Updated February 24, 2015.
RED MEN HALL
November 1, 2010. From Jimmy Cason. The picture was taken during a Fire Dept. May day Parade sometime in the late 60s. The Red Men Hall as you can see had been abandoned by then and boarded up. How sad to see landmarks of our past disappear.
Comment - Belinda Buck: In regards to the Red Men Hall, my mother
said the Hall was located north of Mr. Mundens store that was at
the corner of Brumley Rd. and South End Rd. She said there is a
cemetery located close to where it sat and that a house now sits
on the property the lodge once sat on. It was across the street
from Judge Bonney's house. Her father Herman Guy Jones and Preston
Jones his brother were members of the Red Men's Hall along with
others who are now deceased, mom says she is almost sure that most
of the members are not with us anymore. She said when her daddy
passed, her mother Virginia received money from the Red Men. Mom
said she wasn't sure if it was something like an insurance policy
payout upon death?
Comment - Brenda Twiford: I know that they had dances at the Red Men's Hall. My grandfather Pud White loved to dance and went there on Saturday nights.
February 24, 2015. Comment Nancy Hughes
My Aunt Aurilla, (Aurilla C. Bowden Boyce, 1905-1996) was born in
Knotts Island to Walter "Linnie" Bowden and Mildred Lee White. She
lived on Knotts Island until 1918, when the family moved to
Norfolk. She wrote down memories from her childhood. This one is
about Red Men's Hall: "The Red Men used to put on a show in the
school yard. Wigwams, lanterns, they dressed up like Indians and
would dance around the fire with spears and tomahawks. There was
no music but they would make noises and beat on a drum. Papa White
(Edmond Lee White. 1865-1938) was the best dancer in the lot, very
nimble. We thought it was wonderful. I really think it was." "The
Saturday they moved the Hall down the road from where it stood on
what is now a part of the cemetery, everyone was at our house.
Children galore. The hall was placed across the road from our
house. They used logs, horses and manpower to move it. We had
lemonade, what a day we had."
October 27, 2011. Comment - Jane Brumley: The Red Men (IORM) had a Woman's Auxiliary and they were called Degree of Pocahontas (or Daughters of Pocahontas). My mother, Ruth Waterfield Miller was a member and my father was a member of the IORM. The Hall, as I remember, was full of tree stumps, (painted) spears with arrowheads and beautiful indian costumes with headpieces of feathers. The "large Hall room" had stumps on all four sides on platforms. For some sort of ceremony I would guess. Side rooms consisted of a kitchen ( the kind of the day) and another room for food to be laid out for gatherings. I have some books here that belonged to my father about the Red Men and some ribbons. The building was gray in color. It was very close to the main road but it was a newer building than the Hall next to the cemetery. My husband, "Buster" (Walton Guy Brumley) was already a member when we married. The Red Men just dwindled away. Some other members were my grandfather, Moody Wright Waterfield, and William "Bill" Stevens.
October 27, 2011. Comment - Rod Mann: The IORM or Improved Order of Red Men got started in the 1830's in Baltimore and eventually spread across the country. The Red Men really did refer to the American Indian and certain ideals they seem to embody........especially freedom, brotherhood and charity (taking care of each other). Each lodge or chapter was called a Tribe. Mari and I looked up the Red Men after we saw the letters IORM on a grave in the main cemetery.
November 1, 2011. From Vicki Dixon. My mom, Mary Waterfield, and dad, Fred Waterfield, were also members and when our daughter, Mary Jo, was going to Pitt County Community College she recieved a scholarship from them. I think it was for $500 but it could have been a $1000. I can't remember now. Mary Jo graduated from East Carolina University in May. She went to Pitt before ECU and that is where she recieved the scholarship.
November 2, 2011. From Rod Mann.
Note the symbols on the stone. The 3 linked chain with the
letters FLT is the Independent Order of Odd Fellows symbol for
Fellowship, Love, Truth. The Indian is for the Improved Order of
Red Men. The T.O.T.E. on the eagle means Totem of the Eagle. John
Bowden was an Odd Fellow. J. R. Waterfield was both. A hatchet was
also a symbol used for the Red Men. Albert Jones was buried by the
I.O.O.F. and the I.O.R.M.
November 3, 2011. From Joe Lewark. The Odd Fellows met at the Junior Hall. The Red Men may have been meeting until the 50's. His father was a member. They were the only fraternal organization in operation.
December 27, 2011. From Jane Brumley. This book belonged to my father, James Nonie Miller, Copyright 1893, with this edition, (pictured) being a revised dated 1909. 620 pages including index!
January 18, 2012. From Junior Historian Assoc.
