Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Illinois - University Library

Tuesday,
Nov. IS. 1913.)
j GRAND LODGE OF ILLINOIS, I. O. O. F. 2JI
his dues, and she supposed that in the winter of 1907 and summer of
1908 he was not in good standing and so informed the two brothers,
although (the time when is not stated) she did afterwards find them
and sent them to Brother M. P. Berry. While not so stated the inference
is that they showed him beneficiary in September, 1907.
Statement of Frank Young: "Am 21 years old, now live at Iuka,
Kansas, and am cashier of the State Bank at that place. 1 am the
son of Mrs. Ella Wilson and a stepson of Paris Wilson. In 1907 I lived
with my mother and stepfather on the farm, worked for him for wages
in 1907 and 1908; in September or October, 1907, Paris Wilson had a
paralytic stroke that to some extent rendered him unable to work;
he did some light work on the farm but not any heavy work and was
not able to carry on his farm; he gradually grew worse after the
stroke in October, 1907, until he had his second stroke in 1908, after
which he was entirely unable to do anything. I believe his second
stroke was in September, 1908, but for two or three months prior to
the second stroke he was unable to do anything and was in bad shape.
I knew my stepfather was an Odd Fellow, a member of the Lodge at
Blandinsville, Illinois, and I have heard him say that he had paid up
and could not find his receipts. Paris Wilson was in Illinois in September,
1907, also in May, 1907. He had his first stroke after he came
home in 1907, withfn a month or two afterwards. I worked for him on
the farm in 1908 from March until September, when I went to school.
Myself and Oscar Alexander and another man or two did the work on
the farm; Wilson was under the doctor's care all that time and did
very little work, although more than he should have done or was able
to do. My mother thought Wilson was not in good standing in his
Lodge. She searched diligently as I know for his receipts but did not
find them until 1909. I know my mother paid Dr. Hollingsworth, our
family physician, nearly $450, most of which was for service rendered
my stepfather."
Statement of Oscar Sutphen: "Am 30 years of age. Live in Vermont,
Fulton county, Illinois, and have known Paris Wilson for a
good many years. In the Spring of 1907, about March 1st, I hired to
Wilson to work for him on his farm in Oklahoma, and went with the
family to Oklahoma when they moved there from Illinois about March
1st, 1907. I worked for him all that summer on his farm up to about
January 1st, 1908, and lived with the family. Wilson, so far as I know,
was in good health March 1st, 1907, when we started to Oklahoma, he
appeared to be in good health and I did not hear him complain any;
he seemed to be in good health most of the summer and worked on
the farm helping to put in the crop and helping to put up the hay.
He helped to do most of the farm work until he had his paralytic
stroke, which was late in the fall of 1907. After that until I left he was