USA > Washington DC > History of the Grand lodge and of freemasonry in the District of Columbia : with biographical appendix > Part 3
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Signed by P. CASANAVE, Master.
THOS. BEATTY, JR., Senior Warden. VALENTINE REINTZELL, JR., Junior Warden. ANTHONY REINTZELL, Treasurer. SAML. TURNER, JR., Secretary.
The cornerstone of the White House was laid October 13, 1792, and while tradition holds the ceremony to have been under Masonic auspices, and a number of veracious histor- ians so affirm, the most diligent search, in which the author has had the assistance of the late A. R. Spofford, for many years Librarian of Congress, and Bro. Elliott Woods, the present Superintendent U. S. Capitol Building and Grounds, has failed to unearth any account of the occasion. In the ab- sence, however, of any evidence to the contrary, and taking into consideration the known fact that the leading men in the Government and in the corps of architects and builders at that time were Master Masons, it is a reasonably fair as- sumption that the ceremony was Masonic, and while this is not historic it is given as an historic probability.
Work on the Capitol building, Executive Mansion, and other public buildings at once brought to the new city a small army of architects and builders, and among this company were found many of the craft who later were prominently identified with Masonic and municipal matters, and were largely instru- mental in safely guiding the Federal city through its troublous formative period. One or two may properly be mentioned, and the first name that demands attention is that of Brother James Hoban, known as "Captain" through his connection with a militia organization, who was the Architect of the
This first corner stone of the UNION PUBLIC HOTEL, was laid by the free Ma. sons of the byty of WASHINGTON'S Of GOD .- Town, on the memorable 4th day of July JAMES HOBEN Architect.
COPPERPLATE FROM CORNERSTONE.
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Capitol and the Executive Mansion, and who had previously . achieved distinction in his profession in Dublin. He was one of many Irishmen and devout Romanists who in that day were also consistent members of the Masonic Fraternity. A quick- tempered tho generous man, with a rather exalted opinion of his own merits, his professional life was a stormy one, but to the sheer power of his will, combating official parsi- mony, the country is indebted for the magnificent proportions of our Capitol and Executive Mansion, and in him the Fra- ternity finds one of the most potent early forces for the perma- nent establishment of Masonry in this section. A resident of Washington for nearly forty years, he grew rich, prominent, in- fluential, and esteemed, and after a long and honorable career passed away in 1831, and after a temporary burial in St. Patrick's Church graveyard (afterwards the site of the Ma- sonic Temple at Ninth and F Streets) found his last resting place in Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Next perhaps in point of interest among the earlier Masons was Brother Clotworthy Stephenson, who acted as Grand Marshal at the laying of the cornerstone of the Capitol and was one of the organizers of the old Volunteer Fire Department. Until his death, in 1819, he was most active in Masonry and conspicuous on all public occasions, being a man of fluent speech, good presence, and quick resource. Collin Williamson, a Scotchman and Master Stone Mason at the Capitol, who personally set the corner- stone of that building, also deserves place in the list of the prominent Masonic pioneers as one who, altho but a short time a resident of the city, left the impress of his personality in- delibly stamped on the early history of the Fraternity. The limited scope of the present work forbids at this point the mul- tiplication of names equally deserving of record and which will find recognition on other pages, but these three are here mentioned because of the fact that they were the prominent movers in obtaining a charter for the first lodge founded after the formation of the District. This lodge, Federal, No. 15, of Maryland (now No. 1 of this jurisdiction), having previously, according to the custom of the period, obtained a "dispensation"
2
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from No. 9, was warranted September 12, 1793, just six days before the laying of the cornerstone of the Capitol, and it is a natural and reasonable conclusion that this approaching ceremonial had much to do with at least hastening its birth.
This cornerstone laying, one of the most important events of our local history, occurred September 18, 1793, and was under the exclusive control of the Fraternity, Joseph Clark, Worshipful Master of Lodge No. 12, at Annapolis, acting as Grand Master. Gen. George Washington, then President of the United States, joined in the ceremonies as a Mason, was honored with the chief place in the procession, and is believed to have taken the square and level in his hands and laid the stone according to the ancient Masonic rites. The following contemporary account of the event, published in the Columbian Mirror and Alexandria Gasette, September 23, 1793, gives us the viewpoint of the period, and is deemed of such historical interest as to warrant its reproduction in part :
GEORGE-TOWN, September 21, 1793.
