1930

Oliver P. Throckmorton was born at Romney, Indiana, 12 miles south of Lafayette on January 4, 1878, being the 7th child in a line of ten born to his father, Neville Insley Throckmorton and his mother, whose maiden name was Sarah Brunton, both long since deceased. His father served in Company C, 40th Regiment, Indiana in the war of the rebellion, and was a close friend of Governor Oliver Perry Morton, who died the year preceding his birth. He therefore named his son Oliver Perry, in honor of his quite distinguished friend. In 1880 the father was elected County Recorder of Tippecanoe County, Indiana and during that year the family moved to Lafayette, Indiana, old fashioned covered wagons being used for the trip. It was in and around the vicinity of Lafayette that he spent his boyhood days receiving his education in the public and high schools of that city. His father took his Masonic work in the Lodge at Lafayette and was later on accepted and took the York Rite degrees – being a member of the Knights Templar Commandery at the time of his death. His oldest living brother (now deceased) was a member of Mystic Tie Lodge and took the Scottish Rite degree in Indianapolis and was a Shriner at the time of his death, July 1, 1922.

His parents being quite religious, it was decreed by them that he was to become a minister – his mother and all of the children becoming members of the Methodist Church, while the father was a Presbyterian. However, at the age of 17, “Throck” was forced to leave school and go to work. At that time he had two ambitions in life. One to become a Knight Templar and the other to become a railroad engineer. He accordingly, went to Columbus, Ohio and secured a job on a railroad where he worked until the Spanish American war broke out, at which time he returned to Lafayette and joined Co. C, 160, Indiana Volunteers, in which Company he served one year and one day. Part of this time was spent in Cuba, and it was here that he was promoted to Sergeant of his Company. He studied railroad accounting and drafting following the war and educated himself in these two lines at night while working for the railroad company in Columbus, Ohio during the day. Finally he became Chief Clerk in the maintenance of way department of the Norfolk and Western Railway and Toledo and Ohio Central railways until 1904 when he went to Chico, California to accept a position as Chief Clerk in the Chief Engineer’s Office of the Sacramento Electric Railway.

His first marriage took place June 12, 1981 and to this union one son was born, Richard Henry Throckmorton. His first wife’s maiden name was Katharine Andrews. In 1915, with his wife and son he returned to Indianapolis where he entered the service of the Aetna Life Insurance Co. to take charge of Credits and collections and with which Company he is still employed [1937] as its branch Statistician. His wife Katharine died March 18, 1931.

In the late fall of 1922, he petitioned Broad Ripple Lodge for membership, was Initiated in this Lodge, January 12, 1923; Passed, January 26, and on February 16, 1923 was raised to the Sublime Degree of a Master Mason, seven Past Masters and one Past Grand Master participating.

The same year he was started through the chairs and in 1930 was elected Master of the Lodge and served as such during that year.

Lodge Events of 1930

The ladies of the Eastern Star Auxiliary presented the Lodge with the lighting unit which was installed on the front of the Temple and used to indicate the particular organization in session on meeting nights.

Later an opportunity presented itself to purchase our pipe organ at an attractive price and the Lodge voted to do so. The O.E.S. Auxiliary contributed $200.00 towards the purchase of this instrument, a contribution deeply appreciated by our organization. The equipment was subsequently installed and added much to the solemnity and beauty of the ritualistic ceremonies of all three bodies meeting in our Lodge room.

The Lodge decided that the grave of Aunt Cassandra Mustard – one of the donors of properties the sale of which made possible our beautiful Temple – should be better and more appropriately identified. A suitable marker was accordingly ordered and subsequently placed in position at the grave in Union Chapel Cemetery.

The G. G. Sunday School Class of which Bro. Ross Smith was teacher, was granted permission to use our dining room for Sunday services during the construction of the Broad Ripple Christian Church on its present location.

At the time the organ was installed, the craft room on the balcony was remodeled to provide much needed and adequate facilities.

The members added during the year were:

By affiliation: