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More Lykens Valley Ku Klux Klan Events Needing Further Research
Posted By Norman Gasbarro on January 26, 2018
Today’s post presents some events involving the Ku Klux Klan that were reported in the Lykens Standard. Each event needs further research.
The above photograph was published in the Lykens Standard on 31 July 1925 along with three other photographs of the funeral of James Spangler, all showing hooded Klansmen marching in Lykens Borough in remembrance of Spangler, who was a member and leader of the Lykens Klan. He was killed in a mine accident a few days earlier.
The post is a continuation of the reporting on hate groups that were active in the Lykens Valley area in the years following the Civil War. It was a widely known fact that the third iteration of the Ku Klux Klan had a significant presence in the Lykens Valley and adjacent valleys during the early years of the 20th Century. This third iteration of the Klan was strongly white supremacist and was opposed to equal rights for African Americans, Catholics, Jews, and immigrants.
Those who allowed their names to be used in the newspaper had to know that they were supporting a group that was under investigation at the time by both federal and state authorities for criminal behavior, including intimidation and murder.
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From the Spring Glen news column of the Lykens Standard, 11 November 1927:
The pupils of the Hubley Township High School take this means of thanking the Junior Klan for the flag presented to the school on Friday evening.
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From the Lykens Standard, 8 January 1926:
The Tri K Girls of the Ku Klux Klan of Lykens and Williamstown, held a masquerade New Year’s party at Williamstown. It was well attended.
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From the Gratz news column of the Lykens Standard, 31 July 1925:
The Klan meeting was largely attended on Saturday evening.
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From the Carsonville news column of the Lykens Standard, 31 July 1925:
Quite a number of folks of this place attended the Klan demonstration at Gratz, Saturday evening.
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From the Spring Glen news column of the Lykens Standard, 3 October 1924:
Curtin Miller and family of Joliett, attended the Klan meeting Saturday evening.
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From the Williamstown news column of the Lykens Standard, 10 October 1924:
A large number from here attended the Klan demonstration at Gratz on Saturday.
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From the Spring Glen news column of the Lykens Standard, 29 May 1925:
K. K. K. to Attend Service
On 7 June 1925, at 2:00 p.m, a special service will be held when the Ku Klux Klan will attend the service. A prominent speaker will be in attendance and deliver an address.
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From the Spring Glen news column of the Lykens Standard, 24 October 1924:
Quite a few people from town witnessed the Klan parade at Tower City on Saturday evening.
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From the Lykens Standard, 8 January 1926:
Harry Shomper and Bud Miller attended the annual Ku Klux Klan convention at Harrisburg, 1, 2, 3 January 1926.
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From the Valley View news column of the Lykens Standard, 26 September 1924:
A number of our citizens were in attendance at the Klan meeting held at Lebanon on Saturday, 20 September 1924. They left on the P. R. R. train from Good Springs.
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From the Lykens Standard, 26 March 1926:
The Tri K Club of the Ku Klux Klan of this place held a party on Friday, 19 March 1926. It was well attended.
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From news events of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Williamstown as reported in the Lykens Standard, 5 August 1927:
METHODIST EPISCOPAL, Williamstown, the Rev. W. Sands Fox, minister — ….
7 P.M. worship, patriotic service, sermon theme, “Four Supports of an Enduring Democracy.” The Klan Auxiliary have requested the minister to preach to them. They will be the guests for this service.
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From the Wiconisco News Items of Interest column of the Lykens Standard, 14 August 1925:
Quite a number of town folks attended the Klan celebration at Washington, D.C., Saturday.
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From the Lykens Standard, 7 March 1924:
The Ku Klux Klan made a recent visit to Halifax where they set up and lit a cross at the corner of Second and Market Street at about 10:30 at night. After the ignition of the cross, the machine went north along the State Highway and fired Roman candles to arouse the townspeople.
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From news events of the Lykens Valley United Brethren Parish, reported in the Lykens Standard, 27 March 1925:
LYKENS VALLEY U. B. PARISH, the Rev. Clint S. Miller, pastor — REIGLE’S, 9 A.M., Sunday School; 10 A.M., Sermon; BERRYSBURG, 1:30 P.M., Sunday School; 7:15 P.M., Discourse, “The Klan — Why?”
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From the Carsonville news column of the Lykens Standard, 17 July 1925:
Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Hackenberg and daughter Erma Hackenberg accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Enders spent Saturday at Lebanon at the Klan meeting.
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From the Carsonville news column of the Lykens Standard, 22 May 1925:
Quite a number of this place attended the Klan meeting at Enterline Church Saturday. The meeting was a great success.
