USA > Washington DC > Washington DC > History of the Grand lodge and of freemasonry in the District of Columbia : with biographical appendix > Part 19
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" The extraordinary circumstances existing at the time of
14
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my arrival in the country prevented my organizing the lodge until late in the year. No proper place could be obtained to hold a lodge, and so intent were all persons in their pursuit for gain that few, if any, could be persuaded to devote an hour's time to anything not affecting their own pecuniary interests; and, in order to preserve my charter from expiring by limitation it required constant and strenuous exertions on my part, by which I was enabled to erect and furnish a suitable building in which to hold the lodge; which was duly organized in the fore part of November last, under very favorable auspices."
By the latter part of December of the same year the lodge had a membership roll of twenty-three names, with several petitions under consideration, and immediately took a position of leadership in Masonic matters on the West Coast.
On April 9, 1850, it participated in the formation of the Grand Lodge of California, and became California Lodge, No. 1, the separation from our own jurisdiction being con- ducted regularly and with the best of feeling on both sides.
As the offspring of this Grand Lodge, it is with pride that we note the eminently successful career of this lodge, which furnished the first Grand Master for the new jurisdiction, and later two others, two Grand Treasurers, and all of the Grand Secretaries.
In the great earthquake and succeeding conflagration of April 18-19, 1905, the Masonic Temple in San Francisco, as is well known, was destroyed, and while California Lodge saved its charter, jewels, and funds, its records and all else were lost, among other valuables being a book of By-Laws. adopted in 1849, and containing the autographs of every brother who had ever been connected with the lodge to 1905, numbering between 1,700 and 1,800 names.
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WASHINGTON CENTENNIAL LODGE, NO. 14.
As its name indicates, the formation of this lodge was coincident with the one hundredth anniversary of George Washington's elevation to the sublime degree of a Master Mason, and the petition for a dispensation so thoroughly covers the reasons for its being as to justify full quotation :
To the Most Worshipful Benjamin B. French, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in the District of Columbia.
Most Worshipful Sir and Brother: The undersigned Master Masons residing in the Seventh Ward of the City of Washington, being desirous to extend the benefits of this Ancient and Honorable Order to that por- tion of the city, which by its remoteness from the places at which their Brethren assemble in other parts of the jurisdiction is debarred of its privileges, and at the same time desiring to commemorate by the institu- tion of a new Lodge the centennial recurrence of the anniversary of the initiation of our late illustrious Brother George Washington in con- formity with the ancient rites of the Order, do hereby respectfully and fraternally present their petition for a dispensation authorizing the estab- lishment of a Lodge in conformity with the ancient constitutions of the Order and the constitution of the Grand Lodge aforesaid, by the name and style of the "Washington Centennial Lodge" of the District of Columbia, and at the same time present for your consideration the names of Brother Ezra Williams as Worshipful Master, Brother Samuel Byington as Senior Warden, and Brother Thomas Thomas as Junior Warden of said Lodge.
Washington, D. C., August -, 1852.
The petition was recommended by Federal Lodge, August 31, 1852, and carried the following signatures: J. Van Ris- wick, Ezra Williams, Jno. W. Willson, Samuel Byington, C. Ashford, Henry Dudley, J. George Stok, J. H. Wilson, Geo. W. Garrett, William McPeake, John P. Raub, Fredk. Whyte, Wm. Tucker, Arthur B. Williams, Thomas Thomas, John E. Baker, and S. Yorke AtLee.
The prayer was at once granted, and the lodge commenced operations in the unbroken field of South Washington, more isolated in those days than at present by reason of the exist- ence of the old canal, which completely cut off this section and gave it the name of " The Island," which still survives. A
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home was found in Island Hall, corner Sixth Street and Virginia Avenue, S. W., where the lodge for a number of years enjoyed most commodious quarters, and where the Grand Lodge frequently met.
A petition for a warrant was presented to the Grand Lodge November 2, 1852, and unanimously granted, the number 14 being assigned to the new lodge, and the date of the warrant made November 4, to comply with the desire of the petitioners to have the exact date whereon Washington was initiated into the mysteries of Masonry. For some reason not of record, but seven names appear upon this latter petition, as against seventeen appended to the first, and are as follows : Ezra Williams, Thomas Thomas, Craven Ashford, J. Van Riswick, John E. Baker, J. P. Raub, and Samuel Byington.
