USA > Indiana > A history of freemasonry in Indiana from 1806 to 1898 > Part 32
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1
DEPUTY GRAND MASTERS.
THE following is a brief sketch of those who have served as Deputy Grand Masters who failed, through sick- ness, death, removal from the jurisdiction, and other causes, to reach the position of Grand Master. All were more or less distinguished as men and as Masons, and many left the impress of their zeal and ability on the records of the Grand Lodge to a greater extent than many who reached the high- est round on the Masonic ladder of fame. The following is the list, with date of service:
Davis Floyd, Corydon, 1818.
Thomas Douglass, Madison, 1823.
General W. Johnson, Vincennes, 1828-9.
Zera T. Percival, Lawrenceburg, 1835. Shepherd Whitman, New Albany, 1836. Austin W. Morris, Indianapolis, 1837. Rowley Scott, Brownstown, 1838. Caleb Schmidlap, Madison, 1846. George W. Whitman, Cambridge, 1848-9.
Elijah Newland, New Albany, 1853-4. Colley A. Foster, Evansville, 1855. Frank Emerson, Brownstown, 1857-8. Mahlon D. Manson, Crawfordsville, 1859-60.
William J. Millard, Millersville, 1865-6.
George W. Porter, New Albany, 1868-9-70.
Isaac M. Stackhouse, Rensselaer, 1872. Cyrus Nutt, Bloomington, 1873.
DAVIS FLOYD, who was secretary of the Masonic conven- tion which met at Corydon December 3, 1817, for the pur- pose of taking the preliminary steps looking to the forma- tion of the Grand Lodge of Indiana, was a man of more than ordinary prominence in the early history of the State. He was a member of the first General Assembly or Legisla-
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ture of the Indiana Territory, which met at Vincennes July 29, 1805, in pursuance of a proclamation which was issued by General Harrison June 7th of that year. He was also elected from the county of Harrison as a member of the convention to form a State Constitution which con- vened at Corydon in June, 1816, and was appointed chair- man of the committee relative to the change of government and preserving the existing laws until repealed by the State Legislature, and providing for appeals from the Territorial courts to the State courts. At the first election after the State Constitution had been adopted, which was held in the several counties of the State on the first Monday in August, 1816, he was elected Representative from the county of Harrison.
In 1807 the slavery question became one of the leading issues in the prospective formation of the Territory into the Union as a State. The anti-slavery people became thor- oughly aroused, and determined to make a vigorous resist- ance in Congress. In Clark county (see Dunn's "Indiana," page 358) a mass meeting was called for October 10th at Springville, then the county-seat, to take action in regard to the matter. There was a large attendance and a general harmony of sentiment. John Beggs was elected chairman and Davis Floyd secretary. The memorial and resolutions adopted promulgated for the first time the doctrine of "squatter sovereignty," made famous by Stephen A. Doug- las in the Kansas and Nebraska territorial imbroglio. They resolved against slavery, and asked Congress to sus- pend any legislative act on that subject "until," they said, "we shall, by the Constitution, be admitted into the Union, and have a right to adopt such a Constitution, in this re- spect, as may comport with the wishes of a majority of the citizens. The toleration of slavery is either right or wrong, and if Congress should think, with us, that it is wrong, that it is inconsistent with the principles upon which the future Constitution is to be formed, your memorialists will rest satisfied that at least this subject will not be by them taken up until the constitutional number of the citizens of this Territory shall assume that right."
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About this time Aaron Burr was engaged in an attempt to organize an expedition in the Ohio valley and southern Indiana to be employed in some secret enterprise. Burr visited Jeffersonville, Vincennes and other places in the Territory, and induced a few of the inhabitants to enroll their names on the list of his followers, among whom, as will hereafter appear, was Davis Floyd. The nature and extent of the designs of Burr have never been learned, but it was thought it embraced an invasion of Mexican terri- tory and ultimately the founding of an independent repub- lic composed of States lying west of the Alleghany moun- tains. The expedition came to a sudden close by the arrest of Burr in Mississippi by authority of a proclamation of the President. At the last session of the Legislature prior to the meeting above referred to, Davis Floyd had been elect- ed clerk of the House, notwithstanding he was then under indictment for treason for complicity in the Burr expedi- tion, and had just been convicted of misdemeanor for his action in the same matter. A meeting was held about that time at Kaskaskia, in the Illinois country, at which reso- lutions were adopted disapproving of Floyd's election as clerk of the House, declaring that the members of that county were not present when he was elected. The matter culminated in July 1808, by the Governor of the Territory revoking Floyd's commissions as major of the Clark county militia and pilot of the Falls of the Ohio. About this time he was convicted of implication in Aaron Burr's conspiracy, for which, however, he received a sentence of only three hours' imprisonment.
