History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 37

Author: Durant, Samuel W. cn
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : D.W. Ensign & Co.
Number of Pages: 772

USA > Michigan > Eaton County > History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan > Part 37
USA > Michigan > Ingham County > History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan > Part 37

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).

Edgar Walker was the first to receive the second degree, Feb. 1, 1854, and one week later he was raised to the degree of a Master Mason.

The first regular election of officers, as shown by the records, took place on Dec. 27, 1854, and resulted as fol- lows : George W. Peck, W. M .; Hulbert B. Shank, S. W. ; William II. Pinckney, J. W .; Waterman Ward, Sec .; F. Mortimer Cowles, Treas .; E. E. Beebe, S. D. ; Abram Cottrell, J. D .; Daniel L. Case and Harvey L. Baker, Stewards ; Edgar Walker, Tiler.

The same evening the officers were installed by the Mas- ter elect, who was at that time Grand Master of the Grand Lodge. This lodge has maintained a steady growth and prosperous career through its existence, and is a good work- ing lodge. Its present membership is 126. The following is a list of its Masters from its organization to the present, and the years in which they served : George W. Peck, 1853-55; William HI. Pinckney, 1856; Hulbert B. Shank, 1857 ; E. E. Beebe, 1858-59; William 11. Pinck- ney, 1860-61; E. E. Becbe, 1862-63; J. W. Barker, 1864-66; William 11. Pinckney, 1867; Alexander Blair,

1868-74; Allison A. Nichols, 1875-78; and Andrew Jackson, 1879-80.

Covenant Lodge, No. 261 .- In the early part of the year 1869 the brethren in North Lansing petitioned Grand Master A. T. Metcalf to grant them a dispensation to or- ganize a lodge in that part of the city, to be known as Covenant Lodge, which he did, and on the 10th of March of that year the first communication was held in the third story of Amos Turner's brick store, on the south side of Franklin Street, now occupied by S. Edson, when an or- ganization was effected with the following officers : Rudolph Kern, W. M .; Alfred Bixby, S. W .; Oliver Marshall, J. W .; Myron B. Carpenter, S. D .; James W. Tillotson, J. D .; A. B. Watkins, Treas. ; E. Hudson, See. ; Willis Shaw, Tiler. The first three were named in the dispensation. The first petition for the degrees was from Christian Zeigler, March 22, 1869, on whom the first work was done; initi- ated May 10th, and raised to a Master Mason June 16th following.

Application was made to the Grand Lodge at its annual session in January, 1870, with the necessary recommenda- tions, for a charter, which was granted, to be known as Covenant Lodge, No. 261, and bears date of Jan. 14, 1870, signed by A. T. Metcalf, N. W. G. M., and James Fenton, Grand Seeretary, and names Rudolph Kern, W. M., Myron B. Carpenter, S. W., and Oliver G. Tooker, J. W., and in addition to these the following constituted the first list of officers under the charter : Spencer H. Beecher, Sec. ; A. B. Watkins, Treas. ; E. Iludson, S. D .; James Tillotson, J. D .; J. Baumgras, Tiler.

The first communication under the charter was held on the 14th of March, 1870, when, by authority from the Grand Master, the lodge was duly constituted, with twenty- eight charter members, by Hulbert B. Shank acting as Deputy Grand Master. They continued to occupy the same room in which they organized until April, 1876, when they moved into the third story of the Van Auken Block, over Northrop's drug-store, which they now occupy. The following is a list of its Masters and the years in which they served : Rudolph Kern, 1869-70; Myron B. Car- penter, 1871-74; Gilman Walker, 1875; Myron B. Car- penter, 1876; Joseph P. Cowles, 1877-78; Myron B. Carpenter, 1879; and Sidney Edson, 1880. Its present membership is fifty.

CAPITULAR MASONRY.

The first organization of Capitular Masonry in the State of Michigan was that of Monroe Chapter, No. 1, at Detroit, under dispensation granted Feb. 3, 1818, by Companion De Witt Clinton, then Most Excellent Grand High Priest of the General Grand Chapter of the United States, to fourteen Royal Arch Masons, to open a chapter and confer the several degrees in the city of Detroit, under the name and style of Monroe Chapter No. 1. For twenty-seven years, and a little more, this was the only Royal Arch chapter in the State.

