Royal Neighbors of Steamboat Springs

            As reported on July 28, 1911 in the Routt County Sentinel, “Burnema Camp No. 5852 Royal Neighbors of America, subordinate lodge of the Modern Woodmen, was organized in Steamboat Springs July 9, 1909, by Burnema Fleming of Kansas.”  The officers included May Henny, oracle; Viva Marvin, receiver, and Florence Campbell, recorder.  By 1911, the women’s lodge had about 50 active members.  It met on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month.

            In the late 1800s, a multitude of fraternal societies proliferated in the United States.  Some were fraternal secret societies such as the Masons, Elks, and Odd Fellows, and others were fraternal benefit societies such as the A.O.U.W., Grange, and Sons of Norway.  The Modern Woodmen of America and the Royal Neighbors of America were fraternal benefit societies that tried to provide economic security for families.  John Root organized the Modern Woodmen of America in 1883 to provide help for families upon the death of the breadwinner.  In 1888, Marie L. Kirkland of Council Bluffs, Iowa, met with eight other women, all wives of Modern Woodmen, to form a ladies’ auxiliary.

            Within a year, this women’s group was reorganized and renamed, Royal Neighbors of America.  The name came from Proverbs 27:10, “For better is a neighbor that is near than a brother that is far.” Their six guiding principles included faith, unselfishness, courage, endurance, modesty, and morality, and their vision of life was “neighbor helping neighbor.”  “Royal” was added to show that the ladies felt their work was indeed noble.  By 1895, the women changed to a fraternal benefit society, meaning they offered life insurance to their members through a charter from the state of Illinois.

            On May 16, 1919, the Routt County Sentinel reported that the Steamboat camp was “in the most prosperous condition in its history” and had over 100 members, with about 60 members residing in Steamboat and vicinity.  The camp was making preparations to participate with a decorated float in the 4^th of July parade.  An undated photograph at the Tread of Pioneers Museum (#5498) shows a float with five women dressed in white blouses and red and white skirts standing next to two women whose skirts had a blue background with stars on the top and red and white stripes on the bottom.  By standing next to each other, the women’s skirts formed a flag.  Another woman was dressed as the Statue of Liberty.  On the bottom of the float was written, “Royal Neighbors.”

            The Routt County Sentinel and Steamboat Pilot occasionally reported meetings for the group and probably reported each social.  For example, there was a 1911 meeting where three “mischievous boys [George Penfold, O. E. Mallory, and John Weiskopf] stole the ice cream prepared for the occasion.”  Fortunately, a diligent search yielded the treat which was then enjoyed by all.  In December 1911, the Royal Neighbors had a money-raising auction and dance at Hugus Hall which lasted until 4 o’clock in the morning.  On November 10, 1909, the Steamboat Pilot in its column “Local Happenings, News of the Week Condensed for Busy Readers” announced the upcoming Royal Neighbors dance three separate times in the same column; presumably everyone in town knew of the dance: “Dance 50 cents, supper 35 cents.”  On May 13, 1911, the Royal Neighbors of America held a “sock and maize” dance at Hugus Hall where everyone was to contribute “just twice the amount of the size of your foot” which meant about 60 cents. 

            The installation of new officers was sometimes reported (January 9, 1920, December 23, 1921).  However, the main purpose of the Royal Neighbors, as written in an early charter, was “to bring joy and comfort into many homes that might otherwise today be dark and cheerless. . . by affording the mother an opportunity to provide protection upon her life.”  Therefore it is not surprising that “Resolutions” expressing sympathy at the passing of a husband, son, daughter, father, or mother were published in the Sentinel and reciprocal “Cards of Thanks.”

Known members during 1910-1921:

Sarah Auter, outer sentinel 1921

Irene Booco, manager 1920

Florence Campbell (1910), recorder 1911

Pearl Colley, recorder 1921

Hattie L. (Mrs. F. E.) Daugherty, treasurer 1920

Hattie (Mrs. Elmer) Door, manager 1920, 1921

Emma Emmoris, inner sentinel 1921

Jennie (Mrs. E. J.) Forgey, chancellor 1920, oracle 1921

Sadie (Mrs. H. G.) Gilliam, recorder 1920

Esther Guthrie, marshal 1920

Ida May Henney (May Henny), oracle 1911, past oracle 1920

Gertrude Larey, chancellor 1921

Viva Marvin, receiver 1911

Effie A. Mallory (1910)

Ida Ohman

Lottie Owens (1910)

Lizzie Patterson, vice oracle 1921

Olivia Peavy

Georgie Shorthose, marshal 1921

Mary (Mrs. Rudolph) Smith

C. N. Smith (1910) (male?)

Anna Struder

Mattie Sutton, sentinel 1920

Florence Trinder

Kate (Mrs. Charles) Welch

Julia Williams, receiver 1921

[Emma?] Mrs. E. E. Wren, Oracle 1920

Beulah (Mrs. Ward) Wren, Vice Oracle 1920

Prepared By:

Catherine H. Ellis, 2009

Sources:

Routt County Sentinel, June 30, 1911; July 28, 1911; December 1, 1911; May 16, 1919; January 9, 1920; July 15, 1921; August 19, 1921; October 21, 1921; December 23, 1921

Steamboat Pilot, November 10, 1909; February 9, 1910; May 11, 1910; June 15, 1910; March