By the year 1855 the membership had increased to thirty- five, and by 1860 to sixty-nine, since which time the progress has been unusually rapid, and No. 14 now ranks as one of the larger lodges, with a membership in the year of publication of 498.
It is, perhaps, a matter of regret that the lodge abandoned the territory of its birth and moved to the center of the city, as this large field has since remained wholly without any Masonic organization.
The lodge has been represented in the principal offices of the Grand Lodge as follows: H. A. Whitney, Grand Master in 1879, and John Henry Small, G. M., 1899, both of whom also served in the subordinate offices; George B. Clark, S. G. W., 1870, and Dep. G. M., 1871; A. G. Fowler, J. G. W., 1860; A. T. Longley, J. G. W., 1867, and L. Cabell William- son, J. G. W., 1890 (afterward G. M. as of No. 26).
The present list of Past Masters follows: Emmett C. El- more, 77; Howard P. Marshall, 80; John J. Hill, 84; Walter B. Pettus, 90 *; Herbert N. Keene, 90; John H. Small, Jr., 91-92; Jas. H. McIntosh, 92 *; Eugene C. C. Winter, 93; Robert Connell, 94; Harry F. Riley, 95; Franklin W. Harper, 96; John H. Davis, 98; David Kahn, 99 *; Edson Phillips, 99 ; Samuel P. Johnson, 00; Ernest H. Daniel, 01; John H.
MYRON M. PARKER, GRAND MASTER, 1884-1885.
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Benton, 02 *; John Speed Smith, 02; Ralph L. Hall, 03; Jas. W. Witten, 04; Evander French, 05; Clarence R. Dufour, 06; Dean Swift, 07; Robert J. Hall, 08 *; A. Sidney Jones, 08; John G. Rice, 09 *; Victor H. Wallace, 09; Henry F. Woodward, 10.
The officers for the centennial year are :
James T. McClenahan, W. M .; Wallace Streater, S. W., and Jason Waterman, J. W.
BENJAMIN B. FRENCH LODGE, NO. 15.
The unfortunate disappearance of the early records of this lodge, together with the peculiar fact that the usual papers relative to formation are not on file in the Grand Lodge archives, precludes the possibility of a detailed story of its birth, one of the principal features sought after in these sketches.
From the evidence available, however, we find that the re- quest for a dispensation for this lodge was recommended by Federal Lodge, No. 1, December 20, 1853 ; that a dispensa- tion was granted by Grand Master B. B. French, December 22, 1853, and that at the annual communication of the Grand Lodge held December 27, of the same year, a report of the proceedings of the lodge, U. D., was presented, together with a petition for a charter, and, on motion, the prayer was granted without a dissenting voice.
The first return, made the same night it may be assumed, contained the names of the original signers, and is as follows : Herman H. Heath, W. Master; George C. Whiting, S. W., and John L. Clubb, J. W., and James H. Blake, W. S. Craw- ford, William M. Ferguson, H. F. Loudon, James C. Mc- Guire, Thomas Miller, R. R. Richards, Samuel J. Seely, and P. G. Washington.
From the very beginning the lodge seems to have pros- pered, the membership reaching sixty-five in 1860, 224 (in- cluding E. A. and F. C.) in 1871, and, experiencing a prac-
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tically uninterrupted proportionate growth to the present, the number of members in good standing on the last return footing the handsome total of 700.
In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, it may be accepted as a fact that at the time of its formation the lodge met in the old Medical College Building, Tenth and E Streets, N. W., moving with the other bodies, in 1854, to the Masonic Hall, southwest corner of Ninth and D Streets, N. W., and this tenancy is proven by the fact that the returns are dated from "Central Masonic Hall," the designation given to this latter meeting place, and a source of some natural confusion to students of the subject, inasmuch as the same title had origi- nally been held by the Masonic building on the corner of Indiana Avenue and John Marshall Place.