On the 10th of May, 1845, St. Joseph's Valley Chapter, No. 2, located at Niles, was organized under dispensation granted by Companion Paul Dean, then Most Eminent Grand High Priest of the General Grand Chapter, with a membership of nineteen Royal Arch Companions.

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CITY OF LANSING.

The next was the organization of Jackson Chapter, No. 3, at Jackson, March 13, 1847, under a charter granted by the General Grand Chapter, with a membership of nine companions. This was the last chapter in the State organ- ized by authority direct from the General Grand Chapter of the United States, except to permit the organization of a State Grand Chapter, which was done through a conven- tion of delegates and proxies from Monroe Chapter, No. 1, and Jackson, No. 3, assembled at Mason's Hall, in the vil- lage of Jackson, March 9, 1848. This convention elected a list of officers, with Companion E. Smith Lee at the head, as Grand High Priest, and designated March 18th, follow- ing, as the time for the Grand Chapter to meet, at Mason's Hall, in the city of Detroit, for the purpose of installing the grand officers elect, and for such other business as might come before it.

Pursuant to this appointment, the Grand Chapter of Michigan held its first convocation at the above time and place, when it was opened in ample form on the Royal Arch degree, and Companion E. Smith Lee was installed into the office of Grand High Priest by Companion Jere- miah Moors, the Senior Past High Priest, and he, in turn, then installed the other grand officers elect, and the Grand Chapter of Michigan was then fully organized.

The number of Royal Arch Masons in the State at date of this organization did not exceed seventy.

Charters were granted in turn by this body to Lafayette Chapter, No. 4, at Marshall; Oakland, No. 5, at Pontiac ; Washtenaw, No. 6, at Ann Arbor ; Grand Rapids, No. 7, at Grand Rapids ; and Jonesville, No. 8, at Jonesville, which brings us to Lansing, No. 9. Jan. 1, 1851, the re- turns made to the Grand Chapter showed seven subordinate chapters with a membership of 214. (Jonesville, No. 8, was chartered at the same session as Lansing, No. 9, as was also Adrian, No. 10.)

Lansing Chapter, No. 9 .- This chapter was organized March 14, 1851, in the same room where Lansing Lodge, No. 33, effected its organization. The organization was made under a dispensation of same date granted by Czar Jones, then Most Eminent Grand High Priest, on the pe- tition of the following-named Royal Arch Masons: Elijah J. Roberts, David G. McClure, Thomas Fitzgerald, Noalı Beach, Gordon Case, James A. Dyer, James M. Higby, George W. Fish, and W. N. Choate.

At the first convocation were the following-named com- panions, wlio acted as officers; Czar Jones, H. P .; Michael Shoemaker, C. H .; Jerome B. Eaton, R. A. C .; Andrew Harvie, P. S .; James A. Dyer, M. 3d V .; David Stuart, M. 2d V .; and Noah Beach, M. 1st V .; also Companions John Barber, Calvin Britain, and David G. McClure.

Only one of the petitioners, or of those present at the organization, David G. McClure, appears to have been a resident of Lansing, or of the jurisdiction covered by the dispensation. Most of them, however, were sojourners in Lansing by virtue of their being members of the Legisla- ture then in session,-viz., Elijah J. Roberts, of Eagle River ; Noah Beach, of Bridgeport ; Michael Shoemaker, of Jackson ; Andrew Harvie, of Detroit ; John Barber, of Adrian, all State senators ; and Jerome B. Eaton, of Jack- son, and Calvin Britain, of St. Joseph, representatives. All

the others, except Thomas Fitzgerald and David Stuart, of Detroit, were residents of Jackson and members of Jackson Chapter, No. 3.

Only three of the petitioners for dispensation were present at the first convocation,-viz., Companions Dyer, Beach, and McClure.

The first petitions for the degrees were those of H. S. Roberts, Hulbert B. Shank, and Champlin Havens, all of Lansing, and David Sturgis, of Dewitt, a State senator.

The first work done was the conferring of the Mark Master's degree on II. S. Roberts and Ilulbert B. Shank. All of this was at the first convocation, Friday, March 14, 1851.

