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J. J. Upchuech,
THE
LIFE, LABORS AND TRAVELS
OF
Father J. J. Upchurch,
Founder of the
ANCIENT ORDER OF UNITED WORKMEN.
Written by Himself.
TO WHICH ARE ADDED
POEMS &- EULOGIES BY PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THE ORDER.
Revised and Edited by SAM. BOOTH, P. M. W.
A. T. DEWEY, TuRLiSHER, OFi'ICE OF THE '-'PACIFIC STATES WATCHMAN,"
San P^rancisco, Cal. 1887.
Sold for the Benefit of Widow Tpchurcli and Family
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the Year 1887, nv
/. /. UPCHURCH atid A. T. DEIVEV, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
[Stereotyped Edition.]
A "FATHER'S" BLESSING.
Steelville, Mo., August 30, 1886. To My Children of the Ancient Order of United Workmen: —
/] S I grow in years my heart seems to expand with gratitude to the Creator that I should be selected before all others to promulgate and put in practice the principles of our noble Order.
I am truly thankful for the thought that has been the meajis of orgatiizing an Order that has carried relief to thousands of the widoivs and orphaits of our deceased brothers. Poverty and degradation have been driven from their doors, and the standard of Hope and Pro- tection erected iji their stead.
Men are made better by assembling together in our Lodge rooms, where the true principles of fraternity are taught. We meet on a common platform of equality as all brothers shoidd, arid try to instill into each other's minds high and noble aspirations.
Now, let me, as the Father of the Order, — and it
may be for the last time, — make an earnest request that
Oo all arouse from the lethargy we have fallen into. Let
^ us go to work with renewed energy in building tip our
A "Father's" Blessing.
beloved Order to thai standard she is destined to attain^ both in numbers and acts of charity.
Let me impress npon yotir minds the importance of using every honorable means to induce good and true '}nen to unite with us in protecting the widozv and orphan from the cold charities of a Jieartless world.
Let us try to educate them to look forward to a high and noble purpose.
Do this, and you have, in a great measure, fulfilled the Jioble design of the Creator in placing man upon earth.
This work has been written^ believing that my fra- ternal children woidd like to know more of my early history, trials, etc.
It has been my earnest wish to produce a work both interesting and enter tainiiig, that when I have passed away my children ca7i take up the book and say, " This is the record of our Father, the founder of our jioble Order!'
I have tried to make a true statemeiit of facts, and I trust and believe that the members of the Order gen- erally will read and not judge too harshly this, my humble effort. Your Fraternal Father,
(ff~^M/i^^^t^t^^^
I NDKX.
ir^LTJSTti^TL^IOlSrS.
Homeof Father J. J. Upchurch, at Steelville, Mo
Portrait of J. J. Upchurch. . . .
Charter Adopted by the First
Grand Lodge A. O. U. W..
Plan of Original Hall 3
2 Original Regalia, Second Degree 6
3 Original Regalia, Fourth Degree 7 Father J, J. Upchurch at a Cal-
2 ifornia Picnic 10
His Birth and Family— Death
of His Father 13
Schooling and Early Privations
— Learning a Trade 14
Gets Married — Opens a Hotel 15
Railroading 16
Goes to Charleston — Horse
Taming . 17
Returns Home — Starts for Penn- sylvania 19
At Work in the Railroad Shops 20
Originating the A. O. U. W. . . 21
Oil Speculations 23
Goes to Alabama 24
Visits His Mother 25
Taken Sick 26
Returns North — Home Again 27
At Meadville — ^Joins League. . . 28 Organizes the First Lodge of
the A. O. U. W 29
Trials and Difficulties — Uncon- stitutional Proceedings 30
Secession 33
Reconciliation 34
Elected Supreme Master Work- man 35
Is Suspended — Reinstated.... 36
Tries Farming 38
A Good Fatherly Letter 39
Recommends Libraries 41
Another Letter, " Uproot the
Weeds" 42
Goes to Franklin, Pa 44
Moves to Pennsylvania 45
Returns \Vest, Sick and Out
of Employment 46
Honors by Supreme Lodge. ... 47
Presentation 48
CONTBI^TS.
