USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 48
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Resolved, That the privileges of Masonry shall no longer be confined to operative Masons, but be free to men of all professions, provided that they are regularly approved and initiated into the fraternity.
This important decision entirely changed the scope and features of the society, and transformed it into what we find it to-day-speculative, as contradistinguished from operative, Masonry-a praiseworthy institution, existing as the conservator of art, religion, and tradition, and perpetuating, by the beautiful allegories of its legends and symbols, its eminently kind and humanitarian doc- trines.
SPECULATIVE FREEMASONRY.
In the short space of twenty-five years, speculative Freemasonry spread itself in a manner but little less than miraculous into nearly every portion of the civilized world. Passing from England to France as early as 1725, thence to Belgium, to Holland, to Germany, to America; subsequently to Portugal, Spain, Italy, Switz- erland, Sweden, and to Poland. Lodges were to be found as early as 1740 in Denmark, in Bohemia, in Russia, in the Antilles, in Africa, and in the British possessions in Hindostan. The missing link in Ma- sonry was welded in Japan, in 1874, by the establish- ment of a lodge in that country-the only land in the world at that time where the order had not obtained a foothold-and the chain around the world was complete. Taking pattern from it, all other secret organizations of modern times have sprung into being.
If Freemasonry has ceased to erect temples; if it has ceased to engage in material architecture; if it no longer
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exhibits itself in the elevation of spires and turrets, or points from which eyes may be directed and hopes ascend towards a better and happier world, it has not less continued its work of intellectual and moral culture, and its success in this respect has been far more satisfac- tory than those who planned its design as a speculative institution ever hoped to achieve. Its spirit is immortal; its wonderful craft is voiced in the towering pyramids and monumental obelisks of Egypt. It will live and thrive as long as mankind exists.
MASONRY ON THE PACIFIC COAST.
With the Argonauts who came in search of the golden treasures of California in 1849, were parties who, previ- ous to leaving their homes in the East, had formed them- selves into companies for either mining or commercial purposes, or both, as well as for mutual protection. Several of these organizations were comprised mainly of Masons, and had, previous to setting out upon their jour- ney to the far West, applied to the lodges, where they were made, for permits or dispensations to open lodges, and "work " when opportunity offered. These dispen- sations eventually became the nuclei around which some of the first Masonic Lodges of California formed. The following incident will show that, although no lodges were organized until the spring of 1850, the brothers of the mystic tie of the Pacific Coast, nevertheless, forgot not their charitable duties, even among the allurements at- tendant upon those flush, golden times of the earlier days.
REMARKABLE MASONIC DISPLAY.
The first Masonic funeral that ever took place in Cali- fornia occurred in the year 1849, and was performed over the body of a brother found drowned in the bay of San Francisco. Upon the body of the deceased was found a silver mark of a Mark Master, upon which were the initials of his name. A little further investigation revealed to the beholders the most singular exhibition of Masonic emblems that were ever drawn by the ingenuity of man upon the human skin. There is nothing in the history or tradition of Masonry equal to it. Beautifully dotted on his left arm, in red and blue, which time could not efface, appeared all the emblems of Entered Appren- tice. There were the Holy Bible, the square, and the compass, the twenty-four-inch gauge, and the common gavel. There were also the Masonic pavement, repre- senting the ground floor of King Solomon's Temple, the identical tassel which surrounds it, and the blazing star in the center. On his right arm, artistically executed as the others, were emblems pertaining to the Fellow Craft, the plumb, the square, and the level. There were also the five columns, representing the five orders of Archi- tecture-the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Com- posite. In removing the garments from his body, the trowel presented itself with all the tools of operative Masonry, besides all the emblems pertaining to the de- gree of a Master Mason. Conspicuously on his left breast were the Lights of Masonry. Over his heart was the Pot of Incense. On other parts of his body were the bee-hive, the book of constitutions, guarded by the
Tyler's sword; the sword pointing to a naked heart; the All-seeing eye; the anchor and ark; the hour-glass; the forty-seventh problem of Euclid; the sun, moon, stars, and comet; the three steps, emblematical of youth, man- hood, and old age. Admirably executed was the weep- ing virgin reclining on a broken column, upon which lay the book of the constitutions. In her left hand she held the Pot of Incense-emblem of a pure heart-and in her uplifted hand a sprig of acacia-the emblem of the immortal soul. Immediately beneath her stood winged Time with his scythe by his side-which cuts the brittle thread of life-and the hour-glass at his feet-which is ever reminding us that our lives are withering away. The withered and attenuated fingers of the destroyer were delicately placed amid the long and gracefully flow- ing ringlets of the disconsolate woman. Thus were the striking emblems of mortality and immortality beauti- fully blended in one pictorial representation.
