Professional Documents
Culture Documents
United Brothers of Friendship (UBF), Sisters of The Mysterious Ten (SMT) and Juveniles - Shelby County Lodges and Temples
United Brothers of Friendship (UBF), Sisters of The Mysterious Ten (SMT) and Juveniles - Shelby County Lodges and Temples
United Brothers of Friendship (UBF), Sisters of The Mysterious Ten (SMT) and Juveniles - Shelby County Lodges and Temples
William H. Gibson, Sr. described the 1861 formation of the UBF as the
following: “Starting out as a local benevolent society, in the year of our Lord
one thousand and eight hundred and sixty one, a few men, free and slave,
known as the United Brothers of Friendship. The society grew rapidly and
During the Civil War some of the members joined the United States
caring for their families. After the War was over; UBF members who
1
Gibson, William, Sr. The History of the United Brotherhood of Friendship and Sisters of the Mysterious
Ten, A Negro Order, Louisville, 1897 (preface page of the book) .
2.
Two former U.S. Colored Civil War soldiers – Elijah Preston Marrs, Henry
Marrs (1851-1876), Elijah’s first wife was a member of the SMT and held
the position of Most Worthy Mistress (Princess) before her death. Henry
(1844-1869), Lloyd Bland (1854- 1919) were early members of the UBF and
From the limited UBF/SMT records available the first UBF Lodge organized
2
Marrs, Elijah P. Life and History of the Rev. Elijah P. Marrs, Louisville, 1885. (pg 139)
3
Marrs, E.P.’s book and Inscriptions with UBF and SMT lettering, UBF lodge triangle and JMT (Justice,
Mercy and Truth) lettering on the headstones of Smock, Purdy and Bland in the Shelbyville Saffell
Calvary Cemetery and Smock headstone in the African Cemetery of Shelbyville, KY.
indicated that there were one twenty- nine lodges throughout the state.
The first UBF State Grand Lodge charter was granted through incorporation,
by the state of Kentucky, February 7, 1868. This was the “first charted
regularly constituted Negro society south of the Ohio River.” 4 The UBF
was an original order – not copied from any other white or black order - an
original creation.
The Morning Star #98 of Todd’s Point was also a Shelby County UBF
Lodge. Yoder #74 and Spencer #16 both of Elk Creek were near Shelby
County. The Trim, Excelsior and Morning Star lodges were in operation for
The names of the following men from Simpsonville, Shelbyville and Todd’s
Point were listed as office holders and committee members – during various
periods- with UBF Lodges in 1871, 1888, 1890, 1895, and 1914. These
Marrs, Lewis Lawson, George W. Saffell, Jr. Jordan Taylor and W.B.
Shelbyville for several years. Lodge and temple meetings were held
there. It was reported that the building burned down during the 1960s.
UBF OBJECTIVES
property for lodge halls and burial grounds, caring for sick members, and
Young males were provided military training for the “common defense” of
the country.
operation the UBF and its subordinate lodges/temples never strayed away
6
Wright, George C. Life Behind a Veil Blacks in Louisville, Kentucky, 1865-1930, Baton Rouge,
Louisiana State Press (pg 133).
Males between the ages of 18-55 could join after meeting application and
screening requirements. By 1922 the UBF and SMT state and national
States. There was a lodge in the Virgin Islands and one in Liberia, West
Africa.
State Grand Lodge meetings were held during the month of August at sites
all over the Kentucky easily accessible along rail road lines. National lodge
meetings were held throughout the United States as well. Yearly minutes
other items sent in by each of the organizations. Lodges and Temples were
Initially the UBF organization was composed of male members only, until
1876 when a female branch of the order, known as the Sisters of the
Mysterious Ten was added during the national UBF meeting in St. Louis.
Women had been working alongside men of the UBF for years but
were not officially attached as a group to the UBF. The wives, sisters,
daughters, mothers and any other well “disposed women” who sought to
accomplish the same goals as outlined by the men could join the SMT.
