Oh, the education we get while surveying
At the courthouse today researching the history of the tract we are to survey plus three adjoining tracts, what was a Santa Fe railroad-now-rail trail and an invisible electric railroad from the 1800’s. Invisible meaning absolutely no signs that anything ever existed in the area where it allegedly existed. All four tracts include the term “center line of”.
Discovered one of the adjoining tracts included a deed in about 1932 from Elmo Lodge of Perfection. This is in the boonies. My simple mind went to a group of jolly local yokels poking fun at pompous organizations in far off big cities at that time. Probably a bunch of egocentric surveyors.
Went back one more step and learned Elmo Lodge of Perfection had acquired the tract in 1931 via court action to settle a debt owed by the previous owner for the unbelievable sum of more than $1600. In that time a dollar a day for labor was a fairly common pay rate. I wanted to know what Elmo Lodge of Perfection was and how could anyone owe them so much money.
Turns out it was a sub lodge of the Wichita, Kansas organization of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. That would be about 120 miles from the survey site.
Did some Google searches this evening to learn it was created in 1888 in Wichita. No record appears to exist as to how the selection of “Elmo” was made. There have been numerous other lodges “of Perfection” across the US, including such labels as “Carmel” and “Mystic Tie”.
Hoping some readers here can expound at length about this topic. My ignorance is showing.
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