USA > Michigan > Van Buren County > A history of Van Buren County, Michigan a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume I > Part 18
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62
51 So. Haven Lodge, A. O. U. W. Paw Paw lodge No. 37, A. O. U. W.
52 Lawrence Camp No. 3219, M. W. A. Paw Paw Camp No. 3103, M. W. A.
53 So. Haven tent, K. O. T. M. Paw Paw tent No 108, K. O. T. M. Lawton tent No. 307, K. O. T. M.
54 Glendale camp, R. N. A. Maple camp No. 36, R. N. A.
55 List of officers and number of members of the Free Will Baptist church of Van Buren County. List of officers and number of members of M. E. Church of Paw Paw. List of officers and number of members of M. E. Church of Mattawan. List of officers and number of members of M. E. Sunday school of Mat- tawan.
56 List of members of Lawton school board. Annual of Lawrence public schools, 1901-2. Teachers of Covert public schools, 1901-2. Announcement of Paw Paw public schools, 1901-2. List of teachers of Hamilton township.
57 Historical notes of Lawrence township. Vol. T -10
146
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
58 Program of Up-to-date Farmers club.
59 Program of Farmers Association.
60 Roster Lafayette Light Guard.
61 Corner stone poster program.
62 Officers of Van Buren County Pioneer Association.
63 Copy of Patrician August, 1901.
64 List of Corner stone celebration committees.
65 Copy of Michigan Manual for year 1901.
66 Copy proceedings Michigan Grand lodge I. O. O. F. for 1900.
67 Copy McClure's Magazine for Sept., 1901.
68 Copy Cosmopolitan for Sept., 1901.
69 List of Coins as follows:
Copper cent date 1847.
Ancient copper penny.
Three-cent piece date 1852.
One-cent piece date 1899.
Five-cent piece date 1901.
Ten-cent piece date 1900.
Twenty-five cent piece date 1898.
70 List of postage stamps as follows:
. 1 cent, 2 cent, 3 cent, 4 cent, 5 cent, 6 cent, 8 cent, 10 cent and 15 cent. Pan-American Postage stamps: 1 cent, 2 cent, 5 cent.
U. S. Revenue stamps, 1 cent, 2 cent, 5 cent.
71 Names of architect, contractors, and mechanics employed on new court house.
72 List of articles deposited in corner stone.
The craftsmen, under direction of the Grand Marshal brought forth the cement, a portion of which was spread upon the stone by the Grand Master and the "Public grand honors" were given by the grand officers.
Grand Master :- "Almighty and Eternal God, maker of all things, grant that whatsoever shall be builded upon this stone shall be builded to Thy honor and the glory of Thy name to which be praise forever more. Amen."
Grand Master :- "Worshipful Grand Architect, present your working tools. "
"Grand Marshal, you will present these working tools to the proper officers."
This being done the Grand Master addressed the grand officers as follows:
Grand Master :- "Deputy Grand Master, what is the proper implement of your office?"
Deputy Grand Master :- "The square."
Grand Master :- "What are its moral and Masonic uses?"
Deputy Grand Master :- "To square our actions by the square of virtue and prove our work."
Grand Master :- "Apply the square to that foundation stone and make report."
The deputy grand master received the square from the grand master, tried the stone and reported :
"Most Worshipful Grand Master, I find the stone to be square. The crafts- men have performed their duty.
Grand Master :- "Senior Grand Warden what is the proper implement of your office?"
Senior Grand Warden :- "The level."
Grand Master :- "What are its moral and Masonic uses?"
147
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
Senior Grand Warden :- "Morally it teaches equality and we use it to lay horizontals."
Grand Master :- "Apply the level to this foundation stone and make report."
Senior Grand Warden, received the level from the Grand Master, tried top of stone and reported :
"Most Worshipful Grand Master, I find this stone to be level. The craftsmen have performed their duty."
Grand Master :- "Junior Grand Warden, what is the proper implement of your office?"'
Junior Grand Warden :- "The plumb."
Grand Master :- "What are its moral and Masonic uses?"
Junior Grand Warden :- "Morally it teaches rectitude of conduct. We use . it to lay perpendiculars."