It was a spectacle such as Masons never saw before, and in all probability such as the fraternity will never witness again. A large concourse attended the burial. The impressive service of the craft was read; the sprig of acacia was dropped into the grave by the hands of men from all quarters of the globe; the grand honors were given, and the stranger was entombed in the last resting-place allotted to mankind. His name was never known.
In October, 1849, as told in the " Annals of San Fran- cisco," a convention assembled in San Francisco and organized a lodge under a charter, dated November 9, 1848, which had been granted by the " Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia " to Messrs. Levi Stowell, Wm. Van Voorhies, and B. F. McDonald, that they might accomplish this object when they should arrive in Cali- fornia. This was entitled "California Lodge, No. 13," subsequently California Lodge, No. I, and consisted of about twenty members, whose first officers were :-
Levi Stowell, Esq., of Washington City, Worshipful Mas- ter; A. Bartol, Esq., of Columbus, Ohio, Senior Warden; Col. John W. Geary, of Westmoreland County, Pennsyl- vania, Junior Warden; Dr. John H. Gihon, of Philadel- phia, Secretary, and A. A. Selover, of New York, Treas- urer.
GRAND LODGE OF CALIFORNIA.
Other lodges acting under similar charters were in several parts of the State, and the expediency of organiz- ing a Grand Lodge was earnestly considered early in 1850 by prominent members of the order. As a conse- quence the following call was published in the Placer Times of Sacramento, April 6, 1850 :--
SACRAMENTO, April 5, 1850. At a meeting of the Worshipful Masters of the follow- ing lodges of A. Y. Masons, held at the Masonic Hall, in Sacramento City, on the 5th day of April, 1850, A. L. 5850, viz .:-
Brother John A .. Tutt, Connecticut Lodge, No. 75: Brother Sarshall Woods, Western Star Lodge, No. 98; Brother Wm. M. Doughty, New Jersey Lodge, U. D .: Brother B. D. Hyam, Benicia Lodge, U. D.
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HISTORY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
On motion it was
Resolved, That it is deemed expedient to form a Grand Lodge in this State, and that a convention be held for that purpose on the 17th of April, 1850, at the city of Sacramento. Also, that all regular lodges of A. Y. Masons of the State of California, and all Present and Past Grand officers be invited to attend said convention.
Resolved, That the above proceedings be published forthwith in the different newspapers of San Francisco and Sacramento City.
It was further
Resolved, That Brother Wm. M. Doughty be empow- ered to forward a copy of the above resolutions to every and all legally constituted lodges throughout the State who are not here represented, to meet with us in said convention. SARSHALL WOODS, Chairman.
In obedience to this call and invitation, representatives from the four lodges above mentioned, also California Lodge, No. 13, of San Francisco, assembled in conven- tion at Sacramento, April 17, 1850, and remained in ses- sion until the 19th, and the first regular meeting of the Grand Lodge was held on the 19th. The following were the first officers: Col. Jonathan D. Stevenson, M. W. Grand Master; John A. Tutt, R. W. Deputy Grand Master; Caleb Fenner, Senior Grand Warden; Sarshall Woods, Junior Grand Warden; John H. Gihon, M. D., Grand Secretary; Levi Stowell, Grand Treasurer; B. D. Hyam, W. Grand Senior Deacon; E. J. Willis, Grand Junior Deacon; Simon Greenwalt, Grand Steward; Aaron Greenwalt, Grand Steward; G. P. Gordon, Grand Mar- shal; Wm. Davenport, Grand Standard Bearer; B. B. Gore, Grand Sword Bearer; W. G. Deale, Grand Chap- lain; Frederick A. Clark, Grand Tyler.
In the summer of 1850 "San Francisco Royal Arch Chapter ". was established under a charter from the " General Grand Chapter of the United States," of which Col. John W. Geary was first Secretary.
The " Knights Templars " opened an encampment in San Francisco on the 20th of December, 1853. Cali- fornia Lodge, of San Francisco, bears the title of No. I in the Masonic Order in this State, but there are char- ters of earlier date. The Western Star Lodge was granted a charter by the Grand Lodge of Missouri, which bore the date May Io, 1848, but was not organ- ized until October 30, 1849, then at a place bearing the name of Benton City or Reading Springs, now Shasta. The charter number of this lodge was 98, but at the organization of the Grand Lodge of California it kindly relinquished the honor of precedence to the more influ- ential organization of the metropolis, and accepted the designation of No. 2.
