Boy Scout Troop 125: Did it start in 1916? Did the sponsoring Church have two troops?

The initial charter we have was dated March, 1917 shows that a troop started March, 1916 at the Woodland Park Presbyterian Church. The Troop number is not on the charter.

Church meeting minutes show that they could not find a scoutmaster for their troop from March to July, 1916. They then got a scoutmaster, Percy Frazier, a man who had led a scout troop in Canada.

Percy Frazier, Scout Field Executive: Seattle, Washington. Scoutmaster Troop 24, 1916-18, Woodland Park Presbyterian Church. Scout Executive: Wallace, Idaho; Missoula, Montana; Butte, Montana. He was a Ranger Explorer Born 1885, Canada; retired 1942, Butte, Montana; died 1976, Missoula, Montana.

Percy Frazier was a scout field executive, and lived at 318 North 74th Street. His occupation was listed in the city directory as salesman for Swift and Company.

In the initial charter they had ten scouts, then eleven scouts joined, and six scouts dropped. Fifteen scouts were active at the end of January, 1917.

According to the Seattle Times, this was Troop 24 (there were only Troops 1-48 in 1916).
A Times Article on April 21, 1918, listed scouts who had received medals for war service (such as bond sales). Troop 24: Percy Frazier, Lewis Ogle, Henry Poincet, Charles R Wells, Frank Wedill, James Wilson and Fred Nystrom (all were names on the March 1917 charter). Also on the list were newer Troop 24 scouts: George Fulsom, George Nickell, Lecil C Miller, Robert Bushell, Eugene Thorpe.

March 25, 1938, the Seattle Times announced the 20th anniversary charter had been given to two troops, Troop 44 and Troop 125. That means Troop 125 was probably organized with some scouts from Troop 24 sometime in 1917 or early 1918, and first chartered March, 1918. (Troop 125 was not mentioned by name in the Seattle Times until after September, 1921; usually the paper had many mentions of most troops, it is not known why Troop 125 was not mentioned for so long.)

2.

Church meeting minutes show that in April, 1918 there were two scout troops sponsored by the Church. Mr. Frazier became a scout executive and moved to Wallace, Idaho, and gave over the scoutmaster work to Lewis Andrews. Mr. Andrews reported: “The boys are doing better work now that there was competition between the two troops. The boys were showing a keener interest…”

Fred Baker said that he joined Troop 125 in February, 1920. He lived across the street north of the Church. (He got his Eagle badge in 1926).

In 1923 Troop 125 Scoutmaster was Charles R. Wells, 22 years old, one of the Troop 24 original charter scouts. Don Bushell was a Troop 125 scout (6012 Sycamore Ave.) who’s older brother Robert was a troop 24 member in 1918. (Before 1925 Troop 24 was no longer at Woodland Park Presbyterian Church, but sponsored by Cascade School PTA, south of Lake Union.)

Gordon Merritt