History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1923, Part 37

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026

USA > California > Sacramento County > History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1923 > Part 37

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charter for a lodge. He afterwards went to Plumas County, and in 1853 met his death at the hands of the Piute Indians. His body was recovered by citizens and buried at Honey Lake on his ranch, and a stone monument erected to his memory, while the county of Lassen was named after him.

November 9, 1848, Samuel York Atlee, Wil- liam Van Voorhies and Bedney F. McDonald received a charter for California Lodge No. 13, from the District of Columbia, and located it at San Francisco. Connecticut Lodge No. 75 was granted a charter by the grand lodge of Connecticut, January 31, 1849. Pacific Lodge, U. D., was granted a traveling charter by the grand lodge of Louisiana, June 5, 1849, and located at Benicia, subsequently becoming Benicia Lodge. The same grand lodge also granted a dispensation to Davy Crockett Lodge at San Francisco. Illinois granted a dispensation to a traveling lodge which located at Marysville, and Wisconsin granted one to Lafayette Lodge at Nevada City. The rec- ords of Western Star Lodge were destroyed by fire, so that, although it was the oldest lodge in the state, the records of California Lodge No. 13 are the oldest extant.

Connecticut Lodge No. 75, the first one in Sacramento, is now known as Tehama Lodge No. 3, F. & A. M. In the story of its inception, as related by R. H. McDonald and Past Grand Master John A. Tutt, now deceased, long the last living Mason who helped organize the grand lodge of California, we find some inter- esting data. In 1849 Dr. McDonald opened an office on K Street near Sixth, and a friend of his, who was going to the mines, came to his office and said: "Doctor, when I was coming across the plains and along the Humboldt Val- ley in Nevada, I saw piled up on the sand by the side of the road, a lot of books, and on a card fastened on a stick, this notice: 'Help yourself.' There were a good many fine books in the heap, and among them this large red morocco-covered Bible with gilt edges. As I could not pack more than one book along with me, I took this Bible, and brought it through. As I am going to the mines, and cannot take it with me, and as you are a kind of religious cuss, I'll give it to you." Dr. McDonald ac- cepted it.

Shortly after. in September, 1849, several written notices were found posted up around the horse-market, on the trees, calling a meet- ing of all Master Masons in good standing, to meet in the upper part of a building on the north side of K Street. When the meeting convened, the little garret was packed with brethren who were nearly all strangers to one another. The meeting was called to order by John A. Tutt, and someone made a motion that Dr. R. H. McDonald take the chair. Dr.

McDonald was surprised, as he did not know a single person present, but he approached the box that was used as a chair, and was con- fronted by a tall stranger, who also stepped forward to take it. It was an amusing scene, as they stood looking each other in the face. "Are you Dr. R. H. McDonald, and have you a monopoly of the name of McDonald?" asked R. H. "I am Dr. R. H. McDaniel," was the reply, "but am known as Dr. McDonald through a mistake in calling my name." Mutual explanations followed, and as the stranger proved to be the one nominated, he took the chair and opened the meeting. When it became necessary to ascertain who were Masons, it was discovered that there was no Bible present, and it could not be dispensed with. "Wait a minute, and I will get one," said Dr. McDonald. He went out and brought in the pioneer Bible which his friend had given him. An association was then and there formed for the relief of the sick and distressed brethren who were constantly arriving.

Soon afterwards the discovery was made that there was in existence a charter for a Masonic lodge in the hands of one of the brethren, issued to Connecticut Lodge No. 75. Upon this the association was dissolved, and on January 8, 1850, it organized under the name of Connecticut Lodge No. 75, and Dr. R. H. McDonald presented his Bible to the lodge. Today it belongs to Tehama Lodge No. 3, the successor of Connecticut Lodge. The lodge secured the upper part of the Red House, on the southeast corner of Fifth and J Streets, which was the building best suited to its pur- poses, at that time, but as the owner shortly afterwards rented the lower story for immoral purposes, the lodge removed with its furniture to the attic over the old market house on M Street near Second. Previous to this, how- ever, the grand lodge of California was organ- ized in the building first occupied, on April 19, 1850. Tehama Lodge No. 3 was chartered by the grand lodge of California. The Bible used in organizing the grand lodge of Cali- fornia was the same one Dr. McDonald pre- sented to Connecticut Lodge.

