CHARLOTTE COUNCIL NUMBER 770 IS THE OLDEST COUNCIL IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA. Charlotte Council 770 received its charter on June 7, 1903. At that time, North Carolina had less than 2 million people, 217 textile mills and 101 tobacco factories in operation. The state was nearly all Baptists and the average family wage was less than $1000 per year. This was a time of adventure and a time of beginnings. The first radio transmission experiments were successful by Reginold Fessenden from Roanoke Island to Cape Hatteras and Cape Henry, Va. The first mass produced automobiles, Ransom Olds, finished 1500 Oldsmobiles and the state’s first automobile registration took place in Charlotte, NC. in 1903. In December, 6 months after the Council 770 charter date, Orvile Wright flew the first power-driven airplane at Kill Devil Hills. The State passed the first child labor laws and Booker T. Washington spoke at the State Fair. St. Peter’s Catholic Church, with its 200 members was the center of Catholic Life for the first ten years in Charlotte. Under the leadership of the First Grand Knight, James W. Conway, the first clubroom for Council 770 was in O’Donoghue Hall (1903-1919) which was part of St. Peter’s Church. After World War I, the Supreme Council gave one of their army huts from Camp Green to the Charlotte Council 770 (1919-1929). This was moved to behind St. Peters Church in the center of Charlotte and served till 1929. To mark the Councils 25th anniversary in 1928, a banquet was held at the Chamber of Commerce. Two representative from Supreme and Bishop William J. Hafey of Raleigh were present for the occasion. The council grew from the original 40 members to over 200 by that time. In 1929 a home was purchased on West Seventh Street and was converted into a club house (1929-1953). In 1953, Council 770 purchased a track of 140 ! acres near Mint Hill and build a $50,000 Club House that was dedicated on October 11, 1953. The present brick club house on East Kingston Avenue was built and opened with a New Year’s Eve dance on December 31, 1971. The present club house has been the center of Council 770’s activities for the past 30 years. Council 770 Knights were a key part of; (1) forming of the North and South Carolina Council in 1911, (2) Forming the North Carolina State Council in 1921, led by former Grand Knight, “Dad Linthicum”, (3) Forming the present Charlotte Assembly 780 Fourth Degree in 1923, (4) Contributing Membership Growth to Charlotte Councils 7343, 7450, 9560, 10505, 10852, 11102, and, (5) Sponsoring Growth of Charlotte and surrounding Assemblies 2208, 2531 and 6451 in Hickory among others. In addition to fostering much of the Catholic growth in Charlotte, numerous priests, third degree and fourth degree community and state leaders have come from 770 over the past 100 years. No priest contributed as much as Msgr. John P. Manley, pastor of St. Patrick’s Church and local chaplain and state chaplain for nearly 10 years. In 2002, the Council took its name sake and honored the first Bishop of Charlotte, and is now the Bishop Michael J! . Begley, Council 770. As a pillar of the community, the Knights of Council 770 have lead, sponsored or enthusiastically participated in nearly every project devoted to the needy; including: helping Catholic Families in need, scholarships for children, rebuilding churches, funding and fixing the homeless shelters and the shelter for abused women and children, building over 100 ramps for the handicapped, running the Tootsie Roll drive (Operation LAMB) for the mentally handicapped, donating wheel chair vans to the Holy Angels Nursery, and housing refugees in the Charlotte area. Thanks mostly to the bingo games, the total donations to charity from the Knights of Columbus of Council 770 is over $1,000,000. In addition to the service programs, the Knights have a lot of fun together with the Monthly Social meetings, Weekly bingo games, Holy Angel boat rides, Weekly Golf Club outings, State Golf