USA > Washington DC > Washington DC > History of the Grand lodge and of freemasonry in the District of Columbia : with biographical appendix > Part 16
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At a stockholders' meeting of the Temple Association, held October 17, 1910, adjourned from October 1, 1910, the fol- lowing named brethren were elected a board of managers to serve until the annual meeting of the stockholders of the As- sociation in January, 1911 : Bros. James A. Sample, Augustus B. Coolidge, Thomas C. Noyes, George E. Fleming, Charles E. Howe, E. C. Graham, and Charles S. Hillyer. On October 24th the Board organized by the election of Augustus B. Cool- idge as President; Thomas C. Noyes, Vice-President, and James A. Sample as Treasurer, with the following, not mem- bers of the Board: F. R. Underwood, Secretary, and H. K. Simpson, James B. Lambie, and Lafayette Leaman, Auditing Committee.
Thus, as was intended from the beginning, the practical ownership, control, and management of the Temple passed to the Grand Lodge, where of right they should be. None of the brethren worked more earnestly and zealously to this end than the little band of officers and members of the Temple Association, who labored so loyally and so unselfishly from the commencement of the Temple movement in 1898 to the completion of the building in 1908, and thereafter until the Temple actually passed to the control of the Grand Lodge.
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IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
CHAPTER 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.
THE FOLLOWING OUTLINE SKETCHES are designed simply to cover those events in the history of each lodge which bear broadly upon the general subject of Symbolic Masonry in this jurisdiction, the less important happenings, of special interest to only a limited number, being left to the Historians of the various lodges.
FEDERAL LODGE, NO. 1.
In the year 1793 a handful of Master Masons in the Federal City, finding the long journey to Lodge No. 9, of Maryland, located in Georgetown, an irksome task, not only by reason of the distance, but the character of the route, running through woods, across swamps and streams and along foot and bridle paths, and perhaps, also, being influenced by a desire to take a more prominent part in the approaching cornerstone laying of the Capitol Building, asked and obtained a dispensation from No. 9, Georgetown, according to the custom of the time, to hold a lodge in the City of Washington.
Foremost in this movement was the original architect of the
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Executive Mansion and Capitol, James Hoban, an Irishman, and, what was not unusual in those days, at once an active Mason and a devout Romanist.
A room in the dwelling of one of the members, on New Jersey Avenue, just south of the Capitol, was fitted up for use, and in the summer of the year mentioned the lodge came into existence.
At a meeting of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, held Sep- tember 12, 1793, the following petition, bearing date Septem- ber 6, 1793, was received, and is deemed of sufficient historical interest to warrant reproduction in full :
To the Right Worshipfull the Grand Lodge of Maryland:
The petition of James Hoban, C. Worthy Stephenson, and Andrew Eastave respectfully showeth-
That your petitioners, residents of the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, in the State of Maryland, and were very desirous of labouring in the avocation of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masonry, and therefore petitioned your Lodge, No. 9, for a Dispensation for that purpose, which Dispensation they, with all the charity and brotherly love to promote the Craft, have granted, and is attendant herewith. But your petitioners, finding in the city of Washington a number of Free Masons and many other worthy men, now Cowans, that are desirous to be initiated into our ancient myteries and congregate into a Lawful Lodge-
Your petitioners have therefore thought proper to pray your Ancient, Honorable, and Respectfull Body to grant them a charter, investing them as usual with full power to work in all the various Mystical Degrees of Ancient York Masonry ; also to enter, pass, raise, and exalt in our Royal Art such as are worthy, under the title of the Federal Lodge, No. 15, in the city of Washington; you appointing until the next anniversary of St. John the Evangelist James Hoban, Worshipfull Master; C. Worthy Stephenson, Senior Warden, and Andrew Eastave, Junior Warden.