In 1870 quarters were found in the Temple, Ninth and F Streets, N. W., and, upon the completion of the present build- ing, its latest move was made to that edifice.
On December 27, 1903, No. 15 celebrated its semi-centennial with appropriate exercises, including a number of exception- ally valuable papers by distinguished members of the lodge, and these have been preserved in a souvenir volume, which is a model of typographical excellence, contains much interesting matter, and is available to all brethren desiring to acquaint themselves with its purely personal history.
The following interesting statistical information prepared by Past Master E. St. Clair Thompson, for a number of years the Secretary, is indirectly quoted as furnishing a fair sample of the operations of a prosperous lodge for a period of fifty years. To include the year 1902, 1,523 Master Masons had been made, with twenty-one Fellow Crafts and sixty-seven Entered Apprentices, while 163 men had been rejected for the degrees.
This lodge is distinguished above all others in the District in that six Grand Masters have called it " home," as follows : C. S. Frailey, 1855-56 ; George C. Whiting, 1857-61; 65-67; B. B. French, 1868 (formerly G. M. as of No. 12) ; Myron M. Parker, 1884-85; James A. Sample, 1890, and James A.
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Wetmore, 1904, a total of fifteen years of service in the Grand East, while the near future in all probability holds still another in the person of Alexander Grant, the present Grand Marshal. The first named in the list went to the highest station from the desk of Grand Secretary, having served there (as of No. 12) from 1848 to 1854. George C. Whiting also filled the office of Grand Secretary in 1856, and in a similar manner went, in the following year, to that of Grand Master. With the exception of B. B. French, the remainder also filled the im- portant subordinate chairs, James A. Sample being further honored by being elected to the post of Grand Treasurer in 1902, and remaining as the present incumbent. In addition to the above, Warren H. Orcutt served as J. G. W. in 1869.
The present list of Past Masters is as follows: Frederick Johnston, 72 ; Geo. H. Lillebridge, 73; John Tweedale, 74-75; Samuel B. Evans, 79; Myron M. Parker, 80; Samuel E. Slater, 82; Jas. A. Sample, 83; Wm. H. Lemon, 84; Wm. Barnum, 87; John S. Tomlinson, 88 *; Gabriel F. Johnston, 88; Nathan Hazen, 89; Howard M. Gillman, 90; Convis Parker, 91 *; Frank F. Major, 93; Jas. A. Wetmore, 94; Donald B. Macleod, 96 *; M. C. Connelly, 96 *; Watson B. Mundell, 96 *; Jos. A. Oliver, 96; Henry M. Schooley, 97; John C. Chaney, 98; Alex. Grant, 99; Geo. F. Foote, 00 *; E. St. Clair Thompson, 00; Edward W. Woodruff, 01 *; James T. Gibbs, 01; Herbert MacNamee, 02; Frederick W. Culp, 03 *; Harry A. Fellows, 03; Noel W. Barksdale, 04; Townley A. McKee, 05; Fred. D. Griffith, 06 *; Andrew Wil- son, 06; Walter R. Whittlesey, 07 *; Arthur L. Bryant, 07; Wm. Hart Dexter, 08 *; Joseph O. Harrison, 08; Emmett M. Carter, 09; Henry E. Bittinger, 10.
Following are the officers for the centennial year :
Martin R. Speelman, W. M .; Harry L. Strang, Jr., S. W., and Leslie Cramer, J. W.
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DAWSON LODGE, NO. 16.
In the early part of 1857 a number of worthy brethren, drawn principally from St. John's Lodge, drew up a petition to the Grand Master, in which they represented that they were desirous of reviving Columbia Lodge, No. 3, and praying that the original charter of that lodge be returned to them. Two of the signers represented themselves as formerly of No. 3; but the prayer was not complied with, on the ground that the power to return the charter was vested in the Grand Lodge.
On March 3, 1857, the same brethren renewed their petition for a dispensation to assemble as a legal lodge under the style and designation of Columbia Lodge. Upon consider- ation, however, they seem to have abandoned their desire for this title and adopted that of Dawson Lodge, in honor of Grand Master William C. Dawson, of Georgia, who, while a resident of the District during his service in Congress, took an active interest in the local Fraternity.
