Knights of the Golden Eagle
Template:Short description Template:Infobox fraternity The Knights of the Golden Eagle (KGE) was an American fraternal organization founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1872. At its height in the 1920s, the organization had 73,340 members in 26 states. It ceased operations in the late 1960s or early 1970s.
History
Knights of the Golden Eagle was established in Baltimore, Maryland in 1872.Template:Sfn The order's original objectives were to help its members find employment and aid them while unemployed. Membership was open to males over 18, who were able to write and support themselves, were law-abiding, of sound moral character, and the Christian faith. Its core purpose was to help members find employment, provide aid to the unemployed, and offer support to widows and orphans. There was a female auxiliary called the Ladies of the Golden Eagle.Template:Sfn
In the early years of its existence, the group received assistance from other secret societies and fraternal groups. The Odd Fellows helped them become established in Philadelphia in 1875 and the Knights of Pythias helped them become established in Massachusetts in 1880.Template:Sfn
Organization
Local lodges were called "Castles", statewide structures were called "Grand Castles", and the overall group "Supreme Castle". In the early 1920s, the Knights were headquartered at 814−816 North Broad Street, Philadelphia.Template:Sfn The last known headquarters of the group was in North Wales, Pennsylvania.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
Membership
Membership was open to men over 18 who were of good moral character, sound mental and physical health, able to write and support themselves, and were law-abiding citizens. By the early 1920s, the group had 73,340 members in 26 states.Template:Sfn Membership began to decline in the 1930s.Template:Sfn In 1965, the group had 15,000 members, mostly concentrated in Pennsylvania.Template:Sfn In the late 1970s, scholar Alvin J. Schmidt was unable to locate a current address for the group and determined that it was extinct.
Female Auxiliary: A female auxiliary, the Ladies of the Golden Eagle, existed, though it's unclear if it still functions. Template:Sfn
Ritual
The Knights' ritual worked three degrees, based on the history of the Crusades: the first degree accented the pilgrim and taught the candidate fidelity to God and man; the second degree used the medieval knight as its role model to teach the member to revere religion, fidelity, valor, charity, courtesy and hospitality; the third degree was based on the figure of the crusader and it "equipped the member against the evil of his enemies."Template:Sfn Members of the Ladies of the Golden Eagle took one degree, the Temple Degree, upon being initiated.Template:Sfn Oaths were sworn on an open Bible.Template:Sfn
Eagle Home Association
This was the mutual benefit arm of the Knights, whose object was to protect aged members of the order, as well as their orphans and widows. It was supported by a per capita tax on such Castles as were enrolled in it.Template:SfnTemplate:Efn
Notable members
- Leon Czolgosz, anarchist who assassinated United States President William McKinley
- Richard H. Koch, judge and railroad magnate
- John Buchanan Robinson, U.S. House of Representatives, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and Pennsylvania State Senate