Attends S. Lodge at Buffalo. . . 49 His Right to the Title of
Founder Disputed 50
His Right Sustained 51
Visits Sup. Lodge, Toronto... 52 Meets P. G. M. W\, Barnes . . 53 Protest of W. W. Walker- Vindication by Sup. Lodge 54 First Constitution A. O. U. \Y. 55
Insurance Article 64
Credit for Plan of Organization 68
Working Tools of the Order. . . 71
Returns Home — His Family.. 72
Visits and Presentation ...:.. 75
Invitation to Visit California. . 76
Starts for California 77
Arrives at Denver 78
Welcome by G. M. W., Louis
Aufinger — His Response. 79, 80 Address of P. G. M. W., Wm.
H. Jordan 81
Invitation to Salt Lake — Reply 84
Invitation to Visit Colorado. . . 85
On the Way 86
Arrival at Salt Lake 89
Invitation to Visit Oregon. ... 90
Arrival at Oregon 91
Arrival in Cal. — Reception at
Sacramento 92
At Oakland 93
Arrival in San Francisco 94
The Procession 95
Reception at the Pavilion 96
Address of Welcome by P. G.
M. W.,W^ii. H. Barnes.... 97 Oration by P. G. M. W^, Wm.
H. Jordan 99
Picnic at Fairfax loi
[ix]
General Contents.
Oration by P. G . M . W. , Barnes Acrostic by P. G. M. W., Barnes Welcome — His Response . io6, Visiting the Lodges in Oakland
Invitation of the K. of H
Visits Chinatown, S. F
Visits Valley, Excelsior, and
Other Lodges
Visits Golden Gate Park
Visits G. R., H. G. Pratt
Visits the IVatc/unaji Office. . .
Visit to Stockton
Visit to Sacramento
The Prize Poem
Viewing Sacramento
Visits a Masonic Lodge
Goes to Napa
Santa CruzandWatsonville 124, Grand Ovation at San Jose, , . .
Presentation at San Jose
Goes to Livermore
Visits Pioneer Woolen Mills
Golden Dawn D. of H 131,
At Woodland and Colusa. 133,
Goes to Virginia City
Reception at Virginia City . . . Presented with a Silver Brick
Visiting the Mines
At Carson — Sutro Tunnel . 145,
Returns to San Frailcisco
Goes to Los Angeles
At San Fernando
At Los Angeles
Goes to Santa Monica
Returns to San Francisco
Farewell to California
Arrival in Oregon
At Portland
McMinnville
Goes to Victoria
In Washington Territory
Tacoma and Olympia
At Albany, Oregon
At Roseburg
Eugene City and Salem
Leaving Oregon — The Dalles. .
-Idaho, and Helena, Mont
Gra d Reception
I02g-Address of J. W. Kinsley. .... 173 105 ^'Address of G. M., Sullivan. . . 176
107 Poem by John W. Eddy 183
108 On the Way Home 194
109 Reception at Steelville 195
1 10 End of Father Upchurch's Nar-
rative 198
111 Editor's Continuation
112 Ovation at St. Louis 199
113 Sword Presentation and Visit to
1 14 Wyandotte 200
115 Visits the Grand Lodge at Kan. 201
116 Cal. Grand Lodge Resolution. . 204
117 Preparing His Book 205
120 His Last Pilgrimage — Letter to
121 P. G. M. W., Barnes, of Cal. 206
122 Visiting East — Reception in
125 Boston , . . 208
126 In Philadelphia— His Last
128 Speech 210
129 Returns Home 216
130 His Death 217
132 Messages of Condolence to His
135 Family 218
137 Official Announcements 221
138 Resolutions of Respect — ^Jeffer-
143 son Lodge, No. i. Pa 223
144 Resolutionsof Keystone Lodge, 226
147 Preparing for the Funeral 227
148 Ceremony at Steelville 228
149 Lying in State at St. Louis. . . 229
150 Address, G. M. W., Rogers, of
151 Mo 230
154 Oration of P. G. M. W., Vincil 232
155 Conclusion 239
156 Appendix
157 Important Incidents Connected
1 58 with the Order 240
159 Memorial Services in Oakland, 242 161 Oration of S. F.,W. H. Jordan, 244
163 Address of P. G.M.W., Barnes, 246
164 Memorial Services in S. F. . . . 248
165 Oration, P.M.W., J.N. Young. 249
166 Poem by P. M. W., Sam Booth 254
167 Addendum
170 Supreme Lodge Meetings.... 257
171 Past Supreme Master Workmen 263
172 A. O. U. W. Periodicals 264
EDITOR'S NOTE.