The petition was recommended by Hiram Lodge, No. 10, under date of March 6, and the dispensation issued by Grand Master Whiting March 16, 1857, Samuel T. Shugert being empowered to act as W. M., Dewitt C. Lawrence as S. W., and Z. D. Gilman as J. W.
The paper of March 3, in addition to the above named, was signed as follows : Amos T. Jenckes, Saml. P. Bell, H. N. Steele, A. B. Stoughton, P. E. Wilson, Marcus Bull, J. E. Holmead, Alfred Holmead, Henry O. Brigham, Comfort S. Whittlesey, S. P. Franklin, E. B. Barrett, J. C. Foertsch, J. H. Phillips, J. Typowski, LL. D., E. G. Guest, Z. C. Robbins, F. Glenroy, S. E. Murphy, and W. H. Nalley.
These names, with the exception of that of J. Typowski, also appear on the application for a charter, which was pre- sented to the Grand Lodge at the semi-annual communication of May 5, 1857. This application was accompanied by all the papers, minutes, &c., kept by the lodge while under dispensa- tion, and, on motion, a charter was unanimously granted, and the number 16 assigned to the new member.
.TI
PHARMACE
-
POOLS
POOL,
SODA WATER. · SMOKE · ROB! MANTELL NEW BACHELOR CIGARS.
HOME OF HIRAM LODGE, No. 10, SINCE 1872-SOUTHWEST CORNER PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE AND NINETEENTH STREET, N. W.
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By 1860 the membership had grown to 99, and by 1865 to 208, since which time, while this rate of increase has not been continuous, the additions have indicated a healthy growth, the present roster showing 321 names.
To this lodge belongs the distinction of having first intro- duced music as an accessory to the degree work in the District, the original quartette consisting of Brothers George L. Sheriff, David L. Bennett, Robert Ball, and John R. Dawson.
Dawson has given one Grand Master to the jurisdiction in the person of J. E. F. Holmead, who served as such in 1864, having previously filled the offices of J. G. W., in 1862, and S. G. W., in 1863. In addition to this officer, S. T. Shugert held the post of S. G. W., in 1858-59; Z. D. Gilman, same office, 1862, and W. J. Stephenson, G. Treas., 1877-78.
The present list of Past Masters is as follows :
Benjamin F. Bittinger, 74 *; Edwin S. Holmes, Sr., 74-75; William A. De Caindry, 76-77; Orville Drown, 82; H. Harvey Hazard, 83; Rodolph Williss, 84; Jas. H. Trim- ble, 85; Henry C. Thompson, 86; Benj. F. Larcombe, Jr., 89; Samuel R. Bond, 93; Jesse F. Grant, 94; Edgar G. Harbaugh, 98; Edwin S. Holmes, Jr., 99; Benj. F. Odell, 00; John B. Ireland, 01 *; Geo. W. Siggers, 02; John A. Colborn, 03; Ernest G. Thompson, 04; Wm. F. Lannan, 05; Louis Jacob- son, 06 *; Milton Strasburger, 06; George W. Baumann, 07; Wm. M. Wailes, 08; Joseph P. Stephenson, 09; Claude H. Woodward, 10.
Following are the officers for the centennial year :
Geo. G. Seibold, W. M .; Thomas W. Bramhall, S. W., and John I. Painter, J. W.
HARMONY LODGE, NO. 17.
The dispensation to Harmony Lodge departs somewhat from the usual form, but is a paper of such dignity and value as to warrant quotation in full :
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To all whom it may concern, GREETING:
Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth.