Connecticut Lodge, No. 75, now Tehama Lodge, No. 3, of Sacramento, bore a charter from the Grand Lodge. of Connecticut, bearing date of January 31, 1849, A. L. 5849, granting full power to Caleb Fenner, W. M., James W. Goodrich, S. W., and Elizur Hubbell, J. W., to open and continue a lodge in the territory of California. This was opened in Sacramento on the 8th of January, 1850, by Caleb Fenner, and continued in successful operation under that authority and name until the establishment of the Grand Lodge of California.
MASONRY IN SAN LUIS OBISPO.
Secret orders have never been regarded with favor by the Roman Catholic Church, and as that power dom- inated all laws, customs, and society in California pre- vious to the advent of the American and foreign element following the discovery of gold in 1848, there were no organizations of lodges of any kind in the country. The same condition of society lingered long in the counties of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, from their isolated location, and while all the other counties of the State were swarming with a busy population and progressing according to the modern idea of civilization, these re- tained the customs and religion of the past. But the new order of things gradually penetrated this region. Among the incoming business and professional people were some who carried the secrets and love of Masonry with them, and when sufficient numbers had gathered in the largest town of the county, they organized a lodge. The history of Masonry in the county begins with
SAN LUIS OBISPO LODGE, NO. 148.
The first steps to organize the San Luis Obispo Lodge were taken by Dr. Joseph M. Havens, who was also County Judge, and he is regarded as the father of Ma- sonry in the county. Dr. Havens was Past Master of Campo Seco Lodge, No. 100, in Calaveras County, and in removing to San Luis Obispo met a number of the brotherhood and here organized a lodge, obtaining a charter, dated May 16, 1861, from the Grand Lodge of California. The first members were Michael Hender- son, Thompson D. Sackett, Abraham Blockman, Walter Murray, James McElrath, David F. Newsom, Joseph Riley, Joseph See, and James White. Mr. Henderson is one of the oldest Masons in the State, being a '49er; and having been initiated in 1850, in the Tuolumne Lodge, No. 8, of Sonora, Tuolumne County, one of the earliest of the lodges of California. Gov. Romualdo Pacheco and some seven or eight others became mem- bers of the San Luis Obispo Lodge in 1861.
The lodge subsequently surrendered its charter, the famine years of 1863 and '64 causing great changes in the population, and but few of the old members re- mained in San Luis Obispo.
SAN SIMEON LODGE NO. 196.
The Masons of Cambria organized San Simeon Lodge early in 1869, acting under dispensation. Thaddeus Sherman was Worshipful Master, and George S. Davis, Secretary .. Their meetings were held at the lodge room in Cambria on Saturday evenings preceding the full moon of each month.
On the 14th of October, 1869, the lodge was granted a charter, and on the 12th of December following a public constitution and dedication of the lodge as No 196, and installation of officers was held at Cambria. The ceremonies were concluded by a grand ball under the direction of the following-named gentlemen: T. Sherman, O. K. Smith, Charles W. Allen, Geo. W. Lull, F. W. Parker, O. P. McFaddin, J. D. Campbell, and R. Dodson, of Cambria; A. M. Hardie, B. Patrick, and
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FRATERNAL ORDERS.
Isaac Flood, of Cayucos; L. Rackliffe, W. Murray, J. H. Hollister, A. Murray, M. Henderson, and D. P. Mallagh, of San Luis Obispo; and D. D. Blackburn and J. H. Blackburn of Paso de Robles. The proceedings were reported in the San Luis Obispo Tribune as follows :-
At the appointed time the Masonic procession, pre- ceded by a band of music, emerged from the Masonic Hall and marched to Cambria Hall, where the solemn and impressive ceremonies of consecration and dedica- tion were conducted in public by W ... L. Rackliffe, P. M., acting Grand Master, assisted by J. H. Hollister, acting D. G. Master; J. Allen, acting S. G. Warden; J. Berkley, acting J. G. Warden, and M. Henderson, acting Grand Marshal.
The ceremonies of constitution and dedication having been concluded, the following officers of San Simeon Lodge were installed: Thaddeus Sherman, W. M .; O. K. Smith, S. W .; Isaac Flood, J. W .; T. W. Parker, Treasurer; G. S. Davis, Secretary; R. Dodson, S. D .; A. M. Hardie, J. D .; J. D. Campbell and Geo. W. Lull, Stewards; O. P. McFaddin, Tyler.
On the 21st of May, 1870, the lodge was called to meet for the purpose of conducting the funeral ceremo- nies of their late brother, Alexander Murray, in San Luis Obispo. The funeral was attended by fourteen members of San Simeon Lodge under the leadership of Thaddeus Sherman, W. M., and over forty Masons were present, and a concourse of several hundred persons. Mr. Mur- ray was a member of Santa Barbara Lodge, No. 192, F. and A. M. That lodge met and passed resolutions of respect for the deceased brother and condolence with the family; also returning thanks to San Simeon Lodge for their fraternal acts of kindness.
