Past Exalted Rulers of Fort Madison Lodge 374
Pictured above is C. E. "Eddie" Richards, jr.
Eddie was Exalted Ruler of Fort Madison Lodge 374 in 1942 and 1943. He was Vice President of the Iowa Elks Association. In 1946 and 1947 Eddie was District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler. In 1947, at the age of 32, Eddie became the youngest President of The Iowa Elks Association.
C. E. "Eddie" Richards, jr. was the founder and first General Chairman of the Tri-State Rodeo. The Tri-State Rodeo arena is named in his honor.
Eddie was known as "Mr. Fort Madison" for his tireless efforts promoting the city and recruiting business and industry.
Eddie was honored by the City of Fort Madison on October 3, 1970 as this day was proclaimed C. E. "Eddie" Richards Day. There is a memorial in Mr. Richards' honor in Fort Madison's Rodeo Park. The inscription reads:
C. E. "Eddie" Richards
from grateful citizens,
businesses, and industries of
the City of Fort Madison
in appreciation of his many
and continued community
efforts
Eddie Richards Day
October 3, 1970
C. E. "Eddie" Richards
1915 - 1994
Eddie remained active in our Lodge until his death in 1994.
Please see end notes.
18th Century 1897-1900:
J.S. Gilliam (1897-1898: First Exalted Ruler Lodge 374)
J.D.M. Hamilton (1898-1899 signed the 1898 Articles Of Incorporation as Exalted Ruler)
J.A.S. Pollard (1899-1900 see end note)
S.M. Casey (1900-1901 listed as Past Exalted Ruler at Dec 1901 lodge memorial service)
Twentieth Century 1901-1910:
J. A. S. Pollard or Omar Herminghausen 1901-1902 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"*
N.L. Roberts 1902-1903 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"
Omar E. Herminghausen (1903-1904 per Golden Anniversary booklet)
O.R. Johnston (1904-1905: E.R. when current building purchased)
Joseph R. Frailey (1905-1906 see end note)
C.D. Diedrich 1906-1907 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"
E.P. Hazen 1907-1908 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"
E.P. Hazen 1908-1909 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"
C.S. Pratt 1909-1910 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"
E.C. Weber 1910-1911 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"
1911-1920:
F.C. Chambers 1911-1912 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"
J.M.C. Hamilton 1912-1913 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"
E. C. Queberg 1913-1914 per "Requiescat in Pace" **
F. H. Newkirk 1914-1915 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"
F. H. Newkirk 1915-1916 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"***
H. D. Wagoner 1916-1917 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"
Hiram Stebbins 1917-1918 probable per "Requiescat in Pace"
F.L. Klopfenstein (1918-1919 by Lodge minutes)
R.A. Gardner (1919-1920 signed the 1919 Articles of Re-Incorporation as Exalted Ruler)
M.R. Powers (1920-1921 by Lodge minutes)
1921-1930:
E.E. Courtright (1921-1922 by Lodge minutes)
A.B. Schultz (1922-1923 by Lodge minutes)
W.H. Kay (1923-1924 by Lodge minutes)
H.A. Park (1924 resigned for unknown reasons)
P.H. Penrod (1924-1926 unexpired and full term by Lodge minutes)
Henry B. Helling (1926-1927 by Lodge minutes)
C.C. Buffum (1927-1928 by Lodge minutes)
O.M. Jeffries (1928-1929 by Lodge minutes)
Charles H. Zwald (1929-1930 by Lodge minutes
C.H. Duffy (1930-1931 by Lodge minutes)
1930-1940:
R.R. Kountz (1931 Died while in office from Lodge minutes)
G.A. Beck, sr. (1931-1933 unexpired term of Mr. Kountz from Lodge minutes)
Fred Podeyn (1933-1934 conducted special Armistist Day program 11/11/1933)
A.M. Young (1934-1935 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Leo F. Schulte (1935-1936 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Joseph C. Ochsner (1936-1937 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Earle N. Sodeberg (1937-1938 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Leonard J. Frantz (1938-1939 Elks Roll of Officers book)
W.H. Bever (1939-1940 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Robert Young (1940-1941 Elks Roll of Officers book)
1941-1950:
L.J. Fleckenstein (1941-1942 Elks Roll of Officers book)
C.E. "Eddie" Richards, jr. (1942-1943 Elks Roll of Officers book)
James L. Yeast, sr. (1943-1944 Elks Roll of Officers book)
O.V. Arnold (1944-1945 Elks Roll of Officers book)
J.W. Schultz (1945-1946 Elks Roll of Officers book)
L.R. McCoy (1946-1947 Elks Roll of Officers book)
C.W. "Chet" Sloan (1947-1948 E.R. during Lodge Golden Jubilee)
W.F. Maize (1948-1949 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Leslie C. Hall (1949-1950 Elks Roll of Offciers book)
Charles H. Schaeffer (1950-1951 Elks Roll of Officers book)
1951-1960:
R.L. Fehseke, sr. (1951-1952 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Roy W. Deitchler (1952-1953 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Bob P. Roberts (1953-1954 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Carl C. Gupton (1954-1955 Elks Roll of Offciers book)
Howard B. Herald (1955-1956 Elks Roll of Officers book)
John E. Hauck (1956-1957 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Edward E. "Ed" Wiesner (1957-1958 Elks roll of Officers book)
George R. Hibbard (1958-1959 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Linn D. Edlen (1959-1960 Elks Roll of Officers book)
John A. Bowman (1960-1961 Elks Roll of Officers book)
1961-1970:
