Inventory
 

Degree of Pocahontas, Improved Order of Red Men
Dates: 1929-1964
Accession Number: 20020201A
Donor: Vigo County Historical Society
Description: One document case
 

Donor Information: These records were donated by the Vigo County Historical Society which received the materials from Mr. Damon, 201 East Miller in Rosedale, Indiana. The records were delivered along with material from other organizations that used the former Memorial Hall (219 Ohio Street in Terre Haute) as a meeting site. The Daughters of Pocahontas met at 421 1/2 Wabash Avenue.

History

The Degree of Pocahontas (DOP) was the ladies auxiliary of the Improved Order of Red Men, a fraternal/patriotic society.

The Improved Order of Red Men claims to have been founded in 1765 and that it is a continuation of the Sons of Liberty. The aim of the Red Men is "to perpetuate the beautiful legends and traditions of a vanishing race and to keep alive its customs, ceremonies and philosophies." (Axelrod, Alan. The International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders, p. 207.)

The Degree of Pocahontas was authorized by the Improved Order of the Red Men in 1885 in Elmira, New York . The first council, or local chapter, was established in Philadelphia in 1887. Among the principal objectives of the DOP were to embody love and respect for the American flag; preserve the American way of life; keep alive American Indian traditions; and provide organized charity for the needy. (Schmidt, Alvin. Fraternal Organizations. p. 261)

As with other fraternal societies, the Degree of Pocahontas adopted a vocabulary for use during chapter meetings and in the conduct of business with DOP headquarters and chapters - in this particular case, Native American vocabulary was adopted. For example, the presiding officer was known as Pocahontas and the fee for joining the local tepee was called "wampum", and the act of opening a meeting was referred to as "kindling the Council fire". The Tepees also adopted quasi-Native American rituals which were carried out at each biweekly meeting.

The Degree of Pocahontas also adopted a system for their calendar. The Red Men and the DOP calculated years based on Columbus' "discovery" of America in 1492. In the Marie Kee Account Book (Folder 1), the years designated as 429 to 446 correspond to Years 1929-1942 on the Gregorian calendar.

The months of the year were also given Native American or quasi-Native American names as follows:

	January	Cold Moon
	February	Snow Moon
	March	Worm Moon
	April	Plant Moon
	May	Flower Moon
	June	Hot Moon
	July	Buck Moon
	August	Sturgeon Moon
	September	Corn Moon
	October	Traveling Moon
	November	Beaver Moon
	December	Hunting Moon

Content and Scope of Collection

This collections consists of 3 record/minute books created by 3 tepees (chapters) of the Degree of Pocahontas, Improved Order of Red Men. Two of the "tepees", the Tepee of Marie Kee and the Tepee of Wahwahtosee, were located in Terre Haute. The Tepee of Tonawanda was located in West Terre Haute.

The Tepee of Marie Kee appears to have been the most successful and enduring DOP chapter of the three represented in this collection. Its meeting minutes follow the minutes of the Wahwahtosee Tepee in the records (Folder 2). The last set of minutes for the Tepee of Tonawanda indicates that the members were seeking permission from the national headquarters of the DOP to consolidate with the Marie Kee Tepee

These minute books contain rosters of officers referred to individually as "Roll of Chiefs"; a list of past Pocahontases (1905-1964); attendance records; meeting minutes; and limited financial records.

Note: As was mentioned above, the International Order of the Red Men and the auxiliary Degree of Pocahontas calculated years based on Columbus' "discovery" of America in 1492. Thus, in the Marie Kee Account Book (Folder 1), the years designated as 429 to 446 correspond to Years 1929-1942 on the Gregorian calendar. The two other "Tepees" used the standard year.

Document Case 1
Folder 1	"Roll of Chiefs", Tepee of Marie Kee		1929-1942 (Years 429-446)
Folder 2	"Prepared Roster, Roll & Minute Book"		1936-1937; 1941-1946
		Tepee of Wahwahtosee, Council No. 282	Sept. 22, 1936- Nov. 23, 1937
		Tepee of Marie Kee, Council No. 349	Jan. 3, 1941- June 19, 1946
Loose	"Records" Book - Tepee of Tonawanda,   Council No. 224		July 13, 1959- June 22, 1964