Knights of Pythias of New Castle, Indiana

The Order is truly a family organization. Its lessons teach that the first obligation is to home and loved ones.

Pythian Sisters, for wives, sisters and mothers, was founded in 1889 and is recognized as an official auxiliary of the Order. Activities of the Sisters closely parallels those of the Knights.

Dramatic Order Knights of Khorassan, popularly known as the "dokeys", is the playground of the Order and is dedicated to the principle of enjoyment of life, while firm in character.

Junior Order, for boys 12 to 18 years of age, provides an opportunity for training as future Knights.

Special Members Over The Years:

Famous Pythians

Hugo Black----Justice of the Supreme Court

William Jennings Bryant----US Secretary of State, Prosecuting attorney in the Scopes "Monkey Trial"

Robert Byrd---- US Senator

Warren G. Harding---- US President

Hubert Humphrey---- US Vice-President

Peter King---- US Congressman

William McKinley---- US President

Sun Ra---- Noted Jazz Musician

Nelson A Rockefeller---- US Vice-President

Franklin D Roosevelt---- US President

James Roosevelt---- US Senator

Charles Schumer---- US Senator

Lew Wallace---- Us General, Author, Diplomat

Anthony Weiner---- US Congressman

Uniform Rank

The Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias, grew out of various drill corps units that had been organized in the various lodges after the order was originated in 1864. Bear in mind that many of the members of the Knights of Pythias were men who had been active in the Civil War and who enjoyed the disciplined way of life.

In 1876, under the leadership of James R. Carnahan of Lafayette, Ind., there grew a movement to consolidate these various drill corps into a separate but attached organization. In 1878, the Uniform Rank of Knights of Pythias came into legal being by action of the Supreme Lodge. The membership mushroomed. The URKP was organized completely along U. S. Army lines into Companies, Bridgades, Regiments, etc. Named as Major General or Commanding officer was James R. Carnahan. The emblem chosen for the organization was that of the Lilly and the URKP became known as the
“Army of the Lilly”

Although actual numbers are not available to me at this time, I believe that there were more than 100,000 members at its height. As the veterans of the Civil War began to pass on, there was a declining interest in the Uniform Rank, and the membership began to quickly drop after WWI.

This writer helped to form one of the last Companies ever organized in about 1950 and attended one of the last national encampments ever held. Shortly after that time, the Supreme Lodge of Knights of Pythias removed the Uniform Rank as an official auxiliary of Pythianism.

About 1995, after retiring from business life, I undertook to find if there were any companies left in existence. I found one Company in Maryland that supposedly was still in existence. I exchanged one letter with a member and thereafter there was no response.

On January 1, 1999, as one of the only persons still alive who had actually belonged to the “Rank”, I proclaimed it revived as a memorial group so that the memory of this fine fraternal group might not be lost to the memory of present day members of the Knights of Pythias. I have taken no further steps to carry it further but have in my possession a number of papers, what is probably the last Book of Laws that was ever published, and two copies of the ritual.

Brig. Gen. Robert E. Price, Commanding
The National Brigade, U.R.K.P.
P. O. Box 102
Connersville, IN 47331

With the death of our beloved Brig. Gen. Price, it saddens me to issue the following command:

Be it here and now decreed that the Uniform Rank wil officially cease effectively immediately.
I further urge all efforts by any others who had thoughts of trying to revive the URKP to concentrate their efforts on expanding our future through the Junior Order Knights of Pythias.

Dated this 1st day of January in the year of our Lord 2012.

Col. Dennis O. Adams, Commanding
The National Brigade, U.R.K.P.
PO Box 365
New Castle, IN 47362