TN looking over the material for the following pages, two courses seemed open to the Editor's choice, to rewrite the manuscript, cloth- ing the substance of the narrative in language of his own, or taking it as he found it, to add the sub-headings, smooth out a wrinkle here and there, snip off the ragged edges, and put in a stitch or two occa- sionally, but leaving it substantially as it was left by the writer himself. In the former case the work would have been that of the compiler; in the latter it would retain its originality and be what it purported to be, the work of the Founder himself. Believing that the latter course would be the one most acceptable to those who will be most interested in it, i. £., the members of the great organization of which he was the founder, and that being the one most in accord with his own inclinations, he adopted it. The reader who comes to the book expecting to find a literary and intellectual gratification will undoubtedly be disappointed, except as it may be found in the glowing periods of his panegyrists. The hands of both Author and Editor were hardened by the handling of heavier tools at rougher handicrafts than the use of the pen and Authorship; and in attempting to solve the more serious problems of life, they had but little leisure to master the art of elegant literary com- position. To the brethren, therefore, of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and kindred organizations, whose beneficent labors received their inspiration from his first efforts, as a legacy from a father to his children, this little book, with all its imperfections, is commended by tj^eir brother and friend.
Sam Booth, F. M. W., Excelsior, No, 126, A. 0. U, W,
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CHARTER ADOr-TF.n I!Y '[HE FIRST OKAXlj ElJhOE A. O. U. V adopted later.
taught by the old Ritual, the ceremonies of which were not by any means as simple as those
THE
Life, Labors aid Trayels
FATHER J. J. UPCHURCH.
HIS BIRTH AND FAMILY.
WAS born in Franklin County,
North Carolina, March 26,
1822.
My father, Ambrose, was the
only son of John Upchurch;
my mother, Elizabeth, was the ily daughter of Hon. Henry Hill. All Franklin County.
There were of our family, two boys id two girls. My father followed the isiness of farming.
DEATH OF HIS FATHER.
In 1824, my father was shot and killed by a man by the name of Wright, who married the half sister of my mother. What the difficulty was about, I was too young to compre- hend. Wright fled the country, and it was said went to Arkansas, while that State was held by Mexico; at any rate, his family followed some time after.
ri3^
14 Life of Father Upchurch.
I well remember the circumstance of three negroes and three hundred and fifty acres of land being taken from us, which led me to believe that property was the cause of the murder.
SCHOOLING AND EARLY PRIVATIONS.
My mother was forced to resort to the needle to support herself and children. Educational facilities were few.
When I was eight years old, I attended school for six months and made fine progress. Commenced to read in Webster's Spelling Book. Had to walk three miles, night and morning, to and from school.
My Grandfather Upchurch took us children to live with him and sent us to school as opportunity offered. That was not often, and only of short duration. We went four miles on Sunday to attend Sabbath-school.
EMPLOYED AS CLERK.
In 1834, I left the farm, and was employed as a clerk in a country store, by a man by the name of Lawrence, who afterwards married my eldest sister. I again went on the farm in the winter of 1834-35, and remained there until the summer of 1835, when my Grandfather Hill purchased and gave to my mother a small farm.
LEARNING A TRADE.
She then took her children to live with her. I remained with my mother on the farm until the spring of 1837, when I went to learn the trade of a millwright with Thomas Duke. I remained with him until the fall. My health being poor and the work heavy, I could not stand it, and left him and entered as an apprentice with William and Edward Allen, house-carpenters, as I thought the work would be lighter.
I ran a water-power saw -mill for William Allen for a
Gets Married —Opens a Hotel. 15
month or two, and then went with them to put up a saw-mill on the Tar River, for a man named Kenaday.
I remained here until the work was completed. The contractor had taken several buildings to put up at Hender- son, a station on the Raleigh cS: Gaston Railroad, where quite a village had sprung up. I went with them and re- mained until one of the buildings was nearly completed.
clerking again. One day, Charles Allen, the foreman, said to me, that as I was not strong enough to follow the business, he could get me a situation as clerk in a store, and advised me to take it. I consented to do so, and went to work. In a short time, Prof E. A. Jones bought the store and opened a wholesale and retail grocery in the building.
GETS married.
I remained with this house until June i, 1841, and then went to Raleigh and married Miss Angelina Green, daughter of Salome Green, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She had gone South with John Zeigenfuss, an uncle, who was a con- tractor on the Raleigh & Gaston Railroad.
OPENS A HOTEL.
On getting married, Mr. Zeigenfuss and myself opened a hotel in Raleigh, North Carolina. We carried it on in the usual way, with a bar attached, until the winter of 1841-42, when the Washington Temperance Society was organized there. We both united with it, and opened what was said to be the first temperance house south of Mason and Dix- on's Line.
We were in advance of the times. The people had not been educated up to this point.
In 1843, an old tramp, an Englishman, named James
IG Life of Father Upchurch.
Wood, came to the house with a pack on his back and in- quired if we had any kettles to mend or silver plate that we wanted marked. I handed him half a dozen spoons. In a few minutes he had them engraved in good style. He then wanted five cents with which to get a drink of whisky. In the morning he was sick, and remained so for two or three weeks. Although not confined all the time to his bed, he could not walk, and claimed that he had the royal gout. I soon made up my mind that his disease was brought on by excessive use of intoxicants.
Some orders for engraving came in, which he executed. In the meantime I would not allow him to have anything to drink. So finally I got him sobered up, when he joined the temperance society.
He then said if I would give him a place to work, he would teach me the business of engraving and die-sinking. I liked the idea, and rented a shop and bought what tools were necessary, when we went to work. I made fine progress in the art, but the old man began to drink alcohol, bought for making varnish for cleaning plate, etc., until he was finally carried away by delirium tremens in such a way as I I never wish to see again.
RAILROADING.
The business at the hotel had been falling oft', until we finally had to close out. Mr. Ziegenfuss returned to Penn- sylvania, and I ran the shop until 1844, when I accepted the situation of assistant depot agent in the Freight Depart- ment of the Raleigh & Gaston Railroad. Whea not em- ployed here, I was in the shop. I held this position until the winter of 1844-45, when one of the engineers on the passenger train left. The Superintendent, Wesley H-ollister, put me on the road in his place.
Horse Taming. 17
GOES TO CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
I remained on the r6ad until December, 1845, when I left and went to Norfolk, Richmond, and Petersburg, Virginia; but could get nothing to do. A fellow-engineer accompa- nied me, and we concluded to go to Charleston, South Caro- lina. When we reached Wilmington, North Carolina, we were divided in opinion; he wanted to go by stage to Cheraw, South Carolina, and there take the railroad; I wanted to go by steamer, as I had never been to sea.
He finally consented to go by steamer; however, I re- gretted it afterwards, for as soon as he saw the waves rolling, thirty miles before we crossed the bar, he was the sickest man I ever saw. I remained up all night with him. We landed at Charleston, and put up at the Mechanics' and Planters' House, on Church Street, and searched all over the city for work. The only thing I could get to do was to work on a new saw-mill that was being erected.
HORSE TAMING.
I worked here some time with the intention of going somewhere else. 1 had but little money; my friend per- suaded me to buy " Rarey's Horse-taming Process," which I did, having only six dollars left. I went to the superin- tendent of the Charleston & Augusta Railroad, showed him my letters, and he gave me a pass to Augusta, Georgia. Here I opened up the horse-taming business; sold one recipe for ten dollars, and then crossed the river to Hamburg; stopped there several days, selling recipes at almost anything I could get for them — feeling that I must have money to go further.