Tournaments, Weekly Bowling outings, Columbus Day celebrations; Communion Breakfasts, Valentine Day Dinner Dances, The free Throw Contests, State Bowling Contests, Mother’s Day dinner, and attending the State Knights of Columbus Meetings. The Charter Members for Council 770 in 1903 were; First Friar and Rev. Francis Meyer, O.S.B., Rev. Joseph Mueller, O.S.B., Dr. D. O’Donoghue, John Martin, Chas. J. Eaglesfields, Geo. J. Williams, John B, Crowley, Harry W. Webber, Morrison J. Williams, Thomas T. Northy, Richard Jas. Northy, Henry Wellhouse, Jr., Leo Wellhouse, John J. Conroy, James W. Conway, Timothy C. Toomery, William Wade Kidd, James W. Rea, Thos. E. Rea, George M. Meyer, Joseph Leo Webber, William J. Malone, Chas, W. Gallagher, E. J. Gauhn, Joseph B. Gauhn, S. Paul Danley, C.S. Renz, John F. Williams, C.W. Williams, W. V. Dall, Harold S. Hall, Cornelius M. Phelan, John Phelan Kidd, Clarence W. Wetter, Theo. M. Foley, Joseph G. Foley, Robert C. Springer, George G. Fleming, William O’Donoghue, Chris J. Sebastian. The Supreme Knight, Edward L. Hearn signed the Charter on June 7, 1903. The Past Grand Knights are as follows: J.W. Conway (1903-04), Paul P. Hanley (1905), Harold S. Hall (1906), C. A. Williams, Sr. (1907-08), M.J. O’Neill (1909-10), Warren V. Hall (1911-12), J.J. Breen (1913), C.H. O’Neill (1914-15), J.W. Barry, (1915-16), J. A. Schachner, Sr., (1916-17), Thomas E. Rea, Sr. (1917-19), Egar L. Pennell (1919-21), Melvin I. Benner (1921-23), Thomas F. Walsh (1923-24), James J. Montague (1924-26), Barrett Harris (1926-27), John J. Cantwell (1927-28), C. A. Williams, Jr. (1928-30), TEE. Clark (1930-31), William J. Spain (1931-34), Dennis J. Dun (1934-37), Leo H. Phelan, Sr. (1937-39), Charles H. Morris, (1939-41, 42-43), F. C. Markwalter (1941-42), George L. Gettier (1943-46), M. Leo Lacy (1946-48), Louis N. Minnick (1948-49), Joe F. Schachner (1949-50), Leo H. Phelan, Jr. (1950-52, 56), Herman J. Hoose (1952-54), William B. Rea (1955), James N. Kerns (1957-58), Cam LeFrancois (1959-60), George Balog (1961-62), John B. Balas (! 1963-65), J. Eugene Fairley (1965-67), Ernest R. Vaillancourt (1967-68), Robert M. Skurla (1968-71), George M. Kutcher (1971-73, 79-80, 87-88), Edward H. Cannon (1973-75), Charles M. Smith, Jr. (1975-77), Paul F. Juneau (1977-78), Charles F. McCollum (1978-79), Joseph P. Gotta (1980-82), Harold Sheppard (1982-84), Lee Reinhardt (1984-86), Gerald Calvasina (1986-87), Authur A. Turner (1988-90), Clarence Hubbard (1990-92), Marve Wyniemko (1992-93), Gerald H. Kolb (1993-96), Charles Malinowski (1996-97), Joseph J. Hunt, Sr., (1997-99), William Phieffer (1999-2000), Robert Winiarski (2000-02). The oldest living Past Grand Knight is William Rea. The Current Officers of Council 770 are: Randall Vaca- Grand Knight, Richard Kelly- Deputy Grand Knight, Joseph F. Kenney- Financial secretary, Joseph Gotta- Treasurer, John Thompson- Chancellor, Jeff Ledbetter- Warden, Bob Wilusz- Recorder, John Ciepierski- Inside Grard, Thieh-Weah Manneh- Outside Guard, George Kutcher- 3 Year Trustee, Bob Skurla- 2 Year Trustee, William Pheiffer- 1 Year Trustee, Jerry Kolb- Advocate and Father Conrad Hoover- Chaplain. We pledge that we will continue this great legacy of the Charlotte Knights of Columbus of Council 770 , so help us, God.
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Piedmont council received its charter from the Supreme Council on November 24, 1904. The
charter Grand Knight was William M. McCormick;
R. D. Douglas, Deputy Grand Knight; Henry Rentz, Financial Secretary; J. J. McSorley, Recorder
and Charles D. Higgins, Treasurer. The charter chaplain was Father Vincent G. Taylor.
The council meets at the Knight’s Club, 2780 Horsepen Creek Road, Greensboro. When first
organized the council would meet at the Elks Club in Greensboro. When the council was formed all
54 male parishioners of St. Benedict’s Church formed the nucleus of the council. One of their
first acts was to establish a scholarship fund for the youth of the area.
