The Founders

Joseph L. Settles

Joseph Lorenzo Settles, born November2, 1871, at the little town of Lexington, 17 miles northeast of Bloomington, was the father and originator of the Fraternity.  He had entered Illinois Wesleyan Academy in the fall of 1896, being then nearly 25 years of age, and completed both the Academy and College courses, graduating from the latter in 1902.  He then entered the Illinois Conference of the Methodist Church and was one of the secretaries of the Conference and Treasurer of the District.  In 1920-1921, he was Assistant Treasurer of the Methodist Centenary Fund, with headquarters in Chicago, and in 1923 retired from the ministry.  On October 8, 1923, he moved to Los Angeles, where he resided until his death on February 14, 1943.

Owen I. Truitt

Owen Ison Truitt was born at Spring Bay, Woodford County, Illinois, on November 20, 1868.  His secondary education was also gained at the Wesleyan Academy where he graduated on June 19, 1902.  After leaving school, he spent a year and a half as pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Tremont, Illinois, completing a pastorate of three years and three months, later resigning to become pastor of the English Congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Rangoon, Burma.  After seven years he returned to America.  He served four pastorates, all in the Central Illinois Conference, as follows:  Elmwood, 1912-16; Saunemin, 1916-1921; Momence, 1921-26, and Roseville, 1926-29.  During the Roseville Pastorate occurred a car accident which caused his death on July 13, 1929.

C. Roy Atkinson

Charles Roy Atkinson, who signed himself C. Roy Atkinson, was born in Bloomington, October 17, 1877, and resided in that city all his life.  He entered Illinois Wesleyan in 1896, and graduated in 1900.  He was therefore a junior at this time, and scholastically two years in advance of his fellow Founders, although only 21 years of age, and but a few months older than Mayer and McNutt.  He was a quiet young man, not a fluent talker or writer, but a fine singer, music being the great accomplishment of his whole life.  He had a leading place in many church choirs of Bloomington, and at the time of his death was director of music in the Sunday School of the First Christian Church and sang in the quartet there.  Frater Atkinson met his death in an automobile accident at Leroy, Illinois, on September 14, 1930.

Clarence A. Mayer

Clarence Arthur Mayer was born on May 18, 1879, at Mt. Pulaski, Logan County, Illinois.  He and James C. McNutt were roommates at Illinois Wesleyan.  Composer of th TKE "Closing Ode,"  he, too, was a musician of great natural ability and exceptional training.  After graduating in 1902, Frater Mayer spent two years, 1903-195, in Germany studying piano and composition.  In 1906, after his return from Germany, he taught piano, pipe organ, theory and composition at Illinois Wesleyan, and continued his teaching there until 1918.  In 1916 he and his wife and Wallace Grieves founded the Springfield College of Music and Allied Arts, of which he continued to be a director until 1926.  He then moved to Los Angeles and entered the Institute of Religious Science and School of Philosophy and became a practitioner, lecturer and teacher.  He died of a heart attack on August 8, 1960.

James C. McNutt

James Carson McNutt was born on June 13, 1878, at Herrick, Shelby County, Illinois.  He was the first person whom Settles approached with his plan for a new fraternal organization.  McNutt graduated from Illinois Wesleyan in 1901.  He taught school in Southern Illinois for a while, and then entered Washington University School of Medicine, receiving his medical degree in 1905.  Dr. McNutt engaged in the general practice of medicine in Paris, Illinois, in 1905; and from there, in the same year, moved to Indianola, Illinois, anatomy and physiology for more than 30 years at St. Joseph's and the Mennonite hospital schools of nursing and was president of the medical staffs of both hospitals.  On May 19, 1962, last of the Founders died at the age of 83.