On Wednesday one of the grandest Masonic processions took place for the purpose of laying the corner-stone of the Capitol of the United States, which perhaps ever was exhibited on the like important occasion. About 10 o'clock, Lodge No. 9 was visited by that congregation so graceful to the craft, Lodge No. 22 of Virginia, with all their Officers and Regalia; and directly afterwards appeared, on the Southern banks of the Grand River Potowmack, one of the finest companies of Volunteer Artillery that hath been lately seen, parading to receive the President of the United States, who shortly came in sight with his suite, to whom the Artillery paid their military honors; and his Excellency and suite crossed the Potowmack, and was received in Maryland by the officers and brethren of No. 22 Virginia, and No. 9 Maryland, whom the President headed, and preceded by a band of music; the rear brought up by the Alexandria Volunteer Artillery, with grand solemnity of march, proceeded to the President's square, in the city of Washington, where they were met and saluted by No. 15, of the city of Washington, in all their elegant badges and clothing, headed by brother Joseph Clark, Rt. W. G. M. P. T., and conducted to a large lodge prepared for the purpose of their reception. After a short space of time, by the vigilance of brother Clotworthy Stephenson, Grand Marshal P. T., the brotherhood and other bodies were disposed in a second order of procession, which took place amidst a brilliant crowd of spectators of both sexes, according to the following arrangement, viz :-
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The Surveying Department of the city of Washington. Mayor and Corporation of Georgetown. Virginia Artillery.
Commissioners of the city of Washington, and their attendants. Stone Cutters. Mechanics.
Two Sword Bearers.
Masons of the 1st degree.
Bibles, &c., on Grand Cushions.
Deacons with Staffs of Office. Masons of the 2d degree. Stewards with wands. Masons of the 3d degree.
Wardens with truncheons.
Secretaries with tools of Office.
Past Masters with their Regalia. Treasurers with their Jewels. Band of Music. Lodge No. 22, of Virginia, disposed in their own Order. Corn, Wine, and Oil.
Grand Master P. T. George Washington; W. M. No. 22, Virginia. Grand Sword Bearer.
The procession marched two abreast in the greatest solemn dignity, with music playing, drums beating, colors flying, and spectators rejoicing from the President's square to the Capitol in the city of Washington, where the Grand Marshal ordered a halt, and directed each file in the procession to incline two steps, one to the right, and one to the left, and faced each other, which formed an hollow oblong square, through which the Grand Sword Bearer led the van, followed by the Grand Master P. T. on the left, the President of the United States in the centre, and the Worshipful Master of No. 22 Virginia on the right; all the other orders that composed the prosession advanced in the reverse of their order of march from the President's square to the south-east corner of the Capitol, and the artillery filed off to a destined ground to display their manœuvres and discharge their cannon ; the President of the United States, the Grand Master P. T., and Worshipful Master of No. 22 taking their stand to the east of a hugh stone, and all the craft forming a circle westward, stood a short time in awful order.
The artillery discharged a volley.
The Grand Marshal delivered the Commissioners a large silver plate with an inscription thereon, which the Commissioners ordered to be read, and was as follows :-
This *south-east corner-stone of the Capitol of the United States of America, in the city of Washington, was laid on the 18th day of Septem- ber, 1793, in the thirteenth year of American Independence, in the first year of the second term of the Presidency of George Washington, whose
* The custom of laying in the north-east corner is of comparatively recent origin.
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virtues in the civil administration of his country have been so conspicuous and beneficial, as his military valor and prudence have been useful in establishing her liberties, and in the year of Masonry 5793, by the Presi- dent of the United States, in concert with the Grand Lodge of Maryland, several lodges under its jurisdiction, and Lodge No. 22 from Alexandria, Virginia.
THOMAS JOHNSON, r DAVID STUART, Commissioners.
DANIEL CARROLL,
JOSEPH CLARK, R. W. G. M., P. T. JAMES HOBAN,
STEPHEN HALLATE, S Architects. COLLIN WILLIAMSON, M. Mason.
The artillery discharged a volley.