This work of petitioning, balloting, and conferring of degrees continued daily, morning and evening, for one week, during which time all the chapter degrees were conferred on twelve applicants.

The first work on the Royal Arch degree was at a morn- ing session, Tuesday, March 18, 1851, on H. S. Roberts, Hulbert B. Shank, and Champlin Ilavens ; and at an even- ing session of the same day on James A. Bascom, John D. Irvine, a representative in the Legislature from Mackinac, and Rev. E. S. Tooker. Again, on the following day, on David Sturgis, John Bacon, a representative from Eagle River, and Daniel L. Case, then a representative from Port- land ; and again, on the next day, Thursday, March 20th, on E. E. Beebe, W. W. Upton, and Geo. I. Parsons.

Up to this time no officers were named in the dispensa- tion, but at this last convocation, Thursday, the following were appointed and indorsed on its back,-viz., Hulbert B. Shank, II. P .; David G. McClure, K .; E. S. Tooker, S .; and a further appointment of the following : W. W. Upton, C. H .; H. S. Roberts, P. S .; James A. Bascom, R. A. C .; E. E. Beebe, M. 3d V. and Sec. ; Champlin Havens, M. 2d V. and Treas. ; and Geo. I. Parsons, M. Ist V.

Thus we find Lansing Chapter, U. D., organized at a very early period in the history of Capitular Masonry in this State, when the Grand Chapter was but three years old, and when there were but 214 reported Royal Arch Masons in the State.

We also find it organized in a most irregular manner ; the only semblance of regularity is that the Grand High Priest presided over all these convocations as High Priest. These irregular proceedings can only be accounted for by their lack of experience at so early a day, or their misunder- standidg of the rules and regulations, and not in a willful departure from the ancient usages and landmarks of the order, for we have every reason to believe they acted iu good faith.

Application for a charter was made at the next convoca- tion of the Grand Chapter, held in Detroit, Jan. 15, 1852, and on account of all these irregularities the committee on charters and dispensations reported adversely to grant- ing it. The matter was then discussed at considerable length, and finally Michael Shoemaker offered the follow- ing preamble and resolutions, which were adopted Jan. 16, 1852:

" Whereas, The Grand High Priest of this Grand Chapter did grant a dispensation to a number of companions, purporting to reside in the village of Lansing, Ingham Co., State of Michigan ; and

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HISTORY OF INGHAM COUNTY, MICIIIGAN.

" Whereas, Said dispensation is informal, and the organization irregular; and

" Whereas, Sundry Royal Arch Masens have been made, in said irregular ebapter, in good faith, as they had a right to believe; and

" Whereas, The records of said irregular chapter show good work ; therefore

" Resolved, With a view to heal all such as have been made in said Lansing Chapter, that this Grand Chapter dees recegnize them as Reyal Arch Masens, as though they had been made in a regular chapter : and does recognize the records submitted by them to this Grani Chapter as correct and regular.

" Resolred, That a charter be granted to Lansing Chapter, No. 9, aud that Hulbert B. Shank be the first High Priest, David G. MeClure the first King, and George W. Barnum the first Seribe; and that the Royal Arch Masons exalted, under tho informal dispen- sation for Lansing Chapter, be recognized as members of said Lan- sing Chapter, No. 9, and entitled to all the privileges of members, after signing the by-laws."

The Grand High Priest, Jeremiah Moors, through the Grand Secretary, informed them that before they could legally be constituted a chapter it would be necessary that they should be consecrated and installed, and that if they would designate some worthy Present or Past High Priest, he would commission him to perform that duty, but for some reason no reply was made to this, consequently they were not installed during that year, and no work whatever was done during the year 1852, except to allow a few ac- counts; nor was any election of officers had, but immedi- ately after the convocation of the Grand Chapter in 1853 the Grand High Priest issued a dispensation to hold a spe- cial election, which they did on the 22d day of January, 1853, in pursuance to a call made for that purpose, which was the first election of officers under the charter, and re- sulted as follows : Comp. Hulbert B. Shank, H. P .; Champlin Havens, K .; F. R. Read, S .; John W. Long- year, C. II .; George I. Parsons, P. S .; James A. Bascom, R. A. C .; E. E. Beebe, M. 3d V .; Daniel L. Case, M. 2d V .; James W. Ilolmes, M. Ist V .; Champlin Havens, Treas .; Charles S. Hunt, Sec., and at the same time the chapter was duly constituted and officers elected and installed by M. E. G. H. P. Michael Shoemaker, as- sisted by D. G. II. P. E. Platt, P. G. K., J. C. Wood, and P. II. P., James A. Dyer. In addition to the names already given as having received the Royal Areh degree while under dispensation are the following, in the order in which they were exalted,-viz .: George Willson, George W. Barnum, F. R. Read, John Sanford, Adolphus W. Wil- liams, Charles S. Hunt, William H. Chapman, James W. Holmes, John W. Longyear, J. W. Phelps, Joseph L. Huntington, and Peter Lowe.