Grand Master :- "Apply the plumb to the several edges of this foundation stone and make report."
Junior Grand Warden received the plumb from the Grand Master, tried sides of stone and reported.
"I find the stone to be plumb. The craftsmen have performed their duty."
Grand Master :- "This stone has been tested by the proper implements of Masonry. I find that the craftsmen have faithfully and skillfully performed their duty, and I do declare the stone to be well formed square, level and plumb; and correctly laid according to the rules of our ancient order. Let the elements of consecration be now presented."
The Grand Marshal presented the vessel of corn to the Deputy Grand Mas- ter, the wine to the Senior Grand Warden and the oil to the Junior Grand Warden, each of whom advanced separately to the stone consecrating it as fol- lows :-
Deputy Grand Master :- "I scatter this corn as an emblem of plenty. May the blessings of bounteous Heaven be showered upon this and all like patriotic and benevolent undertakings and inspire the hearts of the people with virtue, wisdom and gratitude. Amen."
Senior Grand Warden :- "I pour this wine as an emblem of joy and glad- ness, may the Great Ruler of the Universe bless and prosper our national, state and city governments, preserve the union of the states and may it be a bond of friendship and brotherly love that shall endure through all time. Amen. "
Junior Grand Warden :- "I pour this oil as an emblem of peace. May its blessings abide with us continually and may the Grand Master of Heaven and Earth shelter and protect the widow and orphan, shield and defend them from the trials and vicissitudes of the world and so bestow His mercy upon the bereaved, the afflicted and the sorrowing that they may know sorrow and trouble no more. Amen."
Grand Master :- "May the All Bounteous Author of Nature benevolently bless the inhabitants of this place with the necessaries, comforts and con- veniences of life, assist in the erection and completion of this building, pro- tect the workmen against every accident; long preserve the structure from decay, and grant to all of us a bountiful supply of the corn of nourishment, the wine of refreshment and the oil of joy."
Response of the Brethren :- "So Mote it Be."
The Grand Master being in his place the Grand Marshal presented the architect as follows:
"Most Worshipful Grand Master, I now present to you the architect of this
.
148
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
building. He is ready with craftsmen for the work and asks the tools for his task. ''
The Grand Master then gave him the square, level, plumb, and plan of the building saying:
"Having as Grand Master of Masons, laid the corner stone of this struc- ture, I with pleasure return to you, your working tools and confide to your hands the plan of this building. Labor on, my brother, in this task and be blest in your work. May there be wisdom in the plans, strength in the execution and beauty in the adornment and when completed, may there be wis- dom within its walls to enlighten, strength to encourage and support its rulers and the beauty of holiness to adorn their work."
Grand Master :- "Men and Brethren here assembled, Be it known unto you that we be lawful Masons true and faithful to the laws of our country and engaged by solemn obligations to erect magnificent buildings to be ser- viceable to all men and to love God, the Great Creator of the Universe. We have among us certain secrets which cannot be divulged, but which are lawful and honorable and not repugnant to the laws of God or man. They were in- trusted in peace and harmony to our ancient brethren and having been faith- fully transmitted by them it is now our duty to convey them unimpared to the latest posterity. Unless our craft was good and our calling honorable, we should not have lasted for so many centuries, nor should we have been honored by the patronage of so many illustrious men in all ages who are ever ready to protect our interests and defend us against any adversary.
We are assembled to-day to lay the corner stone of a building, which we pray God, may deserve to prosper by becoming a place of concourse for good men and promoting peace and brotherly love throughout the world until time shall be no more. Amen."
"Worshipful Grand Marshal, make your proclamation."
Grand Marshal :- "In the name of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Michigan, I proclaim that this corner stone has this day been found to be square, level and plumb and has been laid in ample and ancient form by most worshipful Frank O. Gilbert, Grand Master of Masons according to the ancient custom of the ancient craft."
Hon. B. F. Heckert presented to the Grand Master on behalf of Paw Paw Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, a handsome silver trowel bearing the fol- lowing inscription :
"Presented to Frank O. Gilbert, Grand Master F. & A. M. at the laying of the corner stone September 2d, A. D. 1901, from Paw Paw Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star."
