On November 8, 1967, in the clubhouse of Thomas Pangborn Lodge #88 in Hagerstown, the Maryland State Lodge was formed. To form a State Lodge, there must be three (3) Local Lodges in existence. There were four (4) Local Lodges in Maryland at that time. They were Thomas Pangborn Lodge #88 of Hagerstown, Prince George's County Lodge #89 and Baltimore City Lodge #3. Also in existence at that time, but not present at the meeting was Fort Cumberland Lodge #90.National FOP President John Harrington presided over this organizational meeting. Harrington explained the advantages of forming a State Lodge. He pointed out what a unified police fraternal organization could do. "The stronger you are, the more united, the more you will get done ", Harrington said.
He wanted to appoint one of the existing local lodge presidents to the office of 'temporary president' of the newly formed Maryland State Lodge. President Richard Simmons of Baltimore City Lodge #3 declined.
National President Harrington then declared that he would have a coin-toss between the remaining two local lodge Presidents. President William Giffin of Thomas Pangborn Lodge #88 and President Oral Husk of Prince George's County Lodge #89. The coin was tossed by National President Harrington and President Oral Husk won the toss becoming the temporary President of the Maryland State Lodge.
Lodge #3's President Simmons became the temporary Vice President and Lodge #88's President Giffin became the temporary Secretary-Treasurer.
Refreshments were served to those of us in attendance who witnessed a new beginning, the start of the fraternal growth in Maryland.
In August 1968, the first Maryland State Conference was hosted by the Thomas Pangborn Lodge #88 in Hagerstown, Maryland. The four (4) existing subordinate lodges in Maryland made up this conference. Thomas Pangborn Lodge #88, Prince George's County Lodge #f89, Fort Cumberland Lodge #90 and Baltimore City Lodge #3.
At this first conference the foundation was laid. The Maryland State Lodge Constitution and Bylaws were adopted and the first elected board was installed, to include:
Expansion of membership was the primary goal of the delegates as they left this conference.
The 2nd Maryland State Lodge Biennial Conference was in August 1970 in Ocean City. By then, the Maryland FOP had grown to eleven (11) subordinate lodges. Joining the Maryland State Lodge expansion were Eastern Shore Lodge #10 in Ocean City, Montgomery County Lodge #35, Anne Arundel County Lodge #70, Maryland State Troopers' Lodge #69 at Laurel, Prince George's Sheriff's and Municipal Police Lodge #9, Airport Lodge #12, and Maryland State Troopers' Mountain Lodge #40 at Frostburg.
Office | Name | Lodge |
President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Conductor
Guard
Chaplain
National Trustee |
WILLIAM GIFFIN
E. L. "Buck" SELLERS
RALPH RYLAND
JOHN PARKER
EARL KRATSCH
KENNETH MORRISSEY
JOHN CHANEY
DONALD HAMBERGER
RICHARD SIMMONS |
Thomas Pangborn Lodge #88
Prince George's Co. Lodge #89
Thomas Pangborn Lodge #88
Prince George's Co. Lodge #89
Baltimore City Lodge #3
Ft. Cumberland Lodge #90
Ft. Cumberland Lodge #90
Thomas Pangborn Lodge # 88
Baltimore City Lodge #3 |