From here I went to Edgefield, in South Carolina. My money was short; I found I had to have some printing done, which would take nearly all the money I had. I, however,
18 Life of Father Upchurch.
had a few posters struck off, when I gave an exhibition in the jail-yard, where I took a vicious horse and subdued him to the satisfaction of all present. From this I raised money to pay my hotel bill and stage fare further on. I worked in this way until I reached Granville, South Carolina. I stopped there until I owed two weeks' board and had but fifty cents left. Money I must have. I sold recipes from one to five dollars each, and paid my board and stage fare to the next county town.
I finally reached Rutherfordton, in North Carolina. Here I undertook to subdue a horse that would run away. He ran away with me, tore the wagon to pieces (which I had to pay for), and threw me into a stone pile. When I came to, I was surrounded by a number of ladies (with the all-healing camphor-bottle) and men who had come from the town, a distance of a quarter of a mile. However, I was not seriously injured.
From there I traveled from place to place, following the court circuits until I reached Charlotte, North Carolina. Here business was better than it had been at some other places. I bought a horse four years old, and gave a recipe and twenty-five dollars for him. When the bargain was made I did not have the money. However, I raised the amount next day. I traded a gripsack for an old saddle and bridle, and then went on my own hook.
At Statesville I got a set of silver-plated buggy harness for teaching a man how to tame horses.
I put them in a sack and strapped them behind my sad- dle. I then went to Lexington, where I procured the assistance of a stage-driver. We hitched up my horse. My assistant was nearly frightened out of his head. The horse was as gay as a peacock, and proved a fine racer. A can-
Starts for Pennsylvania. 19
didate for the office of sheriff got the stage-driver to try and trade for him. I asked fifty dollars to boot, and finally got thirty dollars and a much better horse for myself.
RETURNS HOME.
Next morning I bought an open buggy, hitched up my horse, and went independent. Reaching home I had a horse and buggy worth one hundred and fifty dollars, and two hundred dollars in cash. I had done pretty well.
STARTS FOR PENNSYLVANIA.
I traveled around the country trading and taming horses that summer. On October i, 1846, with my family (wife and child). I started for Pennsylvania. Reached Philadel- phia on the 3d by steamer from City Point, via Norfolk and Baltimore.
On the morning of the 4th, we took stage for Bethlehem. I could get nothing to do there. Tried making corn- shellers, but they would not shell the small, hard corn of the North. In February, 1847, I got a situation as super- intendent of a large flouring and saw-mill at Lock Haven, in Clinton County, Pennsylvania, with a man by the name of Myers. When I reached there, the owners had sold the mill to a man by the name of Sterret, of Harrisburg. The purchas- ers wished to retain me as superintendent, but were going to have some extensive repairs made, and would not be ready for me for three months; but they wished me to go with them to Harrisburg, where they would get me work until such time as the mill would be ready.
Mr. Myers paid my expenses when we took stage for Harrisburg. We were caught in a snow-storm, and it took two days and nights to get through. On Saturday morning I called on the purchasers of the mill. We canvassed the
20 Life of Father Upchurch.
city for work, but could not get any. I then concluded to go to Reading, and promised Mr. Sterret that I would in form him where I located, so that he could notify me when the mill was ready.
GOES TO READING, PENNSYLVANIA.
I went to the stage office and learned that the stage would not leave again until Monday morning. The Legis- lature was in session, board was high, and as twenty dollars was all the money I had, I concluded to leave. The livery man wanted ten dollars, and I to pay expenses. I thought if I could get out into the country, I could go for less. Ten miles out they wanted the same. I walked on and made twenty-two miles that afternoon.
I was tired and foot-sore, and in the morning very stiff and lame. Here they wanted six dollars to take me to Reading. I thought as I had made twenty-two miles in half a day, I certainly could make thirty in a whole day, which would be good wages. I started out and walked all day, but only made twenty miles. I came up with a gen- tleman with a buggy going to Reading, and paid him one dollar to let me ride with him to the city.