Mr. Heckert in making the presentation spoke as follows:
"Most Worshipful Grand Master, the pleasing duty of speaking for the Paw Paw Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, on this occasion has been as- signed to me.
"The time has come in the history of our ancient and honorable institu- tion, when the sisters of this order occupy no unimportant position. While they are not admitted to seats of our council chamber and are not invested with the unwritten work of the order, yet they are recognized by the several grand bodies of masons throughout our country as valuable auxiliaries.
"Their intelligence, sympathy and affection are fully enlisted in behalf of our fraternity and their earnest efforts have contributed no small part to the growth and present prosperous condition of the subordinate lodges throughout the masonic jurisdiction, over which you have the honor to preside.
"They appreciate in a large degree the objects and aims of our order, and
149
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
are proud of the distinction conferred upon them in being grafted as scions onto the trunk of the ancient tree of Masonry, whose spreading branches have extended and grown until they overhang the civilized world.
"As a slight token of this appreciation and to signify in a small degree the honor they feel by your presence here to-day they have delegated me to pre- sent to you this silver trowel, with the hope that from your commanding posi- tion in the order, you will use it in spreading liberally the cement of brotherly love. When you depart from this place you will bear with you not only the best wishes of the chapter of this order but of the whole community for the memorable services you have rendered here to-day, and the honor which you have conferred upon the people and this entire county. Accept this as a token of our appreciation of your presence here to-day and the valuable services you have rendered us."
The Grand Master replied as follows:
"My Dear Brother, I realize the honor conferred upon myself and my brother grand officers in being invited to participate in the ceremonies of lay- ing the corner stone of this court house and we deem it still more of an honor because it is in the home of our honored and respected Senior Grand Warden where we have all wanted to come.
"I accept this little token from the sisters of the Eastern Star. and, by the way, I might say I am a member of the Eastern Star-and will treasure it as long as anything that I have in my possession in a masonic line and I would simply delegate you, my brother, to pay my honest respects to the sisters of this chapter on my behalf, if you will be so kind."
The Grand Marshal introduced the Hon. Frank T. Lodge of Detroit, as orator of the day, who in an eloquent manner delivered a masterly address as follows:
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen :- The interesting ceremonies of this occasion have been important only as types and symbols. From a material standpoint, the stone we have just laid is no different from any other of the many stones which will become a part of this beautiful building. To the mate- rialist's eye, it will not be even so important as the keystone in the entrance which binds the whole arch into one beautiful. stable curve, upon which may be safely laid the great weight of the stately walls. But, to the finer. keener eye of the mind. this granite block is the chief stone of the building. It shapes and determines the character of the whole fabric, and the imposing structure will take its entire tone and significance from this, its "chief corner stone. "
It is, then most appropriate, when the time has come for this important part of the chief public building of this great county to be placed in its permanent position, that its laving should be marked with public ceremonials, that the citizens of this community should witness those ceremonies, that the finer, spiritual things for which this corner stone stands should be publicly mentioned, that souvenirs indicative of the character of this age and historical memorials of this occasion should be deposited in this secure hiding place, to be transmitted to future generations, and that the lessons of this occasion should be recounted for our entertainment and instruction. For these reasons those who have charge of ceremonies have endeavored to secure the attendance of as large a number of the citizens of this county as possible; and it is a fortunate coincidence that they invited to lay the corner stone of this temple, wherein justice is to be impartially administered to rich and poor alike, the great Fraternity of equality. which is the oldest institution of organized labor in the world, that those representing the first class of laborers, the tillers of the soil. should be present in such large numbers, and that these cere-
150
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
monies should be celebrated on the day which has been set apart by law as a legal holiday, devoted to the interests of the great hosts of labor in this com- monwealth.
The building whose corner stone we lay to day will be one of the choicest products of the skill of the operative workman. The public spirit of this flourishing county will demand of the builders their choicest handiwork. Here will be found the cunning tracery of the artist. The finest stones of the quarry, the polished woods of the forest, the choice products of the loom, will be wrought by skillful hands, into its fabric, that it may be worthy of the wealth and munificence of the community which it represents. It is fitting, then that its chief corner stone should be laid with appropriate ceremonies by the great Fraternity, which was framed, reared and dedicated by its founders to the great work of building.