From this time on, for several years, everything moved along smoothly and satisfactorily to all ; much good work and square work was done,-such work as stood the test of the overseer's square,-but finally difficulties arose among the workmen in consequence of a laxity in the management of its finances ; dues and other obligations to the chapter were uncollected, and its treasury became depleted; consequently, for a time its dues to the Grand Chapter remained unpaid, and no annual returns were made to that body as required, nor had it any representative there. In short, " it brought up no work for inspection," and in the midst of all this con- fusion among the workmen the Grand High Priest, William P. Innis, in the early part of 1861, after mature delibera-

tion, and being confident that order could not again be re- stored, recalled the charter, and accordingly took possession of all the effects of the chapter and placed them in the hands of Companion George I. Parsons, subject to his order or the order of the Grand Chapter, and thus closed the brief history of ten years of old Lansing Chapter, No. 9.

Capital Chapter, No. 9 .- Soon after the arrest of the charter of Lansing Chapter, No. 9, the following-named companions petitioned to the Grand High Priest to grant them a dispensation to organize a new chapter,-viz. : Joseph C. Bailey, George W. Peck, Hulbert B. Shank, William H. Chapman, John A. Kerr, Champlin Havens, Manly Miles, Charles S. Hunt, James W. Holmes, Adolphus W. Williams, Abram Cottrell, George I. Parsons, William Woodhouse, James A. Bascom, Matthew Elder, Rodney R. Gibson, and E. E. Beebe, all Royal Arch Masons.

In regard to these proceedings the Grand High Priest, in his address to the Grand Chapter at its next annual con- vocation, says : " Soon after taking away the charter from Lansing Chapter, No. 9, I received an application in dne form and properly recommended, from certain worthy com- panions residing in Lansing and vicinity, praying that a dispensation be granted them to open a chapter of Royal Arch Masons in the city of Lansing, to be known as Capital Chapter, and setting forth many good and solid reasons why a dispensation should be granted them. I took the matter under advisement, and feeling confident that a chapter, in the right hands, would be of much service to the craft in that vicinity, and personally knowing every member who signed the application, and having their pledge that they would promote the good of the cause, I decided to grant the application."

Pursuant to this letter of dispensation, the petitioners met in Masonic IIall, March 5, 1861, and opened and or- ganized a chapter of Royal Areh Masons, known as Capital Chapter, U. D., and elected the following officers,-viz. : Manly Miles, H. P .; George W. Peck, K .; William Wood- honse, S. ; William H. Chapman, C. H .; George I. Parsons, P. S .; Abram Cottrell, R. A. C .; Joseph C. Bailey, M. 3d V .; Matthew Elder, M. 2d V .; Hulbert B. Shank, M. 1st V .; James W. Holmes, Sec .; Rodney R. Gibson, Treas. ; E. E. Beebe, Sentinel.

The unfinished work of Lansing Chapter, No. 9, seems then to have been taken up and completed.

The first work, March 8, 1861, was on Randolph Strick- land, who was advanced to the degree of a Mark Master, and the same evening Israel Gillett, Jr., received the degree of Most Excellent Master.

At the annual convocation of the Grand Chapter in January, 1862, application for a charter was made, which was granted and bears date Jan. 9, 1862, signed by Benjamin Porter, M. E. G. II. 1'., and J. Eastman John- son, Grand Secretary, and names Manly Miles, H. P .; John W. Longyear, K .; and William Woodhouse, S .; and, by resolution, all the property of Lansing Chapter, No. 9, was given to this chapter, and Capital Chapter made No. 9.

