Justus H. Rathbone

1839–1889 (age 50)

Fraternal Organization Founder

Biography

Justus H. Rathbone drew on his experiences as a teacher and government clerk to found the Knights of Pythias, a fraternal order dedicated to loyalty, friendship, and benevolence during a turbulent decade.

He believed that ordinary citizens could lift one another through shared ritual and care, a vision that comforted members long after his resting place at New Forest Cemetery was prepared.