The first Masons were operative workmen-builders, manual users of the Plumb, Square and Level. In the dim, traditional past, the world's greatest and most imposing architectural piles were built by our ancient brethren. One of our first known Grand Masters, Sir Christopher Wren, was the father of English architecture, and in the stone cutter's sheds around the splendid monument to his memory-St. Paul's Cathedral in London-the operative workmen formed the first of the modern Masonic lodges.
Since then the progress of our art has developed as from operative unto speculative Masons. From toiling workmen, handling the actual tools of the Mason's craft, we have become laborers in a spiritual field, using the work- men's tools as symbols of moral truths. The buildings we now erect are human characters; the temples we now build are the temples of the soul. The plans we draw, the specifications we construct, are to be good men and true, in the State to be quiet and peaceful subjects, true to our government and just to our country; not countenancing disloyalty nor rebellion, but patiently submit- ting to legal authority, and conforming with cheerfulness to the government of the country in which we live. Our tenets are obedience to God, fairness and loyalty to our brothers, and just care for our bodies and souls. It is these things that make good citizens, and wherever men have banded themselves to- gether for the accomplishment of these lofty aims, the moral tone of that com- munity has received sensible uplift.
The modern representatives of this ancient association of laborers across the great gulf which separates the venerable past from the youthful, vigorous present, join hands in fraternal greeting with the hosts of operative laborers on this, labor's festal day, and ask that together we con the lessons of this occasion.
What do these ceremonies mean? for what does this corner stone stand? What will be the future of the building which we have launched to-day?
To no one else is the even handed, impartial, unbiased, inexpensive and equitable administration of the law so important as to the workingman, the members of the great middle classes. His sole capital and stock in trade is his hands and his brains. He has absolutely no time to cultivate friendship among judges, jurymen and other court officers. His duties are onerous and exacting; they keep him at work in the factory, the foundry and the workshop during business hours; the nature of his occupation is such as to engross his entire attention and prevent him from learning the arts by which the ver- dicts of juries are manipulated and the opinions of judges biased. When the misfortunes of life force him into court, his cases are relatively insignificant in amount compared with the vastly larger sum over which the business men and the capitalist litigate. But to him these small amounts are even more im-
151
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
portant than the larger sums of the capitalist, for they represent all that he has in the world. His cases are about exemptions of household goods from execution, the protection from garnishment of his small weekly earnings, the loss of which means starvation to himself and family; or the settlement of a dispute between himself and his landlord as to the tenure upon which he holds the house he calls his home. And the saying is a true one, that the working- man's lawsuit is located very close to the fibers of his heart.
His scanty earnings will not permit him to employ the skillful and high- priced leaders of the bar to defend his interests in court; and unless the judge upon the bench is clear-sighted, broadminded and impartial, unless the jurymen in the box are absolutely honest, fearless and unbiased, the justice which the workingman invokes when he goes into court, is but a mockery, the bitter Dead Sea fruit, the unsubstantial apples of Sodom which turn to ashes in his grasp. No one, then, is more deeply interested in making and keeping the administration of justice absolutely honest and impartial than is the working- man, the poor man, the farmer, the member of the great middle classes. Now, the theory of the law is absolutely perfect, and that theory deserves the high- est encomiums which the greatest thinkers and scholars of every age have paid it. Some of the choicest gems of ancient classic literature are the beautiful diction in which the sages of the past have eulogized the perfection of munici- pal law.