Jan. 24, 1862, the chapter was duly instituted, and the officers were installed by M. E. G. H. P. Benjamin Porter, assisted by Comp. C. A. Weismore; and as there is no record of an election at that time, we iufer that the officers

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CITY OF LANSING.

elected while under dispensation were continued through the year 1862.

The first petitious for the degrees, after the new organiza- tion, were from Ira H. Bartholomew andA. W. Nichols, received Jan. 25, 1862. The Grand High Priest, being present, gave permission to receive and ballot the same even- ing, and both were on that evening advanced to the degree of Mark Master.

The first work on the Royal Arch degree under the charter was Feb. 11, 1862, on Ira HI. Bartholomew, Israel Gillett, Jr., aud Delos C. Wiley. The first regular election of officers, as appears from the records, was Dec. 23, 1862, and resulted as follows: George W. Peck, H. P .; E. E. Beebe, K .; William Woodhouse, S .; William II. Chap- man, C. H .; George I. Parsons, P. S. ; James A. Bascom, R. A. C .; Ira II. Bartholomew, M. 3d V .; Joseph C. Bailey, M. 2d V .; J. W. Barker, M. 1st V .; Rodney R. Gibson, Treas. ; E. II. Whitney, Sec., who were installed the same evening by Past High Priest Manly Miles.

Thus closed the first year's labors of this new organiza- tion, and that it was then in a prosperous and harmonious condition is indicated in the Grand High Priest's address to the Grand Chapter, Jan. 12, 1863, in which, referring to this chapter, he says : " This chapter, chartered at your last cou- vocation, sprung from the ruins of Lansing Chapter, which fell in consequence of difficulty among the workmen, and its effects were given to the new chapter. The difficulties which formerly distracted the labors of Lansing Chapter seem to have disappeared under this new organization, and their work, I trust, will redound to the honor of the Royal Craft."

This chapter was organized with twenty-one charter members, and has now a membership of 122, all in good and regular standing, and as a working chapter it will rank among the best in the State.

The following is a list of its IIigh Priests in the order of their election, and the years in which they served : Manly Miles, 1861-62; George W. Peck, 1863; E. E. Beebe, 1864; George I. Parsons, 1865 ; Hulbert B. Shank, 1866-67 ; J. Van Keuren, 1868; Hulbert B. Shank, 1869; William H. Chapman, 1870-72; Timothy B. Thrift, 1873 ; Hulbert B. Shank, 1874; George H. Greene, 1875-80.

CRYPTIC MASONRY.

Cryptic Masonry is the term used to designate the Coun- cil Degrees of Royal and Select Masters, which are num- bered the eighth and ninth of the York Rite of Ancient Craft Masonry.

These degrees were introduced into Michigau by Comp. E. Smith Lee in the year 1844, who, together with several companions, worked them under an organization known as Monroe Council, No. 1, of Royal and Select Masters, held in the city of Detroit until 1856, when, for reasons sufficient to themselves, they made application to the T. I. Grand Master of Connecticut for a dispensation, and on the 12th of May, 1857, the Grand Council of that State granted them a charter, and the council became known as Monroe Council, No. 23; and at the same session charters were granted to a number of worthy companions at St. Clair, known as St. Clair Council, No. 25, and one at Pontiac, known as Pontiac Council, No. 26.

Pursuant to a call, these three councils, by their repre- s. ntatives, met in the city of Detroit ou the 13th of Jan- uary, 1858, in convention, and proceeded to form and organize a Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters for the State of Michigan, and elected a full list of grand officers, who were duly installed into their respective offices by T. I. Comp. T. B. Engle, acting as proxy of the T. I. Grand Master of Connecticut.

This Grand Council was duly recognized and welcomed, . and since that time Cryptic Masonry in Michigan has flour- ished and prospered. It has now under its jurisdiction no less than fifty subordinate councils, and a membership of 2000 in good and regular standing.