AT WORK IN THE RAILROAD SHOPS.
The next day I called on the master mechanic of the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, and got employment in the shops until such time as a vacancy should occur on the road. About this time one man a day was being killed there. I concluded that I would remain in the shop, which I did for two years. I then got a situation and moved to the Catasauqua Iron Works, in Lehigh County. Previ- ous to this we had been in the habit of living up to my income.
Originating the A. 0. U. W. 21
SAVING, AND OUT OF WORK.
I finally made up my mind that, as soon as I was paid, I would lay by ten dollars and that I would not spend it as long as I could help it. My wife thought that it could not be done; however, we concluded to try, and we got along about as well as before, except that we did not buy so much nonsense. I remained with the Iron Company and saved one hundred dollars. I then got out of work and traveled around the country for some time. I finally got a situation on the Mine Hill & Schuylkill Haven Railroad, Geo. W. Glass, Master Mechanic, and R. A. Wilder, General Superintendent.
APPOINTMENT AS MASTER MECHANIC.
After I had got moved my hundred dollars was all gone; still I adhered to the ten-doUar-a-month system. Two years from this time, the master mechanic resigned, and David Clarke was appointed to succeed him. I then acted as foreman for a year, when Clarke resigned, and I received the appointment of master mechanic, which I held for thirteen years.
ORIGINATING THE ANCIENT ORDER UNITED WORKMEN.
The circumstances which caused me to think of a plan by which working people would be benefited, and their families protected in case of the death of the husband and father, were as follows: —
In June of 1864, while I was master mechanic of the Mine Hill & Schuylkill Haven Railroad, the train hands demanded an advance of fifty cents a day in their wages. Engineers were then getting three dollars and sixty cents per day. I notified the President of the road of the demand, and he directed me to give them an ad-
22 Life of Father UPCHURCii.
vance of forty cents per day all round, which would give engineers an even four dollars a day.
The proposition was received with great derision. They said to mc that their union had directed them to demand fifty cents and take nothing less, and unless that demand was acceded to, they would go on a strike.
I was very forcibly impressed with the injustice done to men by any order or society which thus assumed to direct in matters of such vital importance, while they (the society) could not possibly know much, if anything, about the cir- cumstances under which the difficulty had arisen between the employer and employe, as was very evident in the present difficulty.
• The men went on a strike. They were out two weeks, when the Secretary of War sent on a corps of engineers and firemen, put them in my charge, and I operated the road for two weeks in the interest of the Government.
At the exjDiration of that time, the men were ready to return to work at what I had offered them before the strike took place.
These men had lost a whole month's wages that never could be regained, and some of them were not able to lose four days in the month without depriving their families of some of the comforts of life.
The inquiry arose in' my mind, " What right has any man or set of men to dictate to others what wages they should receive? What right has a society to order that men must not work unless the demands of the society are com- plied with ? Who gave them power to take away or con- trol the will of workingmen ? "
As I thought over the subject, I saw more and more the injustice done not only to capital, but to laboring men,
Oil Speculation. 23
whom they profess to befriend. I was thoroughly convinced the way these societies were managed, that they exercised a baneful influence upon the business relations of the country.
I was convinced that something should be done to try to harmonize the two great interests of our country, capi- tal and labor. They, being equal, should receive equal pro- tection.
There was such an impression made upon my mind that something should be done, that I finally made up my mind to do all in my power to accomplish this great object, and if possible unite employer and employe into an organiza- tion and obligate them to the same great principles, of "the greatest good to the greatest number;" and I am happy to say that where this has been done there has been no trouble between the employer and employe.
I went to work on the great task allotted to me, and when an idea struck me I would write it down.
OIL SPECULATIONS.
In the latter part of 1864, the oil excitement became rampant. I got a pretty heavy dose. I had saved some money and thought I would soon make a fortune. I was told by my friends in Pottsville that if I would take three thousand shares of stock in the Martin -Binehoff Petroleum Company, they w^ould appoint me as their superintendent, with a salary of two thousand dollars per annum. I resigned my position on the road to take effect January i, 1865.
