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GRAND LODGE O
COLUMBIA
A.L.581
GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 02994 3344
-
Gc 975.302 W27his
Harper, Kenton Neal, 1857- 1914. History of the Grand Tooge and of freemasonry in the
Fraternally
Mit R. Singleton Grand Secretary
Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia
HISTORY
OF THE
GRAND LODGE
AND OF
FREEMASONRY
IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
WITH
BIOGRAPHICAL APPENDIX. -
COMPILED BY W. BRO. KENTON N. HARPER, NAVAL LODGE, NO. 4.
PUBLISHED BY ORDER OF THE GRAND LODGE.
THE
DISTRICT
LODGE OF
OF
-
GRAND
COLUMBIA
A. L.5811
WASHINGTON, D. C. R. BERESFORD, PRINTER,
19II.
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2290
COPYRIGHT, 1911 BY KENTON N. HARPER.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION.
At the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge, F. A. A. M., of the District of Columbia, held December 15, 1909, the undersigned Special Committee were authorized and directed to proceed with the publication of a History of the Grand Lodge and of Freemasonry in the District of Columbia, prepared by W. Bro. Kenton N. Harper, a Past Master of Naval Lodge, No. 4, this jurisdiction, and the Historian of the Grand Lodge especially designated and appointed for the purpose.
The Committee have had careful supervision over the subject matter of this History and in connection with the Historian have defined the scope and arrangement of the work.
The work, it seems to the Committee, is as complete a history of Free- masonry in the District of Columbia as it is possible to prepare from obtainable data, containing as it does all available facts of general import- ance and interest concerning the Fraternity, covering the period from long prior to the formation of the Grand Lodge in eighteen hundred and eleven to the year of its one hundredth anniversary.
The Committee have been mindful of the difficulties and embarrassments which the Historian has encountered in his work and have been more than gratified at the successful and pleasing outcome of his labors. Brother Harper has been painstaking and thorough in his quest for material and has gotten together a wealth of historical matter of incalculable value to students of our Masonic life and history, and interesting and instructive as well to even the casual reader by the skillful grouping and scholarly presentation of the rich fund of information he has succeeded in bringing together.
He has exercised good judgment in the selection of his material and accepted only such data as was of unquestioned authenticity and reliability.
That the Historian has well and faithfully performed the important and onerous duty assigned him the succeeding pages of this volume amply testify, and this chronicle of the life and activities of Freemasonry in our jurisdiction for more than a hundred years will ever stand as a lasting monument to Brother Harper's zeal, ability, and indefatigable industry.
LURTIN R. GINN, GEORGE E. CORSON,
ARVINE W. JOHNSTON, Committee.
FOREWORD.
"I look on that man as happy who when there is a question of success looks into his work for a reply, not into the market, not into opinion, not into patronage."-EMERSON.
In presenting the "History of the Grand Lodge and of Freemasonry in the District of Columbia" the author, con- ceiving that a brief review of the several previous movements in this direction cannot fail to prove of interest, not only as indicating in some degree the difficulties of such an under- taking, but also as demonstrating the importance the matter has always assumed in the minds of the leaders of our local Craft, premises his introduction with the following historical facts :
As early as 1857 Grand Master Whiting having recom- mended that a history be prepared " to rescue from the past the material facts and incidents connected with the introduc- tion, progress, and vicissitudes of Masonry within the District of Columbia," a committee to examine into and report upon the expediency of such an undertaking was appointed, consisting of Past Grand Master French, D. G. Master Page, and Brother Rheese. This committee, exceptionally well qualified, reported in 1858, heartily favoring the project, and after touching upon the fact that there is in this section a Masonic history anterior to the formation of the Grand Lodge, says : "A history, to be complete and one creditable to this Grand body, should contain all the action, of whatsoever nature, with which the Grand Lodge has had any connection since its organization, and it can only be written after much investigation and much reflection, and it will require much time and labor."
In spite of the fact that the committee urged the matter
vi
HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY
with great force it was lost sight of in the press of other matters, and was not revived until 1871 when Grand Master Stansbury, in his annual address, influenced unquestionably not only by the palpable desirability of such a work, but also by the repeated and insistent demands from other jurisdictions for light upon our local history, invited consideration of the subject, but no notice being taken thereof he again, in 1874, earnestly renewed his recommendation, saying, in part : "Every year's delay will make the recovery of the details of the early history of our lodges more and more difficult."