His Masonic was not less conspicuous than his civil ca- reer. He was a member of Pisgah Lodge at Corydon, then working under a charter from the Grand Lodge of Ken- tucky. He represented that lodge in the convention of the lodges of the State that assembled at Corydon December 3. 1817, to formulate a plan for the organization of the Grand Lodge of Indiana. He was unanimously chosen secretary of the convention, and also chosen a member of the con- mittee to inform the Grand Lodges of Kentucky and Ohio of the action of the convention. He cast the vote of his
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lodge against the proposition to form the Grand Lodge, and also against the proposition to send delegates to an ad- journed meeting of the convention to be held at Madison, January 12, 1818. He was not present at that meeting, but was in attendance at the first annual meeting in Septem- ber of that year, and acted as Junior Grand Warden pro tem., and was appointed chairman of the Committee on Grievances. When the election of officers took place on the day following he was elected and installed Deputy Grand Master. He also offered the following resolution, which was adopted, and he was appointed chairman of the committee provided for in the resolution:
"Resolved, That a committee of two brothers be appointed to communicate with Brother G. W. Johnson, through the lodge at Vincennes, respecting his views in a late proposi- tion to publish to the world a treatise on the mysteries of Masonry, and make report to this Grand Lodge at their next annual communication."
In 1820 the committee, which had been revised and en- larged (Brother Floyd not being present), reported "That your committee have investigated the documents referred to them, entitled 'The Secrets of Masonry,' with that atten- tion which their time and the importance of the subject merited. They find the intended publication of Brother General W. Johnson to be nothing more than a collection of Masonic orations, with the exception of a little more than a preface by the author." It was thereupon
"Resolved, That the proposed work by Brother General W. Johnson, containing nothing improper for publication, be returned to the author."
Diligent inquiry has failed to elicit any information as to whether the work was published or not. No copies of it are extant.
On the last day of the session of 1819 Brother Floyd of- fered the following resolution, which was adopted:
"Resolved, by this Grand Lodge, That any kind of gam- bling or betting is considered unmasonic, and the Grand Lecturer be requested to give the same in charge to the subordinate lodges, that such as are guilty of it be subject to
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admonition, suspension, and, if no marks of reformation, ex- pulsion."
This was in force for many years, and is yet practically in force, as provided in Section 83 of our present regulations, which reads as follows:
"Whatever is a breach of good morals, contrary to the precepts of the Holy Scriptures, or a violation of the laws of this State, or of the United States, is an offense against the principles of Masonry, and must be promptly dealt with."
From the best information obtainable, he left Indiana in the twenties and went to some of the Southern States, where he resided the remainder of his days.
THOMAS DOUGLASS, of Madison, was the representative of Union Lodge No. 2 in the Grand Lodge at the first ses- sion after the organization, held at Charlestown, September 14, 1818, and was elected Junior Grand Warden. At that session he was one of the active members, and indicated by his action that he had a clear conception of the legislation needed by the Grand Lodge. On his motion it was "re- solved that it is improper for the subordinate lodges to publish the suspension or expulsion of any member, unless by order of this Grand Lodge," also "that the subordinate lodges ought to take cognizance of the conduct of sojourn- ing Masons, and to hear and investigate all charges which may be made against such brethren, after citing them to appear and answer thereto." He also introduced an amend- ment to the Constitution providing that "no member of this Grand Lodge shall be elected to the office of Grand or Dep- uty Grand Master who has not, previous to such election, taken the degree of Past Master." Later the proposed reg- ulation was adopted. It provides that "no brother shall be eligible to the office of Grand Master, Deputy Grand Mas- ter or Grand Warden who has not been duly elected and in- stalled and presided over a subordinate lodge." It is fur- ther provided that "nor shall a brother elected to the office of Worshipful Master be installed until he shall have re- ceived the official degree of Past Master." At the session of the Grand Lodge in 1819 he was elected Assistant Grand
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Lecturer, a position which seems to have been created espe- cially for him, as it was not continued after his year of service. At the same session he was appointed one of the stewards of the Grand Charity Fund. At the session of 1823, in the absence of the Grand Master, he presided as Past Junior Grand Warden, and at the election was chosen Deputy Grand Master, and was also appointed Grand Vis- itor for the Third District. In 1824 he opened the session and presided until Governor Jennings, who had been elect- ed Grand Master at the previous session, was installed. At this session, on his motion the Constitution was amended so as to provide for the appointment of Standing Committees on Charters and Dispensations, Unfinished Business, and Foreign Communications. At the session of 1825 he was present as the representative of Union Lodge No. 2, and was chairman of the Committee on Unfinished Business, at that time a very important committee.
