Pepacton Redmen Tribe, No. 112 -Fraternal Organization
The Redmen: Pepacton Tribe, No. 112
Colchester had an organization called the
Redmen.
Members dressed as Indians and had
meeting around the campfire.
At each meeting the braves paid
twenty-five cents dues.
This money was used to provide for the
funeral expenses of members and other Redmen activities.
Each member wore a ribbon with a badge
for parades.
When a person died, the ribbon and
badge were reversed so that the black ribbon on the back was displayed.
The group met over the Hulbert Store or
Redmen Hall.
When the Pappas building was razed, the
Redmen’s costumes were found and used for dress-up games.
Who Are The Red Men?
The fraternity traces its origins back to 1765 and is descended from the
Sons of Liberty. These patriots concealed their identities and worked
"underground" to help establish freedom and liberty in the early
Colonies. They patterned themselves after the great Iroquois Confederacy
and its democratic governing body. Their system, with elected
representatives to govern tribal councils, had been in existence for
several centuries.
After the War of 1812 the name was changed to the Society of Red Men and
in 1834 to the Improved Order of Red Men. They kept the customs and
terminology of Native Americans as a basic part of the fraternity. Some
of the words and terms may sound strange, but they soon become a
familiar part of the language for every member. The Improved Order of
Red Men (IORM) is similar in many ways to other major fraternal
organizations in the United States.
The Improved Order of Red Men is a national fraternal organization that
believes in…
Legally, The Improved Order of Red Men is a patriotic fraternity
chartered by Congress. It is a non-profit organization devoted to
inspiring a greater love for the United States of America and the
principles of American Liberty.
History of the Red Men
The Improved Order of Red Men traces its origin to certain secret
patriotic societies founded before the American Revolution. They were
established to promote Liberty and to defy the tyranny of the English
Crown. Among the early groups were: The Sons of Liberty, the Sons of St.
Tammany, and later the Society of Red Men.
On December 16, 1773 a group of men, all members of the Sons of Liberty,
met in Boston to protest the tax on tea imposed by England. When their
protest went unheeded, they disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians,
proceeded to Boston harbor, and dumped overboard 342 chests of English
tea.
During the Revolutionary War, members of secret societies quenched their
council fires and took up muskets to join with the Continental Army. To
the cause of Freedom and Liberty they pledged their lives, their
fortunes, and their sacred honors. At the end of the hard fought war the
American Republic was born and was soon acknowledged among the nations
of the world.
Following the American Revolution many of the various secret societies
founded before and during the conflict continued in existence as
brotherhoods or fraternities.
For the next 35 years, however, each of the original Sons of Liberty and
Sons of St. Tamina groups went their own way, under many different
names. In 1813, at historic Fort Mifflin, near Philadelphia, several of
these groups came together and formed one organization known as the
Society of Red Men. The name was changed to the Improved Order of Red
Men in Baltimore in 1834.
At Baltimore, Maryland, in 1847, the various local tribes came together
and formed a national organization called the Grand Council of the
United States.
With the formation of a national organization, the Improved Order of Red
Men soon spread, and within 30 years there were State Great Councils in
21 states with a membership of over 150,000. The Order continued to grow
and by the mid-1920s there were tribes in 46 states and territories with
a membership totaling over one-half million.
Today, The Improved Order of Red Men continues to offer all patriotic
Americans an organization that is pledged to the high ideals of Freedom,
Friendship, and Charity. These are the same ideals on which the American
nation was founded. By belonging to this proud and historic organization
you can demonstrate your desire to continue the battle started at
Lexington and Concord to promote Freedom and protect the American Way of
Life.
Goals of the Red Men
To promote patriotism and the American Way of Life, to provide social
activities for the members, and support various charitable programs. Our
activities include:
Charitable Programs The National Charity project of the Improved Order of Red Men is Alzheimer's research. Since 1991, the Organization has given over two million dollars to the Alzheimer's Association. Alzheimer's disease knows no social or economic boundaries; but it does incline heavily toward older people, affecting seven to nine percent of Americans over the age of 65, yet it strikes those in their 40s and 50s as well. Indeed, some of our own members have been stricken with this dreaded disease. Our members not only give generously, but work with local Alzheimer's. |
Redmen Convention, Coney Island, NY
By-laws and Rule Book