The plate was then delivered to the President, who, attended by the Grand Master P. T. and three most Worshipful Masters, descended to the cavazion trench and deposed the plate, and laid it on the cornerstone of the Capitol of the United States of America, on which was deposited corn, wine, and oil, when the whole congregation joined in reverential prayer, which was succeeded by Masonic chaunting honors, and a volley from the artillery.
The President of the United States, and his attendant brethren, as- cended from the cavazion to the east of the corner-stone, and there the Grand Master P. T., elevated on a triple rostrum, delivered an oration fitting the occasion which was received with brotherly love and commen- dation.
[The oration is sufficiently quaint and interesting to justify the few extracts below] :
MY WORTHY BRETHREN : * *
* * *
I beg leave to declare to you that I have, and I expect that you also have, every hope that the grand work we have done today will be handed down, as well by record, as by oral tradition, to a late posterity-as the like work of that ever memorable temple to our order erected by our ancient G. M. Solomon. * * * *
I say that we further hope that the work may be remembered for many ages to come as a similar work hath from the commencement of time to this remarkable moment; I mean the work of laying the Corner Stone of our ancient, honourable and sublime order. * * * * *
And I hope that our super-excellent order may here [City of Wash- ington] be indefatigably laborious, not only to keep in good repair our Hallowed Dome; but be incessantly industrious to adorn it, with the Grand Theological Virtues Faith, Hope, and Charity, and embellish it with Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty. * * * * *
It must, my dear Brethren, be evident to all our understanding-that not alone nature, but Providence, hath marked their intentions in the most
DANIEL KURTZ,
GRAND MASTER, 1818-1819; GRAND HIGH PRIEST, 1820-1822.
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indelible manner to make this the seat for the Grand Mark, the super- excellent emporium of politics, commerce, industry and arts of the United States-Seated in the very centricity of our republic-on the banks of one of the noblest rivers in the universe-sufficiently capacious to erect thereon a city equal, if not superior, in magnitude to any in the world-It boasts, but then very truly-a climate the most serene and salubrious-equal of access from all the cardinal and intermedial points as any place that kind nature ever formed even beyond the conception of art-wanting no defence but what is in, and ever will be in, I trust, the intrepidity and bravery of its founder and citizens. * *
Although it is not the growth of, yet there is already planted in this garden or young nursery of the arts, and hath blossomed numerous flowers, that bloom with high lustre in their various departments, (not to mention its ever to be revered founder), but its finances, conductors, projectors, delineators and executive geniuses without number, and many of them not only brethren of our order, but brothers of super-excellent and sublime estimation.
At frequent intervals, during the delivery of the oration, volleys were discharged by the artillery. The ceremony ended in prayer, Masonic chaunting honors, and a fifteenth volley from the artillery.
The whole company retired to an extensive booth, where an ox of 500 lbs. weight was barbacued, of which the company generally partook, with every abundance of other recreation. The festival concluded with fifteen successive vollies from the artillery, whose military discipline and manœu- vres merit every commendation.
Before dark the whole company departed, with joyful hopes of the production of the labor.
The punctuation throughout is that of the original article and, in the last line but one of the section showing the Ma- sonic formation, has led to the palpably erroneous impression that President Washington was Grand Master P. T. on this occasion, altho a proper examination of the rest of the account plainly excludes the possibility of such an inference, and indicates that the sentence is intended to enumerate three persons : Joseph Clark, Grand Master P. T .; George Wash- ington, and the Master of Lodge No. 22, of Alexandria, Va. The conclusion thus reached does not, however, necessarily carry with it the assumption that the long-cherished tradition that Washington personally laid the cornerstone must be abandoned. Controversialists point to the fact that W. Bro. Washington was not the Grand Master P. T., and that while the account credits him with having " deposed" the silver plate
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it simply recites that corn, wine, and oil were deposited on the stone and is silent regarding the ceremony attendant there- on, and argue therefrom that the more important part must have been performed by the Grand Master P. T., and attempt to fortify their position by holding it to be inconceivable in Masonry that any one other than the Grand Master should, in his presence, officiate on such an occasion. But while there is no available record of the details of the affair except the above, there is sufficient evidence, both in the text of the in- scription referred to and in the body of the article, to estab- lish beyond question the fact that, by the high power in him vested, the Grand Master P. T. delegated to W. Bro. Wash- ington, for the time being, his rights and prerogatives, in large part, at least, and that to the distinguished first Presi- dent of the United States belongs the honor of " laying" the cornerstone of its Capitol building. Indeed this has substantial corroboration through Bro. John Mountz, Secretary at that time of Lodge No. 9, Georgetown, who was present, and who has left documentary testimony that he stood near the Presi- dent " when he laid the first cornerstone of the Captiol of the United States," and while this document is dated in 1854, when the Brother had reached the advanced age of 83 years, his contemporaries accredit him with unimpaired mental fac- ulties, and full credence must therefore be given to this prac- tically conclusive evidence.