The following letter from Grand Master Jennings was read :
" To the M. W. Grand Lodge of the State of Indiana :
"Being unable to attend at the hour to which the Grand Lodge stands adjourned this evening, I have deputed, and do hereby depute, Brother Thomas Douglass to install the Grand Officers-elect for the ensuing twelve months.
"Fraternally yours, "JONATHAN JENNINGS,
"October 4, 1825." "Grand Master."
This was his last appearance in the Grand Lodge. About that time he went to Florida, where shortly afterwards he died.
GENERAL W. JOHNSON, of Vincennes, Deputy Grand Mas- ter 1828 and 1829. For a full sketch of this distinguished citizen and Freemason, see under head of Vincennes Lodge No. 1.
ZERA T. PERCIVAL, of Lawrenceburg, made his first ap- pearance in the Grand Lodge in 1827, and was elected Junior Grand Deacon. He was elected Grand Pursuivant in 1828, and Senior Grand Deacon in 1829. He did not appear again until 1833, when he was elected Senior Grand
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Warden. He dropped out in 1834, and was elected Deputy Grand Master in 1835, and Grand Treasurer in 1836, serv- ing only one term. In 1837 a resolution was adopted by the Grand Lodge inquiring why Brother Percival, last Grand Treasurer, had not appeared at that communication, and requiring him to appear at the next annual communi- cation and show why he had neglected to comply with the rules of the Grand Lodge, and, upon failure to do so, that he would be proceeded against "according to the inviolable rules of this Fraternity."
At the next session Brother Percival reported that he was taken sick on his way to the meeting of the Grand Lodge, and was unable to send the papers in time for the use of the Grand Lodge, and that no funds or books ever came into his hands as Grand Treasurer. Thereupon the following was adopted:
"Resolved, That the report of Bro. Zera T. Percival, late Grand Treasurer, is deemed entirely satisfactory. If any censure is thought to be attached to him in the resolution adopted by the Grand Lodge at its last annual communica- tion, this Grand Lodge deems it unmerited when the cir- cumstances are explained, as they are by his report."
About 1846 Brother Percival was expelled from his lodge, and in 1847 appealed to the Grand Lodge to reinstate him. The Grand Lodge declined, on the ground that the authority to reinstate rested in the lodge that expelled him, and referred the application back to Lawrenceburg Lodge for action. In the meantime the lodge had ceased to exist, and another lodge formed, taking the same number. In 1850 the matter was again before the Grand Lodge, when the Committee on Grievances made the following report:
"Your committee learn that said Zera T. Percival was expelled for intemperance, and that the old lodge at Law- renceburg which expelled him has ceased to exist as a lodge. They are also assured that said Percival has reformed in his habits. But they are not well enough satisfied thereof to recommend his restoration by the Grand Lodge. They ad- vise the adoption of the following resolution :
"Resolved, That Lawrenceburg Lodge No. 4 be authorized
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if they unanimously agree so to do, to admit said Percival to membership therein, in which event he shall be consid- ered restored to all the rights and privileges of Masonry."
SHEPHERD WHITMAN, of New Albany, was born at North Hampton, Mass., February 6, 1799. He graduated at Har- vard College in 1820, studied medicine, and located in New Albany in 1823-4. He was married, but had no children. He was a member of the Methodist Church. In politics he was a Whig, and held the office of Mayor of New Albany three years, 1840 to 1843. He was made a Mason.in New Albany in 1825, and served as Master and other official positions in his lodge. He died May 26, 1860, and was buried with Masonic honors. He was a bright, intelligent gentleman of the old school, a zealous Mason and a good man.
AUSTIN W. MORRIS, Indianapolis. (See sketch under head of Grand Secretaries.)
RAWLEY SCOTT, of Brownstown, was Deputy Grand Mas- ter in 1838. He was born in old Virginia, date and place not known. He was a Democrat in politics, and served as auditor of Jackson county, and postmaster of Brownstown from 1853 to 1857. He was a Mason in good standing at the time of his death, which occurred in Brownstown in 1858.
