By the time I figured out that my great-grand-aunt wasn't in a group named "Sons of Onondaga", I'd found two references, in newspapers from 1908 and 1912, to a group with that name. I've included images and transcriptions below. The articles—particularly the second one—were like catnip to me. Even though they had nothing to do with any of my ancestors, my obsessive brain couldn't resist researching them.
I'm fascinated at the way people in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Americans gravitated toward fraternal organizations. The Masons were just the tip of the iceberg; it seems like everyone was a member of at least one organization based on politics, business, or hobbies. So when I found these articles about a society of prominent figures from Onondaga in New York City, I was hooked. Also, I found the goofiness of the poem irresistible.
It didn't take too much Googling to confirm my suspicion that every name in that poem is a reference to a well-known person from Onondaga. They were probably also members of the Sons of Onondaga. I found out, at least in general, who most of them were. I've included notes and links below. If you have any information on those I didn't find, please contact me.
(transcription below)
Skaneateles Free Press.
Skaneateles, N. Y., TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 1908.
SPECULATION AND BUSINESS.
THE LEGISLATION THAT STOPPED ONE WOULD CRIPPLE THE OTHER, SAYS ARMSTRONG.
Collin Armstrong, editor of the Wall Street Summary, lectured last night before the New York chapter of the American Institute of Banking on "The Relation of Speculation to Business." Most of his argument was directed against the proposed legislation aimed to stop the so-called Wall Street gambling, short sales, trading in futures and on margin. Most of the agitation in favor of such measures, he declared, comes either from those who are ignorant of the workings of the markets or those who have lost money and are doing the "baby cot."
Without marginal trading, he said, it would be impossible to carry on the business of the world. Dealings on margin are simply credit transactions, he explained, and differ only in form from those made by real estate dealers and investors, by manufacturers and merchants, the world over. There is not enough money in the world to put business on a cash basis.
Mr. Armstrong blamed such get rich quick stock enterprises as the New York-Chicago Electric Air Line for a large part of the criticism which is made against Wall Street, although Wall Street and the exchanges are in no way responsible. He concluded that the exchanges cannot be legislated out of existence without driving business out of the country, and that the only solution of the problem is for public opinion to make it so hot for the gamblers that they will quit.—N. Y. Sun, Friday, April 20th.
Mr. Armstrong, who is a prominent writer on financial topics, is a native of Fayetteville, Onondaga county, and was elected president of the Society of Sons of Onondaga, recently organized in New York city. Mr. Armstrong married Miss Elizabeth Hale, fomerly of Skaneateles, daughter of W. S. Hale, who is now a resident of Neenah, Wis.
THE POST-STANDARD, SYRACUSE, N. Y., FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 16, 1912
To Sons of Onondaga.
Verses to the Banquet Committee of the Sons of Onondaga, who dine at Astor Hotel, New York, to-morrow night:
I'm on the wing, with not a thing
in shape of evening clothes.
My well filled bag begins to sag
With what? God only knows.
Should I appear, would Sherlock jeer
And Armstrong throw a fit?
Would Shubert, Lee, cry out in gless
Old pal, your welcome, Nit?
Would Whelan, George make me disgorge
As he does those who smoke?
Would my friend Gere, man of good cheer,
Consider it a joke?
Would Marshall rare, whose "Cabinet Chair"
Looms now up into view,
Recall the day he ran away
And left me in the stew?
In Cedar street, he threw so neat,
A stone of wondrous size;
The window crashed, the man we thrashed
Much to my great surprise.
Would Sam Wandell leave his snug shell
To save me from retreat,
As he each fall in Freeman Hall
Talked us to sure defeat?
Would Marion, Frank think me a crank
Unfit to dine with you?
Would Joe Tebeau appear to know
His friend of ninety-two?
Would our good Mayor rise from his chair
And welcome me with joy?
And say to our sons, present your guns,
Salute! A white haired boy?
My suit of gray I know you'll say
in cut is up to date.
For Charlie Alvord thinks he knows
Just how to cut the swellest clothes—
He charges on his slate.
My necktie red perhaps I'll shed,
Unless you're color blind.
With striped blue, white collar, too,
I hope you boys won't mind.
I've sung my song, and now so long,
Don't think this is a ruse.
Of one in need of a good feed,
Far from old Syracuse.
JOHN J. CUMMINS,
Scranton, February 18.
Collin Armstrong
A famous figure in New York State finance and advertising.
Lee Shubert
A Jewish-Lithuanian-born American theatre owner/operator and producer and the eldest of seven siblings of the theatrical Shubert family.
Sherlock
? Is that just a reference to the fictional character, or the nickname of a member?
Nit
? No idea.
George Whelan
"Uncle George, as the family still calls him, was "a player." He loved to speculate in stocks and did so with varying degrees of success. He was usually associated with tobacco millionaire James B. Duke and speculator Thomas Fortune Ryan. Uncle George was sometimes allied with Bethlehem Steel's CEO Charles Schwab. My grandfather's most vivid memory of Uncle George was watching him conduct a complex business deal over three of those 1920s "candlestick" phones at once."
Gere
? No idea.
Marshall rare
? I'm not sure if I'm reading the blurry text correctly.
Cedar Street
? The poem seems to refer to an incident in which someone named Marshall threw a stone through a window on Cedar Street.
Samuel H. Wandell
A prominent attorney and author.
FindAGrave memorial
His book on hotel law
Freeman Hall
Elk's Lodge, corner of East Jefferson and S. Townsend Streets.
Frank J. Marion
American motion picture pioneer. Member of the class responsible for the S.U. colors.
Joseph Tebeau
Prominent figure in the Syracuse press. Was city editor of Syracuse Courier in the 1890s. Was assistant to the editor of the New York Times for many years.
According to one article, he worked for the New York sun.
Charles Alvord
Horse Racer
John J. Cummins
Leader of the Democratic party in Onondaga County.