Whereas, application has been made to me by W. A. Shannon, Ira Murdock, E. C. Eckloff, Willard Ayers, DeWitt C. Clark, John W. D. Gray, John M. McCalla, Henry Prince, George M. Howard, Wm. Blair Lord, and William H. Faulkner, who are well known to me to be Master Masons, for authority to open and hold a lodge within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia, to be known and recognized as Harmony Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons: And whereas, the said application has been duly and properly endorsed and recommended to me by eminent Masons, and also by Benjamin B. French Lodge, No. 15, of this jurisdiction: And whereas, there appears to me other good and sufficient reasons why the petition of said brethren should be granted, therefore, I, Yelverton Peyton Page, Grand Master of Masons of the District of Columbia do, by the high powers in me vested, hereby authorize and empower the said Master Masons, whose names are inserted herein, to convene and hold a lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, to be known and recognized as Harmony Lodge, at such times and place, in the City of Washington, as to them may seem best. And further, I do hereby appoint Brother John W. D. Gray, to act as Worshipful Master ; Brother Wm. Blair Lord, to act as Senior Warden, and Brother E. C. Eckloff, to act as Junior Warden of said Harmony Lodge; authorizing and empowering them to enter, pass, and raise such persons as may make application to them for the degrees of Masonry in regular form and be found worthy, but to do no other act whatsoever: Provided, That the said Master and Wardens shall always be governed by the Ancient Land- marks, the General Regulations, and the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia.
This Dispensation to continue in force until the semi-annual communi- cation of the Grand Lodge, unless sooner revoked.
Given under my hand and seal, at the City of Washington, this 24th day of January, A. D. 1863, A. L. 5863.
Y. P. PAGE, Grand Master, D. C.
At the communication of May 5, of the same year, upon proper application, again recommended by Benjamin B. French Lodge, a charter was ordered to issue to Harmony Lodge, No. 17, and on the evening of the 13th of the same month the ceremony of institution was performed, with P. G. M. French presiding.
The names appended to the petition for charter vary some- what from those shown above, and are as follows: Wm. Blair Lord, Henry Prince, John W. D. Gray, Wm. J. Brown,
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John M. McCalla, George M. Howard, Willard Ayers, Wm. A. Yates, and E. C. Eckloff.
Thus auspiciously came into being one of our most pro- gressive and successful lodges, which in a few years had a membership of over 100, and at this time stands well to the front with a total of 609 names.
Not only has No. 17 developed numerically, but it has also been foremost in all movements of a charitable nature, one instance of this being the appropriation of a liberal sum for the relief of the flood sufferers in Pennsylvania and Mary- land, in 1889, in advance of all others, and is further shown by its active cooperation in every united effort since its organization.
While a " down town" lodge, it met for a number of years in the Scottish Rite Cathedral, in G Street, but moved, with the other bodies, to the present Temple in 1908.
From this lodge the chair of Grand Master was filled by Lurtin R. Ginn in 1905, who had previously served in the various subordinate positions in the Grand Lodge, and in addition W. G. Parkhurst occupied the station of S. G. W. in 1866; George E. Corson, J. G. W., 1880; Wm. A. Yates, G. Sec., 1873-75, and Arvine W. Johnston, the present G. Secretary, who has held that office continuously since 1901.
The present list of Past Masters is as follows: Robert W. Hardy, 75; Geo. E. Corson, 77-78; John Wilson, 79-80; Orange S. Firmin, 83; John F. Blackmar, 87-88; Frederick K. Swett, 89; W. Hamilton Smith, 90; Lurtin R. Ginn, 91; Wm. T. Johnson, 92 *; Francis M. Criswell, 92; Arvine W. Johnston, 94; Chas. L. Heilbrun, 95; Bennett A. Allen, 96; Wallace C. Babcock, 97; Chas. T. Caldwell, 99; J. Louis Willige, 01; Chas. E. Gross, 02; Louis D. Carman, 03; Maurice D. Rosenberg, 04; Clarence A. Weaver, 05; Clarence M. Exley, 06; Frank R. Underwood, 07; Walter B. Davis, 08: Roe Fulkerson, 09; Otto J. De Moll, 10.
Following are the officers for the centennial year :
Francis N. Westerman, W. M .; Robert H. Young, S. W., and Edmund S. Wolfe, J. W.
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ACACIA LODGE, NO. 18.
December 5, 1863, Grand Master Charles F. Stansbury granted a dispensation upon a proper petition to certain breth- ren to organize a lodge to be known as Acacia Lodge, and by the same instrument empowered Z. D. Gilman to act as Wor- shipful Master, Samuel P. Bell as Senior Warden, and J. W. Jennings as Junior Warden.