CALEB SCHMIDLAP was born in the city of Klayburn, Kingdom of Wurtemberg, Germany, October 28, 1798. He came with his father to this country in 1817 and settled on a farm near Cincinnati. He removed to Madison in 1830, and established himself in the bakery business, which he continued until 1842. He died at his home in Madison, March 30, 1876. He had for many years prior to his death been an ardent, active and devoted Christian, and was con- sidered one of the pillars of the Wesleyan Church, to which he belonged. Ile was initiated into Masonry in Nova C'eserca Harmony Lodge No. 2 at Cincinnati, May 4, 1825, and had been a faithful member of the Order for half a century, and prized it as the best of all human institutions. Ile was also a member of the Chapter, Council and Com-
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mandery, and of the Order of High Priesthood. He was for many years a regular attendant on the meetings of the Grand Lodge, and was elected and served in the following Grand Offices: 1838, Senior Grand Deacon; 1844, Junior Grand Warden; 1845, Senior Grand Warden; 1846, Dep- uty Grand Master; 1855, Grand Marshal.
His remains were interred in Madison Cemetery with Masonic honors. He was one of the landmarks of Masonry in Indiana-a kind-hearted, benevolent, Christian gentle- man, an honored and respected citizen, an active, zealous and upright Mason.
GEORGE W. WHITMAN, of Cambridge City, was Deputy Grand Master in 1848 and 1849. He was a native of Vir- ginia, and a carpenter by trade. He was a member of the Christian Church, and in politics was originally a Whig. In 1849 he went to California, and was subsequently elect- ed to the office of Comptroller of the State of California on the Democratic ticket. His removal to California was the reason, probably, why he was not elected to the office of Grand Master.
ELIJAH NEWLAND, of New Albany, was born in Burke county, North Carolina, June 20, 1807. In 1825, with his father's family, he settled in Salem, Ind., where he re- ceived his education and commenced the study of medicine with his brother. In 1829-30 he attended medical lectures at Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky., graduating in 1830. He then entered upon the practice of medicine at Salem, and became one of the most noted physicians and skillful surgeons in southern Indiana.
He was made a Master Mason in Salem Lodge, probably about 1841, and was for several years thereafter Worship- ful Master. His first appearance in the Grand Lodge was in 1849, and was a regular attendant at all its meetings un- til 1855. He was elected Senior Grand Warden in 1852, Deputy Grand Master in 1853, and was re-elected in 1854. He was also Trustee of the Grand Lodge Hall property for a number of years, and prepared the report on foreign cor- respondence in 1852.
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Early in life he became an active Democratic politician, was a presidential elector on the Polk and Dallas ticket in 1844, and was elected Treasurer of State in 1852. He re- moved from Salem to New Albany in 1857, and was four years cashier of the bank at that place. In 1866 he was elected to the Legislature from Floyd county, and served his term with marked ability. He died at his home in New Albany December 16, 1894, and was buried by New Al- bany Commandery Knights Templar.
COLLEY A. FOSTER, of Evansville, was born on the ocean, his parents then being on their way to the West Indies to look after their estate. His parents died while he was quite young, and he was left to fight the battle of life alone. He was educated at Oxford, and later went to Canada and studied law with an uncle who was a lawyer in the employ of the British government. The practice of law was not to his taste, and he soon abandoned it and entered the ministry of the Episcopal Church. His first appearance in the Grand Lodge was at the session of 1848, when he was made chairman of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence. At the session of 1849 he made an excellent report, cover- ing ten printed pages of the proceedings, and was continued as chairman for another year. He was also elected Grand Chaplain, and, following the installation of the Grand Offi- cers, delivered an interesting address, which is published as an appendix to the proceedings of that session. At the ses- sion of 1850 he submitted another well-prepared report on correspondence. He was present in 1851 as the representa- tive of Evansville Lodge No. 64, but seems to have taken no part in the proceedings. In 1852 he was chairman of the Committee on Charters, and a member of the select Committee on Temperance. Among other things, the com- mittee said: "While we disavow the principle that it is necessary to pledge a man to total abstinence in order to gain admission to the Fraternity, vet we hold that no man should be made a Mason who is not practically an observer of this virtue, and we conceive that the prosperity of our beloved Institution mainly depends on a strict adherence
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to the moral code, and perhaps no single item of the teach- ing of Masonry is more important than that of temperance." In 1855 he was elected Deputy Grand Master, but was not present at the next session, and therefore was not elected Grand Master. About that time, probably, he left Evans- ville and settled in Sedalia, Mo., where he died at the age of eighty-nine.
