“Odd-Fellows Memorial Services,” from Nodaway Democrat June 30, 1898

The following account of the Memorial services of the Odd-Fellows at Burlington Junction we clip from the Ledger:

The Odd-Fellow celebrated their Memorial Day last Sunday.  Besides the home lodge, large delegations from the Clearmont and Quitman Lodges were present and participated in the ceremonies.  The weather was exceeding pleasant, and a large concourse of people assembled at the Harvest Home grounds in the afternoon to listen to the address by Father Roof, of Parnell.  The choir rendered several choice vocal selections, Mrs. H. C. Babcock sang a solo and the Clearmont male quartette also rendered a fine song.

At the close of the exercises, the Odd-Fellows and Daughters of Rebeka, uniformed in the regalia of their respective orders, headed the procession which marched to the cemetery, there to perform the sad duty of decorating the graves of their beloved brethren.  We give below the names of the graves thus honored:

Members of Burlington Lodge No. 404:  J.G. Kerr, L.D. Moore, C.E. Dyche

Members of Patience Rebekah Lodge No. 11: Mrs. M.A. Bryant, Mrs. Hattie Sprague, Mrs. L.D. Moore, Mrs. Wm. Herriff.

Members of the order at large buried at this place:  Abraham Wheeler, John H. Davis, Wm. A. Jones, James M. White.

Members of Burlington Lodge buried at other places:  Robert A. Neighbors at Osage Mission, Kan.; W. P. Summers, Lamar, Mo.; W.A. Barrett, Grant City, Mo.

Mrs. J.S. Wood, Member of Patience Rebekah Lodge, is buried at Dawson.

Abraham Wheeler was among the first settlers of Burlington Junction, and helped to build the first store room in the town.  He was one of the oldest Odd-Fellows in the West, having been a member of Lodge No. 1, the first ever organized in the United States.  This lodge was organized at Baltimore, Md., April 26, 1819.

At each grave a cross of evergreens has been placed on which was hung a wreath of roses.  The ceremonies throughout were such as to make one think more deeply of the affairs of this life, as well as of eternity.  The solemn scene was closed by a benediction from the venerable Father Roof.