February - Scottish Rite

Photograph of members of the Order of United American Mechanics,
ca. 1880. Strobridge and Company, Cincinnati, OH.
The “Junior Order” was originally
designed for men too young to join the
Order of United American Mechanics;
in the same way DeMolay International
was founded, in part, for boys too
young to join Freemasonry.
By 1885 it became independent from
the senior branch and established itself
as a native-born American patriotic beneficiary
order. Although it also dropped
its age restrictions, thus allowing men of
any age to join, it retained “junior” in its
title.
Within 15 years of its independence it
counted more than 200,000 members,
twice the size of its parent order.
As a fraternal organization the Mechanics
were similar to most other fraternities.
Members met in local “councils” and
were chartered and supervised by state
grand councils, with a national Grand
Council governing the order.
Badge of the
Junior Order
of United
American
Mechanics,
Besides numerous symbols borrowed
from Freemasonry, the Mechanics wore
aprons and conferred three initiation
degrees, titled: the “First” or “Degree of
Virtue;” the “Second” or “Degree of Liberty;”
and the “Third” or “Degree of
Patriotism,” that taught Christian doctrine
and American principles. Local
councils’ three principle officers were
called: “Councilor,” “Vice Councilor,”
and “Secretary.”
Along with fraternal, social and political
activities, the Mechanics offered
benevolent benefits.
Membership dues entitled a payment
of $300 after death for funeral expenses.
Members could also purchase life insurance
polices that paid $1000 to a beneficiary.
The headquarters for the Mechanics’
benevolent departments were located
in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh,
PA. In the 1890s the Mechanics
opened an orphanage in Tiffin, Ohio.
By 1910 it cared for over 270 children,
later rising to more than 1,000.
In 1929 a second home was built in
Lexington, North Carolina. Due to
growing social welfare and other charities,
the Tiffin home was closed in 1948
and its residents moved to North Carolina.
Today the Lexington home is still
1892. Pitcher with Symbols of the Order
of United American Mechanics,
1870-80. Mercer Pottery
Company, Trenton, NJ.
in operation and the Tiffin site is a public
park.
Both Mechanics organizations, like
so many other fraternal orders of the
day, created auxiliaries.
In 1870, the senior branch recognized
the Daughters of Liberty while the junior
branch formed the Daughters of
America. As with the Order of the Eastern
Star, both men and women could
join.
In 1886 the Loyal Legion of United
Americans was established. Similar to
Masonic Knights Templar and Odd Fellow
Patriarch Militants, the Loyal Legion
was a uniformed division that executed
elaborate drills and marched in
parades.
The Mechanics, like many fraternal
orders, declined rapidly after the 1920s.
The Great Depression destroyed the
financial health of the order while the
New Deal replaced many of its benevolent
purposes.
New leisure activities and a growing
middle-class undercut its social activities,
while its most ardent patriotic activities
were assumed by the American
Legion, VFW and the Boy Scouts. After
World War II, the United American Mechanics
merged into the Junior Order.
The newly combined order dropped
its aversion to the Catholic Church and
opened its membership to any American
citizen of good character. It now focuses
on its life insurance, home, social
and patriotic activities.
The JrOUAM continues today, with
councils primarily in West Virginia and
North Carolina, and headquarters in
Knoxville, TN.
Though diminished over time, the
Mechanics remain dedicated to American
citizenship, patriotism, public
schools and the building of character,
integrity and citizenship.
FEBRUARY 2007 / THE NORTHERN LIGHT 9