FRANK EMERSON, of Brownstown, was Deputy Grand Master in 1857 and 1858. He was born at Haverhill, Grafton county, New Hampshire, February 28, 1815, and died at Brownstown, Ind., January 26, 1894. In politics he was a Democrat, and was elected and served as treasurer of Jackson county two terms, 1856 to 1860. He was also judge of the Circuit Court. During the war he was colonel of the 67th Regiment Indiana Volunteers. He remained true to the Fraternity, and was a Mason in good standing at the time of his death.
MAHLON D. MANSON, of Crawfordsville, was a life-long, devout Mason, and had been elected and served as Junior and Senior Grand Warden and Deputy Grand Master, and would have been elected Grand Master had he not enlisted in the Union army during the Rebellion and been fighting the battles of his country at the time the election occurred when promotion to that position was due him. He was a gallant soldier in the Mexican war as well as in the late war. In civil life he had served as a member of the Legislature, as Auditor of State, as Lieutenant-Governor, and Collector of Internal Revenue. He died suddenly February 4, 1895. This brief reference is made here to refer the reader for full particulars in relation to this distinguished man and Mason to an eulogium covering nine pages of the printed proceedings of the Grand Lodge for 1895, pages 121-9.
As a private citizen and Mason he was loved and respect- ed by all who knew him; as the hero of two wars he dis- tinguished himself as a loyal, brave and gallant soldier, and as an honest, upright, competent and obliging public offi- cial he left a record in every way commendable.
WILLIAM J. MILLARD was twice elected Deputy Grand
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Master and served during the years 1865 and 1866. He was a resident of Millersville, and took an active part in the introduction and dissemination of the Webb work as approved by the Grand Lodge in the early sixties. In 1867 he removed to Iowa, where, if living, he still resides.
GEORGE W. PORTER served as Deputy Grand Master in 1868, 1869 and 1870. Ile was a resident of New Albany, and was a lawyer, loan and insurance agent. He was a good business man and devotedly attached to Masonry. In the seventies he removed to New York State, and has not since been a resident of Indiana.
ISAAC M. STACKHOUSE is a native of Ohio, having been born at Eaton, Preble county, December 15, 1831. With his parents he came to Indiana in an early day, where he re- ceived his education and grew to manhood. He became a resident of Rensselaer, Jasper county, and received the de- grees of Masonry in the lodge at that place in the early part of 1832. In 1861 he was elected Worshipful Master, and continued to be re-elected at each succeeding election for many years afterwards. In the Grand Lodge he took a prominent and active part, serving with distinction as chair- man of the Committees on Dispensations, Grievances, and Jurisprudence, and in 1869 was a member of the committee to revise the rules and regulations. . This revision was the most important that had been made up to that time, and to his care, skill and ability is due much of the excellence of that new code of rules. In 1868 he was appointed Grand Lecturer, reappointed in 1869, and at that time there was no better ritualist or one who had a more thorough concep- tion of the teachings and symbolisms of Masonry than Isaac M. Stackhouse. In 1871 he was elected from the floor to the office of Senior Grand Warden, and in 1872 was ad- vanced to Deputy Grand Master. In 1873 electioneering for office in the Grand Lodge was indulged in to an extent that came near being serious. It proved so in Brother Stack- house's case. Some of the misguided friends of Brother Cyrus Nutt, of Bloomington, formed a combination to elect, him Deputy Grand Master over Brother Stackhouse, and
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succeeded. On the third ballot it was found that Brother L. A. Foote, Senior Grand Warden, had received a major- ity of the votes for Deputy Grand Master, whereupon Brother Henry B. Martin, of Cloverdale Lodge, called the attention of the Grand Master to the fact that Brother Foote was ineligible to the office under Article VI of the Constitution, never having been elected, installed and pre- sided over a subordinate lodge. The Grand Master ruled that the point was well taken, the fact being admitted by Brother Foote. Brother General Manson, who resided in the same city with Brother Foote, arose and said: "At the coming election we will elect Brother Foote Master of his lodge, and we will come up here next year and elect him Grand Master," and they did, and he was elected Grand Master in 1874. The ballot was then again passed for Deputy Grand Master, and Brother Cyrus Nutt was de- clared duly elected over Brother Stackhouse. The next year Brother Nutt was dropped, and died in August follow- ing. Brother Stackhouse continued active in the Grand Lodge for several years afterwards, but, owing to ill health, change of location and occupation, finally ceased to at- tend.
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