At the communication of the Grand Lodge held December 28, 1863, this dispensation was returned, and a petition for a charter recommended by St. John's Lodge, No. 11, pre- sented, bearing the following names: W. H. Baldwin, Edwd. Baldwin, Isaac Bassett, H. C. Baldwin, J. P. Bartholow, S. P. Bell, C. B. Baker, Z. D. Gilman, A. P. Gorman, T. M. Hanson, Heustis, J. W. Jennings, B. S. Lamkin, J. M. McGrew, Daniel McFarlan, O. W. Palmer, John F. Sharrett, A. C. Toner, P. E. Wilson, Jos. B. Will, and Fred. Whyte.
The prayer being granted and the charter ordered to issue, the lodge was duly instituted as Acacia Lodge, No. 18, De- cember 30, 1863, the occasion being unique in that upon the same evening LaFayette Lodge, No. 19, which had received its charter at the same time, was also instituted.
Altho but one day elapsed between the surrender of the dispensation and the institution of the lodge, a meeting was held and several candidates passed to the degree of Fellow Craft, but upon its being shown to have been an inadvertence, the offense was pardoned by the Grand Lodge and the Fellow Crafts healed. The incident is given place as a practical illus- tration of one of many peculiar conditions which circum- stances may force upon a lodge.
By the year 1865 the membership had increased to fifty- three, and ten years later footed up 129, since which time, with the exception of an occasional period of depression, the increase has been satisfactory, the latest return showing a roster of 202 names.
While no local Grand Master has as yet come from the ranks of the initiates or affiliates of this lodge, M. W. Bro.
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Wm. D. Todd, who was raised in Acacia Lodge in 1873, served as Grand Master of Colorado in 1889, and has always retained a great love for his mother lodge.
Representation in the subordinate positions in the Grand Lodge line has been as follows: Joseph B. Will, J. G. W., 1868, and Dep. G. M., 1869; and B. F. Fuller, J. G. W., 1878, S. G. W., 1879, and Dep. G. M., 1880.
Following are the living Past Masters: Chas. W. Franzoni, 73; Wm. P. Young, 75; Rufus H. Thayer, 79-80, 84; Thos. Robinson, 85-86; Alex. H. Holt, 88; Chas. H. Elliott, 89; Geo. W. Koonce, 90; Harvey W. P. Hunt, 94; Heath Suther- land, 95 ; Wm. H. Douglas, 96; ; Chas. J. O'Neill, 96 ; Richard P. Williams, 97 *; Edwin B. Hesse, 97; Seward T. Covert, 99; John H. Small, Jr., 00; ; Ulysses G. Perry, 01; Henry H. Burroughs, 02; Chas. A. Springer, 03; Chas. E. Stevens, 05 ; John E. Borland, 07; Howard G. Brown, 08; Edward E. Clement, 09 ; Francis A. Springer, 10.
The officers for the centennial year are as follows :
Delos M. Carter, W. M .; Harry J. Robertson, S. W., and James H. Windsor, J. W.
LA FAYETTE LODGE, NO. 19.
This lodge, the twin sister of Acacia, received a dispen- sation from Grand Master Charles F. Stansbury on Christmas day, 1863, and three days later, on the 28th, returned said dispensation to the Grand Lodge attached to a regular petition for a charter to empower it to assemble as a legal lodge, to be known as LaFayette Lodge, No. 19, and to discharge the duties of Masonry in a regular and constitutional manner according to the original " forms of the Order and the regu- lations of the Grand Lodge."
The first officers nominated in the petition for dispensation were Chauncey Smith, W. M .; John H. Benton, S. W., and H. J. Alvord, J. W., but these selections appear to have been immediately reconsidered, as the petition for a charter, while naming the same brother as Master, suggested the names of
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F. H. Barroll and W. H. W. Weaver as S. W. and J. W., respectively.
Altho the large majority of the signers of the petition were members of Benjamin B. French Lodge the separation was with the best of feeling, apparently, and this was emphasized by the fact that said lodge recommended to the Grand Lodge that the prayer be granted.
At the same communication of that body the charter was ordered to issue, and on the evening of December 30, 1863, the ceremony of institution was performed, and the new lodge started on a career of prosperity.
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