The deputy grand master of New Jersey issued a dispensation March 1, 1849, to open a lodge in the territory of California, which seems to have been a sort of roving commis- sion, with power for the master and brethren to appoint his successors in office until the next annual meeting of the grand lodge of New Jersey. It seemed to exist continuously and to assume the functions and privileges. of an independent chartered lodge. The dispen- sation from the grand lodge of New Jersey authorized Thomas Youngs, Moses W. Per- sonett, John B. Clark and others to open the lodge, and named Youngs as master. He con-

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veyed authority to John E. Crockett and cer- tified that fact on the back of the dispensation. Crockett, so authorized, opened New Jersey Lodge in this city December 4, 1849, and it was in active and successful operation by April 17, 1850, and chose its representatives to the convention of that date. The delegates, however, could take no part in the organiza- tion of the grand lodge, it not being an inde- pendent chartered lodge, but only a temporary creation of the deputy grand master of New Jersey. Immediately after the organization of the grand lodge of California, this lodge ap- plied and received a charter as Berryman Lodge No. 3, which was changed shortly aft- erwards to Jennings Lodge No. 4.

There are very few who are aware that there were two grand lodges of California instituted for the government of the order, but such was the fact. The records of the first grand lodge were undoubtedly destroyed. There was no opportunity to examine the records of Con- necticut Lodge and Western Star Lodge, which were destroyed by fire, nor of New Jersey Lodge, U. D., which is extinct, nor of Benicia Lodge, U. D .. of Benicia, which pre- sented no records to the convention. Califor- nia Lodge No. 13, of San Francisco, was a regularly chartered lodge, but it was not noti- fied of the action contemplated for the organ- ization of a grand lodge, and as the Masonic law and custom provide that there must be present representatives from three regularly chartered lodges, the organization of the first grand lodge was irregular and illegal.

California Lodge No. 13, being notified of the action organizing a grand lodge at Sacra- mento, appointed a committee to investigate, and finding the state of affairs, notified the Sacramento brethren of the irregularity of their action, suggesting that the matter be begun over again. The brethren at Sacramen- to, finding their error, abandoned voluntarily their grand lodge, the officers of which are unknown, and joined with California Lodge for the formation of a legally constituted grand lodge. Notices were sent out to the regular lodges of A. Y. Masons of the state, for a convention to be held at Sacramento April 17, 1850, for the formation of a grand lodge.

The convention met on the 17th in this city, and Most Worshipful Master Charles Gilman of San Francisco, past grand master of Mary- land, was called to the chair, and Benjamin D. Hyam of Benicia, afterwards grand master of California, was chosen secretary. Repre- sentatives of the following lodges presented their credentials to W. N. Doughty and John A. Tutt of Sacramento and John H. Gihon of San Francisco, the committee on credentials :

California Lodge No. 13, San Francisco; Con- necticut Lodge No. 75, Sacramento; Western Star Lodge No. 98, Benton City ; New Jersey Lodge, U. D., Sacramento; Benicia Lodge, U. D., Benicia. The committee reported the first three as regularly chartered, and New Jersey Lodge as regularly under dispensation, but that Benicia Lodge had presented neither a charter nor a dispensation. The three char- tered lodges were pronounced by the conven- tion entitled to form a grand lodge. The con- stitution of the grand lodge was adopted on April 19, and the following grand officers elected : Jonathan D. Stevenson, R. W. grand master; John A. Tutt. R. W. deputy grand master: Caleb Fenner, R. W. senior grand warden : Saschel Woods, R. W. junior grand warden; John H. Gihon, R. W. grand secre- tary.

