Redmanship in Kentucky for Fifty Great Suns

The history of the Improved Order of Red Men is so interwoven with the history of the struggles of the American Colonies for independence that to record the one is to repeat the other in a great measure.

The first settlers upon this continent were imbued with the spirit of freedom, and to gain this object left their mother country. The American shores became the asylum of the oppressed of all nationalities. They were not, however, thus easily to escape the hand of British tyranny. The British Government soon learned that the American colonists were a thrifty, prosperous people, strong and skilled in the arts and sciences and were rapidly gaining wealth. The temptation to tax these people for the maintenance of its government and army was too strong upon the mother country, and severe taxes were imposed; but the right of representation in the British Parliament was denied them.

This usurpation of power created the greatest dissatisfaction among the colonists, who repeatedly memorialized the English Government for relief, and for redress for their many wrongs, but without avail.

As early as 1765, it was the custom of the citizens of the city of Boston and vicinity to assemble and discuss the aggravating situation. Their favorite place of meeting was under the famous Liberty Tree, which stood at what is now the corner of Essex and Washington streets. These citizens had perfected a permanent organization, bound together by signed pledges to appose by all legitimate means the enforcement of the obnoxious "Stamp Act." It is not known that at that time they had any particular name for their organization, but Col. Barre, in a speech in the House of Commons, February 7, 1765, referred to American colonists in opposition to the stamp act as the "Sons of Liberty," and this name seems to have been applied to them from that time.

On the 13th of May, 1766, the news of the repeal of the stamp act was received in Boston and was celebrated under the Liberty Tree and on the Commons with great rejoicing.

The repeal of the stamp act, however, did not satisfy the patriots. While the excessive taxation that had been so oppressive and burdensome had been removed, the English Government still held to their right to tax the colonists, and did so tax them, though in a lighter degree.

The Sons of Liberty called a meeting on the afternoon of the 13th of May, 1767, at Faneuil Hall and prepared a petition to the Governor for the removal of a British warship from Boston harbor which was there for the purpose of enforcing the taxation laws.

A meeting was held March 6th, in Faneuil Hall, with nearly three thousand members present, Samuel Adams presiding, to protest against the presence of British soldiers in the city, the result of their presence being riot and bloodshed.

November 3, 1773, a meeting of the Sons of Liberty was called under the Liberty Tree to protest against the landing of certain ships supposed to be laden with taxable tea. Notice of the meeting was posted, and it bore at the bottom this legend: "Show me the man that dare take this down."

There is also a record of a meeting of the Sons of Liberty in the old tavern in Providence, R. I., at about the same time, November 3, 1773.

On the 16th of December, 1773, occurred the famous "Boston Tea Party," given under the auspices of the Sons of Liberty of Boston and Vicinity.

On March 1, 1776, the Sons of Liberty held their first meeting in Baltimore. Wm. Paca, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was the secretary. In Savannah, Ga., the first meeting was held July 14, 1774, when they concurred in the action of their Northern brethren. In 1765, the first meetings were held in South Carolina, and in New York meetings were held about concurrent with those in Massachusetts.

When first organized the Sons of Liberty had no thought of Independence, but were loyal to the British crown, though protesting against "taxation without representation."

Their motto was "FREEDOM," however, and as that could not be obtained under British rule, as a last resort they determined to be free and independent.

It is unnecessary to here record the many deeds of heroism performed by the Sons of Liberty, the "Liberty Boys," the "Minute Men" and the members thereof. They will be found emblazoned upon every page of the history of the American Revolution.

In many localities the Sons of Liberty adopted the title of "Sons of Saint Tamina," or "Saint Tamina Society," and set apart the first day of May as their anniversary.

We quote from the Official History of the Great Council of the United States, page 158, as follows:

"In this year, 1771, and for many years later, there existed in the town of Annapolis a society called the 'Saint Tamina Society,' who set apart the first day of May in memory of Saint Tamina, their patron saint, whose history is now lost in fable and uncertainty. It was usual, on the morning of this day, for the members of this society to erect in some public location in the city 'a May-pole,' and to decorate it in a most tasteful manner with wild flowers, gathered from the adjacent woods, and forming themselves in a ring around it, hand in hand, perform the 'war-dance' with many other customs which they had seen exhibited by the 'Children of the Forest.' It was also usual, on this day, for such of the citizens as chose to enter into the amusements, to wear a piece of buck-tail in their hats, or in some conspicuous part of their dress. General invitations were given out, and a large company usually assembled during the course of the evening, and whilst engaged in the midst of a dance, the company would be interrupted by the sudden intrusion of a number of the Saint Tamina Society, habited like Indians, who, rushing violently into the room, singing war songs and giving the 'whoop,' commenced dancing in the style of that people. After this ceremony, they made a collection of money, and retired evidently well pleased with their reception and entertainment."

At a later date the day for celebration was changed from the first day of May to the 12th, which is now observed as "St. Tamminy's Day."

After the close of the Revolutionary War, the object for which they had banded themselves together having been accomplished, the Sons of Liberty, or Saint Tamina Societies, became less prominent in public affairs, and it was the differences of opinion among the citizens as to the permanent form the government should take that brought them again to the front as a political organization with the addition to their motto of "FRIENDSHIP."

The Saint Tamina Societies, or Societies of St. Tammany, as they were variously called, became quite powerful in the political affairs of the young nation and were organized in all parts of the country from the close of the Revolutionary War up to as late as 1820.

The only record we find of this Society in Kentucky is in Ranck's History of Lexington, from which we quote the following:

"A St. Tammany Society was instituted in Lexington about this time, 1811, and continued to exist up to 1820. The 'Wigwam' was in the second story of a building which stood on the corner of Main and Broadway. The sons of St. Tammany often paraded through the streets disguised as Indians, and magnificent in red paint, feathers, bows, tomahawks, and war clubs. It was one of the most noted Democratic organizations in the West. Thomas T. Barr, Richard Chinn, and others successively filled the office of 'Sachem.' We give verbatim one of the Society's orders, viz.:

St. Tammany's Day.-The Sons of St. Tammany, or Brethren of the Columbian Order, will assemble at the council fire of their great wigwam on Tuesday, the 12th of the month of Flowers, at the rising of the sun, to celebrate the anniversary of their patron saint.

A dinner will be provided at Bro. John Fowler's garden, to which the brethren will march in procession, where a long talk will be delivered by one of the order.

An adjourned meeting of the Society will be held on tomorrow evening, at the going down of the sun. By order of the Grand Sachem.

N. S. Porter, Sec.

8th of the month of Flowers, 1Year of Discovery, 326."

During the second war with Great Britain, Fort Mifflin, on the Delaware River, near Philadelphia, was garrisoned for a time by a military company composed of the sons of the leading citizens of Philadelphia. At Fort Mifflin, and among these volunteers originated the "Society of Red Men," about the year 1813. Their motto was "Freedom and Friendship," and they were a natural outgrowth from and sequence to the St. Tammany Societies.

The records of the Society of Red Men are abundant and the Great Council of the United States in its Official History of the Order traces its growth and decline in detail as well as its customs and ceremonies. It flourished until about the year 1828, when it began to decline, and in 1832 was about extinct. The elements of conviviality, which seems to have been inseparable from all fraternal organizations of that period, finally produced such a degeneration in the Society as to disgust the better element, and cause the reorganization in its present form, and the incorporation of the word "Improved" in its title.

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