Your petitioners further beg leave to observe that they have attended herewith a letter of recommendation from your Junior Grand Warden, to whom we are all personally known, with these documents, and a con- sciousness of their good wishes and intention to work for the good of the Craft, and there being as yet no opportunity in the city of Washing- ton, they therefore do hope that your sublime body will grant the prayer of our petition, and they as in duty bound will revere and acknowledge.
Done in the city of Washington, this 6th day of September, A. L. 5793, A. D. 1793.
JAMES HOBAN, C. WORTHY STEPHENSON, ANDREW EASTAVE.
-
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The petition was granted, and the charter or "warrant" issued, with the title Federal Lodge, No. 15, Bro. C. Worthy Stephenson having previously paid into the hands of the Grand Secretary £5 for the warrant, and thirty shillings, his perqui- site for drawing the same.
Six days later, the lodge not yet having been constituted, the Master Masons to whom the above warrant had issued, made their first public appearance as a separate organization by taking part in the procession and ceremonies incident to the laying of the cornerstone of the Capitol, on which oc- casion Bro. Stephenson, the then Senior Warden, had the honor of acting as Grand Marshal, and the membership of eight or ten, temporarily increased by visiting brethren to about twenty, made a brave showing "in elegant badges and clothing."
In addition to the Grand Marshal, Federal was represented in the active ceremonies by Bro. Collin Williamson, one of the founders of the Lodge and Master Stonemason of the Capitol, who, in full Masonic regalia, personally superintended the setting of the stone.
The earliest known list of members is found in the pro- ceedings of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, under date of December 20, 1794, and is as follows :
Clot Worthy Stephenson, W. M .; William Coghlan, S. W .; Bernard Crook, J. W .; James Hoban, Treasurer; James Dougherty, Secretary ; David Cumming, S. D .; Redmond Pur- cell, J. D .; John Dickey and James Houston, Stewards ; John Crocker, Andrew Eastave, Collin Williamson, Lewis William- son, and William Knowles, Master Masons.
The charter of the Lodge, as was not unusual at that time, empowered it to confer the R. A. degree and a Royal Arch encampment, probably the first in the jurisdiction, was formed within the lodge in the first years of its existence.
A temporary home was found on New Jersey Avenue, S. E., but in 1796 a more central location was had in the "Little Hotel," north side of F Street, above Fourteenth.
For several years thereafter the lodge does not seem to
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have prospered and by 1798 had reached such a low ebb that the then Worshipful Master, Alex. McCormick, set about a complete reorganization. The thoroughness of this operation may be surmised from the fact that the list of members, sixteen in all, which constituted the roster in 1798, contains no single name which appeared on the list furnished the Grand Lodge of Maryland in 1794.
In the year 1804 the lodge, in connection with Columbia, No. 19, bought a lot of ground on Eleventh Street, north- west, just below Pennsylvania Avenue, and erected a two- story building, known as Union Lodge Room, afterwards used by the so-called Freemasons of African Descent, until pulled down, a few years ago, to make room for the present City Post-office.
At the May communication of the Grand Lodge of Mary- land in 1806, the charter of the lodge was suspended, on information that unworthy characters were being made Masons therein; but the suspension only lasted for six months, at the expiration of which time the Grand Lodge, having dis- covered the erroneous character of its information, made the amende honorable, restored the charter, and bore the expense of the appeal made by the lodge.
In 1807, the day of meeting, which had been Sunday, was changed to the first Monday in each month.
In the movement looking to the formation of a local Grand Lodge, Federal took a prominent part, the first convention called for that purpose being presided over by Bro. Alex. McCormick, and having as its Secretary Bro. Charles Glover, both members of the lodge.
Upon the formation of the Grand body, the title of the lodge naturally became Federal, No. 1, both by reason of seniority and the active prominence of its membership.
In 1811, internal dissensions led to the withdrawal of eight members, who obtained a charter as Lebanon Lodge, No. 7.
In 1821, the membership had increased to twenty-nine, a reasonably prosperous growth under the then conditions.