The Piedmont council over the years assisted in establishing councils in Burlington, High
Point, Winston-Salem and at St. Mary’s and St. Pius X churches in Greensboro. Two members of the
council started the
“Teen Talent Award Show” in the 1960’s. The show is jointly sponsored by Piedmont council and
the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Youth Division.
This council has a been a major contributor to the North Carolina State L. A. M. B. project
which assist the mentally retarded throughout the State of North Carolina. The council now has
over 500 members and continues to grow.
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Wilmington Council 1074 was chartered on January 1, 1906. Membership consisted of men in
Southeast North Carolina. Chartered members were:
Rev. Christopher Dennen, W J Bergen, H T Bauman, E C Hines, Joseph Gillerlain, J K Corbett, D
M Carroll, J O Reilly, T J Quinlevan, Chase J Crane, J A Price, W Waters, J B Peschaus, R C
Banks, J J Allen, J P Jones, Wm Sheekan Jr., B M Jones, S M Jones, Wm Powell, W B Munroe, T B
Carroll, W S Decker, Matt D Meir, Rev. TIP Hayden, W P Carroll, John Mahoney, J Darby, Robert
Green Sr., B F Applewhite, Q Satchwell, P L Gasselin, Edward Managham, Timothy Donlan, A V
Lafetteau, JW Sweeney.
With the development of other churches in Southeast North Carolina, Wilmington council lost
members to the development of new councils. The first spin-off council was at St Stanislaus of
Castle Haynes in 1996. St Marks of Wilmington in 1997, and St Judes of Hampstead in 1998.
“Wilmington Council 1074” members are from Immaculate Conception at Carolina Beach, St. Therese
at Wrightsville Beach and St Marys, downtown Wilmington.
Meetings of the Wilmington Council are held in the basement of Tileston School located at the
corner of Ann and South 5th Streets. Planning meetings are held 730pm on the first Tuesday of the
month. Business meetings are conducted 730pm on the second Tuesday of the month. Socials are
designated on the fourth Tuesday unless a special activity is scheduled on another day.
The Monsignor Christopher Dennen Assembly, Fourth Degree, represented by all the councils in
the area meets on the third Tuesday of each month, 730pm in Wilmington council chambers unless
recheduled by Faithful Navigator to the chambers of another council.
The council meets at Tileston Hall at St. Mary’s School in Wilmington, North Carolina.
The council has received the Star Council Award in the following years: 1967-1968; 1968-1969;
1969-1970; 1973-1974; 1975-1976; 1980-1981; 1982-1983; 1984-1985; 1988-1989; 1989-1990;
1996-1997; 1997-1998.
It has received the Columbian Award in the following years:
1974-1875; 1976-1977; 1977-1978; 1979-1980; 1981-1982; 1985-1986; 1987-1988; 1990-1991;
1992-1993; 1995-1996.
It received the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award in 1969-1970.
This council has received the State Distinguished Council Award in the following years:
1968-1969; 1969-1970; 1977-1978; 1978-1979; 1980-1981; 1981-1982; 1982-1983; 1983-1984;
1984-1985; 1985-1986; 1986-1987; 1987-1988; 1989-1990; 1991-1992; 1992-1993; 1995-1996;
1996-1997; 1997-1998.
The Honor Council Award was received by Wilmington Council during the 1993-1994 Columbian year
as well as the 1994-1995 Columbian Year.
Due to a fire at the council building in the 1980’s many records were destroyed. The history
of the early years of this council are not available.
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The Thomas Price Council was founded on August 31, 1924. Our Council is named for Father Thomas Frederick Price. He was the first native-born Catholic priest of North Carolina. He is now up for sainthood as a Servant of God. Our Council was formed to serve the Sacred Heart Church in Raleigh.
In 1924, Bishop William J. Hafey was named the first bishop of the newly formed Raleigh Diocese. The new Diocese of Raleigh was the entire state of North Carolina. Bishop William J. Hafey wanted to refurbish what is now Sacred Heart Church as his cathedral. Our council was formed so the bishop could get a loan from the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council.
Our council was formed when State Deputy C. F. Linthicum was responsible for all Knights of Columbus members in North Carolina. Our first Grand Knight was Herman Wolfe, and our Chaplain was Reverend Thomas Griffin.
At this time, new council development was a very scarce commodity. No new councils came into existence in North Carolina until 1941, after the start of World War II.