The gavel used by Worshipful Brother Washington was upon the conclusion of the exercises handed to the Master of No. 9, of Georgetown, Valentine Reintzel, afterward the first Grand Master of the District of Columbia, and has been care- fully preserved by the successors of that lodge, being now in the possession of Potomac Lodge, No. 5, of this jurisdiction, and never allowed to leave the custody of a special committee. A list of the many notable occasions on which it has since been used will be found elsewhere in these pages. The trowel with which the cement was spread is still in the possession of Alexandria-Washington Lodge, No. 22, of Virginia, and is one of the most cherished relics of that historic lodge.
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CHAPTER III.
BETWEEN THE CENTURIES.
A JURISDICTION IN THE MAKING-FORMATION OF THE EARL- IEST 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.
"They hadn't any fine regalia; Their lodges were old and bare; But they knew the ancient landmarks, And they kept them to a hair." -KIPLING.
WHILE A DETAILED SKETCH of each local lodge, living or extinct, is made a part of the present work, yet inasmuch as the history of the earlier lodges constitutes the history of Freemasonry in the District for the period preceding the form- ation of the Grand Lodge, a brief outline of the more impor- tant events connected with these several bodies at that time must find place at this point, that the story may lack no es- sential element for the general reader, the more exacting student being referred for minutiæ to the sketches referred to.
In the Grand Lodge of Maryland, October 22, 1795, the following quaint petition was presented, and, being supported by Federal Lodge, No. 15, now grown to comparatively stal- wart proportions in the new city, a charter was issued under the title of Columbia Lodge, No. 19:
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The petition of the subscribers, members of the Society of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons, residents of Georgetown, Potomack River, Humbly Showeth :
That whereas the Lodge heretofore held in this town known and dis- tinguished as Lodge No. 9 has from the want of a proper attention in its members and a remissness in the execution of its by-laws by the proper officers and from sundry other causes sunk into disregard; that your peti- tioners a select few who have ever kept sight of the Ancient Landmarks, and reviewed with pain the decline and at length total annihilation of that Lodge and being deeply impressed with a sense of the duties incumbent on us as Masons, and conscious that every effort to revive a Lodge under the charter of No. 9 would prove fruitless, have agreed to petition the Grand Lodge to grant us a constitutional right to assemble, to have and enjoy all rights and privileges usually granted to Lodges, and to confirm our choice of Master and Wardens, with much sincerity we subscribe ourselves your affectionate Brothers.
ANTHONY REINTZEL.
GEORGE WAUGHAN.
JOHN SUTER, JR.
JOHN REINTZEL.
WM. CASEY. VALENTINE BOGANREIFF.
JAMES MELVIN.
CHARLES MINER.
J. THOMPSON. WM. CARY.
THOS. BEATTY, JR.
This lodge, while only in existence for several years, has left a few fragmentary records through which may be gained a glimpse of the Masonic usages and customs of that early day which cannot fail to be of absorbing interest to the Masonic reader, and the thoughtful student needs no word of warning in the perusing of these notes to avoid too hasty conclusions. In order to get the proper viewpoint we must breathe the atmosphere of the period, and, as conditions were so radically different then from now, we must accept as necessary and proper many incongruities and odd regulations almost unintelligible to the modern mind but which, doubt- less, were the offspring of the necessities of the times.