Clarence L. Smith (1961-1962 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Howard S. Orr, jr. (1962-1963 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Wayne Mitchell (1963-1964 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Doyle C. Huett (1964-1965 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Peter J. Noll, jr. (1965-1966 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Richard L. Morgan (1966-1967 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Al F. Humphrey (1967-1968 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Victor Schierbrock (1968-1969 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Dale E. Entner (1969-1970 Elks Roll of Officers book )
Richard A. Freeman (1970-1971 Elks Roll of Officers book)
1971-1980:
Duane Denning (1971-1972 )Elks Roll of Officers book
Terry Leech (1972-1973 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Jerry Saunders (1973-1974 Elks Roll of Officers book)
R.L. "Dick" Feseke, jr. (1974-1975 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Emil J. Schneider (1975-1976 Elks Roll of Officers book)
William H. Bolton (1976-1977 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Carl F. Hotop, jr. (1977-1978 Elks Roll of Officers book)
R.F. "Dick" Merschbrock (1978-1979 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Leon W. Thompson (1979-1980 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Jerry D. Beck (1980-1981 Elks Roll of Officers book)
1981-1990:
Virden D. Oge (1981-1982 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Paul A. Dean (1982-1983 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Authur L. "Pete" Farmer (1983-1984 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Virden D. Oge (1984-1985 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Richard F. "Dick" Merschbrock (1985-1986 Elks Roll of Officers book)
William H. "Bill" Bolton (1986-1987 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Walter C. "Walt" Barr (1987-1988 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Ken K. Hoffmeister (1988-1989 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Donald O. "Don" Pratt (1989-1990 Elks Roll of Officers book)
John L. "Jack" Norton (1990-1991 Elks Roll of Officers book)
1991-2000:
Robert E. "Bob" Britton (1991-1992 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Kenneth E. "Kenny" Ough (1992-1993 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Chales M. "Chalie" Hall (1993-1994 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Leon D. Dobson (1994-1995 Elks Roll of Officers book)
William E. "Bill" Bailey (1995-1996 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Bennie F. Skillern (1996-1997 Elks Roll of Officers book)
Terry L. Strah (1997-1998 ER during Lodge Centennial)
Leonard "Harv" Harvey (1998-1999)
Leonard "Harv" Harvey (1999-2000)
Michael "Mike" Delaney (2000-2001)
THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY:
Terry Strah (2001-2002)
Robert L. "Bob" Thompson (2002-2003)
Carol Cowles (2003-2004)
Tony Robertson (2004-current Exalted Ruler)
Much or this information was taken from the Lodge Past Exalted Rulers plaque, the Golden Jubilee book, and the Lodge minutes (yup, We can easily find Lodge minutes dating to 1917).
We are sure J.A.S. Pollard was the third Exalted Ruler of Lodge 374. The administrations of Hamilton and Casey are dates certain. Accordingly, J.A.S. Pollard had to be Exalted Ruler 1899 to 1900.
All information presented parenthetically is supported by the Secretary's minutes of Lodge meetings, the Elks Roll of Officers book, Lodge documents (articles of incorporation, deeds, bank records, etc.), or the Golden Jubilee book.
There are 103 names and our Lodge is 106 years old (as of 2003). R.R. Kountz died in office resulting in G.A. Beck, sr. serving about 15 months. H.A. Park resigned for unknown reasons and P.H. Penrod served about 18 months. We are aware of several individuals who served multiple terms as Exalted Ruler, and they have been counted separately for each instance.
J. R. Frailey's term was determined from a playbill for a Lodge production of "Alice in Wonderland." The play bill set the dates as Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24 with no year given. In March 1906 the 23rd was a Friday and the 24 was a Saturday. Also, the Lodge Golden Jubilee book indicates that "Alice ..." was performed in 1906.
Requiescat in pace is the title of our Lodge Memorial Book which lists the deceased member's date of intiation and the name of the Exalted Ruler conducting that initiation. According to Miriam Webster online dictionary Requiescat in pace means in Latin : may he or she rest in peace. This cannot be used to absolutley exstablish the years of an Exalted Rulers service because it appears, at times, there were "special initiation" teams.
... * the 1901-1902 Lodge year List J. A. S. Pollard and Omar Herminghausen as conducting numerous initiations.
... ** The only mention of E.C. Queberg is in "Requiescat in Pace". He could have been acting as E.R. for an initiation drill team.
... *** F. H. Newkirk is the only E. R. listed as conducting an initiation in 1915.
Fort Madison Lodge 374 would appreciate any assistance in correcting this listing of Exalted Rulers as we would like it to be accurate. If you have helpful information please email it to fmelks374@lisco.com, or United States Postal Service mail to: Fort Madison Elks Lodge, P.O. Box 462, Fort Madison, IA, 52627.
revised: 09/24/2003 and December 26, 2003 edit HTML tags only..