1
ELDRED G. DAVIS, GRAND MASTER, 1877-1878; GRAND COMMANDER, 1898.
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In the Spring of 1831, the lodge again moved, this time occupying the lodge room in the recently erected Central Ma- sonic Hall, Four-and-a-half (John Marshall Place) and D Streets, Northwest.
The anti-Masonic period, in the thirties, was a troublous time for the lodge, and by October, 1834, so many members had dropped out that a motion was carried to surrender the charter, but the resolution was not presented to the Grand Lodge at the time, being withheld by the Grand Master of that year, Clement T. Coote, a Past Master of Federal, in order, it is supposed, that he might have the semblance of a lodge behind him. On November 1, 1836, however, an immediate surrender was ordered and carried into effect. One year later the charter was restored, at the request of twelve brethren, and entered upon a period of reverses and struggles which lasted for a decade, the first and one of the most serious troubles being the loss in 1843, of the funds invested in Central Masonic Hall.
A temporary home was found at the northwest corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Twelfth Street, N. W., where it held together for two years, when, again discouraged, on June 3, 1848, a motion was carried to return the charter. While this was not actually carried into effect, yet no lodge opened for more than a year.
In July, 1846, the lodge again met, and voted to revoke the resolution of surrender and to remove to the Medical College Building, northeast corner of Tenth and E Streets, Northwest.
An era of comparative prosperity now set in, and in 1848 the roster contained nearly fifty names.
Besides Lebanon Lodge, No. 7, Federal, in 1849, recom- mended the petition of California Lodge, No. 13; in 1852, that of Centennial, No. 14, and in 1853 stood sponsor for B. B. French, No. 15.
The wanderings of the lodge were not yet over, and in 1854 a change was made to the Masonic Hall on the south- west corner of Ninth and D Streets, Northwest, where it
12
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remained until the completion of the Temple at Ninth and F Streets, Northwest, in 1870, when it took joint possession of the room which for nearly forty years remained its home, the final move being to its present quarters in the new Temple.
From the close of the Civil War, when the membership amounted to about 200, the growth of the lodge has been steady, and the return for the year 1910 shows a list of 395 Master Masons in good standing.
In all the public functions in which the local Craft has taken part Federal Lodge has been prominent, among the more notable, in addition to the cornerstone laying of the Capitol building, being the cornerstone laying of the Washing- ton Monument, in 1848; the cornerstone laying of the Capitol extension, in 1851; the dedication of the Washington Monu- ment, in 1885; and the exercises commemorative of the cen- tennial of the death and Masonic burial of Gen. Washington, in 1899.
The centennial celebration of the birthday of the lodge was held on the evenings of September 11 and 12, 1893, and was marked by a most excellent literary and musical program, in the Music Hall of the Temple on the first night, to which were invited the members, their ladies and visitors, and concluded on the second by an elaborate banquet at the Ebbitt House, Fourteenth and F Streets.
In the new Temple project, initiated in the closing years of the last century, the lodge has been prominent and active, doing excellent service at both of the great Fairs and the May Festival, held at intervals for the furtherance of that object.
The lodge is fortunate in having become the beneficiary, in 1899, of the sum of $20,000 by the will of the late Anthony Buchley, a former member, which bequest is used exclusively as a charity fund.
Federal Lodge has furnished five Grand Masters directly. viz : Alex. McCormick, 1812-13 ; Samuel Burch, 1825; Clem- ent T. Coote, 1834; Robert B. Donaldson, 1869-70; and Walter A. Brown, 1906; and, indirectly, Daniel Kurtz, of
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No. 5, in 1818, and William Hewitt, of No. 7, in 1820, both originally members of No. 1.
