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Massachusetts Catholic Order of Foresters
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GERMANIA COURT N0. 93
Until the establishing of Germania Hall in Roxbury, there were 2 other
Germania Halls - one in East Boston and the other in Roslindale. More-
over, the name, the GERMANIA ASSOCIATION OF ROXBURY, may have been in-
tended, I believe, to distinguish it from the owners of the two other
Germania Halls.
It seems that the Germania Association of Roxbury may have been formed
for the purpose of providing a place for it the Germania Court (No.
93) of the MCOF to meet. This group probably drew its membership from
those German Catholics living in the area of Roxbury Highlands. There
was at this time a Holy Trinity Court (No. 51) of the MCOF, begun in
1883, and it met at a hall located near the church.
The Holy Trinity Court was given its charter on April 13, 1883. In
the program celebrating its 50th Anniversary it was stated that its
formation "was more in the nature of an experiment than an actual
fact, especially in uniting the German Catholics." It was certainly
a successful experiment in that the German Catholics embraced this
movement so that there grew to be 10 "German" Courts", several of
which (Holy Trinity Court, Germania Court, St. Cecilia Court, St.
Othilia Court, St. Boniface Court, and St. Aloysius Court) would
ultimately conduct their meetings at Holy Trinity's Casino Hall.
The Holy Trinity Court had 31 charter members and at year's end there
were 47 members.
Anton Anderer Joseph Becherer Anton Beck
John Brann Fred. Braun Bonaventure Bucholz
Louis Davidmeyer Pius Eldracher Franz Erhard
Michael Fandel Peter Fandel John Faulstich
Ludwig Faulstich Andreas Fickinger Leopold Fink
Adam Fogel Isidor Fleck Franz Funke
Thomas Gerhard Henry Hampe Martin Hasenfuss
Henry Hofner John Jansen Andreas Klauer
Gerhard Kranefuss Leopold Kohler John Kutz
Christian Lambrecht Ambrose Lehr Adam Lorenz
Henry Mertin Joseph Ochs Kasimir Reiser
Henry Reisert Caspar Scholtes Joseph Schroth
Fred. Schwaab Geo. P. Seegraber John M. Sieberlich
Joseph Spang Christian Spiegel Joseph Tondorf
Joseph Tondorf, Jr. John Walter Martin Weidmann
Louis Wipperman Joseph Wolter
At the end of 1886 there were 51 members; at the end of 1887, 54 mem-
bers; and at the end of 1888, 58 members. One of the members in 1888
was a Brushmaker. (Henry Wessling became a member on October 10, 1888.)
The officers in 1888 were:
Chief Ranger: Gerhard Kranefuss
Recording Sec.: Joseph G. Mees
Financial Sec.: Thomas Gerhard
Treasurer: Adam Lorenz
Convention Representatives: Gerhard Kranefuss (Joseph Tondorf - Alt)
The officers in 1889 were:
Chief Ranger: Frederick Schwaab
Recording Sec.: Francis Funke
Financial Sec.: Henry Wessling
Treasurer: Joseph Spang
Convention Representatives: Joseph Tondorf (Gerhard Kranefuss - Alt)
Tondorf was also a Trustee of the Reserve Fund, which he had helped to
create as a remedy for some potential financial problems. At its
inception the MCOF did not have any sort of reserve to buffer any
shortfall should membership drop off and/or there be an increase in
the death benefit payments from the endowment fund. Rather, it relied
on a system of assessments to meet any unanticipated needs. Probably,
one of the features of membership was that the insurance premiums were
based on a fixed amount regardless of age or health condition.
At the end of 1889 there were 93 members and 3 of the new members were
Brushmakers.
The officers in 1890 were:
Chief Ranger: Frederick Schwaab
Recording Sec.: Joseph Fandel
Financial Sec.: Leopold Kohler
Treasurer: Joseph Spang
Convention Representatives: Joseph Tondorf (Gerhard Kranefuss - Alt)
Frederick Schwaab(Martin Hasenfuss - Alt)
At the end of 1890 there were 104 members and 2 of the new members
were Brushmakers.
The officers in 1891 were:
Chief Ranger: Frederick Schwaab
Recording Sec.: John H. Hampe
Financial Sec.: Leopold Kohler
Treasurer: Joseph Spang
Convention Representatives: Joseph Tondorf (Gerhard Kranefuss - Alt)
Gerhard Kranefuss(Martin Hasenfuss - Alt)
The officers in 1892 were:
Chief Ranger: Henry Wessling
Recording Sec.: George Wirth
Financial Sec.: Leopold Kohler
Treasurer: Joseph Spang
Convention Representatives: Joseph Tondorf (Martin Hasenfuss - Alt)
Gerhard Kranefuss(Henry Wessling - Alt)
Frederick Schwaab(Casimir Reiser - Alt)
At the end of 1892 there were 145 members and one new member was a
Brushmaker.