I then went to the oil regions and opened an office in the Washington McClintock House, Petroleum Center. The winter was very severe and w^e could do nothing until spring opened. I then saw that more money was made by specu- lation than by sinking wells.
24 Life of Father Upchurch.
While here, I got in conversation with Capt. Francis J. Keffer, on the trouble that was then agitating the business relations of the country between capital and labor, and I disclosed to him my plan of uniting them in one grand organization. T thought if it was carried out in good faith, it would obviate those difficulties and benefit both employer and employe.
Brother Keffer thought the object was a good one, and encouraged me to perfect and introduce the work; and I am proud to say that he showed his faith by uniting with the Order at the first opportunity and became a Grand Master Workman.
I got the refusal of two thousand seven hundred and sixty acres of land on the Tionesta; I was to pay sixty thousand dollars for it wh^n sold. I took the papers to Philadelphia and put them in the hands of a broker at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I was to give the broker twenty-five thousand dollars for stocking; and I subscribed twenty-five thousand dollars to the capital stock. When the war closed, a committee was appointed to view the land and report when the money would have been paid in.
On peace being declared, everything like speculation closed. That summer and fall I put down two wells, which did not produce oil enough to pay for the pumping.
GOES TO ALABAMA.
In December I received, through M. W. Baldwin & Co., the appointment of master mechanic of the Alabama & Florida Railroad, headquarters at Montgomery. I sold out, and on the ist of February, 1866, after shipping my goods by vessel, I took my family and started South. I made but slow progress, and had to lie over every night after leaving Washington.
Visits His Mother. 25
visits his mother.
At Franklinton, North Carolina, I stopped off to visit my mother. We could get no conveyance except a large farm wagon, drawn by four scrawny mules, and had to go eight miles into the country. I found my mother well. I had not seen her for twenty years. Here one of my children was taken sick, which detained us several days. We finally bade them farewell, and again took the train, stopping at Thomas- ton a few days to see a niece, a Mrs. Pleasant.
On leaving here, we passed through Salisbury, which was in a very dilapidated condition, from the effects of the war. We finally reached the end of the road, twenty-seven miles north of Columbia, South Carolina, it having been torn up by Sherman's army. The country was completely devasta- ted, and we had to take stage for Columbia, twenty-seven miles; fare, seven dollars each, large and small; stopping at Columbia overnight.
In the morning we took the train for Augusta, via Branch- ville, where we changed cars. In the afternoon we came to the end of the road again. There were a good maiiy pas- sengers and only six ambulances to carry us twenty-four miles to Johnson's Siding; fare, seven dollars each. We had considerable amusement, notwithstanding. The ambu- lances were drawn by old, broken-down muies, and we made about three miles an hour. The beating those poor animals had to take, will never be forgotten. There was a conductor who carried a sea-shell, that he would blow every few min- utes; he said to keep his train together. He was a jolly, good fellow and created a great deal of fun; but the worst had to come. It was as dark as a black cat, and the rain pouring down like fury. Amidst all this, he discovered that the ambulance that we were in was about to follow the example of the mules, — break down.
26 Life of Father Upchurch.
One ambulance was full of negroes. The conductor stopped them, when we changed ambulances, baggage and all, in the rain, the scene being lit up with one tallow candle in a lantern. However, the change was made and we pro- ceeded, and finally reached the station in time for the train. I have heard nothing from the ambulance or negroes since.
REACHES MONTGOMERY.
We proceeded with no mishap until we finally reached Montgomery, February 13. This trip cost me four hundred and sixty-five dollars, and, pretty wtU worn out, we stopped at the Exchange Hotel. In the morning I reported to Sam Jones, the superintendent, who wished me to take charge at once, but I had to find a place for my family. Board at the hotel w^as six dollars per day. I secured board at a private house at forty-seven dollars a w^eek for the family. I wished I w^as back in Pennsylvania, and if I had not been ashamed to return so soon, I would have returned at once. Everything was unnecessarily high- -the people had not forgotten Confederate prices. I, however, entered upon my duties.