The present list of Past Masters follows :
Goff A. Hall, 60-61; John D. Bartlett, 68; Geo. D. Patten, 71; Winfield S. Jenks, 78; Isaac Fairbrother, 82-83; Wm. H. Proctor. 84; Wm. W. Lesh, 85 ; John S. Tomlinson, 87-88 ; Geo. Z. Colison, 89-90; Wm. R. Sheid, 92; Wm. T. Reed, 93; Wm. S. Knox, 94; S. Edwin Tomlinson, 95; Joannis J. Faber, 96 *; Hosmer M. Johnson, 96 *; Walter A. Brown, 96; Marion Dorian, 97; Richard B. Nixon, 98; Wm. M. Somerville, 99 *; Harry M. McDade, 99; Theodore Friebus, 00 *; Harry B. Mason, 00; Jas. R. S. Dickens, 02; Alfred J. Arnold, 03; Ralph W. Lee, 05; Jos. R. Fague, 06; Israel D. Yocum, 07 *; Percy G. Smith, 08; Geo. H. Townsend, 09; Abram R. Serven, 10.
Following are the officers for the centennial year :
William A. Harries, W. M .; William T. Richardson, S. W., and William T'. Ballard, J. W.
ALEXANDRIA-BROOKE LODGE, NO. 2.
Popularly known as Brooke Lodge, was the second Masonic Lodge in Alexandria, Va., being granted a dispensation June 1, 1796, by Grand Master Brooke, of Virginia, after whom the lodge was named, and receiving a charter from the Grand Lodge of Virginia, November 29th of the same year, author- izing them " to hold a regular lodge in the town of Alexandria. in the County of Fairfax, designated to be recorded and known by the name of ' Brooke Lodge, No. 47,' " This lodge was one of the original five forming the Grand Lodge of the District in 1811, at which time it surrendered its Virginia charter and received one from the newly-created Grand Lodge, with the title " Alexandria-Brooke Lodge, No. 2."
The first three officers in 1796 were Charles Jones, Master ; John Harper, S. W., and Alex. McConnell, J. W., while in * Affiliated. + Honorary.
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addition to Bro. Jones the East was filled during the life of the lodge by the following brethren: Dr. John Richards, Amos Alexander, Dr. James Carson, Thomas Towers, Robert Brockett, Jr., Richard Rock, John Kincaid, and James Galt.
The lodge erected a hall on St. Asaph Street, between King and Cameron, in which its meetings were held, in which also Brooke R. A. Chapter, No. 3, held its convocations, and where Evangelical Lodge, No. 8, in 1830, also found a home.
The most amicable relations were sustained between this lodge and Alexandria-Washington Lodge, No. 22, the two frequently coming together in joint celebrations and feasts, and the fact that they belonged to different jurisdictions seems never to have marred the harmony of their intercourse.
In the earlier days Brooke Lodge officiated in the laying of a number of cornerstones, this function, however, being yielded to the Grand Lodge upon its formation.
Six brethren of this lodge attained high place in the Grand Line, Amos Alexander, however, being the only one to fill the station of Grand Master.
While prosperous and healthy for a number of years, the approach of the anti-Masonic wave had a blighting influence, and in 1833, the lodge, not then having been represented in the Grand Lodge for several years and practically having ceased to exist, the Grand Marshal was ordered to proceed to Alex- andria and obtain the charter. Failing to accomplish this he was instructed, December 27, 1833, to make further attempt, and also if the value of the tools, implements, and jewels of the lodge was greater than the amount of its debts, to seize such surplus and hold subject to the order of the Grand Lodge ; but it was not until August 7, 1838, that the charter, tools, jewels, and implements were surrendered, the ceremony being performed on that date by Dr. James Carson "in a most graceful and affecting manner."
Following is the earliest available roster, that of 1821: Robert Brockett, R. W. M .; Richard Cook, W. S. W .; Amos Alexander, W. J. W. and P. M .; James Carson, Secretary and P. M .; Nicholas Blasdell, Treasurer ; John Boyd, S. D .;
HORACE A. WHITNEY, GRAND MASTER, 1879.
