Řád Prapor Magnolie, číslo 65

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Crosby, Harris County, Texas
Surnames/tags: Volcik Clawson

On the 4th of March 1854, 29 Czech immigrant men met in a tavern in St. Louis Missouri. Discussing amongst themselves, they determined a need for mutual support in times of sickness, and a way to provide for their families in the event of their death. They also wanted a social activity and a gathering place in which discuss their problems.

These immigrant men formed a mutual benefit society in order to gain security and to make sure that if one of them died, the funeral would be paid for by the society, and the wife and children would be helped by the members in their immediate needs. This organization, the Cesko-Slovanska Podporujici Spolecnost [Czecho-Slovak Protective Society] (CSPS), laid the groundwork for the modern order in the United States, and which served as a model for many other fraternal benefit societies organized in later years. Starting in that late 19th century (1880s and 1890s), many Texans of Czech ancestry started to join the order.

In spite of the rapid growth of CSPS, there was considerable discontent among the members from Texas and most of the Midwest. The primary concern was that CSPS insurance premium guidelines favored the industrial workers in the eastern part of the United States, whose workers had a much higher mortality rate than the people living in Texas. Favoring these higher mortality rates, the premiums were considered to be overly expensive for most Texans, who were mostly farmers.

Shortly after the 1896 CSPS convention, Texas Czechs met in La Grange, Texas, and set about the task of forming a new fraternal organization, and in March of 1897, the constitution was submitted to the Texas lodges for their consideration. Seven of the 25 active CSPS lodges approved the constitution and withdrew from CSPS. On the 1st of July 1897, with over 800 members and 25 charter lodges, Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas [roughly - Slavs Supporting the Unity of the State of Texas - or better known as the Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas] or simple SPJST - the fraternity started operations, and received its state charter on the 12th of August the same year.

In Vol. 16, No. 1, Ed. 1 of the Obzor (a semi-monthly Czech language agricultural and horticultural newspaper published between 1891 and 1914 in Hallettsville in Lavaca County), we find the startup charter of Prapor Magnolie (the Magnolia Battalion), number 65^[1] and the founding members:

• John A. Clawson
• Anna (Kovář) Clawson
• Martin Clawson
• John Clawson
• Rozara Clawson
• Františka Clawson
• Josef Volčik
• Františka Volčik
• František Širočka
• Josef Širočka
• Vincene Širočka
• Josef Hluchman
• Lena Hluchman
• Martin V. Kopeký
• Marie Kopecký
• Edward Garps

For the years 1907^[2] and 1908^[3], officer elections were subsequently published.

Sources

1. ↑ Obzor. (Hallettsville, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 1, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 1, 1906], newspaper, August 1, 1906; Hallettsville, Texas. The Portal to Texas History: ERC Record #394442, University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UT San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.
2. ↑ Obzor. (Hallettsville, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 11, Ed. 1 Tuesday, January 1, 1907, newspaper, January 1, 1907; Halletsville, Texas. The Portal to Texas History: ERC Record #394739, University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UT San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.
3. ↑ Obzor. (Hallettsville, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 12, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 15, 1908, newspaper, January 15, 1908; Halletsville, Texas. The Portal to Texas History: ERC Record #394861, University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UT San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.