Women between the ages of 16-50 could make application to join. The by-
laws required that four UFB men had to be present during SMT Temple
Emma E. Chinn were listed in 1888, 1890, 1895 and 1914 SMT state
JUVENILE DEPARTMENT
the Grand Lodge of UBF and SMT. The Juvenile Lodges (J.U.B.F) were for
7
Proceedings of the 1888, 1890, 1895 and 1914 national annual sessions – see footnote number 6.
8
1944-1959 Ledger, National Grand Temple Sisters of the Mysterious Ten, Auxiliary to the United
Brothers of Friendship of North America and Africa – the record book of Mrs. Rosa L. Green, National
Assistant Secretary – Owensboro, KY.
boys aged 5-18 and the Juvenile Temples (J.S.M.T.) included girls aged 5-
WHO JOINED?
Across Shelby County and Kentucky lodge and temple membership included
people of all economic and social levels. Men (and members of their sister
GUOOF and other fraternal and benevolent groups were also members of
UBF and SMT. Former veterans of the United States Colored Army held
The children of lodge and temple members were a part of the juvenile lodge
CEMETERIES
To assure that loved ones were properly cared at the time of death
cemeteries for the burial of family and members. The Trim #2 UBF lodge
acquired property on US 60 near Simpsonville for a cemetery (Chord
Williams and Fulton Calbert (and his son L. Edward Calbert) were the
last officers and caretakers in 1950s ’early 1960s). The African Cemetery
the organizations. A triangle with a five pointed star inside with the lettering
circle with a dove inside represented SMT membership. The Saffell Calvary
Saffell, Lloyd Bland, Charles and Rebecca Purdy. The headstone of Henry
These same cemeteries are the final resting place of former Civil War
veterans and their family members connected to the UBF lodges or SMT
temples in Shelby County.
African Cemetery burials - Shelbyville
. Alexander Riggs (alias Alex Harbison - CO A 109th USCI) brother E.
G. (Eli Grant) Riggs belonged to the Shelbyville UBF.
. Julia Gray Marrs 1st wife of Rev. Elijah P. Marrs (CO L12th USCHA
and also an UBF member) was a Shelbyville SMT member.
. Ennis Redding (CO K 123rd USCI alias Dennis Redmon) is buried
here.
10.
During the late 1940s through the 1960s UBF and SMT organizations across
the state and nation either had disbanded or were in the state of decline.
Lodge halls and properties were sold and some of the cemeteries were not
Internal problems may have been a factor. Wars and economic depressions
may have caused decline.
cities to seek jobs. Whatever the cause or causes for the organization to no
longer exist - it is for certain that the UBF/ SMT provided valuable services
at large across Kentucky and nation for over one hundred years.
The Shelby Brotherhood Lodge was formed just after the UBF and SMT
the Pythias lodge members became SBL members. Meetings were held in
the old UBF hall at 5th Bradshaw Street in Shelbyville. When the old
wooden frame UBF lodge hall burned down around 1962 (including all of its
records and lodge artifacts) the SBL built a new two-story concrete block
lodge hall on the same site. The goals of the SBL were basically the same as
the UBF.
Members assisted the sick and provided financial aid for families of
deceased members. Ceremonies were held at the burial site, which included
raised through monthly dues and social events. At one time the membership
included one hundred men. About the year of 1980 the lodge hall was sold
to Samuel Caldwell to operate a restaurant. 9
9
Information about the Shelby Brotherhood Lodge came from Jake Stivers (now deceased) and George
Morton of Shelbyville and Everett Stivers of Louisville in 3/2001– all were former members of the SBL.
Juanita l. White, a former educator, is a member of the Shelby County Historical Society. Information
about the UBF/SMT was part of the script she wrote for the characterization of “ Miss Dinnie Thompson” a
KY Humanities Council Chautauqua character. Dinnie was a Louisville SMT member . Research by
LaVerne D. Dunning, genealogist, on Shelby County Civil War soldiers, cemetery sites and African
American families is reflected in this report.
So much more could be said about the UBF/SMT regalia, newspaper,
/SMT artifacts in attics, closets, and garages that need to be found before
younger family members, friends or care takers toss them out or they
become delicious meals for rodents. So much more could be said … but