For the first 29 years of our existence, we met in the orphanage run by the diocese.
We assisted the children in the orphanage, as well as the clergy and staff. When the orphanage was to be closed, we moved to our present site in 1953.
It is worth noting that we were the only council in the greater Raleigh area for 27 years. That changed when a Council was formed in Durham in 1951. The next Council to be formed was in Cary in 1975. Because of this history, we have members who belong to parishes across the greater Raleigh area and not just the Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral (and Sacred Heart Church).
The Knights of Columbus was founded on the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism. Opportunities abound to put your faith into practice and action through the Knights of Columbus. We have our RSVP program (Refund Support Vocations Program) to help our seminarians. We support many local charities, including Operation L.A.M.B., Catholic Parish Outreach, The Women’s Center of Wake County, Habitat for Humanity, Run for Life, Aid Support After Pregnancy (ASAP), A Note in the Pocket, and much more.
We currently have just over 200 members, which makes this all possible.
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Notes: Grand Knight: Juve
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Notes: Meets 1st Sunday of every month at 2:45 pm (Business)
in The Knights Room in St. Mark Hall @ OLOG
Meets 2nd Monday at 7:00 PM via Zoom (Planning)
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Father C. Ralph Monk Council
Father C. Ralph Monk Council #9549 was chartered on April 13th 1987 with thirty-one Charter members at Holy Family in Hillsborough, NC a small mission church of St. Thomas More Catholic Church of Chapel Hill, NC. The primary force behind the organization and chartering of the Council was our first Grand Knight Vaughn Farrie. GK Farrie had been a Knight up north and missed the work and camaraderie of the Knights. The original officers w ere: Grand Knight Vaughn Farrie, Deputy Grand Knight John Devitto, Financial Secretary David France, Chaplain Fr. James Keenan, Recorder Joe Page, Warden Joe Nowak, and Inside Guard Billy Latta.
The Council was named at the suggestion of Joe Page in honor of Father C. Ralph Monk who had recently passed away in 1985 after serving Holy Family as the sacramental minister in the early 1980's. Fr. Monk was a chaplain at Duke University Medical Center and had been instrumental in the growth of the Catholic Church in Hillsborough even before the church had a permanent home. This gentle servant of God in our midst was an example of the Order's highest ideals of charity, unity with the church and fraternal care of our brothers.
During the late 80's and early 90's the Council grew dramatically and participated in a number of programs to benefit the church and the Hillsborough community. It was during this time that our Council's special mission of educating the Yankee palate began with Brother Jamie Stewart introducing grits to our monthly Knights breakfast. Operation LAMB became a parish wide annual event with LAMB Director Joe Page organizing a concerted street collection at the local Wal-Mart and grocery stores in Hillsborough and Mebane. Over the years a number of local organizations assisting the intellectually disabled have benefitted from these efforts including the Respite program at ARC o f Orange County, Holy Angels, NC Therapeutic Riding Center and special education classes in the Orange County School System.
In 1993 under the leadership of GK Jim Logue, Council #9549 achieved a pinnacle in its history when it was awarded the highest honor in the national organization: Star Council. This award is limited to less than ten percent of the Councils in the world and recognizes membership growth, insurance growth and the Council's programs designed for the benefit of the church and community.
During the late 90s the Council experienced a period of limited growth and activity to the point where the only regular Council activity was our popular monthly breakfast. A debt of gratitude is owed to GK Mike Coveyou and FDD Ron Kellett for their efforts in keeping the Council alive.
In 2010 a committee of Knights with the leadership of SK Rick Chambless, PGN, chose to reinvigorate the Council with new members and new programs. Since that initial membership drive the Council has added many new members, established a Youth program to support an annual Soccer Shootout, an Essay/Poster Contest and a Basketball Free Throw contest; a Pro-Life Program supporting participants in the NC and DC Marches for Life, planning a Rosary on the Feast of the Annunciation; Church Programs to support the Raleigh Diocese seminarians through both prayer and financial support; Family/Council Programs to include Family/Knight of the Month awards, Knights Night out at the Durham Bulls and our monthly breakfast; Community Programs including support for the Wounded Warrior Project to assist servicemen in NC to get home for the holidays and Operation LAMB in support those who are intellectually disabled!