The officers in 1893 were:
Chief Ranger: George Wirth
Recording Sec.: Gustav Stattuck
Financial Sec.: Leopold Kohler
Treasurer: Joseph Scheiderham
Convention Representatives: Joseph Tondorf (Martin Hasenfuss - Alt)
Henry Wessling (Gerhard Kranefuss - Alt)
Frederick Schwaab(Casimir Reiser - Alt)
When the Germania Court was given its charter on February 26, 1893 it
had 21 charter members. By the end of 1893 it had initiated another
11 members and 8 other members had transferred from other courts (as
an example, see the MCOF file of Henry Wessling) bringing the total to
40 members. In that same year 5 applicants had been rejected. The
officers were:
Chief Ranger: Christian Lambrecht, 12 Walden
Recording Sec.: Francis I. Mueller, 192 Highland
Financial Sec.: Valentine Baier, 80 Fulda
Treasurer: William Helmer, 130 Marcella
Convention Representatives: Christian Lambrecht (F.I. Mueller - Alt)
The MCOF keeps an alphabetical listing by each Court for those members
who had a death benefit paid. For the Germania Court the following
were initiated in 1893.
{Valentine Baier*, Fred. Braun, Leopold Fink, Albin Klopf,
{Math. Kohler, Henry Kranefuss, Frank J. Laninger#(Lauinger),
Feb. 27 {Joseph Meroth, Francis I. Mueller, Andreas Ney, Joseph C.
{Rettman, Henry Stroth, Fred. Weisenberger*, Julius Werner,
{DMD, and Bernard Wohrmann;
Apr. 13 Joseph Spang#*;
Apr. 16 Joseph Kees# and Joseph C. Musler;
May 21 Henry Fein;
Oct. 15 Math. Steinbacher;
Nov. 19 Theodor Kranefuss and Julius O. Roth
The following transferred their membership from another Court (most
likely Holy Trinity Court) Gerhard Kranefuss#; Christian Lambrecht#;
Joseph Tondorf, Jr.#*; and Henry Wessling#*.
# Person named in Germania Co-Operative Bank articles of association.
* Person named in Germania Association of Roxbury documents.
At the MCOF's annual convention of 1893 it defeated a motion that pro-
posed to open full membership to women by a vote of 43 Yea / 62 Nay.
The 3 delegates from Holy Trinity were all opposed. Each Court was
allowed one delegate for so many members.
The first reference to the Roxbury Germania Hall in the Boston City
Directory was an entry in the 1894 edition giving the address as 240
Pynchon St. The hall would have been located between Penryth St.
(which met at 226 Pynchon St.) and Old Heath St. (which met at 289
Pynchon St.) In the same directory Germania Court No. 93 of the Mass-
achusetts Catholic Order of Foresters met two times each month at the
Germania Hall on Pynchon St. Germania Court received its charter in
February, 1893. This site's location seems to correspond with the
address of the property purchased in 1893 on Pynchon St.
In 1894 the officers of the Germania Court were:
Chief Ranger: Christian Lambrecht, 12 Walden
Recording Sec.: Francis I. Mueller, 192 Highland
Financial Sec.: Henry Fein, 192 Highland
Treasurer: Frederick Weisenberger, Mozart
Convention Representatives: Joseph Tondorf, Jr. (Henry Wessling - Alt)
At the 1894 convention the issue of membership for women was again
raised, but this time the motion passed by a vote of 81 Yea/ 36 Nay.
All 3 delegates from the Holy Trinity Court voted against as did Henry
Wessling, the lone delegate representing the Germania Court. On Sept.
6, 1894 the St. Cecilia Court (No. 105) was founded as an affiliate of
the Holy Trinity Church and all of its 26 charter members were women.
In 1895 the officers of the Germania Court were:
Chief Ranger: Joseph Kees
Recording Sec.: Francis I. Mueller, 192 Highland
Financial Sec.: Henry Wessling 135 Thornton
Treasurer: Mary Lanninger 240 Pynchon
Convention Representatives: Joseph Tondorf, Jr. (Christian Lambrecht)
At the end of 1895 there were 69 members of the Germania Court. Al-
Courts in which the entire membership were women, Germania Court was
of mixed gender as evidenced by the Treasurer.
St. Othilia Court (No. 118) was chartered on June 30, 1895 and it was
for women, many of whom were from Roxbury. On Oct. 27, 1896 the St.
Boniface Court (No. 119) was founded and its members were mainly men
from Roxbury. Originally it was referred to as the St. Boniface Sick
Benefit Society so it may have provided some type of health insurance.