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July 1, 1871, the following officers were installed: -Isaac Flood, Worshipful Master, and George S. Davis, Senior Warden, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of P. M., O. K. Smith. Past Master N. D. Witt, of King David's Lodge, No. 209, officiated on the occasion.
On the 24th of June, 1875, St. John's Day was cele- brated at Cambria by a large meeting of Masons from various parts of the State. The meeting was held in Grangers' Hall, and an eloquent oration was delivered by Hon. Walter Murray, on the subject "Masonry a Church." A grand dinner for the assembled guests was served at the Cambria House, and a ball at night in Grangers' Hall. The celebration was a great success, and is pleasantly remembered.
On the evening of the 27th of December, 1878, the following officers of San Simeon Lodge, No. 196, F. and A. M., were installed: Master, R. Dodson; S. W., E. M. Cofer; J. W., O. P. McFaddin; Treasurer, Levi Blunt; Secretary, Max Fischer; S. D., J. M. Mannon; J. D., Geo. S. Davis; Stewards, G. M. Cole, H. G. White; Tyler, Fred Harriman.
The records of San Simeon Lodge, No. 196 show the following officers and members in 188 1 ;--
Officers-George Mix Cole, Master; Oliver Perry McFaddin, S. W .; Peter Tognazzini, J. W .; Frederick Ott, Treasurer; James Milton Mannon, Secretary; Ritner Dodson, Chaplain; Thaddeus Sherman, Senior Deacon; Max Fischer, Junior Deacon; Patrick Henry Eubanks
and Hadden McFaddin, Stewards; George Stevens Davis, Tyler.
Past Masters-Thaddeus Sherman, James Milton Mannon, Ritner Dodson, John McCormick Whittaker, Orange Spencer Palmer.
Master Masons-Randolph Byers, James Day Camp- bell, Elliot Marion Cofer, Cornelius Desmond, Peter Aloysius Forrester, Angus McPherson Hardie, John Fellows Harriman, George Washington Lull, Robert Andrew Minor, Jeremias Muir, Benjamin Franklin Muma, Guiseppe Muscio, Joseph Soares Oliver, Robert Reghetti, Horace G. White.
Fellow Crafts-Drury Woodson James, Washington Byer James.
Entered Apprentice-Stephen Morgan Davidson.
KING DAVID'S LODGE, NO. 209.
After the surrender of the charter of San Luis Obispo Lodge some of the members joined other lodges, and San Luis Obispo was without a lodge until the organiza- tion of San Simeon Lodge at Cambria, in 1869. Upon the death of Alexander Murray, a prominent Mason, in May, 1870, the San Simeon Lodge visited the town of San Luis Obispo and conducted the funeral ceremonies of their late brother. Immediately thereafter the Masons of the town took steps toward organizing, and King David's Lodge was the result. The first organization was effected on the 21st of June, 1870, acting under a dispensation from the Grand Master. Levi Rackliffe was W. M., and Walter Murray, Secretary.
On the Ist of November, 1870, it was duly instituted under its charter, dated October 14, 1870, and with the number 209, R .. W .:. Levi Rackliffe acting Grand Mas- ter, and Max Pepperman, Grand Marshal, duly author- ized for that purpose by the Grand Lodge of the State.
The following officers were duly installed: Michael Henderson, W. M .; N. D. Witt, S. W .; William Jackson, J. W .; Lazare Landeker, Treasurer; J. S. Levy, Secre- tary; D. P. Matlagh, S. D .; Henry Loobliner, J. D .; W. WV. Hays, Marshal; B. Grable and H. S. Rembangh, Stewards; J. B. Sutherland, Tyler.
MASONIC CELEBRATION.
The Masons of this county, at the invitation of King David's Lodge, No. 209, celebrated in the town of San Luis Obispo, on June 24, 1871, the birthday of St. John the Baptist, who was one of the first Christian patrons of Masonry. The lodge convened at Masonic Hall, in the town of San Luis Obispo, at 2 P. M., and proceeded thence in procession to the Methodist Episcopal church. Here, after prayer, Michael Henderson, Master of the lodge, delivered the following
OPENING ADDRESS.
