REDMEN: Everything old is new again. Or so it seems after
researching a group from years ago in Bradford known as the Redmen
only to find it traces its roots to the same occurrence now fueling
the country’s Tea Party movement.
It’s the Boston Tea Party, of course.
Off and on, we’ve been telling readers about a fraternal
organization known as the Order of Redmen which at one time had a
club located on West Washington Street — long since demolished.
This Redmen’s group — now known as The Improved Order of Red Men —
still exists nationwide and is considered the oldest fraternal
organization in the country.
Joel Gilfert of Eldred has also been researching the subject,
discovering that Piomingo Tribe No. 199 was instituted in Bradford
in 1889. They had several meetings places including their last, at
106 W. Washington St., from 1953-1960.
They had met in 1909 at Bradburn Hall on Main Street; in 1921 at
Breakley Hall; from 1925-1927, Ertz & Joseph Hall; and from
1938-1948, at 21 Barbour St.
Joel tells us he even has an “In Memoriam” badge from Bradford
worn during the passing of a member.
Phil Kennedy of Smethport also gave us a call, telling us that
Carlyn Gallup Seighman did research on her family history which
makes mention of a great-uncle being a member of the Redmen.
This great-uncle had died in World War I, and when they brought
his body back from the war there was a procession which included a
band and color guard, Bucktail Post, the American Legion, Crosby
Lodge — and the Independent Order of Redmen.
According to the group’s website, the Redmen traces its origin
to certain secret patriotic societies founded before the American
Revolution including the well-remembered Sons of Liberty which met
in Boston in 1773 to protest the tax on tea imposed by England.
When their protest went unheeded, they disguised themselves as
Mohawk Indians, proceeded to Boston harbor, and dumped 342 chests
of English tea into the harbor.
Following the American Revolution many of the various secret
societies continued to exist as brotherhoods or fraternities.
Interestingly, the Redmen group patterned themselves after the
great Iroquois Confederacy and its democratic governing body. Their
system, with elected representatives to govern tribal councils, had
been in existence for several centuries.
