Mail: PO Box 368 Niles, Ohio 44446

On January 24, 1906 , thirty five people met at the Mahoning Lodge #394 Free and Accepted Masons to take action in the matter of organizing a Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star. A petition asking for a dispensation to institute a Chapter was sent to Grand Patron, J. M. Longnecker, signed by the thirty five people present. This petition being granted on January 29, 1906, the group met again on February 12, 1906 at which time the name of Ida McKinley was chosen. This was chosen because the meeting hall was located where William McKinley’s birthplace had stood and the dispensation was granted on his birthday. President McKinley died on September 14, 1901 and Mrs. McKinley passed away in 1907. There is no record of her having belonged to Eastern Star.

On February 16, 1906 Ida McKinley Chapter #229 was instituted by Morning Light Chapter #80 of Warren. Margaretta Thomas Chingan was a charter member and she served as Worthy Matron in 1910 and in 1911. It was interesting to note that $6.oo was paid for the special street car which brought the Warren Chapter to Niles for the occasion. At the first inspection held on October 5, 1906 a supper was served at $.35 a plate. Electricity was installed in the meeting hall in May 1909.

On March 11, 1922 Ida McKinley Chapter instituted Sunrise Chapter #458 in Girard. Mable McCaughtry was Worthy Matron and her Chapter dress is now in the collection of items at the Ward Thomas Museum.

Ida McKinley Chapter met at the Mahoning Lodge until July 20, 1923 when members met in the new Masonic Temple located at 22 W. Church Street. Many years of preparation made this building possible, due to a special building fund. Eastern Star furnished the kitchen, ladies parlor, and dressing room and helped to pay for the furniture in the Lodge Room.

The Chapter served its first Mahoning Valley McKinley Club Banquet in 1947. This was a huge undertaking because there are no kitchen facilities at the McKinley Memorial Auditorium where the annual dinner is held. The food was prepared in the Temple kitchen and transported to the Memorial by truck where servers managed to get hot meals to the many dignitaries and guests to enjoy. This tradition continued until the members were no longer able to undertake this task. Local caterers serve the banquet now.
Profits from serving the McKinley Banquet helped to finance installation of the elevator in 1947, chairs for the dining room in 1965 and tables in 1967. The Chapter gave $100.00 to the building fund of the McKinley Memorial, dedicated October 5, 1917 and has given to the Red Cross and various Community Funds over the years.

The 100th Birthday celebration was held on February 17, 2006 with a dinner served before the stated meeting. After the closing of the Chapter, the officers presented the beautiful Floral Degree which was brought from Michigan to Niles by Clara Lowendorf, who served as Worthy Matron in 1914 and 1915. Birthday cake was then enjoyed in Fellowship Hall.

Due to declining membership and inability to elect line officers, members voted on December 15, 2006 to merge with Opal Chapter #181 in Cortland. The final meeting of Ida McKinley Chapter was held at the Temple in Niles on March 16, 2007. Opal Chapter welcomed Ida McKinley Chapter at a special merger ceremony held at the Cortland Masonic Lodge on March 27, 2007.

To give credit where credit is due, I have summarized Chapter history, compiled by Pauline Crofford, Worthy Matron 1935 and Helen Crofford, Worthy Matron 1968 and 1974. I added the final chapter.
—Nancy Malone, Worthy Matron 1973

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1932 Order of Eastern Star, Niles, Ohio

1st row: Selena Rettig, Mable McCaughtry, Abbie Alexander, Maud Gillmer, Thomas Anderson,
Olive Stein, WGM, Olive Willems, DGM, Ida Scott ?, Olive Pritchard, Beatrice Miller
2nd row: Cyrena Sharp, GR. Matilda Mover, ?, Ann Adgate, Pauline Crofford, Mary Stewart, Gwladus Thomas, Florence Ohl, Ada Husted, Vera Crawford, Margaret Mills, Anna Duck, Mary Davis, Isabel McEvoy.
3rd. row: Marian Westenfield, Helen Newman, Lula Shaffer, Nellie Thomas, Lillian Evans, Mary Morrall, Marie Lloyd, Alda Miller, Helen Crofford, Oliver Evans, Marjorie Barker, Florence Beil
4th. row: Deb Kistler, Herbert Hargate

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