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IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
John C. Tyler, J. D .; Thomas Shields, Tyler; Edward A. May, Steward; James Millan, Robert Brockett, Sr., Robert Henderson, John McLeod, Albert De Valengen, John A. Leng- don, John B. Swan, William Stewart, John B. Hill, John W. Beedle, Samuel F. Goodwin, Wm. Devaughn, Benjamin Dyer, Robert Sands, John Manery, John Rodgers, Joseph T. Hallo- well, Paul Stephens, Joseph Caving, and George Talbott, Master Masons, and James Gregsby, F. C., Isaac McLain, Thos. C. Tully, and John Leviatt are shown withdrawn, and Wm. H. Hannon, deceased.
COLUMBIA LODGE, NO. 3.
This lodge, the second of the name in this section, came into existence by charter from the Grand Lodge of Maryland No- vember 8, 1802, with the lineal number 35. At the time of its formation Masonry was at a rather low ebb, Federal Lodge, the only other lodge existing, having fallen upon a period of depression; but with the injection of new blood into the Fraternity this soon passed, and in a short time the two lodges united in the erection of the first Masonic building in the city, the old Union Lodge Room on Eleventh Street, N. W. Prev- ious to this action the new lodge met in a building known as Lovell's Hotel, on the north side of Pennsylvania Avenue, near Fifteenth Street, N. W., afterward called Washington Hotel, then Tennyson's, and later Standford's.
The first three officers were: Brothers Charles Jones, W. M .; Patrick Kain, S. W., and John Burns, J. W., while the following composed the earliest available list of members : Brothers Orlando Cooke, Bernard Dolar, Ninian Bell, Isaac Wilson, John Heron, Samuel Russ, John Dobbyn, Francis Pick, Nathaniel Segar, Joseph Johnson, Robert Spider, James Walker, Thomas Herty, James N. Robertson, Thomas Greeves, Andrew Barth, J. C. Shindle, and Nicholas Whelan, the majority of whom are said to have been employés of the Treasury Department.
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While the lodge had been working under dispensation for some little time previous to obtaining its charter, the usual record of its operations was not presented to the Grand Lodge with its application, but the omission was not held to be fatal, in view of the strong recommendation of the officers of Fed- eral Lodge.
Columbia Lodge took an active part in the formation of the Grand Lodge of the District in 1811, and its first Master, Brother Charles Jones, was honored by being elected the first Grand Secretary, his death during the same year, however, preventing his serving the full term.
While the first return to the new Grand Lodge shows a marked falling off in membership, only sixteen names being listed, the lodge seems early to have taken a new impetus, and the gain in the next few years, when the limited field is con- sidered, was at least satisfactory, having increased to twenty- seven in 1814, and reached the maximum of its early history in 1828, the roster in that year containing forty-two names.
In 1833, the date of the last existing return to the Grand Lodge of the first period, the list had dwindled to eleven, and as this constitutes the only documentary evidence of the per- sonnel at that time, a subject which became one of importance when, in after years, an attempt was made to revive the lodge, it is here given : Brothers William Duncan, W. M .; M. Hur- ley, S. W .; A. Van Cobble, J. W .; C. Byrne, S. D .; J. Wade J. D., and M. Caton, J. Douglass, N. Nicholass, Alex. Clarke, S. Sherwood, Secretary, M. A. Guista, M. M. Hohne, and N. Eaton. As the lodge continued for four years more to eke out an existence, and, indeed, in 1835, through reorganization gave some promise of renewed life, it is possible, but improb- able, that this list was materially increased.