New Jersey Lodge was granted a charter, and at the first annual meeting of the grand lodge in this city, May 7, 1850, Benicia Lodge received its charter. A dispensation had been granted to Sutter Lodge in Sacramento, and it was granted a charter. The lodges belong- ing to the grand lodge were given numbers as follows: California Lodge, No. 1 ; Western Star Lodge, No. 2: Tehama Lodge, No. 3; Berryman Lodge (Sacramento), No. 4; Beni- cia Lodge, No. 5: Sutter Lodge (Sacramento), No. 6. The name of Berryman Lodge was changed to Jennings Lodge No. 4. By this formation of the grand lodge, Sacramento se- cured in the election the deputy grand master, junior grand warden, and eight of the appoint- ive officers, to which she was entitled, being the great distributing point for Masonic charity.

The semi-annual meeting of the grand lodge was held at Sacramento in November, 1850, during the last days of the cholera epidemic. and in its proceedings it developed that those attending taxed themselves vohintarily for charity, $17.010.70, an average of $205 each, and assumed a debt of $14,425.44, an average of $174, making a contribution of $379 for every Master Mason in Sacramento contribut- ing to the Masonic Hospital inside of ten months, besides answering other demands for charity of all descriptions. Those were the days when Masons' hearts and purses were opened wide at the call of distress. Fortunate- ly for Sacramento, she has never since been so strenuously called on for relief, although even now her board of relief, composed of the masters of the lodges, is called upon to con- tribute large sums yearly. Never, perhaps, in the history of the world has there been an exhibition of such great sacrifice, such unself- ish charity, and such devoted service to the cause of humanity as the records of the carly

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days of Sacramento show to have been carried out by the Masonic pioneers of the city and state, in conjunction with the offspring of Masonry-the Order of Odd Fellows-during the terrible seasons of disease and epidemic in 1849-1850.

The Masonic Temple

In 1864 the initial steps were taken for the erection of a Masonic Temple. The first meet- ing of the Masonic Hall Association was held July 1, 1864. The board of directors chosen from the five lodges were A. T. Nelson, Leon- ard Goss, W. F. Knox, H. T. Holmes, Richard Dale, S. D. Smith, Thomas Ross, P. S. Law- son and John W. Rock, all of whom have since passed away. The association incorporated on September 17, 1864, with a capital of $30,000, divided into 1,200 shares of twenty-five dol- lars each. November 1. 1864, they bought of R. D. Ferguson the old "Horse Market" at the southwest corner of Sixth and K Streets, on the trees of which, in 1849, the notices for the first meeting of Masons in Sacramento had been posted. June 24, 1865, the corner-stone of the building was laid by Grand Master Wil- liam Caldwell Belcher. An excursion to Clip- per Gap, where an oration was delivered by A. A. Sargent, netted $18,000, and the hall, which was added to and remodeled in 1875, at a cost of many thousands, was long one of the finest and most valuable Masonic proper- ties in the state. Some years ago the directors of the association purchased a site at Twelfth and J Streets. A magnificent new home has been erected on the site at a cost in excess of $500,000, including the rich furnishings. Here all the Blue Lodges of the city and the Eastern Star are housed. The Scottish Rite order also have their temple-a very beautiful building- located at Twenty-eighth and L Streets.

Masonic Lodges

The early history of Tehama Lodge No. 3, which was first chartered as Connecticut Lodge No. 75, and rechartered by the grand lodge under its present name January 8, 1850, has been delineated. The charter was granted to Caleb Fenner, W. M .; James W. Goodrich, S. W., and Elizur Hubbell. J. W. John A. Tutt, one of its charter members, was after- wards grand master. Two of California's early governors, John Bigler and J. Neely Johnson, were among its members on the first roll sent to the grand lodge in November, 1850; also Gen. A. M. Winn. After the lodge removed from the Red House it located in the hall over the market house at Second and M Streets. moving thence to the upper story of Stanford's building on K Street, and going, in 1854, to the third story of Bennett's building on J Street, between Front and Second. Since the

erection of the Temple, it holds its meetings there. It is a prosperous lodge, its present membership being 275.