Thus aroused the Grand Lodge authorized the Grand Master to appoint an Historian, directed the secretaries of subordinate lodges to afford him every facility for the collection of facts from their records, and otherwise evinced its active interest in the project. In pursuance of the order the Grand Master at once appointed the late Brother Wm. R. Singleton, for many years Grand Secretary, and a Masonic writer of world-wide reputation, who immediately set to work with his characteristic enthusiasm and thoroughness, aud in a com- paratively short time reported that he had his manuscript in shape for publication, but it is a matter of lasting regret that the scarcity of Grand Lodge funds during this period not only prevented the printing of this undoubtedly valuable historical work by that body, but led to the practical rejection of an offer by Brother Singleton to assume the greater part of the ex- pense and a lukewarm attitude toward his later proposition to publish by subscription. The report of the Historian embodying this latter idea was presented in 1879 and con- tained a prospectus of the proposed History, and the whole matter being thereupon referred to a special committee, of which P. G. Master Stansbury was chairman, that committee the following year reported that the first seven chapters covered the plan contemplated by the Grand Lodge, but the remaining eight chapters "deal with degrees, orders and rites of which this Grand Lodge as a body can have no know- ledge," and recommended the publication of the first seven chapters by the Grand Lodge "as soon as the condition of the
vii
IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
treasury will permit," with the authority to include the rest of the matter within the same cover, provided it could be done without expense to the Grand Lodge.
With the adoption of this discouraging resolution the chance of richly benefiting by the many weary hours of unselfish toil given to the task by one so eminently fitted passed from the Grand Lodge, the most diligent search among the papers of the deceased Brother failing to bring to light the missing manuscript with the exception of a few sheets which, according to an introductory memorandum, were rewritten upon the discovery that a portion of the original draft had disappeared.
The approaching Centennial celebration of the birth of the Grand Lodge impressing the then Grand Master, Lurtin R. Ginn, with the desirability of having prepared "an accurate and comprehensive history of the Grand Lodge and of Free- masonry in the District of Columbia" as a feature of that event, such a recommendation was incorporated in his address in 1905, and, meeting with the approval of the Grand Lodge, was consummated by the appointment, at the installation communication of the same year, of the author hereof.
Coming thus along the Path of Circumstance, as a duty from which there was no honorable escape, the commission was accepted, in spite of a depressing sense of inadequate equip- ment for the task, and the leisure hours of five years have been conscientiously devoted to research and the assembly of so much of the accumulated data as appeared to be of sufficient historical value.
The author has endeavored to guard against the tendency of works of this character to degenerate into mere copies of records, burdened with uninteresting minutiæ of names, and dates, and trivialities of routine, and while sacrificing no im- portant event has aimed to present a history at once concise, accurate, and readable. Chronological order has been pre- served in the plan as a whole, yet an occasional departure therefrom, in order to bring widely scattered yet closely related units together for the intelligent consideration of important movements covering periods of years, has been deemed essen-
viii
HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY
tial, and is hoped will add to the interest and value of the book.
The selection of the material and the method of presentation being the result of his personal judgment, matured by long study and deliberation, the author is fully alive to the certainty of criticism. He would say, however, to his Brethren that in the prosecution of this work he has gone carefully through the Grand Lodge reports and detached papers ; has consulted the records of the subordinate lodges ; has read every work remotely bearing on the subject that came his way ; has dug among the newspapers of by-gone days ; has corresponded with or consulted such individuals from whom aid might reasonably be expected, and, in short, has left no stone un- turned, no clue unfollowed, that gave promise of legitimate material.
An arduous task and yet full of compensations, and if these chapters, upon which he has wrought with gladness, heartfully, shall meet with any measure of approbation that fact shall constitute an added reward to that already his cherished possession-the consciousness of having discharged this duty to the best of his ability.
5. M. Barper Historian.
CONTENTS.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATIONS
PAGE.
