Florissant Lodge No. 86, Seth Sawyer Lodge, No. 15.

The Lodges at Florissant and Roswell did not seem to prosper and finally consolidated with Pikes Peak Lodge No. 38.

The other Lodges are getting along very well.

Phoenix Encampment No. 21, was organized May 26th, 1883, and is doing nicely and has a Membership of Ninety.

Canton Colfax No. 2 was organized March 6th, 1886 and has about Forty Members.

Monte Rosa Rebekah Lodge No. 4 was organized March 21st, 1891. It has One Hundred and Seventy One Members, they have a well drilled Degree Staff and do the work better than any other Lodge in the State. At the last meeting they decided to purchase new robes for the staff and they will then endeavor to put the work on the floor in a finer shape.

Colorado Springs Lodge No. 140 I.O.O.F. was organized in May of this year by Grand Master H.C. McCreery, who by the way is a member of Pikes Peak Lodge, they now have a Membership of about Seventy Five and are getting along real well.

The Grand Lodge of Colorado, meets in this city in October, this year and the Lodges here are now making arrangements to entertain them. The Grand Lodge is now raising money by percapita [sic] tax to build an Odd Fellows Home, where old and indigent Odd Fellows may be taken care of. We are in hopes that Colorado Springs may be the place selected for it.

The Officers of Pikes Peak Lodge for the ensuing term are:

W.V. Weare, Sitting Past Grand.

John Argust, Noble Grand.

L.A. Fox, Vice Grand.

J.E. Shobe, Secretary.

H.C. Loesch, Treasurer.

[signed] J.E. Shobe, Sect.

[Letter 2]

A Brief History of Monte Rosa Rebekah Lodge No. 4.

Monte Rosa Rebekah Lodge No. 4 I.O.O.F. was instituted, at Colorado Springs Colo., March 21st 1891, by the Grand Master J.G. Horn. The Dispensation contained 23 names and 52 members were received into the lodge the same evening, thus launching forth with a membership of 75.

The Degree staff of Miriam Lodge No. 10 Salida conferred the degree on the members elect.

The ceremony of Institution was performed on the third floor of the building situated on the north west corner of Tejon and Huerfano Sts. over what was at that time the (P.O.) Post Office. This Hall was used as a meeting place until the early part of 1897 when the present rooms in the McIntyre Barnett Building were provided and dedicated by the Odd fellows.

The lodge meets the first and third Friday evening in each month.

Mrs. Roland Baker was elected Noble Grand and the lodge assumed its duties with eagerness and vivacity.

A degree staff was at once organized, and the proper robes and regalia provided.

Much praise is due Captain Seth Baker for the efficiency of the degree staff of Monte Rosa Lodge. He it was who organized the degree staff, and has always been, and now is, its captain. He is the originator of the floor work of the staff which is different from that of other Rebekah lodges.

I must needs speak of his great devotion to the Rebekah lodge, and the justice and mercy with which he views all perplexing questions which arise in the lodge. He is and always has been one of the most influential characters in the lodge.

Mrs. Roland Baker was the first Noble Grand followed by Seth Baker, the only man who has ever occupied that chair. The others who have been honored by service in the Noble Grand's chair are as follows: Viola Baker, Orpah Barr, Emily Horn, Carrie Shobe, Stella Baker, Sallie Robison, Minnie M. Pierson, Lizbeth Shimp, Lucy Wheeler, Fannie McCammon, Eliz. Walling, Belle Musser, Helen Way, Bessie L. Kennedy, Hattie St. John, Lillian Collins, Louise Udick, Mary E. Wheeler, Fannie Raukin.

The N.G. and V.G. are elected for a term of six months each, and take their chairs the first meetings in January and July.

The Recording Secretary, the Financial Secretary and Treasurer are elected for one year each and take their chairs the first meeting in January.

The numerical growth of the lodge has at all times been healthy and active. There are at present 171 members. Many have been dropped for non-payment of dues, many have moved into other states and some have died.

The membership of the lodge is of an excellent character. A high ideal of the principles of the order is held by the individual members and thus the lodge contains a good, moral and intelligent class of people.

The decisions of the lodge are rendered with justice and administered with mercy. Merit and worth are rewarded by the trust and confidence of the lodge. In all questions before the lodge the Good seems to hold the supremacy, and be its guiding star.

Those who have held high official positions in the order are: Dr. J.G. Horn who has occupied the honored position of Grand Master of the I.O.O.F. of Colo., H.C. McCreery is at present Grand Master of this state. Seth Baker is the Grand Treasurer at this writing. L.C. Dana is Department Commander of the Patriarch's Militant, at the present time. Minnie M. Pierson has held the office of Pres. of Rebekah State Assembly. And Orpah Barr is now Grand Treasurer of the Reb. State Assembly.

The relief work of the lodge is attended to with care and consideration. The lodge is active and industrious, and its duties are executed with much precision and exactness.

After the labors are ended, the social obligations are entered into with much zest.

The social gatherings afford opportunities for friendship and pleasure. Frequently light refreshments are served in the banquet room, and toasts are responded to with much fun and fervor by the members.

It is customary to serve refreshments when the new officers are installed. At the last meeting of our lodge July 19, the new officers were installed.

Installations having been delayed owing to a discrepancy in the secretaries' books [?].

After installation a banquet was given and I (Belle Musser) acted as toast mistress. I also retired from the Noble Grand's chair and was presented with a Post Grand's collar & jewel, in accordance with the custom of the lodge. Louise Hage was installed Noble grand and Laura Johnson, Vice Grand, Janet Berwick, Rec. Sec., and Annie Jones Moore Financial Secretary for the ensuing term.

There having been two resignations necessitating the election at this time of the last two officers installed, a reception for the new members is given almost every term. The State Pres. Rebekah Assembly Tillie Shiveley visited here 24 inst. [?] and a reception was given for her at Hattie St. John's.

The lodge has frequently given entertainments to replenish the treasury or to enable it to more easily meet some necessary expense. Some of these entertainments afford more pleasure than financial profit. There have been New England dinners, "hard times" socials, minstrel shows, farces, a woman's congress & c & c besides numerous musical and literary entertainments.

In the fall of 1895, a Fair was held in the building known as Coliseum or Temple Theatre, and a dinner was served in the evening. The receipts were over $500 for Monte Rosa Lodge. During the first term of 1900, Lizbeth Shimp N.G. the lodge furnished a room at the Deaconess' Hospital.

The Grand Lodge meets in Colo. Springs in Oct. this yr. (1901), and great preparations are being made for their entertainment. Monte Rosa Lodge has ordered new robes for the degree staff at a cost of $2.75. In one century may Rebekah Lodges have attained that perfection for which we hope and to which we aspire. I will enclose with this brief history a copy of our Constitution & bylaws, the self same book that I used during my term of office in the Noble Grand's chair, written this 29th day of July, 1901, by

Belle McCoy Musser
1032 Washington Ave.
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Mrs. Geo. W. Musser