Lansing Council, No. 29 .- In the latter part of 1869 a number of Royal Arch Masons in the city of Lansing and vicinity became desirous of penetrating into the mys- teries of Cryptic Masonry, aud of organizing a council of Royal and Select Masters here, and, in order to obtain the requisite number to apply for a charter, the following nine companions-viz. : Hananiah D. Pugh, Adelbert R. Thayer, Andrew J. Davis, Allison A. Nichols, George K. Grove, James A. Metlin, Benjamin B. Baker, P. S. Derbyshire, and J. W. Barker-petitioned for and received the degrees Dec. 20, 1869, in Portland Council. No. 23, and then, at the annual session of the Grand Council in January, 1870, made application to that body for a charter, which was granted, for a council to be known as Lansing Council, No. 29, and bearing date Jan. 12, 1870, signed by O. L. Spaulding, T. I. G. M., and F. Bourke, Grand Secretary.

The first assembly was held at Masonic Hall, in the third story of Van Keuren's Block, Jan. 24, 1870, at which time T. I. G. M. Oliver L. Spaulding was present and presided at the opening. The following officers were elected: An- drew J. Davis, T. I. M .; Hulbert B. Shank, D. T. I. M. ; Benj. B. Baker, P. C. of W .; James Metlin, Treas. ; Adel- bert R. Thayer, Recorder; Hananiah D. Pugh, C. G .; and Geo. K. Grove, Steward.

Companion Spaulding then installed the officers into their respective offices, and Lansing Council, No. 29, be- came thereby duly organized.

The first petitions for the degrees were at this meeting from Stephen P. Mead, Alfred Bixby, Geo. W. Chandler, Dorman K. Fuller, Benj. F. Buck, and William HI. Chap- man, all of whom received the degrees of Royal and Select Master on this same evening.

The present membership is fifty-nine.

The following is a list of the presiding officers in the order of their election and the years in which they served, -- viz. : Andrew J. Davis, 1870-74; Myron B. Carpenter, 1875-76; Leland H. Briggs, 1877-78; Geo. H. Greenc, 1879; and Josiah Bruno, Jr., 1880.

CHIVALRIC MASONRY.

The first organization of Chivalric Masonry in the State was Detroit Commandery., No. 1, at Detroit, organized Jan. 8, 1851, under a warrant from the General Grand Encamp- ment of the United States. This was followed by Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, and G, organized under dispensation granted by the same body. On the 15th of January, 1857, in the city of Detroit, the first steps were taken towards the organization

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IIISTORY OF INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

of a State Grand Commandery, and on the 7th of April following the same was fully organized, under a warrant issued by William B. Hubbard, Grand Master of the Gen- eral Grand Encampment of the United States, with a mem- bership of but fifty-five. The number Jan. 1, 1860, had increased to 135; Jan. 1, 1865, to 318; and Jan. 1, 1869, about the time of the organization of Lansing Commandery, No. 25, to 1267.

This Grand Commandery at present holds jurisdiction over thirty subordinate commanderies, with a membership of 2569.

Lansing Commandery, No.25 .- In the year 1868 a num- ber of Royal Arch Masons, being desirous of advancing in Masonry as far as the order of the Temple, together with the few Knights Templar then in this jurisdiction, began to dis- cuss the question of taking steps towards the organization of a commandery of Knights Templar at Lansing, and, on de- eiding to do so, it was found that they lacked three of the requisite number belonging to the order, six being all they could muster,-viz. : Alfred Bixby, of Lansing, knighted May 26, 1865, in Detroit Commandery, No. 1 ; Dr. Charles H. Darrow and Nelson A. Dunning, of Mason, both knighted Sept. 4, 1868, in Corunna Commandery, No. 21; William W. White, of Williamston, Nov. 21, 1865, in De Molai Commandery, No. 22, of the State of New York ; Benjamin F. Davis, of Lansing, June 17, 1867, in Columbia Commandery, No. 2, Washington, D. C .; and Benjamin B. Baker, of Lansing, June 30, 1860, in Jack- son Commandery, No. 9.

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History of Ingham and Eaton counties, Michigan, Part 37

Author: Durant, Samuel W. cn Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia : D.W. Ensign & Co. Number of Pages: 772

Author: Durant, Samuel W. cn
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : D.W. Ensign & Co.
Number of Pages: 772