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From the Lykens Standard, 24 September 1926:
Mr. and Mrs. George Lebo, daughter Mary Lebo, Mr. and Mrs. Clair Zimmerman and children, Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Lebo, son Reed Lebo, Miss Mary Lebo, Roy Lebo and Darvin Dimpsey attended the Ku Klux Klan concert at Millersburg, Saturday evening.
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From the Fisherville news column of the Lykens Standard, 10 October 1924:
Guy Noblit, Harry Noblit, Mary Kerstetter, May Hoffman, Anna Hoffman, Frank Hoffman, and Lizzie Rissinger attended the Klan meeting at the Gratz Fair Grounds on Saturday evening.
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From the Carsonville news column of the Lykens Standard, 10 October 1924:
A number of people from this vicinity attended the Klan meeting at Gratz, Saturday evening.
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From the Lykens Standard, 27 February 1925:
A banquet was given in honor of the Junior Knights of the Ku Klux Klan of Lykens by the Junior Klan of Tower City on 21 February 1925. After dinner, music and speeches were enjoyed by the boys.
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From news events of the Lykens Valley United Brethren Parish, reported in the Lykens Standard, 30 October 1925:
LYKENS VALLEY U. B. PARISH, the Rev. Clint S. Miller, pastor — KILLINGER, Sunday School, 1 P.M.; 2 P.M., Flag Presentation by the Klan; FORNEY’S Sunday School, 9 A.M.; 7 P.M. Flag Presentation by the Klan.
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From the Wiconisco News Items of Interest column of the Lykens Standard, 11 September 1925:
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Coles, Mr. and Mrs. Chester Coleman and son Bobby Coleman and Clemmon Coles motored to Harrisburg, Monday, and visited Mr. and Mrs. Israel Coles and also witnessed the Klan parade.
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From the Lykens Standard, 30 April 1926:
PLAN FOR MAY DAY
The Junior Ku Klux Klan of Central Pennsylvania will observe May Day at Oakleigh, the new Klan Home, east of Harrisburg, on Saturday. There will be games, speeches, outdoor sports, and an inspection of the property that is to be used for an orphanage. The Oakleigh property was purchased by the women of the Klan last year.
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From the Lykens Standard, 13 November 1925:
The Tri K Girls of the Ku Klux Klan of this place [Lykens] and Williamstown held a masquerade party on Thursday, 29 October 1925 at Williamstown. It was well attended.
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From the Lykens Standard, 24 July 1925:
KLAVALIERS HOLD BANQUET
The Klavaliers, the military organization of the K. K. K. held a banquet in the K. of P. Hall, Tuesday evening of this week. The Klan band furnished music for the occasion and a speaker of prominence made an address. The banquet was largely attended.
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From the Lykens Standard, 1 May 1925:
HALIFAX, Pennsylvania — Several hundred members of the Ku Klux Klan held a monster Public Educational Meeting in I. O. O. F. Hall, this place, Saturday evening. Klansmen from sections miles about were in attendance and the public rallied to the meeting with great force. It is expected a big class will be initiated into the ranks of the order at this place in the near future.
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From the Lykens Standard, 27 May 1927:
ANNUAL FESTIVAL AND CONCERT AT MILLERSBURG
The annual festival and concert of the Steever R. Day Post of the American Legion, Millersburg, will be held Saturday and Monday evenings, in the East Park of the public square. On Saturday evening the Millersburg Band will give a concert and on Monday evening the 104th Cavalry Band will give a concert. The Junior Klan Band of Harrisburg, will also give a concert Monday evening preceding the concert by the Cavalry Band. Tickets for the concert are now being sold and prizes are to be given holders of the lucky numbers.
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From the Lykens Standard, 10 June 1927:
BIG DAY FOR MILLERSBURG
Saturday, June 25th, promises to be a big day for Millersburg. In the afternoon the annual baby parade, under the auspices of the Community Nurse Association, will take place. Also on this date, the K. K. K. of this section of the state will hold a picnic in Millersburg Park. At 6:30 in the evening, the Klan will parade in the town.
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News articles were transcribed from Newspapers.com.
Norm-
Thank you for your research to bring this dark period of the Millersburg/Lykens/Gratz area into the light. Sad that this occurred, but helpful to bring it to the attention of your readers.
I’ve not seen any posts indicating whether and when these activities subsided – was it during the Depression and WW2? Or whether it has continued in some form to the present day?
Bill Greggs
It seems that the Lykens Standard editor was trumpeting the Klan meetings . Notice that the great Klan rally at the Gratz Fairgrounds supposedly had 5000 attendees. A closer read shows that the Gratz fair itself was in its last day and that count includes everyone who attended the fair. My grandparents lived in Gratz at the time of this rally.
I don’t doubt that there was a Klan presence in Millersburg and Lykens Valley . But I would think that stories of these huge Klan rallies would have filtered down to us through our parents and grandparents who lived in this area then. Maybe the reporting was larger than the Klan.