Both met at a hall at 1492 Columbus Avenue although the St. Othilia
Court may have met at Germania Hall.
(The 1895 Holy Trinity parish list shows that Francis Lauinger lived
at 240 Pynchon St. in Roxbury. In the 1895 Boston City Directory both
Lauingers are at 240 Pynchon and the son works as a janitor at that
address. Also see 1900 federal census wherein he, son, and daughter
live at 171 1/2 Centre St. The son is employed as a piano maker. Could
this be the lot abutting Germania Hall?)
The address remains the same until the 1897 edition shows the hall as
being on Columbus Ave. at Centre St. Columbus Ave. had been extended
and widened so as to eliminate Pynchon St. The hall would now have
been located between Penryth St. (which met at 1418 Columbus Ave.) and
Old Heath St. (which met at 1507 Columbus Ave.)
In 1896 the officers of the Germania Court were:
Chief Ranger: Joseph Kees
Recording Sec.: Francis I. Mueller, 192 Highland
Financial Sec.: Barbara Kranefuss
Treasurer: Mary Lanninger(Lauinger)240 Pynchon
Convention Representatives: Joseph Tondorf, Jr. (Christian Lambrecht)
Henry Wessling (Joseph Kees - Alt)
At the end of 1896 Holy Trinity had 198 members; St. Cecilia, 75; St.
Othilia, 37; and St. Boniface, 45. The number for Germania was
missing, but at the end of 1897 it had 87 members.
In 1897 the officers of the Germania Court were:
Chief Ranger: Joseph Tondorf, Jr.
Recording Sec.: Francis I. Mueller
Financial Sec.: Barbara Kranefuss
Treasurer: Mary Lanninger 1448 Columbus Ave.
Convention Representatives: Joseph Tondorf, Jr. (Christian Lambrecht)
Joseph Kees (Henry Wessling-Alt)
In 1898 the officers of the Germania Court were:
Chief Ranger: Valentine Baier
Recording Sec.: Francis I. Mueller
Financial Sec.: Hermann Wessling
Treasurer: William Vollmar
Convention Representatives: Joseph Kees (Christian Lambrecht)
Henry Wessling (Joseph Kees-Alt)
There were 104 members.
In 1899 the officers of the Germania Court were:
Chief Ranger: Dr. Julius D. Werner 2644 Washington St.
Recording Sec.: Francis I. Mueller
Financial Sec.: Hermann Wessling
Treasurer: William Vollmar
Convention Representatives: Joseph Kees (Christian Lambrecht)
Henry Wessling (Valentine Baier-Alt)
There were 112 members.
The address of Germania Hall was 1448 Columbus Ave. as per the 1898
edition of the directory.
The Germania Court continued to hold its meetings there until 1906
when it meets at Casino Hall as did several other courts (Holy Tri-
nity, St. Boniface, and St. Othilia.) Casino Hall was created around
1901 and was on Shawmut Ave. very near Holy Trinity Church.
The St. Othilia Court was for women. In 1901 the Othilia
Court met at Germania Hall and in the following year it met at All
Saints Hall; although, until it met at Casino Hall, it met mostly at a
hall whose address was 1492 Columbus Ave. Perhaps the operation of
Germania Hall was turned over to All Saints parish after it was sold
to the Archdiocese of Boston.
St. Aloysius Court (No. 125) was founded by those of German ancestry
living in South Boston.
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Perhaps these parcels of land (the lot on Centre St. and the one on
Pynchon St.) were also intended to have been a site of a branch of the
Germania Co-operative Bank, since the location is at Jackson Square,
the intersection of Columbia Ave. and Centre St. A group from Holy
Trinity Church had moved from the city to the growing area of Roxbury
and Jamaica Plain so there would have been a good number of prospec-
tive members.
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All Saints parish was founded in 1894 as an offshoot of St. Joseph
Church (Roxbury). The church was not dedicated until July, 1897 al-
though services may have been held as early as 1896. The address of
the rectory was 167 Centre St. and the Boston City Directory gave the
address of the church as 165 Centre St. Elsewhere the address of the
church was stated as being at Centre and Penryth Streets. Penryth
Street lies between 167 and 169 Centre Street. The address of the
Centre St. property purchased by the Germania Association of Roxbury
was described as being at 169-171 Centre St.
The 1900 federal census gives a listing for the lots at 169A, 169B,
and 171 1/2 Centre Street.
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The Boston City Directory continues to list Germania Hall in Roxbury
as late as 1921.
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The Columbia Court was established on March 28, 1893 and would hold
its meetings at Germania Hall as early as 1896. Columbia Court most
likely had an affiliation with All Saints parish.
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NOTES:
1. For additional information please the
companion report.
2. For information concerning the acquisition of Germania Hall, please
see this file.
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