Junior Order of United American Mechanics flag and autograph collection, 1915-2007

In 1914, as an act of patriotism the East End Council No. 101, Jr. Order of United American Mechanics, Brooklyn, New York, decided to circulate or travel an album around the United States to collect autographs of the president and the governors of all the states. This was a unique idea and project for a fraternal group to undertake.

The Junior Order of United American Mechanics is a fraternal organization, which was founded in 1853 in Philadelphia. Its major emphasis was to protect United States citizens from foreigners whom they viewed as undesirable, such as the Irish, the Germans, and the Roman Catholics. Another major goal was shielding Americans from foreign competition which meant restricting immigration. By 1900, there were over 200,000 members. However, by the 1960s and 1970s its popularity had declined to about 8,500 members. It still exists today with its national headquarters in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The first person to sign this autograph album was President Woodrow Wilson on June 15, 1915. Then, the leather album was sent to each state governor and he was asked by correspondence by the album's author and editor, Joseph Wright Wootton (born 1870), to sign a page. During the album's journey around the United States, a committee of the Junior United Order of American Mechanics decided to circulate an American flag with it. The wife of each governor was asked to sew on one star onto the blue square of the flag and sent back to Wootton a calling card with her name signed. After collecting the autographs, artist, Albert Heinmuller (born 1862) made watercolor drawings of each state seal and decorated each title page with gold letters. Both Wootton and Heinmuller lived in Brooklyn, New York and were members of the East End Council No. 101, Jr. Order of United American Mechanics. The traveling album had several mishaps during its journey. The album and flag were lost several times. Often the governor of a state kept the album longer than they were supposed to and showed it off at various state events. The Governor of Massachusetts thought the autograph album that was sent to him was a bomb and almost destroyed it.

Both the album of autographs and the flag were carefully kept by the East End Council, No. 101 (which merged with the Franklin Council No. 16). In 2010 the album of autographs, flag, and associated correspondence were donated to the National Heritage Museum (now the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library).