The Council was honored for its work during the 2010-2011 fraternal year by being chosen for the NC State Councils State Deputy's Award as the best small council in North Carolina. Brother Joe Wisnewski, who joined our order in 2010 participated immediately by becoming the Council''s Youth Director was recognized by the State as the NC State Council Rookie of the Year for 2010-2011. Our chaplain Father Tom Tully who has been extremely supportive of the Knights and their work was honored with the NC State Councils Chaplains Award for the 2010-2011 AND 2013-2014 Fraternal years! . Finally the Supreme Council recognized Council #9549 as a Star Council for our growth and programs during the 2010-2011 fraternal year and then a Double Star Council in 2012-2013. This was only the second time in our council's history that we have received this international award!
Notes: Charter Grand Knight 1987-1989: Vaughn Farrie
Grand Knight 1989- 1991: John Devitto
Grand Knight 1991 - 1992: Gaspare Lofaso
Grand Knight 1992 - 1994: James Logue
Grand Knight 1994 - 1996: Robert Ward
Grand Knight 1997 - 2001: Michael Coveyou
Grand Knight 2001 - 2005: Ronald Kellett
Grand Knight 2005 - 2010: Charles Kellett
Grand Knight 2010 - 2013: Rick Chambless
Grand Knight 2013 - 2015: Joe Wisnewski
Grand Knight 2015 - 2018: Robert Shaw
Grand Knight 2018 - 2019: Marc Laclair
Grand Knight 2019 - 2021: Eric Garrison
Grand Kinght 2021 - Present: Pateep Kitbamrung
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On January 30, 1997 St. Eugene’s council was formed under District Deputy Orin Lundgren. The founding chaplain was Father Frank Cancro. The charter Grand Knight was Tracy Page. Other council officers included:
Deputy Grand Knight Tom Greenlee
Financial Secretary Fleming Browne, Jr
Treasurer Ray Browne
Warden Joe Young
When the council was first formed they held their meetings at Asheville Catholic School. They now meet at St. Eugene Church Social Hall.
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ABOUT OUR NAMESAKE, FR. ALOYSIUS H. SCHMITT
Father Aloysius H. Schmitt was born Dec. 4, 1909 in St. Lucas, Iowa. At the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he had just finished celebrating his morning Mass. This Mass was supposed to have been Chaplain Schmitt’s last service on board the ship. The following week, he was transferring to shore duty. He had gone three decks down for the service and to hear confessions. As the assault on the Navy’s fleet raged, Chaplain Schmitt went to the ship’s sickbay to minister to the injured and dying.
When the Oklahoma was struck and water poured into her hold, the ship began to list and roll over. Many men were trapped. Schmitt found his way—with other crew members—to a compartment where only a small porthole provided enough space to escape. Chaplain Schmitt helped other men, one by one, to crawl to safety. When it became his turn, the chaplain tried to get through the small opening. As he struggled to exit through the porthole, he became aware that others had come into the compartment from which he was trying to escape. As he realized that the water was rising rapidly and that escape would soon be impossible, he insisted on being pushed back through the hole so that he could help others who could get through the opening more easily. Accounts from eyewitnesses that have been published in the Arizona Memorial newsletter relate that the men protested, saying that he would never get out alive, but he insisted, “Please let go of me, and may God bless you all.”
Within 20 minutes after the first torpedo hit, the USS Oklahoma rolled over and settled into the mud in the harbor. There were 448 crew members who died with the ship. It is believed that Father Schmitt was buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawai in a grave with about 400 other unidentified bodies recovered from the Oklahoma. His name is engraved there in the Courts of the Missing. In October 2016, Fr. Schmitt's remains were positively identified by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. His earthly remains were transported to his home in Iowa where he was interred in Dubuque at Loras College's Christ the King Chapel.
On Oct. 23, 1942, the Navy posthumously honored Chaplain Schmitt with the Silver Star Medal for “distinguished heroism and sublime devotion to his fellow man. His magnanimous courage and self-sacrifice were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service,” the citation said. “He gallantly gave up his life for his country.”
Notes: Council Business Meeting Schedule
2nd Monday of the month at 1800
Council Officers Meeting Schedule
4th Wednesday of the month at 1730
Meetings Location
17A Thomas J. McHugh Boulevard
Camp Lejeune, NC 28542 US
ABOUT US
The Fr. Aloysius Schmitt Knights of Columbus Council 13220 serves the priests and Catholic community aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
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