Jennings Lodge No. 4, acting under dispen- sation as New Jersey Lodge, and chartered by the grand lodge of California May 7, 1850. as Berryman Lodge No. 4, of which the name was changed the same day to Jennings Lodge No. 4, resolved February 14, 1853, to surrender its charter to the grand lodge, and did so, passing out of existence. Hon. H. C. Hastings, afterwards a justice of the supreme court of California, E. J. C. Kewen, and other promi- nent men were members of it.

Sutter Lodge No. 6 was granted a dispensa- tion by Deputy Grand Master Tutt April 19, 1850, with Edward J. Willis, W. M .; C. E. Thorn, S. D., and Addison Martin, J. D., as officers, and was granted a charter by the grand lodge on May 7 following. The lodge, having lost its furniture and jewels by fire, surrendered its charter, and was declared ex- tinct by the grand lodge, May 6, 1853. E. J. Willis was county judge of Sacramento, and E. W. Mckinstry, another member, was after- wards a justice of the supreme court of Cali- fornia.

Washington Lodge No. 20 was organized February 19, 1852, granted a dispensation two days afterwards, with Charles Dunscombe, W. M .; Jesse Morrill, S. W .: J. L. Thompson, J. W., and a charter was granted to it May 5, 1852. Its first master, N. Greene Curtis, served four terms as grand master, and it has on its membership rolls the name of Hiram Warren Johnson, besides two governors who afterwards received foreign appointments --- John Bigler, United States minister to Chili, and Romualdo Pacheco, United States minis- ter to Guatemala, and who was the second na- tive Spanish Californian, as far as is known, to receive the degree of Masonry. There were a number of other members who became prominent in the state's history.

Sacramento Lodge No. 40 was granted a dispensation July 20, 1853, and May 3, 1854, obtained its charter, when its officers were: James Lawrence English, W. M .: John A. Tutt, S. W .; John H. Gass, J. W .; W. J. Kohl- man, treasurer; W. G. Borneman, secretary ; B. F. Crouch, chaplain; W. W. Stovall, S. D .; H. Greenbaum, J. D. Edwin Sherman, author of "Fifty Years of Masonry in California," was a member of this lodge. John A. Tutt, Wil- liam Lawrence English and E. C. Atkinson were all grand masters. W. M. Petrie, for more than thirty years treasurer of the lodge, W. L. English, Isaac Davis and W. F. Knox have been grand high priests of the grand chapter, and grand commanders of the grand commandery of California. Davis and English

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were also grand masters of the grand council.

Union Lodge No. 58 was granted a dispen- sation June 5. 1854, with James Ralston, W. M .; Gabriel Haines, S. W .; and Sol Kohl- man, J. W., pro tem .; May 4, 1855, its charter was granted, with the same master and senior warden, W. A. Walters, as junior warden. taking Kohlman's place. The last surviving charter member was Col. Abraham Andrews of San Francisco, who died in that city on Decem- ber 14, 1913. Samuel C. Denson, a former judge of the superior court, was a grand master from this lodge, and George T. Bromley, known all over the Coast for his amiable and genial qualities, was a member. He was conductor of the first train on the first railroad built in California. Benjamin Welch, another mem- ber, was a thirty-third degree member of the A. & A. S. R.

Concord Lodge No. 117 never received a dispensation. Its petition for a charter was received by the grand lodge May 14, 1857, and its charter was granted the next morning, naming John L. Thompson, W. M .; Thomas Johnson, S. W .; and Charles S. White, J. W. William H. Hevener, a past master and long the oldest member of this lodge, was given his degrees in 1859. At the time of his death he had been secretary of the lodge for several decades. The late S. H. Gerrish, who died in August, 1912, for many years secretary of the Sacramento Free Library, was a member of this lodge.

Masons from all parts of northern California gathered in Sacramento on October 16, 1921, and organized Capital City Lodge No. 499. The officers of the new lodge were designated as follows :

Dr. Samuel J. Wells, master; Mark H. Raynsford, senior warden ; Oliver A. Hartwell, junior warden; Dr. Alexander Orr, treasurer ; J. C. Sawyer, secretary ; Rev. W. C. Whitaker, chaplain ; Albert P. Johnson, senior deacon ; George W. Holmes, junior deacon ; George M. Pottle, marshal; R. R. Wortz, senior steward ; George S. Bolles, junior steward, and Harry E. Salt, tyler.