Brethren and Friends :- We assemble to-day to com- memorate the nativity of one of the ancient patrons of our order. All creeds and faiths have their festal occa- sions; the State has its days of patriotic jubilee; the church its seasons of rejoicing. On commemorative days due homage is paid to all who in every rank and in every good work have adorned the age they lived in. This, my brethren, is our festal day-a holiday conse-
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HISTORY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
crated to the memory of St. John the Baptist, throughout the whole Masonic world; to whom, with St. John the Evangelist (the two eminent exemplars of Masonry), our lodges are dedicated.
It is meet on this occasion that we recall to our minds their lives and labors; right, also, that their names should have been linked together; not that they were like each other, but because they were widely different in their temperaments and teachings. They were the two ex- tremes of human character-the Baptist, the representa- tive of fiery boldness; the Evangelist, the type of gentle love. The one was a sturdy Doric column, the other a graceful Corinthian pillar; the one was the complement of the other; united they combine strength and beauty. The Baptist was a truly heroic character. Of his life we get only a few glimpses; but these show us what the man was. The first history is of a youth among the solitudes of Palestine's deserts. Vexed in spirit by the licentious- ness of life in Israel, and saddened by the controversies of Jerusalem, he fled for refuge to the wilderness, where, for thirty years, he lived and preached with such effect that crowds went out to hear him proclaim the truth. The people felt that a king of men stood before them. The desert swarmed with the multitude. All came; even the king's attention was gained. John is taken from the simple life of the desert and placed among the honored of the Royal City; but here the stern prophet does not degenerate into the sweet-tongued courtier-the rough ashler of the forest is not broken in pieces in the process of polishing; he stands in the court of Herod, the prophet of the desert still, boldly proclaiming the truth. When Herod would ally himself with his guilty mistress, he at once said, " It is not lawful for thee to have her." Then is he struck down, like an eagle in his flight. Our final picture is of this earnest man, cast into a dungeon by order of Herod, and there wearing out his restless soul until sacrificed to a courtesan's whim.
May his name admonish us to have courage in the hour of trial, and inspire us with fortitude to reprove every departure from Masonic rule.
With this brief outline of the Baptist's history, I will now introduce to you Brother Past Master Murray, who has been chosen orator of the day, and to whose address we solicit your earnest attention.
Hon. Walter Murray, according to invitation, then delivered the following
MASONIC ORATION.
Brother Masons, Ladies and Gentlemen:
I have been a member of the Masonic Fraternity for nearly twenty years, but yet I trust that it will not be expected of me that I shall discourse to you learnedly of the traditions and tenets of our order. Although a firm believer in the principles and practice of the frater- nity, my mind has been so occupied in other matters since I became a Mason, that I cannot profess to speak authoritatively on the subject. And as : am now ad- dressing a mixed audience, composed of members and non-members of the craft, perhaps it is as well that I should not be a proficient; for I may then be taken as an impartial witness by both classes. I shall endeavor to speak to you as though you were all ignorant of Masonry; for I, myself, am not sufficiently admitted into its myster- ies to be enabled to claim great preeminence over many whom I see around me. It would be supererogation on my part to attempt to teach some who are here present, and I can only expect to create a favorable impression, in the interest of our order in the minds of such as have heretofore had no connection with us. Masonry forbids proselytism; and therefore I shall not direct my discourse towards the recommendation to such of you as are not
Masons to become such. But though Masons, we are mere men; and, as men, we desire the good opinion of our fellows. I shall, therefore, endeavor to convince such of you as are not Masons, that our institution really is as we profess it to be-important and valuable in the great work which, I trust, we have all at heart-namely, the improvement and permanent welfare of the whole human race.
WVe claim for Masonry three grand distinguishing feat- ures; namely, Antiquity, Universality, and Integrity. I shall speak of each of these in its turn.
Antiquity in itself is no merit. Hoary error deserves no consideration on account of its gray hairs; but in this modern world which claims that everything of good in it must necessarily be of recent origin, it may well be con- sidered that a good cause derives an additional splendor from the fact that the good and great men of past ages have advocated it. Hence the fact that our order can show at least as early an origin as the epoch of the foun- dation of King Solomon's Temple, at Jerusalem, should speak highly in its favor. The evidence of this fact is incontestible. Our passwords are in the Hebrew lan- guage; our traditions all date back from the ancient his- tory of the Holy Land; our legends are based upon Biblical history; and the Christian religion itself does not trace back its origin with greater surety to those an- cient times, than does the honorable fraternity of which I am an unworthy member. When this great republic was unthought of; when the British Empire, of which we are but the off-shoot, was as yet not even in embryo, when Christianity was only foreshadowed in the dim prognostications of the Hebrew prophets, Masonry was an established institution; vigorous in its pristine glory, and using its influence at that early day to bring man nearer to his fellows, and so work out the great scheme of human progress and regeneration.
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