Local Groups - Fraternal Organizations
Way before the days of the telephone, television, and other modern conveniences, social groups or
organizations were a very important part of daily life. The community was small and they valued their
friendships and associations. When times were especially difficult and before insurance was
"invented", these groups sustained each other by raising money and providing much needed assistance
to their members.
Many residents of Portville were members of fraternal societies, such as the Independent Order of the
Odd Fellows and the Rebekahs, the Masonic Order, the A.O.U.W., and the Knights of the Macabees,
to name a few. The Eastern Star is one of the few charitable organizations that remains active today.
We have several photos of I. O. O. F. members, Rebekah members, and various officers of the
Masonic Lodge. The Prince Jonathan Club was a social club, made up largely of Odd Fellows and
their spouses. They met at a camp up on Butternut Brook that had a supply of natural gas. Dances
were a regular event on Saturday nights.
Click on the links below to see some of our collection:
We will be posting the photographs of the Masonic Lodge members next time.
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| The Portville Historical and Preservation Society |
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| 17 Maple Avenue Portville, NY 14770 www.portvillehistory.org |
Portville, New York