Robert Mathis had a recent post on a chapter issue from Echockotee Lodge 200, Saturiwa Chapter R-1 . You can see the image below (courtesy of OAimages).
The Indian pictued on the patch looked awfully familiar. Take a look at this neckerchief:
Robert Mathis gives us the clue:
The Indian caricature was used by Saturiwa’s Shawnee District as far back as the 1970s, and permission was obtained from Mohawk Carpets to use their logo for this patch.
A little time with Google gives us Mohawk History:
Since its inception in 1878, outstanding products have made Mohawk the most recognized carpet brand in history. Mohawk Carpet Mills had its beginning in 1878 when four brothers from the Shuttleworth family brought 14 second hand looms from England to Amsterdam, New York.
and this little fella from a less politically correct time
The 1950s became a period of expansion for Mohawk. The Company moved south, constructing manufacturing facilities in Mississippi and South Carolina. In 1951, Walt Disney Studios designed “Tommy,” one of the most identifiable and effective company mascots in the history of American business. The “Tommy Mohawk” character was created for a series of animated television commercials with titles such as Tommy Tests Carpets, Tommy Plants Carpet Seeds, Tommy Falls for Minnie and others.
Just one more point about “Tommy Mohawk”. Shawnee District of North Florida Council had used Tommy on camporee patches as far back as the early 1980s. Mohawk no longer uses the logo (kind of politically incorrect), but they still hold the rights to the trademark, and they gave the approval to the folks from Saturiwa.
Gavin Murdoch sends along these comments:
It’s posts like this that keep me coming back to your blog Bill! What a neat piece of research about NY OA. Truly fascinating. Thanks for what you do and I’ll continue to “tune” in. My best-
-Ray Gould