November 7, 1837, the Grand Lodge was asked to accept the charter and other property of the lodge, but decided to lay the matter on the table. Subsequently, on May 1, 1838, a special committee having considered the matter, it was re- solved to relieve Brother F. L. Grammer, the R. W. Master of Columbia Lodge, upon whose application action was taken,
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of the possession of the charter, tools, jewels, and implements of said lodge, as it had ceased to work; and it was further resolved that the property be laid up for the use of any five members of said lodge who might apply for the same in the future. After some little trouble, growing out of an unsatis- fied Tyler's bill, the matter was finally settled November 9, 1838, and the charter and other belongings remained in the custody of the Grand Lodge for nearly three decades.
While a numerously signed petition for revival of the charter bearing date of March 3, 1857, was presented to the Grand Master for his dispensation it was refused on con- stitutional grounds, but being renewed as a simple request for a new lodge, resulted in the formation of Dawson Lodge, No. 16, and it was not until December 28, 1863, that a petition for the return of the charter, signed by Brothers Wm. Cooper, Samuel Sherwood, Thomas Donoho, Jos. Bryan, and James Lawrenson, formerly members of No. 3, was presented to the Grand Lodge. The matter going over, and being re- vived at the meeting of November, 1864, the Grand Master decided that the petition should have the names of three of the old members of the lodge and seven names in all, where- upon further action was postponed until the December com- munication of the same year, when the Grand Master was authorized to restore the charter upon the petition of five of the members of the lodge at the time of its demise.
After a number of attempts to satisfy this requirement were made in vain, a list of petitioners appearing to fulfill the conditions was presented to the Grand Master, as follows: James Lawrenson, Charles F. Wood, Samuel Sherwood, M. Caton, Jos. Bryan, Alexander Clark, and M. A. Guista, and this being accepted, the charter was formally returned April 12, 1865.
The lodge at once entered upon a career of uninterrupted prosperity, the first return after the restoration showing twen- ty-one Master Masons, with five initiates on the way, since which time a healthy growth has been maintained, the return of 1910 showing the handsome total of 290.
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Columbia has furnished three Grand Masters to the juris- diction : John N. Moulder, 1826-7 (and 1830-2, 38, as a mem- ber of Hiram, No. 10); Thomas F. Gibbs, 1891, and J. Claude Keiper, the present incumbent, 1911. Besides the first Grand Secretary, Charles Jones, that office was filled from 1836 to 1842 by James Lawrenson, Master of Columbia in 1835, and later an affiliate first of No. 7 and subsequently of No. 1.
The following is the present list of Past Masters :
Josiah M. Vale, 69; Alexander F. McMillan, 79; James L. Falbey, 81; Millard J. Moore, 86; William P. Tullock, 93; William H. Decker, 94 *; Bunyan Olive, 94-95; Robert G. Tinkler, 96; Samuel H. Moore, 97; Herbert Wright, 98; Wm. H. Miller, 99 *; J. Claude Keiper, 99; Luther F. Speer, 00; Raymond Loranz, 01 *; Louis J. Silverman, 01; Jas. J. Horrigan, 02; Frank B. Curtis, 03; Jos. Salomon, 04; Walter B. Harrison, 05; Walter H. Oliver, 06; Harry Wilson, 07; Robert E. Burks, 08; Clarence T. McIntyre, 09 *; Jacobus S. Jones, 09; W. Scott Macgill, 10.
Following are the officers for the centennial year :
William S. Herndon, W. M .; James H. Slee, S. W., and Harry M. Bedell, J. W.
NAVAL LODGE, NO. 4.
On May 14, 1805, the Grand Lodge of Maryland issued a charter to " sundry brethren working under a dispensation at the Navy Yard at Washington," and from the fact of its lo- cation and perhaps, also, to the fact that the War with Tripoli had just ended and the country was ringing with the exploits of Decatur and his fleet, may be ascribed the selec- tion of the name. However that may be, the charter issued in the name of Washington Naval Lodge, No. 41.
This document, which is still in the possession of the lodge, and in a fairly good state of preservation, gives John Davis, of Able, as W. M. ; William Smith, as S. W., and John Cum- mins, as J. W.
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