The ship on which my goods were loaded got into the ice and had to return to Philadelphia for repairs. In six weeks she finally landed in Mobile. I was notified of the fact and that a salvage bill was charged against them amount- ing to thirty dollars, which I got refunded from the Insur- ance Company.
TAKEN SICK.
About a month after my arrival here, I was taken sick, most of the time not being able to attend to business prop- erly. The doctors finally told me that if I remained there the following summer I would die, which I was not ready to do.
Home Again. 27
Having been solicited to take the superintendence of putting down some oil wells in St. Stephen's County, I con- cluded to resign, and on October i, sent my family back to Pennsylvania, thinking that I would remain with the oil com- pany until spring. I employed men to put the wells down, but in a short time I was prostrated with what was called the '' break-bone " fever, and came to the conclusion that that was not the country for me. I resigned November i, and started North.
RETURNS NORTH.
I got as far as High Point, North Carolina, where I stopped off to visit a sister. Here I was taken sick with diphtheria. 1 had the best of attention from my sister and niece. At this time one of my children was sick with typhoid fever at home. I can assure you than I was very anxious. One day my niece played •' Home, Sweet Home " on the piano, and as I lay upstairs, I shed tears like a baby. Do not laugh at me, I could not help it.
HOME AGAIN.
As soon as I was able to get out, I again took the train for home, where I arrived very weak and jaded. I remained at home a few weeks and then went to the Baldwin Loco- motive Works at Philadelphia. The firm told me to go into the shop, and when I felt like working I could do so. I remained with them until April, 1867, when I got a situa- tion in the shops of the Pennsylvania RaJlroad, at Altoona, but was not able to do much. What money I had when I went South was expended, and work I must. I continued to improve, however, aided by the mountain air, and by October i I felt pretty well again. I was given the position of die-sinker for the company, which was a pretty easy job. I remained here until April, 1868, when I got a situation in
28 Life of Father IJpchurciI:.
the lathe shop of the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad, at Meadville, Pennsylvania.
AT MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.
Soon after my arrival I was informed that a society had been organized there, which was called "The League of Friendship, Supreme Mechanical Order of the Sun." I was told that this was the Order for the protection of the workingmen. In June I was proposed and elected to membership in the Order. I was but a short time in mak- ing the discovery that the Lodge was groping in the dark. We could get no information whatever from the Grand Council, unless we invested more money and took what was called the " Knight of the Iron Ring " degree, which re- quired a further payment of five dollars. I came to the conclusion that the whole thing was rotten to the core, got- ten up for the purpose of fraud, and therefore unworthy the confidence and support of workingmen. I made known to the members what I thought of it, many of them agreeing with me.
IS ELECTED MASTER.
I was elected Honorable Master of the League. I to^.d the members that I had a plan that was calculated to bene- fit the working people more than anything that I knew of. I explained its principles to them as far as possible and redoubled my efforts to inculcate in their minds the objects contemplated in the plan which I had been working up. At a meeting of the League held on September 29, 1868, the following resolutions were offered and carried: —
ATTEMPTS AT REFORM.
^'■Resolved, That a committee of seven be appointed to revise and remodel the work of the Order, together with the Constitution and By-Laws; and that the committee corre-
The New Order. 29
spond with all the dlher Lodges and with the Grand Coun- cil asking for their approval.
^^ Resolved, That if the Grand Council will not approve of the revised work, we will return to them our Charter, moneys, etc., and at once proceed to organize a new Order.
'• Resolved, That the Honorable Master be the Chairman of said committee."
The following brothers were then appointed as the Com- mittee on Revision: J. J. Upchurch, Chairman; J. R. Umberger, W. W. Walker, M. H. McNair, H. C Deross, A. Klock, J. R. Hulse.
The committee met at the house of the Honorable Mas- ter, on the evening of October ii, 1868, and expressed their willingness to leave the work in the hands of the chair- man.
As soon as I had written out the first degree and the Constitution, I notified the committee of the fact. A part of them met, and after hearing the ritual