Royal Arch Masons

Sacramento Chapter No. 3, R. A. M., was instituted October 5, 1852, with the following officers and charter members: Isaac Davis, H. P .; J. H. Bullard, K .; Joel Noah, S .; T. A. Thomas, C. of H .; Charles Duncombe, P. S .; J. Ball, R. A. C .; J. P. Gouch, M. Third V .; G. Haines, M. Second V .; J. Wilcoxson, M. First V. The other charter members were: A. B. Hoy, T. W. Thayer, John L. Thompson, Jesse Morrill, William Reynolds, I. N. Brice- land, A. Hullub, Cyrus Rowe. The chapter at present numbers 374 members.

Sacramento Council No. 1, Royal and Select Masters, was instituted April 10, 1858, with the following officers and charter members: Isaac Davis, T. I. M .; John A. Tutt, D. I. M .; George I. N. Monell. P. C. of W .: G. E. Mont- gomery, R .: N. Greene Curtis, treasurer. Other charter members were: Jesse Morrill, T. A. Thomas, G. Haines, H. H. Hartley, O. H. Dibble, A. G. Richardson and J. Wilcoxson. It has at present 287 members.

Sacramento Commandery No. 2, K. T., was instituted July 5, 1853, with the following charter members and officers: Isaac Davis, E. C .; Jesse Morrill, G .; T. A. Thomas, C. G .; C. I. Hutchinson, A. B. Hoy, John L. Thomp- son, Charles Duncombe, J. P. Gouch and James M. Stockley. It numbers over 270 members.

In 1869 the Scottish Rite branch of Mason- ry was introduced in Sacramento, Jacques de Molay Council No. 2, Knights Kadosh, being instituted on May 13 of that year. Palestine Lodge of Perfection No. 3 and Alpha Chap- ter No. I, Rose Croix, were also instituted about the same time; but the interest in the Rite dying down, they were discontinued in 1873. Interest was revived again April 3, 1895. by the institution of Isaac Davis Lodge of Perfection No. 4 and Palestine Chapter Rose Croix No. 6, October 25, 1901 ; and Sacramento Council No. 5, Knights Kadosh, instituted on the same date, followed. Sacramento Con- sistory No. 7 was instituted March 17, 1905. The order is in a most prosperous condition. It belongs to the southern jurisdiction of the United States of America. In the late eighties, or early nineties, a spurious order of Scottish Rite endeavored to obtain a foothold in Sacra- mento, but was short-lived.

Women's Orders of Free Masonry

Naomi Chapter No. 36, Order of the Eastern Star, was instituted May 3, 1879, the member- ship increasing within a few weeks to forty. It is the senior chapter in the city, and boasts of the largest membership. The officers and charter members were: Mrs. E. M. Frost, W. M .; J. N. Young, W. P .; Mrs. M. J. Crav- ens, A. M .; E. C. Atkinson, secretary ; W. H. Hevener, treasurer; Mrs. A. J. Atkinson, chaplain ; Miss H. A. Palmer, C .; Miss M. A. Stanton, A. C .; Mrs. A. Coghlan, Adah ; Mrs. G. Van Voorhies, Ruth: Mrs. M. E. Parsons, Esther; Mrs. E. M. Hartley, Martha; Mrs. C. P. Huntoon, Electa ; Mrs. M. F. McLaugh- lin, W .; J. T. Griffitts, sentinel.

Columbus Chapter No. 117, O. E. S., was instituted August 8, 1892, with eighty-three charter members.

Sacramento Chapter No. 190, O. E. S., was instituted March 7, 1901, with seventy-one charter members.

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Adah Chapter No. 301, O. E. S., was insti- tuted in 1911.

