The Woodmen and the Red Men

By 1907 — 1921

Two Woodmen orders, one tribe: The Improved Order of Red Men, which traced its ceremonial line to the Revolutionary era's patriot societies and dressed its degrees in adopted Indian titles, kept Montauk Tribe No. 426 in South Bend — meeting in its own Red Men Hall, at 118 East Jefferson Boulevard in 1921, with Thomas Hertel as sachem — with the Montauk Hay Loft beside it and the women's Degree of Pocahontas in council: Howard's roster names Leota Council No. 44, the 1921 directory Montauk Council No. 323, both printed here as their books give them. The tribe's hall was working real estate in the lodge economy: the Abraham Lincoln Odd Fellows and at least one bricklayers' local met under its roof. The Woodmen came in two rival national orders and South Bend kept both. The Woodmen of the World ran Fidelity Camp No. 28, Linden Camp No. 42, Harmony Camp No. 78, and by 1921 the Polish-named Walnut Camp No. 121 and Camp No. 188, whose officers — Ladislaw Holdny, Rudolph Koczan, John Kovach, Michael Steinruck — show the order recruiting in the west-side Polish parishes, with the Woodmen Circle's groves for women: Live Oak Grove No. 1, Olive Grove No. 12, Linden Grove No. 29, South Bend Grove No. 36 and Hand in Hand Grove No. 51. The Modern Woodmen of America answered with Colfax Camp No. 3306, Washington Camp No. 6675, and the Royal Neighbors' Goldenrod Camp No. 1236. Between the two orders, the directory of 1921 counts a dozen Woodmen bodies in one city — the insurance principle again, split by a national schism into parallel camp rolls.

Sources:

1. Howard (1907), societies chapter — Montauk Tribe No. 426; Leota Council No. 44, Degree of Pocahontas; the Woodmen camps and groves.
2. Polk (1921), "Improved Order of Red Men"; "Woodmen of the World"; "Modern Woodmen of America" — Montauk Council No. 323; the 1921 camp and grove rolls with officers.