Page 11 - Sojourner Newsletter-Summer 2023 Final

Volume 100, Issue 3 11

HISTORIAN’S CORNER (HEROES OF ‘76)

®
HEROES OF ‘76 AND THE LOST EIGHT YEARS—SOLVING THE MYSTERY
Edward W. Nolte, National Heroes of ‘76 Historian
®

Heroes of ’76 had an interesting founding, which began with Bro. Caleb Atwater (1778-1867), who wrote
several patriotic phrases (Who Was Its). Bro. E.B. Jones (1832-1894), at the United States Centennial in
1876, used Bro. Atwater’s patriotic words to develop a Masonic side degree with an obligation, working
tools, penalties, and transitional paragraphs. Before Bro. Jones’ death, he gave a copy of the degree to Bro.
Thomas J. Flournoy (1842-1925), who moved the degree out of Kentucky to Tennessee, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa,
and Georgia. From Bro. Flournoy, the degree came to his nephew, Bro. Christopher Van Deventer, 33°
(1874-1964). Although Atwater, Jones, Flournoy, and Van Deventer were all Masons, Bro. Van Deventer
was the only Brother with a military background. Bro. Van Deventer thought that the proper home for the
degree was in the only Order in Freemasonry with a tie to the uniformed services—National Sojourners
®
Club. A more complete and detailed history may be found in Centennial History of the Heroes of ‘76 .

Bro. Van Deventer was a member of the fledgling Chicago Chapter in 1922. Within the previous four years,
Sojourners Club (28 Feb 1918) had formed and separated itself from Chicago Chapter (also 28 Feb 1918),
and the following Chapters had chartered: Detroit #1 (19 Jun 1919), Camp Grant #2 (2 Mar 1920),
Washington #3 (11 May 1921), Camp (now Fort) George G. Meade #4 (11 Nov 1921), Fort D.A. Russell
(now Cheyenne 25 Nov 1921), and Hampton Roads #6 (17 Feb 1922). At the 2nd Annual National Meeting
(not yet called a Convention) in 1922, the National Sojourners Club consisted of 7 Chapters and 1,140
members.

Bro. Van Deventer introduced Heroes of ’76 to Chicago Chapter in July 1922 and formed the first Camp in
both Chicago Chapter and National Sojourners Club: Bon Homme Richard Camp, thus making July 1922
the founding date for Heroes of ‘76® in National Sojourners Club (1919-27), National Sojourners (1927-31),
and National Sojourners, Incorporated® (1931-Present). Therefore, 2022 is the 100th Anniversary of the
Heroes of ’76®, and Bro. Randolph F. Geck was the 94th National Commander, serving in the Centennial
Year. So, what caused the eight-year difference between a 1922 Founding?

Heroes of ’76® existed at the Chapter level only from 1922 to 1924. Bro. Van Deventer was the “keeper” of
the now “Official Degree,” and “no one conferred the Degree but himself.” In 1923, he conferred the Degree
on Sojourners from Washington Chapter #3 to form George Washington Camp and made Heroes of ’76® a
National Order. Bro. Van Deventer conferred the Degree at the 1st Annual National Encampment (ANE) on
Heroes from approximately 20 Camps in 1924, but he was not the “elected” National Commander for two
more years. At the 3rd ANE, held in 1926 in Philadelphia, PA, Bro. Van Deventer, and Bro. George F.
Unmacht were “elected” National Commander and National Adjutant, respectively. Bro. Van Deventer was
re-elected National Commander in 1927, 1928, and 1929. At the 7th ANE in 1930 in Atlantic City, NJ, Bro.
COL Albert W. Foreman was elected as National Commander, and Bro. Van Deventer as National
Commander Emeritus, the only National Commander ever so elected. Thus, there was no ANE from 1922 to
1924), there was no elected National Commander from 1924 to 1926, and there was only one elected
National Commander from 1926 to 1930, which accounts for the 8-year difference. An easier explanation is
Bro. Van Deventer was the founder and elected National Commander from 1922 to 1930. And now you
know, “the rest of the story.”