iii
FOREWORD V
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. xiii
I .- WHENCE CAME WE ?- Theories of Origin-Grand Lodges of England-Introduction of Masonry Into the Colonies- Formation of Grand Lodge of Maryland-The Tradition of St. Andrew's Lodge, Georgetown. I II .- IN THE BEGINNING-Masonry at the Birth of the Federal City-First Lodge, No. 9, of Georgetown, Chartered- Cornerstone of the District-A Unique Dispensation- Formation of Federal, No. 15-Laying of Cornerstones of Capitol and White House. II
III .- BETWEEN THE CENTURIES-A Jurisdiction in the Making- Formation of the Earliest Lodges, Columbia, No. 19, Columbia, No. 35, Naval, No. 41, Potomac, No. 43, of Maryland, and Alexandria-Brooke, No. 47, of Virginia- Death of Washington-Side Lights on the Masonic Usages of the Time. 23 IV .- INDEPENDENCE-The Birth of the Grand Lodge-Pioneer Officers-Form of Warrants Issued to Subordinate Lodges- Formal Notification to Other Grand Lodges. 34
V .- IN THE EARLY DAYS-Union Lodge, No. 6, and Lebanon Lodge, No. 7-The Rise and Fall of the General Grand Lodge Idea-Quaint Constitutional Regulations-Notes .... 42
VI .- THE FIRST DECADE-War of 1812-Annual Visitations Inaug- urated-Fraternal Correspondence-Public Appearances- Discipline-The First Constitution 51
VII .- DARK DAYS AND BRIGHT-First Meridian-The Washington Monument-First Masonic Temple-Formation of Lodges 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13-The Anti-Masonic Wave-Repre- sentative System-Cornerstones-Notes 62
VIII .- THE DAWN OF PROSPERITY-Closing Years of the Half Century-Cornerstones of Capitol Extension and Smith- sonian Institution-Lodges 14, 15, and 16-Lodge of Mutual Benevolence-The Library-Public Functions-Notes .......
77
x
HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY
PAGE.
IX .- THE WAR OF THE REBELLION-Military Lodges-Union Lodge, U. D., of Alexandria, Va .- Care of Sick and Wounded Craftsmen-Charters to Harmony, No. 17, Acacia, No. 18, and LaFayette, No. 19-Columbia, No. 3, Revived. 87
X .- A REAWAKENING-Charters Issued to Lodges Nos. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25-Citizenship and Jurisdiction-Reception to Earl de Gray-Deaths of M. W. Brothers George C. Whit- ing, Benjamin B. French, Roger C. Weightman, J. E. F. Holmead, Charles F. Stansbury, and Brother James A. Garfield.
.
XI .- THE NEW ERA-Dedication of Washington Monument- Charters to Lodges Nos. 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30-Deaths of P. G. Master Noble D. Larner and Grand Secretary William R. Singleton-Making a Mason "On Sight"-The Albert Pike Statue III
97
XII .- THE LATTER DAYS-Centennial of Naval Lodge-Important Public Functions -The Washington Gavel- Deaths of M. W. Brothers George H. Walker, R. B. Donaldson, José Maria Yznaga, David G. Dixon, and E. G. Davis ........ 126
XIII .- MEETING PLACES OF THE FRATERNITY-Where the Altars of the Grand and Subordinate Lodges of the District of Columbia Have Been Erected During the Century Preced- ing the Present Temple Movement. 138
XIV .- THE NEW TEMPLE - Tentative Propositions - Origin and Progress of Successful Plan-The Cornerstone-Laying and Dedication-Description of Building. 154
XV .- THE LODGES IN DETAIL-Brief History of Each Blue Lodge, Living or Extinct, Under the Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia I73
XVI .- BENEVOLENCES-The Subject in General-Early Methods- The Masonic Mutual Relief Association-St. John's Mite Association-The Masonic Board of Relief-The Masonic and Eastern Star Home 254
XVII .- THE WORK-Gradual Evolution of Latter-Day Ritualism- Origin and Development of the Ceremonial in the District. 269
XVIII .- CAPITULAR MASONRY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 280 XIX .- CRYPTIC MASONRY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, by George E. Corson, Recorder of Washington Council, No. I, Royal and Select Masters, for Twenty-three Years ; Past Grand High Priest ; General Grand King, General Grand Chapter, U. S. A .; Past Grand Commander K. T., D. C., and Past J. G. W. of the Grand Lodge.
297
xi
IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
PAGE.
XX .- THE ORDERS OF CHRISTIAN KNIGHTHOOD IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, by Arvine W. Johnston, Grand Recorder of the Grand Commandery, K. T., of the District of Columbia. 307
XXI .- THE SCOTTISH RITE IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, by Wm. L. Boyden, 33° Hon., Librarian Supreme Council, 33º ... 315
XXII-THE ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 323
APPENDIX-Biographies : The Life Story of Each Grand Master of the District of Columbia Jurisdiction and Other Brethren of Note 331
GENERAL INDEX 427
PERSONAL INDEX 435
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Indexed by facing page.
PAGE.
William R. Singleton ... Frontispiece.
Procession, laying of cornerstone U. S. Capitol I
(John) Valentine Reintzel
4
Union Lodge Room, Eleventh St., N. W. 8
Alexander McCormick.
12
Copperplate from cornerstone Union Hotel.
Daniel Kurtz. 20
William Hewitt.
24
The Little Hotel and Lovell's Hotel 28
William W. Seaton
32
Samuel Burch.