But we live in a practical age. We care nothing for fine spun, elegant theories, unless the practical reality corresponds with them, and we ask our- selves, "Does to-day's practical administration of the law deserve the high praise which has been paid it in the past?" And to this question every prac- ticing lawyer, no matter how optimistic, must answer with an unqualified negative. In every court room in this land, it frequently happens that men either forget their solemn oath to testify to the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth or else intentionally violate that oath. How many wit- nesses lose sight of every one of the three parts of the oath, and wilfully re- fuse to tell either the truth, the whole truth or nothing but the truth. How many even conscientious witnesses, on cross examination, bear in mind only the first injunction of the oath, to tell the truth, but do not tell the whole truth, unless a skillful cross-examiner, armed with a perfect knowledge of every de- tail of the transaction, forces the whole truth from their unwilling lips. How many witnesses, while telling the truth, evade the last part of the oath, to tell nothing but the truth, and so shade and color the truth to suit the purpose of their side of the case as to totally distort and pervert their entire testimony.
There was a time when judges of the courts delighted to call to their aid expert witnesses to help them in the great task of establishing the exact truth in matters which were in controversy before them, but to-day the courts of last resort have taken judicial notice of the fact that the expert witness is too often nothing more nor less than the paid attorney for the side on which he is called; that he too often expresses not facts and opinions, but argu- ments under oath, suppressing those facts and opinions that are unfavorable and exaggerating those that are favorable to his side; that his entire testimony is too often not a lucid exposition and explanation of complicated, scientific facts, but a cunning, sophistical perversion of the truth regarding those facts.
Then, again, the defects of our present jury system have become a crying evil, which is deplored by every class of citizens. Theoretically, the jury sys- tem is well nigh perfect. It recognizes that judges on the bench, whose sole occupation it is to hear cases, and who are withdrawn from the every day walk of life, are very apt to fall into a rut, to have incomplete knowledge of
.
152
HISTORY OF VAN BUREN COUNTY
practical affairs, to have warped and distorted ideas where the practical man of affairs would have more just views. For this reason the jury system takes men for short periods from different walks of life, and asks them to bring to the decision of the matters in controversy before them their practical knowl- edge of similar affairs. These jurymen bring to the discharge of their duty the ardor and freshness of men who are dealing with new experiences, and are then dismissed before the monotony of constant reiteration has palled upon them and dulled their keen perception of the little things which go so far toward indicating the truth or falsity of testimony. It requires that they must be kept free from any acquaintance with the parties, their attorneys, or the facts in dispute, which would in any way bias their verdict, and theoretically, no better system could be devised for administering justice impartially, in the decision of questions of fact, than the jury system.
Yet, today, this splendid system theoretically, as it is practically carried out, is a shame and a scoff to those who know it best. Ignorant men are frequently, more frequently in large cities than in an intelligent community like this-but nevertheless drawn upon our juries, who while they may have political influence with their ignorant fellows which makes the placing of them upon the jury panel a shrewd political move, yet they are unable to fairly understand either the testimony of the witnesses, or the arguments of the lawyers, much less making a righteous decision of the case.
Again, too many jurors are easily susceptible to artful appeals to passion or prejudice, and many a shrewd lawyer has won his case by throwing aside argument, losing sight of facts, disregarding reason, and simply inflaming the passions and prejudices of the jurors, while the jurors forgetting that they were impartially to decide the cases submitted to them upon the law and the evidence, have rendered grossly unjust verdicts.
Again, in our large cities, many a juror has added to the faults of ignor- ance and prejudice the absolute crime of dishonesty. In some of our larger cities, it soon becomes known to the lawyers who have many cases at the bar that certain jurors are for sale, and that their verdicts may be secured for a consideration. Certain classes of corporations which have much business in the courts have, naturally enough, made it their business to learn the charac- teristics of every man who has been drawn as a juryman, and those who are interested notice that the cases against those corporations which are tried at the first of the term are decided partly for and partly against those corpora- tions, as one would naturally expect in such cases, while it has become pro- verbial that towards the last of each term, after the agents of these parties have had opportunities to become acquainted with the jurymen, these same corporations win every case that is submitted to certain jurors and soon after the term of court ends certain of the members of these same juries receive lucrative situations from those same corporations.
I may go one step further and say that, in a few cases, judges are elected to the bench who forget that their duty is to stand out fearlessly against pub- lic opinion when the public opinion is at variance with the principles of law and equity, and whose decisions of certain cases are biased by the effect which those decisions will have upon their political future ..
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.