The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record
July 18, 2007
July 18, 2007
The Loyal Orange Lodge of British America (LOLBA) has been in existence since 1688 when Prince William of Orange from Holland came to England to defend the “liberties of Englishmen and the Protestant Religion.”
The Wellington Loyal Orange Lodge of Springhill was organized in 1873. A second Orange Lodge, Lord Nelson, was organized on Oct. 8, 1891 in the school house on the
Commons and held their meeting there until the West End Orange Hall was built on the Herrett Road . On Dec. 7, 1895 the two lodges amalgamated with the following officers: Worshipful Master, David H. Rae; District Master, Kent Foster; Chaplin, Henry Perrin; Recording Secretary, William Lamond; Financial Secretary, Herbert Terris; Treasurer, William B. Embree; Deputy of County, John M. MacDonald; Lecturer, David Price; Lodge of the County, Charles Burrows.
Loyal Orange Association in Canada is a Patriotic, Benevolent and Protestant Society with the purpose to: 1. To Encourage its members to actively participate in a protestant church of their choice. 2. Actively support the Canadian System of government. 3. Anticipate legislation and its impact on the civil and religious liberties of all Canadians. 4. Provide social activities which will enrich the lives of its members. 5. Participate in benevolent activities which will enrich our communities and our country.
Their mission statement is: working together for the betterment of family, community and country.
The Association stands for: Democratic Government – for the people and by the people; promoting and maintaining the protestant faith; preservation of the English language; the public school concept; maintaining the monarchy; supremacy of law; a united Canada .
On February 4, 1896 the West Cumberland County Loyal Orange Lodge held their annual meeting in the Lord Nelson Lodge and elected the following new County Officers : County Master , Hibbert Hunter, Leamington ; County Chaplin , Rev. R. T. Porter, Advocate Harbour ; County Secretary , William B. Embree, Springhill; County Recording Secretary, William Lamond, Springhill; County Treasurer, Moses Welsh, Springhill; Deputy of County of Springhill, John M. MacDonald; County Lecturer, Hector MacKenzie, Joggins; 1 st. Deputy Lecturer, Freeman Davis, Apple River; 2 nd Deputy Lecturer, Herbert Terris, Springhill.
On July 12 th of that year the Lodge held a parade to celebrate the Battle of the Boyne . They marched to the St. Andrews Presbyterian Church and Rev. David Wright preached a sermon. The following day they had a picnic in the park with members from all over the county attending. There was a parade and speeches afterwards followed by sports and amusements for all including a dance that night.
Pie socials were also held by the Orange Lodge and there would be entertainment such as dialogues, recitations, songs and music.
A primary lodge may set apart and observe a stated day in each or any year for the purpose of decorating the graves of deceased members.
The Orange Lodge had an insurance plan for their members. Insurance on the life of a member may be accepted on and of the following plans except that no insurance on the whole life plan will be issued on the life of any member of the Ladies Orange Benevolent Association. 1. Whole life plan; 2. the twenty payment life plan; 3. the endowment at 65 plan; 4. the twenty year endowment plan; 5. the thirty year endowment plan; each of the above with cash surrender, loan and paid-up values. The cost of the insurance depended upon the work a person did such as a hazardous job like the army (in times of peace) .25 cents; people who worked in the mines were considered extra hazardous and they had to pay 50 cents; some things were uninsurable such as professional bicyclist, circus entertainers and animal trainers.
In the Nova Scotia Grand Orange Lodge Reports of 1901-1905 had the following Memorials for these Springhill LOL, No. 74 members: Bro. Brown Ferlong (sp.), died Oct. 20, 1900, , in connection with the order 10 years; Bro. A.W. McMillan, Died September 15, 1901, in connection with the order 18 years; Bro. J.E. Brown, died October 9, 1901; Bro. Barney Hunter, Died January 12, 1901, No. 97, Leamington, in connection with the order, 12 years, 7 months and 17 days; Bro. Robert Dykins, Died January 11, 1901, LOL, No. 1611 Springhill; Bro. Frank Furlong, Died March 1, 1901, LOL No 1611, Springhill, in connection with the order 6 years and 6 months; Bro. John Kenty, Died August 14, 1902, in connection with the order 15 years; Bro. Donald S. Beaton, Died October 11, 1902, in connection with the order 25 years; Bro. William Kennedy, Died December 18, 1902, in connection with the order 10 years; Bro. John McMullen, Died July 4, 1903, in connection with the order 1 year; Bro. Herbert Fox, Died April 30, 1903, LOL No. 1611 Springhill, in connection with the order 8 months; Bro. S. McDowell, Died October 5, 1903, LOL No. 1611, Springhill, in connection with the order 7years and 7 months; Bro. Fred Mills, Died December 3, 1904, LOL No. 1611, Springhill, in connection with the order 5 years and 6 months; Bro. Richard Power, Died September 13, 1904, in connection with the order 12 years; Bro. Charles M. Wellett, Died May 5, 1904, in connection with the order 4 years.
Jordon Churchill, born in 1893, was a member of the Lord Nelson Orange Lodge. LOL 1611, for 51 years and in 1944 he received a lifetime certificate from the lodge which was signed by Worshipful Master Ray Porter and Bruce Hyatt, Recording Secretary. Mr. Churchill died in 1952.
Another known lifetime member was Roy Pettigrew.