36
Former meeting places of Naval Lodge, No. 4.
40
Tyler's Bill (1812).
Roger C. Weightman.
Masonic Hall, Jefferson St., and Forrest Hall, Georgetown, D. C ...
William W. Billing
Marmaduke Dove.
First Central Masonic Hall.
Clement T. Coote
Robert Keyworth
John Mason, Jr
Odeon Hall and Eastern Edifice Seven Buildings.
William M. Ellis
William B. Magruder.
100
Homes of Hiram Lodge.
104
Benjamin Brown French
II2
Charles S. Frailey. I16
Old Medical College Building.
I20
George C. Whiting.
I28
Charles F. Stansbury
I32
Yelverton Peyton Page
I44
James E. F. Holmead.
148
Masonic Hall, Thirty-second St., Georgetown.
152
R. B. Donaldson
160
Isaac L. Johnson
I68
Eldred G. Davis.
176
Horace A. Whitney
180
New Masonic Temple. 184
Joseph C. McCoy 192
Noble D. Larner 196
44 48 52 56
64 68 72 So 84 88 96
Second Central Masonic Hall 136
164
Masonic Temple, Ninth and F Sts., N. W.
16
xiv
HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY
PAGE.
First and second homes of Anacostia Lodge.
200
Edward H. Chamberlain. 208
Myron M. Parker.
Present home of Hiram Lodge. 212
216
Thomas P. Chiffelle.
224
J. M. Yznaga.
228
Present home of Anacostia Lodge
Jesse W. Lee, Jr. 232
240 Harrison Dingman 244
Wm. R. Singleton and Stansbury Lodge Buildings 248
James A. Sample 256
Thomas F. Gibbs. 260
First and third meeting places of M. M. Parker Lodge. 264
Frederick G. Alexander 272
Landon Cabell Williamson 276
Naval Lodge Hall.
280
Henry S. Merrill. 288
David G. Dixon.
292
George W. Baird.
296
Matthew Trimble.
304
Homes of Takoma and King David Lodges.
308
Samuel C. Palmer.
312
John H. Small, Jr.
320
Completed Wing Masonic and Eastern Star Home.
324
William G. Henderson 328
Harry Standiford 336
Malcolm Seaton 340
344
The Albert Pike Monument.
352
James A. Wetmore
356
Lurtin R. Ginn
360
Scottish Rite Cathedral (House of the Temple)
36S
Walter A. Brown.
372
Francis J. Woodman
376
Proposed Masonic and Eastern Star Home 384
Augustus B. Coolidge. 388
Henry K. Simpson 392
George C. Ober 396
J. Claude Keiper 400
George E. Corson
404
Arvine W. Johnston 408
Kenton N. Harper
412
Ben W. Murch, Charles E. Baldwin, Thomas H. Young, and J. Russell Verbrycke. 416
J. Henning Nelms, T. John Newton, Alexander Grant, W. W. Jermane, and James W. Witten. 420
Lem Towers, Jr., Joseph H. Milans, J. Harry Cunningham, Charles J.
O'Neill and Warren C. Bickford. 424
George H. Walker
history of Freemasonry in the District of Columbia.
MASONIC PROCESSION AT THE LAYING OF THE CORNERSTONE OF THE CAPITOL. SEPTEMBER 18, 1793
CHAPTER I.
WHENCE CAME WE?
THEORIES OF ORIGIN-GRAND LODGES OF ENGLAND-INTRO- DUCTION OF MASONRY INTO THE COLONIES-FOR- MATION OF GRAND LODGE OF MARYLAND- THE TRADITION OF ST. ANDREW'S LODGE, GEORGETOWN.
" Traditions in history are but the circling wavelets which the magician's wand may raise on the stream of history, but the pearls of truth lie in the deep waters below, and can only be reached and brought to viewe by the plumb-line of investigation."-ANON.
THE MOST profound mystery in the great system of morality we call Masonry is its origin. Back of the period of authentic recorded history stretch misty avenues of speculation, along which a host of brilliant delvers after the Truth have wan- dered, and from the warp and woof of world-old traditions woven many more or less fanciful and sometimes plausible and attractive theories of the birth and early life of this, one of the greatest forces for good the world has ever known.
Dr. Oliver would have us believe that Masonry was a living science in the days of the Garden of Eden, and Adam its first earthly exponent. Dr. Mitchell exploits the popular be- lief in its origin at the building of King Solomon's Temple. Dr. Mackey, more conservative, goes no further back than the College of Architects of the seventeenth century; and so on through a host of writers.