The accounts of this lodge were kept in pounds, shillings, and pence, Maryland currency, and the item of expense for re- freshments which were enjoyed at every meeting figured large in the total; yet this is easily understandable when we reflect that the opportunities for gathering socially were few and the brethren, many of them coming long distances, would nat- urally desire to embrace the opportunity to refresh the inner
WILLIAM HEWITT, GRAND MASTER, 1820-1821.
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man, and neither should we too harshly criticize the fact that liquids of various kinds frequently formed part of the cheer. Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis.
The single book of records covers from November 7, 1795, to December 12, 1796, and contains the by-laws, and, while the entire contents of the book might profitably be quoted, we have space for but a few extracts, and select those that exhibit the widest divergence from our latter day customs.
Sunday meetings were frequently held for work and routine business, and this habit, indeed a general one, was not broken entirely in the District until the nineteenth century was well advanced.
An entry under date of May 9, 1796, reads : " Whereas Bro. Bogimaff cannot procure leather aprons as required of him by a resolve of last meeting; Resolved, that Bro. Jas. Thompson procure six dimity aprons for the use of the visit- ing brethren."
A provision which will at once appeal to the modern Master provided that members of committees be subject to a fine of fifteen shillings for non-attendance on meetings, and unless satisfactory excuse be made to the lodge suspended or expelled.
Commendable stress was laid upon the observance of the proprieties in the lodge room, a regulation forbidding a member from leaving his seat on any pretense whatever " to walk about the room except it be an officer on his duty, nor shall any refreshment be taken in open lodge or any member leave the room for that purpose without leave from the chair."
From the by-laws we quote the following :
Art. I-The stated meetings of this lodge shall be on the second Monday of each month, to be opened precisely at half-past 6 o'clock in all the months of November, December, January, February, and March, and at half-past 7 o'clock in the months April to October.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary or his deputy to call over the names of the members, when every absentee shall pay as a fine for non- attendance at every stated meeting 3s. 9d. (Later raised to 7s. 6d.), and for the third neglect a summons shall be issued and unless due respect be paid thereto and satisfactory reasons be given for such non-attendance
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shall be expelled or suspended for a time as a majority of the members present may deem right.
Art. III-Members behaving in an indecent or disorderly manner shall be suspended for the night or fined in the discretion of the members present in a sum not exceeding two dollars.
Art. V .- No Mason shall be admitted as a visitor of this Lodge more than two nights in any one year without paying on stated nights the sum of three shillings and nine pence, neither shall any Mason resident of Geo. Town more than three months be permitted to visit without paying the sum of 7s. 6d.
Art. VII .- Every member shall pay into the hands of the Treasurer or his deputy the sum of 3s. 9d. on all stated nights-2s. 6d. for the necessary and incidental expenses of the lodge and 1s. 3d. for a charity fund to be paid three months in advance.
Art. VIII .- 6 pounds for initiation, 3 for fellowcraft and same for M. M.
Art. X .- [As to ballotting] * -X- The J. D. shall furnish every mem- ber present with a white and black ball and after depositing the ballott Box in some convenient part of the room each member shall ballott, and on two black balls being found such candidate stands rejected.
Art. XI .-* * * and in no one night shall more than 3 be passed to the degree of F. C. nor more than 2 to the sublime degree of M. M.
Art. XIII .- A committee of three to serve three months to furnish re- freshments under the direction of the lodge.
The last meeting of the lodge of which there is any record was held December 12, 1796, on which occasion the officers were elected for the ensuing year, an invitation accepted from Federal Lodge, No. 15, to join with them in procession on the next St. John's day, and a bill passed to pay for refreshments furnished at the last meeting, amounting to £1 3s. 93d., all tending to show that the lodge was then in a vigorous and healthy state, but at some time between that date and 1806 they suspended operations.
Throughout this period Federal Lodge continued in a fairly prosperous condition, and after the collapse of Columbia, No. 19, occupied the Masonic field alone in that part of the new territory constituting the present District of Columbia for the remainder of the century, not only being the exponent of symbolic Masonry, but supporting for a few years, according to the usage of the time, an appendant R. A. Encampment. The ruling spirit of the lodge during the latter years of the
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eighteenth century was Alex. McCormick, an indefatigable Masonic worker, to whose individual efforts the lodge was more than once saved from dissolution, and who afterward became the second Grand Master of the District.
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