Jewel Court, U. D., of the Royal and Ex- alted Degree of Amaranth, was instituted August 27, 1910, the grand officers of the or- der conducting the installation. The first offi- cers were: Royal matron, Eliza Higgins; royal patron, Frank Kleinsorge; associate royal matron, Lulu E. Adams; honored sec- retary, Estella Labadie; honored treasurer, Frances Just : honored conductress, Addie De Coe; honored associate conductress, Ellen Bowden; honored herald, Frankie Carlaw ; honored marshal in the East, Mary N. Martin ; honored marshal in the West, Alice E. Teal ; honored prelate, James T. Martin; Lady Truth, Bertha Peart; Lady Faith, Elsie Lind- green ; Lady Wisdom, Elsie Kleinsorge; Lady Charity, Margaret Z. Kelly ; honored warder, Agnes Hummell; honored sentinel, Henry Lindgreen. The court received its charter April 12, 1911.

Freemasonry Among the Colored

The colored people have what they claim are lodges of Freemasonry, working under charters obtained from other jurisdictions, but not recognized by the white Masons as being regular.

Philomathean Lodge No. 2, F. & A. M. (Col- ored), worked under a charter obtained from England. It was organized November 6, 1853, and secured quite a large membership.

St. John Chapter, R. A. M. (Colored), was organized in 1873.

Adah Chapter No. 2, O. E. S. (Colored), was instituted in 1871 with twenty-nine members. Dr. R. J. Fletcher was the leading spirit in Colored Masonry among the colored people, and was instrumental in establishing the Grand Chapter O. E. S. (Colored), which was instituted in this city December 27, 1882.

Chinese have a sign stating that they have a Masonic lodge on Third Street, and are said to use some of the symbols of the order, but whether they have any of the esoteric work is not known. It is known, however, that there are Masonic lodges in China.

Independent Order of Odd Fellows

General A. M. Winn has the credit of intro- ducing Odd Fellowship into Sacramento as early as August, 1849. There were a number of Odd Fellows in the city at that time, and General Winn effected an informal organiza- tion among them for the purpose of affording relief to the sick members of the order, as well as to others. Their noble deeds should never be forgotten, for they spared neither time, work, nor money in relieving the distress and sickness that were so prevalent at that time. The Masons joined with them in the work and

erected a joint hospital. The complete organ- ization of the first Odd Fellows lodge, how- ever, did not take place until January 28, 1851, when Sacramento Lodge No. 2, I. O. O. F., was instituted, with Horatio E. Roberts, N. G .; G. H. Peterson, V. G .; George G. Wright, secretary ; and Lucius A. Booth, treas- urer. The other charter members were Sam- uel Deal, M. Kaliski, Robert Robinson, N. C. Cunningham, M. C. Collins and William Childs. The meetings were held at first in the rooms of the Freemasons. The lodge numbers about 200 members.

Eureka Lodge No. 4, I. O. O. F., was organ- ized January 7, 1852, with the following offi- cers and charter members: George I. N. Mon- nell, N. G .; Thomas Sunderland, V. G .; A. P. Andrews, secretary; William Watson, treas- urer ; John Turner, R. S. N. G .; R. Porter, L. S. N. G .; W. H. Tilley, R. S. V. G .; W. H. Hall, L S. V. G .; Thomas M. Davis, Warden ; A. J. Lucas, conductor ; also David Hall and Jesse Morrill.

El Dorado Lodge No. 8, I. O. O. F., was or- ganized September 24, 1852, with officers and charter members as follows: J. F. Cloutman, N. G .; J. L. Polhemus, V. G .; L. D. Kelly, R. S .; George W. Chedie, treasurer; A. B. Armstrong, L. Korn, James Levi, Thomas B. Moore, Joseph S. Korn, James S. Scott and W. Prosser.

Capital Lodge No. 87, I. O. O. F., was insti- tuted June 10, 1859, by District Deputy Grand Master Samuel Cross, with the following first officers and charter members: E. F. White, N. G .; C. M. Mason, V. G .; John McClintock, secretary ; and Amos Woods, treasurer; the other charter members were: E. M. Heuston, G. A. Basler, C. B. Steane, Lewis Shuck, Thomas B. Byrne, James Bowstead, M. M. Estee and F. K. Krauth.

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History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1923, Part 37

Author: Reed, G. Walter Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1026

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026