Interesting, beautiful, valuable withal, but not history, and the fact remains, from which there is no escape, that no man
I
2
HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY
can lay his finger upon the time or country, the age or clime, when and where the chaotic elements, crystalizing into the Masonic creation, first heard the fiat : " Let there be light."
But while this is true there are today prehistoric evidences of a code or codes of morals, illustrated by symbols, in the far past ages nearly akin to our present system, and from these premises may be drawn certain logical and reasonable conclusions, and altho this work is intended to be a history and therefore has only to do with facts, yet the author conceives it to be perfectly proper as well as instructive to glance, in an introductory way, over this field and thereby gain, per- haps, what the artist would call the atmosphere of the whole subject.
It is susceptible of proof that before and after the dawn of history there existed in China a cult or institution using our present-day symbols in the same kind of service to which we put them, and this has ample verification in the " Book of History" of that ancient civilization, a work covering from the twenty-fourth to the seventh century before Christ, a period antedating King Solomon's time by 1500 years and stretching 200 years beyond.
Upon the stupendous piles of Masonry in the Valley of the Nile the traveler may today see the signs and symbols of Masonry sculptured thousands of years ago-the All-seeing Eye, the mosaic pavement, the blazing star, the square, the circle, the parallel lines, and many others. In Greece, also. are to be found traces of the same application of these well known symbols. These and many other evidences lead in- evitably to the conclusion that from the earliest ages there have existed associations more or less similar in their general aim and finding natural expression in the same simple em- blems. But there is no reason to believe that there is any closer relationship than a natural similarity of expression between the ancient mysteries with their blood-curdling rites and the Masonry of which we have recorded history.
We may even accept the theory that the mysterious vail of Isis curtained the cradle of our Order, to the extent that in
3
IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
the exercise of such rites the habit of association for definite purpose may have originated and gradually germinated into the great moral forces of later ages, yet absolutely and con- sistently refuse to trace our ancestry to such sources except in the most general sense.
Following this train of thought we may readily suppose that in Palestine, at the building of King Solomon's Temple, the mysteries of Egypt and Greece were reconstructed, the old mythological divinities and pagan rites forsaken, and an en- tirely new Order, consecrated to the true God, formed. The same marks of the craftsman are on the ruins of the Temple that may be seen on the Masonry of Egypt and Greece. Here perhaps was the first union of symbolic fraternity with the religion of the Hebrew, but it was not the foundation of Masonry ; neither was it the superstructure. The alliance be- tween primitive Christianity and the mystic orders was close and intimate, many of the rites of the early Church showing a striking similarity to and connection with those of the secret organizations of that age.
With the completion of the Temple and the dispersion of the great host of architects and builders to the four corners of the earth the rites and symbols of these fraternities may well have found lodgment in the virgin soil of many countries.
With Christianity Freemasonry, let us now call it, was in- troduced into Europe and Great Britain, where there may be seen on imposing cathedrals the identical signs and symbols described as appearing on the ruined temples of Egypt, Greece, and Jerusalem. Attractive as this line of speculation must be to the student of Masonry its further pursuit is forbidden by the limited scope of the present work, and we leave it to trace our genealogy by more authentic tho very meager data.
Freemasonry in some form, we have every reason to believe, existed on the continent of Europe and in England, Scotland, and Ireland in the middle ages, and was probably identical with the building corporations and guilds known to have existed at that period. The consensus of opinion of the best
4
HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY
writers is that the present society of Freemasonry is plainly the outgrowth and lineal descendant of those ancient associa- tions of builders, and while documentary evidence is meager and confusing yet the conclusion is logical and acceptable.
The first authentic, or reasonably authentic, organization for the government, regulation, and protection of Masons in their labor came into being in York, England, A. D. 926, by a charter obtained from King Athelston by his brother, Prince Edwin, who was a patron of Masonry, and continued to exist, it is claimed, for a period of more than 800 years. From this so-called Grand Lodge of York there is no evidence that any charters ever issued to American lodges.
About 1685 in Great Britain, under direction of the then Grand Master, Christopher Wren, other than operative Masons commenced to be received into the Order, and the change from operative to speculative began, but the symbols and phrases of operative were retained in illustrating specu- lative Masonry and the elucidation of the great truths of the now rapidly developing system.
The change was a gradual one but was practically complete by the beginning of the eighteenth century, but the thorough reorganization which took place upon the formation of the Grand Lodge of England in 1717 radically changed the form of government and polity of the institution, and has well been characterized as a revolution. The spirit, funda- mental laws, and traditional customs of the ancient Brother- hood, even the technical expressions, well suited to the sym- bolic architecture of the Temple, were retained, but only figu- ratively and with a higher significance.
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